Old Ebbitt Grill is perennially one of the top ten most profitable privately owned restaurants in the country, grossing almost $23 million in 2007. Now, there is no doubt that profit margins in the restaurant industry are tight, and we're obviously in a tough economy right now - but the Clydes Restaurant Group is still making money. Lots of it.
So I was particulary dismayed that Ebbitt has used apparently used these tight times as an excuse to ditch what was one of the great perks of dining here - free parking. Free valet parking no less - downtown. I have no doubt that this cost the restaurant a small fortune, but I also can't count the number of times I went to the Ebbitt back when I owned a car just for ease of the free valet. Finding downtown parking is a pain in the ass, and paying 6$ for the privelage isn't fun, either.
But to top it all off, Ebbitt didn't just post a small fee to cover an increase in rental or insurance rates. They now charge 8$ for the privelage of parking at the restaurant.
Eight.
Dollars
This has to put it near the top of the list of most expensive restaurant parking downtown. Why the Ebbitt didn't just make it 3 or 4 bucks to offset costs while still keeping it a bargain is beyond me (greed).
And, of course, they're Web site still says the parking is complimentary. Ebbitt.com #FAIL
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
US Air = FAIL (Yes this is a rant blog)
Why, oh why, anyone would fly on US Air if they could avoid it is beyond me.
I understand the airline industry is facing tough times. Hell, they have been for most of the last 18 years, which tends to indicate a poor business model if you ask me, but I digress. But in this spirit, I can accept some cutbacks and reductions in, lets say, "perks". Hell, an extra soda or bigger snack isn't going to make me hate the experience of being stuck in a metal tube with 130 strangers going 530mph at 30,000 feet for two hours any less.
But.
US Air takes it to a new level. I'll admit, I'm an American Airlines snob. They just seem to know what they're doing a bit more, and I flew Continental on Wednesday and had a good experience.
But anymore, many airlines make passengers feel like they are doing you a favor for allowing you to patronize their services. I guess it's not surprising that, since merging with America West (widely scored the lowest on customer satisfaction survey) US Air has taken a customer service nosedive.
Case in Point: Yesterday I got to Charlotte, only to realize that I could still get on an earlier flight to DCA rather than cool my heels in the airport for yet another 90 minutes. So I got up to the gate, where the door is ready to close, and ask to get on this flight. Its a $50 dollar charge. But... the seat is empty, right? Yes. So... if I didn't pay it, you'd have an empty seat on this plane, and the flight later which may be potentially full, would then be occupied by me, correct? Yes.
I'm not seeing the reason for a fee here. I've done this dozens of times before on airlines, never been charged.
And this wasn't some special web fare I'd booked six months ago, this was a last minute, full fare ticket that I'd purchased not even 12 hours before. Then of course, you get on the plane and are charged 2$ for soda and water, and a dollar for coffee. Come on people, that cup of coffee cost the airline about 3 cents, you're going to stand there and make the flight attendant fumble around with a credit card machine for a 3 cent loss? It's not a fee to recoup losses, it's yet another blatant example of US Air saying EFF YOU to their customers.
I understand the airline industry is facing tough times. Hell, they have been for most of the last 18 years, which tends to indicate a poor business model if you ask me, but I digress. But in this spirit, I can accept some cutbacks and reductions in, lets say, "perks". Hell, an extra soda or bigger snack isn't going to make me hate the experience of being stuck in a metal tube with 130 strangers going 530mph at 30,000 feet for two hours any less.
But.
US Air takes it to a new level. I'll admit, I'm an American Airlines snob. They just seem to know what they're doing a bit more, and I flew Continental on Wednesday and had a good experience.
But anymore, many airlines make passengers feel like they are doing you a favor for allowing you to patronize their services. I guess it's not surprising that, since merging with America West (widely scored the lowest on customer satisfaction survey) US Air has taken a customer service nosedive.
Case in Point: Yesterday I got to Charlotte, only to realize that I could still get on an earlier flight to DCA rather than cool my heels in the airport for yet another 90 minutes. So I got up to the gate, where the door is ready to close, and ask to get on this flight. Its a $50 dollar charge. But... the seat is empty, right? Yes. So... if I didn't pay it, you'd have an empty seat on this plane, and the flight later which may be potentially full, would then be occupied by me, correct? Yes.
I'm not seeing the reason for a fee here. I've done this dozens of times before on airlines, never been charged.
And this wasn't some special web fare I'd booked six months ago, this was a last minute, full fare ticket that I'd purchased not even 12 hours before. Then of course, you get on the plane and are charged 2$ for soda and water, and a dollar for coffee. Come on people, that cup of coffee cost the airline about 3 cents, you're going to stand there and make the flight attendant fumble around with a credit card machine for a 3 cent loss? It's not a fee to recoup losses, it's yet another blatant example of US Air saying EFF YOU to their customers.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Restaurant Week Reviews 09
Taberna del Alabardero
Went here for the Restaurant Lunch deal on Tuesday... btw I have to start doing RW lunches more often than dinner, the lower price point to start combined with the lack of alcohol makes this so much cheaper than dinner, but I digress...
For those that haven't been, Taberna looks a bit like an old European hotels. Old style lamps, deep red walls, very bright during the day but I could see it being darker and more romantic at night.
Started with the crepes topped with mushroom sauce... These were well-cooked crepes filled with a pesto paste, and topped with a mushroom sauce. The mushroom sauce was a bit muddled and plain, but overall it wasn't a bad dish. My biggest complaint, common with TdA, was the total lack of presentation. Imagine brownish yellow crepes filled w green, topped w a chunky brown sauce... just thrown on the plate. It was NOT appetizing.
Next was a nicely cooked, pretty decent size portion of Mahi Mahi on "crispy vegetables" (I would call them tempura style), on top of a rich pepper sauce. The +1 had red snapper with legumes, and did not finish the dish, but mine was good. For dessert I had goat cheese square on top of apple mousse with candied walnuts. The mousse was a bit odd; all of the components individually were fine but this just didn't work that well for me. Additionally, service was fine when we arrived shortly before noon, but abandoned us quickly.
Overall, TdA was fine for restaurant week, but didn't strike me as a place I'd go back to at full price.
Oval Room
The Oval Room had a pretty cozy dining room, it was white and stark while still being warm, if that is possible... Service all night was professional and attentive - each dish was described in detail as it was presented, and we were never left wanting for anything.
I started with a beet salad that came with blue cheese mousse, walnut crumble, and a walnut dressing. In the center of the plate was an exotic fruit compote, which balanced nicely with the flat beats and creamy mousse.
Next I had a sirloin with salsify and a type of mushroom... The portion of steak was twice what I expected, especially during Restaurant Week. However, the meat was over-salted and we were not given a steak knife. The salsify was fine if unremarkable, but mushroom was the real low point - completely raw and cold, it didn't meld well with the dish.
For dessert I had a passion fruit tart with a goat cheese gelee. This was fine, if a bit average. Overall, some small gripes due to a limited menu didn't keep me from wanting to go back to the Oval Room again for regular service.
Note: only the restaurant week menu was presentated at both restaurants.
Went here for the Restaurant Lunch deal on Tuesday... btw I have to start doing RW lunches more often than dinner, the lower price point to start combined with the lack of alcohol makes this so much cheaper than dinner, but I digress...
For those that haven't been, Taberna looks a bit like an old European hotels. Old style lamps, deep red walls, very bright during the day but I could see it being darker and more romantic at night.
Started with the crepes topped with mushroom sauce... These were well-cooked crepes filled with a pesto paste, and topped with a mushroom sauce. The mushroom sauce was a bit muddled and plain, but overall it wasn't a bad dish. My biggest complaint, common with TdA, was the total lack of presentation. Imagine brownish yellow crepes filled w green, topped w a chunky brown sauce... just thrown on the plate. It was NOT appetizing.
Next was a nicely cooked, pretty decent size portion of Mahi Mahi on "crispy vegetables" (I would call them tempura style), on top of a rich pepper sauce. The +1 had red snapper with legumes, and did not finish the dish, but mine was good. For dessert I had goat cheese square on top of apple mousse with candied walnuts. The mousse was a bit odd; all of the components individually were fine but this just didn't work that well for me. Additionally, service was fine when we arrived shortly before noon, but abandoned us quickly.
Overall, TdA was fine for restaurant week, but didn't strike me as a place I'd go back to at full price.
Oval Room
The Oval Room had a pretty cozy dining room, it was white and stark while still being warm, if that is possible... Service all night was professional and attentive - each dish was described in detail as it was presented, and we were never left wanting for anything.
I started with a beet salad that came with blue cheese mousse, walnut crumble, and a walnut dressing. In the center of the plate was an exotic fruit compote, which balanced nicely with the flat beats and creamy mousse.
Next I had a sirloin with salsify and a type of mushroom... The portion of steak was twice what I expected, especially during Restaurant Week. However, the meat was over-salted and we were not given a steak knife. The salsify was fine if unremarkable, but mushroom was the real low point - completely raw and cold, it didn't meld well with the dish.
For dessert I had a passion fruit tart with a goat cheese gelee. This was fine, if a bit average. Overall, some small gripes due to a limited menu didn't keep me from wanting to go back to the Oval Room again for regular service.
Note: only the restaurant week menu was presentated at both restaurants.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Airtran
So I needed to fly to Atlanta this weekend, and since I have a hatred of all things Delta Airlines, I decided to give Airtran a try. I had always avoided Airtran, as the airline was born as a re-branding of ValueJet after the numerous and severe ValueJet safety problems came to light shortly after one of their planes blew up in the air over the Florida Everglades. But hey, money is tight all over, and it was convenient, so I rolled the air safety dice (plus w the Continental crash the day before, I figured the odds were good in my favor that we weren't due for another).
The goood: Airtran's fleet is all relatively new - they fly Boeing 717's and 737-700's, so no more of this, new paint job on a 40-year old airplane bit. The tickets were tied with being the cheapest on this route, and they still offered free in-flight beverage service and pretzels (a service many of the legacy carriers have abandoned). The main plus for me was that they provide direct service from DCA to a nice terminal in ATL. They also have an all-day standby policy for your ticket. Don't want to make that 6am flight? You can fly standby for the rest of the same day as your original flight, even after the booked flight has departed.
The bad: both of my flights were late - one due only partially to their fault and one due entirely to their fault. You can not turn around a fully loaded 737 in 25 minutes, it just can't be done. The airline doesn't seem to allow enough of a gap between flights, and thereby I saw many flights that were running 15-20 minutes behind, which isn't world ending unless you have a tight connection. Also, keep in mind if you sit on the 717's, the window seats carry-on storage under the seat in front of you is severely restricted by the seat post in front of you. The last negative is this route specific, but terminal A at Reagan needs to be torn down, and this is where Airtran flies out of. Plus with only one gate and destination, if you have a problem with your flight, you're kind of screwed. They fly into terminal C in ATL, which is far from the ground transportation but they have a train that is quick.
Would I fly on them again? Sure, if they saved me money. But the problem low-cost carriers have now is, legacy airlines match their fares. So, I can fly for the same price on Delta, but be in better connecting terminals with more options if there are delays.
The goood: Airtran's fleet is all relatively new - they fly Boeing 717's and 737-700's, so no more of this, new paint job on a 40-year old airplane bit. The tickets were tied with being the cheapest on this route, and they still offered free in-flight beverage service and pretzels (a service many of the legacy carriers have abandoned). The main plus for me was that they provide direct service from DCA to a nice terminal in ATL. They also have an all-day standby policy for your ticket. Don't want to make that 6am flight? You can fly standby for the rest of the same day as your original flight, even after the booked flight has departed.
The bad: both of my flights were late - one due only partially to their fault and one due entirely to their fault. You can not turn around a fully loaded 737 in 25 minutes, it just can't be done. The airline doesn't seem to allow enough of a gap between flights, and thereby I saw many flights that were running 15-20 minutes behind, which isn't world ending unless you have a tight connection. Also, keep in mind if you sit on the 717's, the window seats carry-on storage under the seat in front of you is severely restricted by the seat post in front of you. The last negative is this route specific, but terminal A at Reagan needs to be torn down, and this is where Airtran flies out of. Plus with only one gate and destination, if you have a problem with your flight, you're kind of screwed. They fly into terminal C in ATL, which is far from the ground transportation but they have a train that is quick.
Would I fly on them again? Sure, if they saved me money. But the problem low-cost carriers have now is, legacy airlines match their fares. So, I can fly for the same price on Delta, but be in better connecting terminals with more options if there are delays.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Roundup of Area Restaurant News
I don't get over to the Wilson Blvd area much anymore (y0u know how that River creates an impossible boundry to cross...), but two new restaurant happenings may get me there soon.
Eventide, just across the street from the Clarendon metro stop, FINALLY opens today. This is a project that has been in development for well over two years. Now, I'm not normally a huge fan of the multi-concept restaurants, but this one looks like it could be a little more smooth than say, Mark and Orlando's. There is a lounge with sharable small plates (foie gras stuffed dates, roasted olives, pate, tuna sashimi - $5-10 range) and upstairs a more formal dining room (lobster tagliatelle, braised lamb shank, roasted duck breast - $20-27 range). I would also expect this place to be jammed for their Sunday brunch. And that rooftop bar should become a perfect grown-up alternative to the Clarendon Ballroom madness come summer.
Just up the road from Eventide comes a new location for Ray's, the Steaks. "Improprieter" Michael Landrum has moved his... "non-traditional" steakhouse just up the road from the former location, and in doing so, has tripled the size of the restaurant. Since Ray's is known for being a great value (quite a few meat choices for less than $20, all come with gratis mashed tatoes and creamed spinach), he's well-positioned to stay busy during the economic slowdown. The biggest benefit of the new digs? They now take reservations. 1/3 of the restaurant will be devoted to advanced reservations, 1/3 to a same-day phone ahead wait list, and 1/3 to walk ins. This is HUGE, as the old place had a pretty complicated system in place to manage the heavy traffic. As a bonus, Landrum will be opening Ray's the Catch (yes, seafood) in the old location later this year.
And for the Tyson's Crowd out there, a few well-known area restauranteurs have joined up to bring you Inox, an upscale joint filling the void left by Maestro's closing last year. The tasting menu and an excellent wine program is the set-up here, but it's not for those with light wallets, the tasting menu sans pairings is in the 90$ range (though early reports say it's worth the cash). It will be interesting to see if Inox and 2941 can both make it at this price point in Fairfax County.
Eventide, just across the street from the Clarendon metro stop, FINALLY opens today. This is a project that has been in development for well over two years. Now, I'm not normally a huge fan of the multi-concept restaurants, but this one looks like it could be a little more smooth than say, Mark and Orlando's. There is a lounge with sharable small plates (foie gras stuffed dates, roasted olives, pate, tuna sashimi - $5-10 range) and upstairs a more formal dining room (lobster tagliatelle, braised lamb shank, roasted duck breast - $20-27 range). I would also expect this place to be jammed for their Sunday brunch. And that rooftop bar should become a perfect grown-up alternative to the Clarendon Ballroom madness come summer.
Just up the road from Eventide comes a new location for Ray's, the Steaks. "Improprieter" Michael Landrum has moved his... "non-traditional" steakhouse just up the road from the former location, and in doing so, has tripled the size of the restaurant. Since Ray's is known for being a great value (quite a few meat choices for less than $20, all come with gratis mashed tatoes and creamed spinach), he's well-positioned to stay busy during the economic slowdown. The biggest benefit of the new digs? They now take reservations. 1/3 of the restaurant will be devoted to advanced reservations, 1/3 to a same-day phone ahead wait list, and 1/3 to walk ins. This is HUGE, as the old place had a pretty complicated system in place to manage the heavy traffic. As a bonus, Landrum will be opening Ray's the Catch (yes, seafood) in the old location later this year.
And for the Tyson's Crowd out there, a few well-known area restauranteurs have joined up to bring you Inox, an upscale joint filling the void left by Maestro's closing last year. The tasting menu and an excellent wine program is the set-up here, but it's not for those with light wallets, the tasting menu sans pairings is in the 90$ range (though early reports say it's worth the cash). It will be interesting to see if Inox and 2941 can both make it at this price point in Fairfax County.
GOG Happy Hour Tonight
The venerable Going Out Gurus form the Washington Post are hosting another happy hour tonight, this time at Solly's on U St. (at 11th). Tonight's event is Kostume Karaoke, for the shy singers in the group, the hosts provide costumes to wear while singing your favorite hits.
Oohs and Aahs (soul food) is providing some (free) nourishment to go with the drink specials. I think the best part about going is you get to actually see the gurus behind the blog. More info: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/goingoutgurus/2009/02/going_out_guide_happy_hour_jus.html
Oohs and Aahs (soul food) is providing some (free) nourishment to go with the drink specials. I think the best part about going is you get to actually see the gurus behind the blog. More info: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/goingoutgurus/2009/02/going_out_guide_happy_hour_jus.html
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Bar Patron Etiquette
Dear fellow DC area drinkers,
If you've looked around, we are not alone. Despite tough economic times, the bar business tends to be immune from recession. I've noticed recently a certain... lack of basic bar manners in the area - both to your fellow bar patrons and to the fine people ensuring you have a quality bar experience. Here is a list of reminders, a brush up on your bar etiquette of sorts, to ensure that everyone can still have a good time.
- If the bar is busy, don't take up more seats than the number of patrons in your party. Coats, bags, and extraneous body parts do not need their own seats, paying patrons' asses do. It's incredibly rude to ask someone to stand so your backpack can have an open chair, not to mention it's bad for the bar's business. And if you can't stand to sit right next to someone you're at the bar with and require and open stool between you, you need to find new friends.
- If you're on the prowl for seats, show your fellow seat-searchers a bit of courtesy. Yeah, no need to NOT sit down at an open seat when someone is looking at the far end of the joint, but if there is another patron clearly angling for a particular seat and they've been waiting for longer, it's a dick move to butt in. Chill out and wait your turn. It's a delicate balance of aggressiveness and courtesy, but err on the side of courtesy.
- If you're getting a divorce, in the middle of a custody battle, firing an employee, or friend dumping that dude thats been sleeping on your couch for three months, please, oh please, do not engage in these activities in a bar. Most of us go out to relax. Sitting next to a couple who is loudly fighting, is not relaxing. Sitting next to a guy dumping his girlfriend on Valentine's Day, is not relaxing. If you know there is going to be an altercation, is a bar really the best venue for these disputes? These incidents rain on the collective bar parade.
- It's always amazing to see bar patrons astonished that they receive shitty service after they've been snapping their fingers and shouting "Hey Barkeep" at the bartender. At the very least, bartenders are people and deserve a basic modicum of respect as such. And many of your better bartenders are career professionals who probably make more schwag than we do sitting on the other side. Treat the staff nicely, and generally they'll return the favor.
- If you're going to sit there and talk to your friends for 3 hours while sipping a diet coke, that's your perogative. But please keep in mind, if you spend 4$ during that time period, you're taking business away from the people who rely on tips for their livelihood. Please tip accordingly (and going from 20% to 25% on that 4 bucks doesn't count).
Theme is, if you're respectful to fellow bar patrons and staff, everyone can have a good time. (getting off soapbox now)
If you've looked around, we are not alone. Despite tough economic times, the bar business tends to be immune from recession. I've noticed recently a certain... lack of basic bar manners in the area - both to your fellow bar patrons and to the fine people ensuring you have a quality bar experience. Here is a list of reminders, a brush up on your bar etiquette of sorts, to ensure that everyone can still have a good time.
- If the bar is busy, don't take up more seats than the number of patrons in your party. Coats, bags, and extraneous body parts do not need their own seats, paying patrons' asses do. It's incredibly rude to ask someone to stand so your backpack can have an open chair, not to mention it's bad for the bar's business. And if you can't stand to sit right next to someone you're at the bar with and require and open stool between you, you need to find new friends.
- If you're on the prowl for seats, show your fellow seat-searchers a bit of courtesy. Yeah, no need to NOT sit down at an open seat when someone is looking at the far end of the joint, but if there is another patron clearly angling for a particular seat and they've been waiting for longer, it's a dick move to butt in. Chill out and wait your turn. It's a delicate balance of aggressiveness and courtesy, but err on the side of courtesy.
- If you're getting a divorce, in the middle of a custody battle, firing an employee, or friend dumping that dude thats been sleeping on your couch for three months, please, oh please, do not engage in these activities in a bar. Most of us go out to relax. Sitting next to a couple who is loudly fighting, is not relaxing. Sitting next to a guy dumping his girlfriend on Valentine's Day, is not relaxing. If you know there is going to be an altercation, is a bar really the best venue for these disputes? These incidents rain on the collective bar parade.
- It's always amazing to see bar patrons astonished that they receive shitty service after they've been snapping their fingers and shouting "Hey Barkeep" at the bartender. At the very least, bartenders are people and deserve a basic modicum of respect as such. And many of your better bartenders are career professionals who probably make more schwag than we do sitting on the other side. Treat the staff nicely, and generally they'll return the favor.
- If you're going to sit there and talk to your friends for 3 hours while sipping a diet coke, that's your perogative. But please keep in mind, if you spend 4$ during that time period, you're taking business away from the people who rely on tips for their livelihood. Please tip accordingly (and going from 20% to 25% on that 4 bucks doesn't count).
Theme is, if you're respectful to fellow bar patrons and staff, everyone can have a good time. (getting off soapbox now)
Friday, February 6, 2009
DING DONG Doors Closing! (On DC Nightlife...)
Metro is facing a huge budget deficit next year ($150 million +) and with the economic slowdown, governments are getting more strapped and less able to help the ailing transit agency. To be fair, this isn't just Metro, NYC Subway is hiking fares and lowering service next fiscal year.
The last resort plan to help close the shortfall, is to shutter station exits and... close the system earlier. We're talking 10pm on weedays and midnight on weekends.
Yeah. I Know, right?
This is going to start drastically affecting the vibe of the city. Not to mention that I'm sure restaurants, bars, and movie theatres, which are already feeling the effects of the economy, won't be excited to lose any more business because people have no transportation.
There are two upsides to this, however. If you are a cab driver, you'll make bank. And the only upside to us riders? Metro will no longer have an excuse to shut down so much of the system on weekends for track repair, as they should have PLENTY of time to fix the system if they shut down that early.
The last resort plan to help close the shortfall, is to shutter station exits and... close the system earlier. We're talking 10pm on weedays and midnight on weekends.
Yeah. I Know, right?
This is going to start drastically affecting the vibe of the city. Not to mention that I'm sure restaurants, bars, and movie theatres, which are already feeling the effects of the economy, won't be excited to lose any more business because people have no transportation.
There are two upsides to this, however. If you are a cab driver, you'll make bank. And the only upside to us riders? Metro will no longer have an excuse to shut down so much of the system on weekends for track repair, as they should have PLENTY of time to fix the system if they shut down that early.
These days, seems they can't give airline tickets away
Well, that may be a stretch, but air fares are definately the lowest they've been in years. Travel is down for both business and pleasure, and that is a scenario that doesn't look to change for about 3 years.
Sadly, the reduced fairs won't stay around forever. Oh sure, they may not return to the levels of last summer when flying for pleasure was only for those flush with cash, but airlines are taking steps very quickly to reduce the red ink. The biggest effect on consumers? Vastly reduced capacity on all major airlines. Many of the majors have cut their capacity by 7-8% so far, with further cuts coming. American Airlines literally can't cut capacity fast enough to keep pace with the decline of passengers.
What does this mean for passengers? Well, first of all, these fares are likely to go up by the end of the spring, and stabilize at higher levels over the summer. Secondly, for the next few months expect the airlines to mess with your schedule even after you've booked. Cutting flights means you're going to get combined into other flights, or even have your connecting hubs shifted to other cities. Yes, its a pain, but at prices that are 60% of what they used to be, not many people are complaining.
Sadly, the reduced fairs won't stay around forever. Oh sure, they may not return to the levels of last summer when flying for pleasure was only for those flush with cash, but airlines are taking steps very quickly to reduce the red ink. The biggest effect on consumers? Vastly reduced capacity on all major airlines. Many of the majors have cut their capacity by 7-8% so far, with further cuts coming. American Airlines literally can't cut capacity fast enough to keep pace with the decline of passengers.
What does this mean for passengers? Well, first of all, these fares are likely to go up by the end of the spring, and stabilize at higher levels over the summer. Secondly, for the next few months expect the airlines to mess with your schedule even after you've booked. Cutting flights means you're going to get combined into other flights, or even have your connecting hubs shifted to other cities. Yes, its a pain, but at prices that are 60% of what they used to be, not many people are complaining.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Restaurant Week Extensions
The venerable Going Out Gurus from the Post have published a list of Restaurants extending this years Restaurant Week promotion, the list is here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/go-out-lists/adding-extra-days-to-restaurant-week,75513.html
With the economy such as it is, more restaurants than ever before are extending the deal for at least an extra week.
With the economy such as it is, more restaurants than ever before are extending the deal for at least an extra week.
Restaurants' New Embrace
Frank Bruni published an article in today's NYT food section about the change in attitude of many high end restaurants. Once emitting an air of, let's say exclusivity, many of these establishments are now welcoming customers with overt acts of kindness in order to woo the dwindling masses. Restaurants are now more friendly when taking reservations on the phone, more willing to keep waiting lists should a cancellation occur, and more accomodating to special requests. What the article basically says is, now that restauranteurs can no longer afford to treat their customers like shit, they're changing their ways.
This comes at a time when restaurants (and everyone in the hospitality business) are feeling the pinch. Recently Citronelle cut back dinner service to 5 nights a week and is laying off as many as ten staffers. In what has become known as a "recession proof" city, this is a significant warning of possible cutbacks and closures to come.
This comes at a time when restaurants (and everyone in the hospitality business) are feeling the pinch. Recently Citronelle cut back dinner service to 5 nights a week and is laying off as many as ten staffers. In what has become known as a "recession proof" city, this is a significant warning of possible cutbacks and closures to come.
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