Restaurant Reset

[George Hatch]

I think the C-19 lockdowns pushed a lot of people to learn how to cook, which from there they are going to make comparisons between what they can do at home vs what the restaurants do at their prices.

I might have spent $15/head for breakfast before when including coffee and a gratuity but now it's closer to $25/head. I'm not doing it.

 

[KHS445]

Growing up and living in a Polish/Catholic community from 1962 to 2020, myself and my family probably ate at home on Friday night less than 10 times. While we are not Catholic, every bar, restaurant and social club had a Friday night fish fry. Most were all you could eat and over the years increased from around $1.00 to $15.00 per person. Since Covid we have been eating at home probably 95% of the Friday nights. Have also cut back significantly on carry out. Cost is only some reason. Quality, quantity and frankly service is probably as great or greater a factor. Being in a smaller community all the serves and business owners know us and we routinely tip 25% to 30%, so that is not an issue.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Doesn't good taste matter to you? Even a bottle of water can cost over $1. How much cheaper for hot coffee?

We don't drink bottled water. Our tap water is safe and not recycled sewer water like your state. So water is free with ice. And "taste" does matter. But you can produce a decent portion of food at a reasonable price. I mean you eat at In-Out burger (boogers), Big Mac Gas Attacks, and Taco Bell blowouts... I mean you will pretty much eat anything if you can stomach those two. I will put a Mennonite or Amish cook up against any chef in California or New York in a taste test.

The best steaks in this country was an ex-butcher who cut his own T bones from whole sides of beef. Once a friend and I went to his restaurant and he told us the T bones were not good and he was grinding them up for hamburgers. Best hamburger I ever had. Sadly Phil's closed upon his death. And a T bone then (about 20 years ago) was under $15.

When it's delicious and good ambiance, it's worth the money.

That's why ambiance matters on "date night" or a special occasion. But lunch for a working stiff making $18 an hour is a significant bite out of their weekly check when they have to invest more than an hour's wages in lunch.

Only if you want the coffee version of Coors

Coffee snobs do not impress me. Starbucks coffee, for an example, is loaded with hulls, broken beans etc. and like Walmart and many others, they buy beans for the lowest bid producers, mostly Robusta from Vietnam and SE Asia. Premium coffee isn't dark roasted either. That simply hides the taste. I never learned to like coffee that is served in small cups and is thick as chocolate syrup that the connoisseurs seem to prefer. Nor does French pressed coffee or brewing exactly 6 minutes and 12 seconds do anything but amuse me. So, just give me a decent brand that does not have trash and is not mostly Robusta beans. Even "Death Wish" is loaded with caffeine but relies upon a cheap blend of Arabica and Robusta. Colombian and Ethiopian beans are probably the best beans but buyers still cut these with cheap Robusta beans and pass off as high quality. Folgers and Maxwell house are probably the worst of the lot along with economy brands like Walmart. Arbuckle brands are probably as good as the best.

 

[IlliniApp]

As states jack up minimum wages, food costs rise 20%, and crime cost franchises big bucks, more are closing unprofitable stores. And even the headquarters of companies are moving to cheaper digs.

There are a number of restaurants in the Quad Cities that I thought were really good and looked successful that have closed since COVID. I suppose that's the nature of that business as well.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I suppose that's the nature of that business as well.

I noticed my favorite Cafe is reopening after closing 3 years ago. The buyer unfortunately bought the property only weeks before Covid restrictions (August 2020) and quickly went under. Arvest Bank ended up with the property and sold it for $200k back in October 2025, and the new owners put in some work and new equipment. Just opened a few days ago I hear. The seller back in 2020 had bought another small cafe in the town north of the old one. She runs it 3 days a week and daughter does it on weekends. Carol also has a food truck and ran it during events, weekends, etc. as she wanted to. She is near retirement age anyway and her hubby helps (he was main cook at the other cafe) but he is retirement age. It works for them. They have a really good waitress that is well known in the area and is dependable.

 

[George Hatch]

Coffee snobs do not impress me. Starbucks coffee, for an example, is loaded with hulls, broken beans etc. and like Walmart and many others, they buy beans for the lowest bid producers, mostly Robusta from Vietnam and SE Asia. Premium coffee isn't dark roasted either. That simply hides the taste. I never learned to like coffee that is served in small cups and is thick as chocolate syrup that the connoisseurs seem to prefer. Nor does French pressed coffee or brewing exactly 6 minutes and 12 seconds do anything but amuse me. So, just give me a decent brand that does not have trash and is not mostly Robusta beans. Even "Death Wish" is loaded with caffeine but relies upon a cheap blend of Arabica and Robusta. Colombian and Ethiopian beans are probably the best beans but buyers still cut these with cheap Robusta beans and pass off as high quality. Folgers and Maxwell house are probably the worst of the lot along with economy brands like Walmart. Arbuckle brands are probably as good as the best.

And here I thought I was the resident coffee snob.

 

[IlliniApp]

To me, success in a cafe is to provide good portoins for a reasonable price. Coffee is cheap. There is no excuse for it costing over $1.

I was an idiot and ordered a Coke with my meal at Dave & Buster's last Monday and it cost $4.59 if you can believe that ****.

 

[CCAAMO]

It has nothing to do about being a coffee snob, its has to do with how much you need to make a good pot. I hate Starbucks. I brew 14 cups with six scoops of dark roast usually Costco brand.

 

[Fernando]

It has nothing to do about being a coffee snob, its has to do with how much you need to make a good pot. I hate Starbucks. I brew 14 cups with six scoops of dark roast usually Costco brand.

14 cups? You can't drink that much and if so, it's not good for you. I get my cup of coffee from a franchise store almost every morning. No need to make 14 cups.

 

[CCAAMO]

Fernando your reading skills are about as good as your appraisal skills. I said i brew 14 cups, i did not say i drink 14 cups