The Star Tribune has an interesting piece entitled 10 years of restaurant missteps. While I generally agree with most of them there were a few that really caught my eye and one that made me go, “huh?”
2. ONLINE NASTINESS.
The Star Tribune notes that, “people of integrity should stop hiding behind “AntonEgoMpls” or some other snarky electronic appellation and affix their names — yes, the ones embossed on their driver’s license — to their vitriol.” Now, as you all know I am proud to put my name on my review and let the world know what I thought of their establishment. I’m certainly not afraid to share that it was indeed Bill Roehl who thought his beef stronganoff was, “the worst fucking meal I have ever had at a restaurant, ever.” But I realize that some may not be as willing to do so.
It’s good for the general public to have the ability to share their comments with the world and especially the owner in the land of being ashamed for not being “nice”. What is it not good for are the food writers of the world who are pissy that they have to pin their name up next to what they write and take flak for it.
3. INCESSANT COPYCATTING.
I won’t even bother to go into this as we all know at least a dozen or more restaurants, off the top of our heads, which fall into this category.
9. C-MINUS WEBSITES.
This is the number one reason why I am the #1 hit for restaurants in the area. I am on to their existence long before they even think of adding a website and by the time they get around to it, I probably have already eaten there and told them what I thought–and, unfortunately, that’s usually not to their advantage.
Let’s take Wild Bill’s Sports Saloon‘s website for example (which you can view here is absolutely miserable and they even had someone design it for them! Talk about out of date, it still mentions that it’s opening December 14th.
Want another example? Check out Taste of Thaiyai‘s website here. While I appreciate their linking to w00dz and me, I think they have some work to do–like say a menu.
1. HALF-PRICE WINE NIGHTS.
Personally, I just see it as a gimmick to get people in the door. Everyone knows that when they order wine at a restaurant they are paying a huge markup but it’s the same with beer. Do you seriously say that 2 for 1 nights on beer make it seem less worth it the other times of day/week? No. Don’t be silly.
—
Well now we know what the Star Tribune thinks are 10 restaurant issues worth noting how about you? What of their 10 do you agree most with and what else would you add that really irks you about the industry in general or especially what goes on in restaurant locally?
Related posts:
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
Loading ...
January 7th, 2010 at 8:25 am
I liked the strib article, though it feels like a strange article for a brick-and-mortar newspaper to write. Top 10 lists feel so blog-like. Good list though, I think they are spot on for the most part.
Oh, fp!
January 7th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I’m always amazed at the number of restaurants that have zero online presence. A simple site with a couple paragraphs of info, hours, and a menu is not difficult.
When I have a chance to dine out and want to visit some place new, I go online to figure out where to go.
If any of you restaurant owners without web sites are reading this, contact me, I can get you online for less than you think. For you do-it-yourself web site restaurant owners, your sites are bad, really bad. Well constructed sites like LazyLightning will always rank much higher than you in the search results.
January 7th, 2010 at 9:16 am
I take what I find on the web with something of a grain of salt, so the online nastiness wasn’t a big deal to me. You’ll find just as many people ignorantly upholding the virtues of an awful place as you will people anonymously attacking a place. Take the feedback from a big user forum for what it is, just like you’d take the feedback from a random guy you stop on the street versus a guy with established credibility.
January 7th, 2010 at 9:43 am
My take on a few items from the Strib list:
1. Half-price wine nights – The Strib laments $3 diet cokes. The solution is to order water instead. It’s definitely a big profit item but as long as people are ordering them, the prices will remain high. I order water because that’s what I prefer.
2. Reviews with names have more credibility, sure, but the content of the review is what really counts. Thorough descriptions of every facet of the visit, such as you have here, will always have more credibility than a someone’s bitchfest, whether there is a name attached or not.
4. Tip jars – I get a big kick out of the one’s you see at drive-thru’s, such as the one at the Savage Depot.
7. Long winded servers – This is a pet peeve of mine. For me, the perfect server is one that you don’t notice. If they ignore you, you notice them. If they talk to much or get too chummy, you notice them. If they are timely with their service, tell you everything you need to know (and that’s it), and do so in a pleasant manner, then I can focus on my companion and my food. Being too chummy with me interferes with my enjoyment of the meal and will lower your tip just as much as poor service will.
9. Websites – If they can’t keep a website up to date, then don’t even bother. Give me a menu, daily specials, special events, address, phone number, map (extra points for interactive), hours, photos, and please quit using cute flash animation or audio. Having a coupon to print out is cool too, but not required.
January 7th, 2010 at 10:19 am
I agree with Lenny on water. What’s very frustrating though is a wait staff that ignores you because they think you’re cheaping out for ordering water. If I’ve got great service, my tip won’t be based on a percentage of my tab, especially if I didn’t order much, but I still often find the service to be sub-par if I just order water.
January 7th, 2010 at 10:21 am
Joey, I agree w/you on subpar service after ordering water. I generally do not drink soda (we don’t have it in the house and I may get it on occasion at the grocery store while waiting in line but otherwise…) and I’m certainly not going to get it at a restaurant that doesn’t cater to my diet/caffeine free preference (which most do not do).
Sucks.
January 7th, 2010 at 11:04 am
[...] says “flatbread paninis” on the window–talk about the #3 issue in the restaurant industry today, [...]
January 8th, 2010 at 4:05 am
[...] blogger mistakes a photo of the universe for a cookie, praise for the tripe at Chaska My Love, and Bill Roehl’s take on Rick Nelson’s 10 annoying restaurant trends from the past decade. var addthis_pub = [...]
January 8th, 2010 at 10:29 am
I definitely have to agree on the website issue. More than once, I’ve opted to not go to a restaurant i’ve found out about because I can’t get any useful information from the website. Location, Hours, Menu and any special details are the most important things to have on a restaurant website. And Flash animation sucks. Bill, thank for not having Flash on your website…
Otherwise, I have to disagree with the article that chefs are lazy because they have build-your-own menus. I prefer that. Rarely do I find a chef who’s taste is compatible with mine. When I build my own, I rarely waste any food. When I take what is just on the menu, I do end up throwing food away. And sometimes looking for something else to eat when I get home.
January 8th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
You’re so right, Bill! (I had to laugh when I red that part about websites) I found this website initially when searching for information about a restaurant. And, “googling” many places continues to drive me here frequently as the top hit, if not the only hit. WHy? Because they have no website at all or because the one that exists generates so few hits due to pure suckiness.
••••
Attention Owners: You have a website to create and promote your “brand.” This is Marketing 101 shit, here. However, when you create an environment like the one we’re talking about, the result is: BILL ROEHL OWNS YOUR BRAND. He’s not making shit up when she says he’s the #1 hit online for this topic, nor is is he off smidge in the rest that he says. Take this to heart.
Your online presence shouldn’t be some ancillary thing. If I *happen* to come across your new place by driving by, having it mentioned in conversation or by some deliberate advertising you did, guess what I’m gonna do next? I’m hitting my web browser to check you out. If you have a website, great! But if it doesn’t give me what I want, then I’m mere seconds from hitting a search engine. POW! I’m here. Here where you have no control anymore. It might be a glowing review, driving more business than you could ever imagine. (Take Ronin as an example.)
Now, I’m a frequent reader and I am going to come here form now on for local food chatter (and other fun topics.) But I have a funny feeling this Internet things is more than a passing fad and might just be here to stay, no matter how clogged up the tubes might get.
I’d like to think there’s a great ROI on a decent website. You destiny is in your hands.
January 8th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
I agree on a lot of the points. Don’t agree on the tip jar. Usually if there is a tip jar it is there because the staff are not paid much. Just like servers. If you like the food enough to go to a place, I would think you would want the staff to be paid enough. And making a latte is pretty intensive, watch someone do it….
In my ideal world I guess everyone would have plenty of money, regardless of their job….but we aren’t there quite yet.
January 13th, 2010 at 9:15 am
[...] 4. They do not seem to have a website. Might want to work on that one. [...]