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Restaurants go poof

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Pat G

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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Sun Jul 26, 2020 3:57 pm

I, too have noted so many closures of small restaurants in our area. And, personally, there are various services that I'm patronizing differently right now. Takeout and other personal services. More generous tipping, etc. And some people I know have lost their jobs (my health club). So I am working with a few former contacts to perhaps throw some business their way because I think it's just the right thing to do.

The point about other countries is a good one. And I am intrigued by a model in which employees are paid an hourly wage without tipping expected. It's a clear, upfront approach. Especially since some employees are tipped now, others aren't but add value to those who are tipped.

Within the USA, there is substantial variation by state in minimum wage and how/when this applies to tipped employees. Some variation relates to labor costs, other to who knows? But I got curious and found this info. May be useful if/when we are able to travel again.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/ ... age/tipped
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Jeff Grossman

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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jeff Grossman » Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:05 pm

Following up on what it means for Danny Meyer to go back to tipped service in his restaurants:
https://www.grubstreet.com/2020/07/danny-meyer-ushg-tipping-nyc.html
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jenise » Sun Jul 26, 2020 7:17 pm

Good catch, Jeff. Quoting someone other than Danny in that article, this is kind of the bottom line: "“There was this idea that it [Hospitality Included] was inevitable, and a huge groundswell … But that was bullshit — it wasn’t catching on, and it was very difficult. As much as I agree and I believe in the principle, it was too hard.”
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:02 pm

Not that this means CPK is closing, but ...

Trying to remember the last time I patronized a CPK. May have been 6 years ago on a business trip.

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/cal ... bankruptcy
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jeff Grossman » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:47 pm

There hasn't been a CPK in New York City for ages and ages.
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Bill Spohn » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:55 pm

In normal times, around 60 percent of new restaurants fail within the first year and nearly 80 percent close before their fifth anniversary.
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jenise » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:16 pm

Only been to one CPK in my whole life, because friends suggested we meet there while on a trip to So Cal. It was their fave restaurant, and in fact when they suggested "CPK" we had no idea what they were talking about. Had never heard the local vernacular, but was well aware of the surging California Pizza Kitchen chain. Those friends are the types that only go to chain restaurants, where for me that would be a last choice. Awful meal--a different cookie but very obviously in the cookie cutter mold that made Olive Garden a huge success. I can express no sympathy about this news!
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:10 pm

CPK was rather consistent and worked for business travel. That's about it for me.

At this point, we are supporting smaller local chains and individual small restaurants. I prefer giving them our takeout commerce, such as it is. Same for small domestic vintners; direct ordering from them. Believe that's almost all of my purchases this year. Any other wine was from a LWS.

Just my approach for now. Seems like the right thing to do.
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jenise » Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:58 pm

Pat G wrote:CPK was rather consistent and worked for business travel. That's about it for me.


That was me and PF Chang.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Larry Greenly » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:01 pm

Jenise wrote:
Pat G wrote:CPK was rather consistent and worked for business travel. That's about it for me.


That was me and PF Chang.


So much sugar there, it would rot your teeth.
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jenise » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:03 pm

Well, not if you didn't order the sweet dishes, which I never did. Might be worse now, though; everything in America is worse now when it comes to sugar.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Larry Greenly » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:53 pm

You might be surprised. Take a look at the grams of sugar in their nutritional info: https://www.pfchangs.com/nutrition/main-menu
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Paul Winalski » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:02 pm

One time that I visited my snowbird parents in Naples FL, they took me out to a PF Chang's. The waiter assumed that we knew nothing about Mandarin/Sichuan food and insisted in explaining everything in excruciating detail, even though I kept telling him, "Yes, I know what that is. I cook it for myself all the time." When the pot stickers arrived, he also insisted on mixing up a dipping sauce for them. I told him to just leave the bottle of hot oil and small dishes of chopped ginger and scallions on the table, but no--he had to mix it up himself. Sheesh.

-Paul W.
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Larry Greenly » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:28 pm

At PF Chang's I had a teenager explain to me what chopsticks were and how to use them. LOL. I've used them for a half-century now.

At a steakhouse once, I had a surf & turf. Before I could protest, the waiter whipped out a fork from his pocket and popped the lobster out of its shell. I was pissed, to say the least. At least they went belly up a couple of months ago. Yay, covid!
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:38 pm

Well, gee. We have PF Chang's right here. But I used to go to Pei Wei for some of very similar items. Now closest Pei Wei is 33 miles away. 2 stores within 10 miles permanently closed. I am not forking out nor chopsticking out for PF Chang's. Not on my own $.

Sign of the times....more places listed as "permanently closed".
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Sat Aug 29, 2020 2:43 pm

Still picking up signs of poof here. A few more permanent closures, space for lease, some contacts in the wine industry have lost restaurant clients in our city.

Might be an interesting update for some. Certainly on my walks I have observed more Uber, Door Dash, etc. And at times the drivers literally run to the door, with a mask, and drop off. We do takeout, but pick it up. Quickly. Exit stage car and hand sanitizer.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/fri ... rus-crises

Any other area observations?
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Wed Oct 14, 2020 3:06 pm

I am not surprised. It is a new and different world in hospitality....

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/ban ... ys-lenders
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jenise » Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:23 pm

Good article, thanks for posting. Did you ever imagine a world in which take-out was the only game in town? I sure didn't.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Pat G » Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:57 pm

Me neither. Nor did I imagine a world in which I'd blow off attending a key wine event that was scheduled for early March before CV19 restrictions went in place. Didn't like what I was hearing about Italy ... and a mass gathering of those in hospitality national/international sounded too risky.

Nor a time when I didn't look forward to future travel. Not yet. Nor a time when I didn't look forward to serving as a Somm vol, and deferring the preferred education until I know when I'll return. Nor where all wine events are virtual.

I could go on...just strange times.
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Update: Seated Diners

by Pat G » Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:38 pm

https://wolfstreet.com/2020/11/02/state ... ed-diners/

No surprises here. We still avoid dining in parking lots. More comfy at home....
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Another update

by Pat G » Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:25 pm

Our county is moving back into the strictest CV19 procedures. From a website:

Moving from the red tier to the purple tier brings several changes, including:

Restaurants may only operate outdoors
Indoor gyms must close
Indoor museums must close
Maximum occupancy of indoor retail falls from 50% to 25%

So parking lot/outdoor dining is it. Not for us, but some are wanting to get out....

This will be at least thru end of Nov. So one key holiday for restaurants will be...ahem...quite limited. Not sure about December yet.

Staying home and just takeout has its advantages. Better wines, better pricing....comfort. :wink:
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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Jenise » Thu Nov 12, 2020 3:03 pm

No change in the rules here yet that I'm aware of, but numbers are up so I expect them soon.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Bill Spohn

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Re: Restaurants go poof

by Bill Spohn » Thu Nov 12, 2020 3:09 pm

Had to put my lunchtime mini tastings on hold - restricted to staying home (but food shopping allowed). No gatherings - through to Nov. 23 and possibly renewable then.
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