Coming to and end? No. Reduced to a toilet w/much worse to come. Yeah.

For me, it is the 3 C's : Covid, Climate and Congress ( OK its really politics in general, but 2 C's and a P doesn't flow off the tongue).

I've eaten out twice indoors within the last week, which is about two times more than in the past six months. So this is a very small sample.

Both restaurants* had good sized crowds and not nearly enough wait staff to service them. At one, the wrong food was repeatedly brought to our table, our food was dropped off at other tables, and throughout a 2 hour+ meal we each only had 2 drinks because our waitress just didn't have the capacity to get us more (and to be fair, our waitress was awesome... She was just slammed, way over worked, and I got the feeling her support staff was very new and inexperienced).

The other issue: food is just getting really expensive (I know this it's being discussed elsewhere out here). One of these meals was a neighborhood bar and grill. Five of us (three adults and two kids) ordering burgers and a couple beers for the grownups.

I think the final tab was $180. I'm sorry, but that's just too much for a casual Thursday night out with the family, especially with shitty service (and again, a great waitress... But she was basically handling the whole restaurant, including a huge table of like 15 people).

So what's scary about that $180 price tag: it may actually be too low. If the labor shortage is real, then one of the only ways to solve it is pay your staff more and increase prices.

And if that math is true, I think there will have to be a reckoning for the restaurant industry. I can't see middle of the road restaurants making a go of it. For me personally, I think "eating out" will mean takeout for the family; and visiting nicer/more unusual places when the wife and I get an occasional date night.


*For now, I'm going to refrain from naming restaurants. I don't think it's fair to criticize in light of pandemic, labor shortages, etc.

My first company meeting since I was hired 13 months ago, they put me up in the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport.

No room service, no restaurant table service, due to pandemic restrictions.

But they'll serve you at the bar, sans mask cuz you're drinking.
And food can be ordered from their Bistro Market... if you stand in line - the only way to get breakfast.
(Then it's served on disposables, but that's another rant).

There's no logic.

I have been on the road for eleven weeks of the past three months as I was in Cincinnati preparing my father for assisted living.

Because, I was not working, I would eat lunch from 2-4 pm and dinner after 8 pm.

I have learned several things. First, make sure you see the menu before dining out. I have seen certain restaurants that have increased their prices by as much as 50%

Second, do not expect that the food will be as well prepared as in the past. If it is, it is going to take you more time to receive it from the kitchen.

Third, if you are on the road, call in advance to see if the restaurant is still around and if it is still open.

I am finally back home with a full refrigerator, two full freezers, and a pantry filled with four banana boxes full of groceries from various surplus markets in the Wooster/Holmes Co., Ohio area.

JoelF wrote:No room service, no restaurant table service, due to pandemic restrictions.

I am traveling a lot. The hotels have figured their deal out. They are charging more than they were pre-Covid and are not providing any service. The hotels that are part of chains ( Hilton, Hyatt etc.) have 'brand standards'.

Brand standards no longer exist.

jellob1976 wrote:And if that math is true, I think there will have to be a reckoning for the restaurant industry. I can't see middle of the road restaurants making a go of it. For me personally, I think "eating out" will mean takeout for the family; and visiting nicer/more unusual places when the wife and I get an occasional date night.

*For now, I'm going to refrain from naming restaurants. I don't think it's fair to criticize in light of pandemic, labor shortages, etc.

I was in the food service business for 15 years and I will say this. The industry is getting what they deserve. The way that I have seen restaurant operations do to their employees over the years would NOT be tolerated in any other industry. And I must add that the "local independents" are usually worse than the big chain operations.

I spent the last three months in Southern Ohio suffering through restaurants being closed during normal hours and the like. What I find ironic is that the restaurants that treat their employees right are not that affected by the labor situation. However the restaurants that my family had bad experiences working for cannot seen to find the necessary help. I wonder why. (g)

It's funny, just the other day someone was saying, "When I was young, we didn't go out to eat, we ate at home, dining out was a special occasion, but now we eat out all the time."
Certainly the percent of retail space that's dining has increased, and I think there's some of this. My parents went through some lean years when I was young (never would I say we were poor), but there were certainly McD's or Browns Chicken nights, pizza, Chinese... not too different from today but probably a little less frequently. Special occasions were Carson's Ribs or one of the Highwood Italian joints.

There have certainly been cycles of dining in and out, depending largely on availability of labor: the (auto?)biography of Charlie Chaplin talks about not being able to afford to cook at home -- it was cheaper to dine out.

Prices are going up, and will for a bit. I personally don't believe we're heading into a period of sustained inflation like we had in the late 70s/early 80s -- we have better understanding and control over the economy than we had then. But there will probably be a couple years of rapid price increases until things settle out.

I think this email we received at work from our credit card company is an unfortunate function of the current era . . .

in an email, our annoying credit card company wrote: Hi there,

I noticed a 36% tip on your recent HOWARD ST. INN bill.

While some are tipping a little extra these days to support businesses and workers they love, I want to make sure this tip is correct.

I'd never seen anything like this. The total amount of the tip was $10. Wow, just wow.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I think this email we received at work from our credit card company is an unfortunate function of the current era . . .

in an email, our annoying credit card company wrote: Hi there,

I noticed a 36% tip on your recent HOWARD ST. INN bill.

While some are tipping a little extra these days to support businesses and workers they love, I want to make sure this tip is correct.

I'd never seen anything like this. The total amount of the tip was $10. Wow, just wow.

I appreciate that the credit company is watching out for unusual activity, even if the dollar amount was small. Our company caps tipping at 20%, which seems stingy in these times.

Ha, that's hilarious.

And I will say for the low prices that Howard Street inn charges, the waitstaff there definitely deserve that higher tip %.

I generally appreciate it when credit card companies ask for verification, just because I don't like fraud and I know they (and all of us) have to pay when it occurs. I recently bought a $1000 gift card from Amazon and an actual person phoned me to verify it. That's fine.

Still, I'm surprised they would question this. Not just because the amount is small, but also because the tip percentage isn't all that ridiculous. I've tipped 36+ percent on quite a few occasions, and it was never questioned. (Sometimes the server did something above and beyond, sometimes I was eating alone with no drinks and a normal percentage tip would have been way too small, sometimes I was with someone else and one of us ordered a lot more than the other so we had them split the check and one of us paid the entire tip for the table.)

This anecdote adds to the list of reasons I virtually always tip in cash. At least give the staff the opportunity to avoid having to pay taxes on it.

bweiny wrote:This anecdote adds to the list of reasons I virtually always tip in cash. At least give the staff the opportunity to avoid having to pay taxes on it.

LOL - I can just see my employee taking money out of his/her own pocket to tip in cash at a business lunch. I wish!

=R=

Emerald Loop (Wabash & Haddock, which is halfway between Wacker and Lake) will not get another visit from me until the pandemic is truly over. We'd made a reservation to make sure we'd get dinner between Ogilvie and Chicago Shakespeare, and while all the staff were wearing masks, about half of them apparently haven't figured out how masks need to be worn, 20 months into a worldwide pandemic -- including our server. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm vaccinated, and the alternative would end up being fast food, I almost walked out.

On the other hand, the fish and chips were very good, coming with ketchup, malt vinegar, old bay-flavored tartar, and an absurdly small serving of slaw. It was a big slab of battered cod, light and flaky, with crisp fries. SueF had a burger with Irish and American bacon, looked like they got medium-rare right.

For those who prefer to go to restaurants, bars, and other venues which require vaccinations of employees and customers, a list of such places is now available:

The Chicago Restaurants and Bars Requiring Proof of COVID-19 Vaccinations (Eater.com)

Lightfoot is expected to say businesses where patrons participate in indoor, leisure activities — including restaurants, bars and gyms — will have to check if people are fully vaccinated starting in 2022, WTTW’s Paris Schutz said in a tweet. There may also be a negative testing requirement that could be used for workers or patrons who are not fully vaccinated, Schutz said.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/12/21 ... -announce/

"Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will require restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues to check the vaccination status of all patrons 5 and older, the latest move taken by her administration to slow COVID-19 as the omicron variant of the virus sweeps across the country.

Workers at those businesses do not need to prove they are fully vaccinated, but must wear masks when dealing with customers and provide proof of a weekly negative COVID-19 test.

The new rules, which do not affect schools and day care facilities, go into effect Jan. 3. Only Chicago is affected."

https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics ... story.html

Several restaurants I follow on social media have announced they will be checking vaccination cards starting this week (if they weren't already doing it.) I have thought for a while that the city should have required this sooner. If NYC could do it, why not us? I don't think that those that were flouting guidance before will suddenly have a change of heart. I hope this helps these businesses get through this next surge.

One of my Sisters lives in New Orleans, and the mayor has required restaurants and bars to check for vaccine cards for at least six months. You also have to be vaccinated to attend a Saints game. Their COVID rates were really high this last summer because people were staying inside where it was air conditioned. Now people are spending a lot more time outside, and there rates were really low until this last weekend. Now they are three times as high as they were two weeks ago. Only 48% of the people in the state are vaccinated though. In NO it is more like 70%.

New 'Alfresco' tax at downtown Arlington Heights restaurants to begin Feb. 1

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2022 ... /220119201

Chicago’s family-owned restaurants find a secret weapon during inflationary times: Parental wisdom

https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-fa ... 12d71b9c68

Editorial: Restaurants need the help of their customers, not more cash from Uncle Sam.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/ ... story.html

Well, it remains a very different and fairly dismal landscape out there. Have things permanently changed? Will restaurants ever return to their former glory? Admittedly, this is a skewed and completely anecdotal note but no more than 25% of the restaurant meals I've had in the past 12 months have been worth the time, effort or cost.

Last week circumstances had me going out for 4 meals over an 8-day stretch, which is the most I've gone out in a long time. I have to say that the best of these meals was merely good and that overall, they were more disappointing than anything else. These were all places I'd been before -- across a moderate range of price points -- so there were some benchmarks. Dishes don't taste the same. Fewer menu options are available. Service is slow. Hours are reduced. Prices are higher.

I'm not blaming anyone (well, except for the place that now includes an 18% tip on the bill and mails in some pretty unfriendly service). I understand why things are not back to 'normal' and why they may never be. It just makes me sad.

=R=

Yup. Our go-to place implemented a strict 90-minute max for the patio, where they seat most guests in the summer and even during the winter —the patio is fully winterized and can be seated on all but the very stormiest/coldest days. We don’t care where we sit but we are long time friends with our server so we sit where he works, which, inevitably, is the patio. We always go early—usually the 1st seating at 5:00 but last Saturday, we booked for 5:30. It was packed from start to finish (yay for them) but this resulted in so much stress—on the kitchen to keep up and get us out; on our server dealing with unhappy guests pushing back on the policy all around us; and, ultimately, on us since we really didn’t enjoy our meal, which happened to be our anniversary dinner (we celebrated there after we got married 5 years ago and every year since, as well as at least once a month for over 10 years, even after moving to Valpo—restaurant is on the N. Side of the city.)

They didn’t recognize the occasion, other than when they seated us, owner never made it to the table, server friend was apologetic but couldn’t spend even a few minutes to chat. It just all felt so impersonal. While there have been other post-C19 changes (smaller menu, eliminated antipasto, charging for breadbasket), this “policy” is the one that matters because it’s changed the entire experience of dining there. Food is as wonderful as ever and we will keep going there, but it’s still sad to see things like this, since it’s clearly driven by a need to maximize/recoup revenue. And I can’t blame the owner for that at all. I just miss the world before this happened.

Years ago pre-pandemic, I went to a very popular pizza restaurant with a friend. When the meal was over, I could tell I was about to hear this person's life story.

I pointed to the line and suggested our conversation could continue elsewhere and someone else could have their dinner.

If this place had not been packed, I would have gladly sat there a while. Sometimes you just have to give up your seat as a pay it forward type proposition.

This reminds me of a restaurant in Highland Park that is long gone. It was very popular, but you know why it went out of business? People who lingered after their meal was long over not clearing their seat for someone else.

I have also seen restaurants with way too many vacant seats and lots of take out activity. You really wonder how much it is biting them to have those empty seats.

Everyone has their challenges, they just come in different ways.

Regards,
CAthy2

PS - Happy Anniversary!

Excerpt from today's Trib:

Editorial: Message to Chicago restaurants: Customer goodwill won’t last forever.

Message to the restaurant industry: Sympathy is giving way to frustration and customers are feeling gouged.

After all, the derivation of the word “restaurant” comes from the French verb restaurer, translatable as “to restore oneself.” Bars and restaurants are supposed to offer balm and recovery after a long day’s toil. And most of us care far more about how we are treated, not in the places where everybody knows our name but in the establishments where no one does.

Our advice is to phase out the digital menus that need to be pinched or expanded on smartphones, the igloos and yurts for outdoor dining during Chicago’s frigid winters, the deceptive service charges sneaked into bills that wind up going to restaurant owners rather than workers. And, please, stop shoving devices in our faces that start the tip options at 20% and go up from there.

Above all, customers hate the rise of what economists call “price partitioning,” where the true price of a meal is hidden by breaking it into little pieces. That cursed notion is behind paying for bread that used to be free and the 3% surcharge several restaurant chains in Chicago are now adding to checks without giving that money to their tipped staff. This stressful, anti-consumer practice should cease. Menu prices should be honest. And it’s not enough to say customers can request the surcharge’s removal: Restaurants are taking advantage of our reluctance to look cheap in front of family or friends.

Post-pandemic, inflation-strapped consumers are realigning which businesses they support, and as difficult conditions continue to pressure restaurants, the industry needs to remember to put its loyal customers first.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/ ... story.html

Oh, and update your online menus. I don't trust any menu I see online - and I'm not talking about mom & pop taco joints where I don't expect great online presence; I'm talking about fairly pricey sushi joints with fancy interiors, who clearly have budget.

And using the online ordering tools to offload the menu isn't terribly helpful either. I've run into restaurants where the "order online" had a log in requirement - I need to create an account just to see the menu! Not well thought out.

I do feel like many places have run amok -- and unchecked -- with charges, practices and policies that were once necessary for their survival and are now clearly in 'taking advantage' mode, hoping that customers won't notice or care. 18% service fee for carry-out in 2023?! Puh-leeze!

We go out far less than we used to and that's for a variety of reasons but price/value are certainly part of it. Also, generally speaking, service seems worse than before and food quality seems to be far more hit or miss these days. Factoring everything into the decision making process, it's hard to get over the hump and just decide to go out for the sake of going out. Unless there's an occasion or we're asked to go somewhere, we default to eating at home. That's a complete 180 from the before times, when going out was not only the default but also a priority.

Once you're away from restaurants long enough, it's easy to see them as unnecessary and completely discretionary. So, if the experiences they provide are generally disappointing, it's very easy to avoid them. It requires zero sacrifice.

=R=

The biggest post-pandemic behavior change for me has been around trying new restaurants. I go out so much less frequently, I find myself really only going to the few places I KNOW will treat me/us well, provide reasonable value for money and offer no surprises. Whether that’s at the low or higher end. That’s also a function of moving out to a more remote area but I’m not sure that’s the main reason. I just don’t have the patience for exploration the way I used to.