My sympathies lie with Bolivar also. I had a similarly maddening experience, described above.

One thing that would make the place run smoother is if Burt or Sharon would tell people who call (as Bolivar did) that it is a good idea to pre-order.

Bolivar wrote:Is our experience common and to be expected at Burt's?

Yes.

I've just stopped thinking about Burt's as a restaurant; it makes it easier. If you think about them as an ornery great-uncle, and only go to their house when invited (by another family member planning a party on their behalf), the picture is about right. Then, the food is very good and the company can be downright affable. I say this with all possible affection and salutary regards to Burt.

Darren72 wrote:My sympathies lie with Bolivar also. I had a similarly maddening experience, described above.

One thing that would make the place run smoother is if Burt or Sharon would tell people who call (as Bolivar did) that it is a good idea to pre-order.

i've got a better idea. why don't burt and sharon just make their humble establishment a private club. then they can just sell memberships to the foodies that think this it's ok to have pizza rules. that way the great unwashed won't have worry about making the mistake of visiting a restaurant that stays open even though they have no food.

krm61965 wrote:

Darren72 wrote:My sympathies lie with Bolivar also. I had a similarly maddening experience, described above.

One thing that would make the place run smoother is if Burt or Sharon would tell people who call (as Bolivar did) that it is a good idea to pre-order.

i've got a better idea. why don't burt and sharon just make their humble establishment a private club. then they can just sell memberships to the foodies that think this it's ok to have pizza rules. that way the great unwashed won't have worry about making the mistake of visiting a restaurant that stays open even though they have no food.

You're right! The nerve of those people to turn away customers that they can't accommodate!

I've heard of other popular restaurants that are starting to require you to call ahead and make your dining intentions known ahead of time. This outrageous behavior of these business owners must be stopped!

Did anyone mention that Burt's is quirky, and might not be to everyone's tastes? Burt and Sharon have the right to operate their business as they see fit. From what I've experienced, it's all about delivering the best quality pizza possible, even if it means alienating a few potential customers.

nr706 wrote:Did anyone mention that Burt's is quirky, and might not be to everyone's tastes? Burt and Sharon have the right to operate their business as they see fit. From what I've experienced, it's all about delivering the best quality pizza possible, even if it means alienating a few potential customers.

I don't think anyone is saying they don't have a right to operate their business as they see fit, that they shouldn't turn people away, or that they should change what they are doing in any important way (and I think this angle has been covered to death by now). Now that I know "the system", I'm fine with it. The point that I was making is that if someone calls in the afternoon to ask to ask their hours, it can't hurt to append "and we recommend ordering ahead of time" to the answer.

eatchicago wrote:

krm61965 wrote:

Darren72 wrote:My sympathies lie with Bolivar also. I had a similarly maddening experience, described above.

One thing that would make the place run smoother is if Burt or Sharon would tell people who call (as Bolivar did) that it is a good idea to pre-order.

i've got a better idea. why don't burt and sharon just make their humble establishment a private club. then they can just sell memberships to the foodies that think this it's ok to have pizza rules. that way the great unwashed won't have worry about making the mistake of visiting a restaurant that stays open even though they have no food.

You're right! The nerve of those people to turn away customers that they can't accommodate!

I've heard of other popular restaurants that are starting to require you to call ahead and make your dining intentions known ahead of time. This outrageous behavior of these business owners must be stopped!

these other restaurants that you speak of, do they serve dishes as complicated as pizza?

Darren72 wrote:I don't think anyone is saying they don't have a right to operate their business as they see fit, that they shouldn't turn people away, or that they should change what they are doing in any important way

krm61965 is saying exactly that.

krm61965 wrote:these other restaurants that you speak of, do they serve dishes as complicated as pizza?

Yes. among others.

An idea I've been tossing around for awhile to suggest to Buddy is that a website should be created for Burt's that is simply a menu and a map of their location with a big message across the top explaining that there's one 72-year-old guy with one oven making pizzas from scratch that are in high demand (secret ingredient: love) and it's really, really, REALLY important that you call in to check availability and place your order ahead of time. With the upcoming Bourdain appearance, things are going to get bad again.

I did a little research and it would be $70/year for the domain name and hosting. Heck, I'm almost willing to do it myself.

eatchicago wrote:

Darren72 wrote:I don't think anyone is saying they don't have a right to operate their business as they see fit, that they shouldn't turn people away, or that they should change what they are doing in any important way

krm61965 is saying exactly that.

actually what i'm saying is burt's is not for everybody.

I view the situation here as I'd view an instance when some of the people participating on LTH visited Smoque after it first opened - and the restaurant was out of a particular item on the menu, because it produces only so much of each item daily. Burt's has a specialized, limited menu and limited prep space - whereas Smoque had other items on the menu from which to order. I think there's been discussion enough here in the past about the advisability of ordering ahead of time that someone reading through the material here would have thought it wise to place an advance order. I'd have been pissed-off, also, however, having traveled that distance only to be turned away and I can see myself reacting as Bolivar did/has - until I calmed down and remembered the advertising slogan, "Phone first."

Maybe it would help if Joe changed the title of this thread to include "call first."

Everybody who's read this thread knows by now that it might be difficult to get a pizza at Burts. I think what the 7 pages of length are really about are the intentions behind this difficulty. I've only been there once, in the company of a group who had pre-ordered, so take this FWIW - but anyone who's met Burt knows that any refusal to serve pizza is free from any snobbishness at all - save one. Burt is a pizza perfectionist snob. However, I'm sure if GWiv showed up without calling in an order - or even if BuddyRoadhouse asked for a pizza on his break - and he couldn't do it exactly right, he wouldn't do it. I'm equally sure that if anybody in the world were driving by, hopped out of the car on a whim and decided to wait for a pie, and Burt could do it right, he would.

Swearing off Burts because there's only so much to go around is like swearing off homemade bread because it's too much trouble. It's not your everyday pizza place.

Bill wrote:I'd have been pissed-off, also, however, having traveled that distance only to be turned away and I can see myself reacting as Bolivar did/has - until I calmed down and remembered the advertising slogan, "Phone first."

He did phone first.

MHays, who was swearing off Burt's entirely?

I might as well toss my two cents in.
When my first wife and I lived in Morton Grove, we frequented Pequod's often and got to know Burt quite well. My guess is this was in the early 1970s. Burt was his own person then and had his own ideas as to how he wanted to run his restaurant. So here it is some 35 years later and I'm happy to see that things haven't changed much.
The only thing that has changed is that Burt's Place and pizza has been discovered by the unwashed masses.
So cut him a little slack, folks, and go with the flow.
I'm glad to see that he's still making a unique product and many are enjoying his pizzas.
Too bad that Grandma Bobbi is on a calcium free diet, which means no cheese or Burt's pizza for her (and me).
Best regards,
GP Bob

abe_froeman wrote:An idea I've been tossing around for awhile to suggest to Buddy is that a website should be created for Burt's that is simply a menu and a map of their location with a big message across the top explaining that there's one 72-year-old guy with one oven making pizzas from scratch that are in high demand (secret ingredient: love) and it's really, really, REALLY important that you call in to check availability and place your order ahead of time. With the upcoming Bourdain appearance, things are going to get bad again.

I did a little research and it would be $70/year for the domain name and hosting. Heck, I'm almost willing to do it myself.

You do realize that Burt doesn't even own a cell phone, let alone a computer. I think the chance of a Burt's website is somewhere right around zero, or perhapes even a -10.

Grandpa Bob wrote:The only thing that has changed is that Burt's Place and pizza has been discovered by the unwashed masses.

[Looks at Burt's Place booths, looks at masses, tries to decide what's more unwashed]

Seriously, I'd never swear it off entirely. It is spectacular pie at the right moment, which usually involves one of you being there. Not really a take-the-wife-for-couples-night type of place.

Hi,

Burt's wife has a cellphone.

Regards,

Wow, Bourdain was in there recently? Oh boy, it's going to be a madhouse after that airs. I've never eaten inside Burt's, I only get it to go, but ALWAYS uncut (as I do with all deep dish) so it won't get soggy and I can crisp it up in the oven at home a short 15 minute drive later. You guys are getting me thinking about picking one up on the way home tonight!

Ram4 wrote:Wow, Bourdain was in there recently?

Ram4, check out this link.

Bill wrote:I view the situation here as I'd view an instance when some of the people participating on LTH visited Smoque after it first opened - and the restaurant was out of a particular item on the menu, because it produces only so much of each item daily.

I was one of the people that was frustrated when Smoque ran out of items after it first opened, however, there is a DISTINCT difference in the way these two establishments operate. Barry (and his partners) were very apologetic and courteous (at Smoque ), whereas, I have been treated gruffly (even when I have followed all the Soup Nazi-esque rules) at Burt's.

As I have opined in previous posts, too many people in this forum have become apologists for all types of rotten behavior exhibited by restaurant owners. If I were a restaurant owner with the economy being what it is now, I'd practically be kissing the butt of anyone who walked through my door.

cito wrote:I'd practically be kissing the butt of anyone who walked through my door.

Banner quote, please.

I prefer this one for the banner:

krm61965 wrote: foodies that think this it's ok to have pizza rules

describes the forum pretty well, I think.

What I think Burt ought to do is Twitter everyone when he has dough ready. Then he could start a flash mob to come to his restaurant. Once they're there, he could add them all to his MySpace page as friends, and share MP3s of his favorite 78s with them by bluetooth.

Mike G wrote:What I think Burt ought to do is Twitter everyone when he has dough ready. Then he could start a flash mob to come to his restaurant. Once they're there, he could add them all to his MySpace page as friends, and share MP3s of his favorite 78s with them by bluetooth.

Mike,

Need I remind you that the banner slogan for Burt's takeout menu is "Pizza for Grownups"?

Josephine

Okay, he can get them all to link to him on LinkedIn.

Oh, crap - is LinkedIn out of style now? I'll never be as cool as you guys.

I guess I was referring to the folk who refuse to try Burt's, so maybe swearing off is a bad choice of words.

Totally honest question:

If you didn't read LTHForum, is there any way you would know that you need to order ahead of time if you're planning on eating at Burt's?

stevez wrote:

abe_froeman wrote:An idea I've been tossing around for awhile to suggest to Buddy is that a website should be created for Burt's that is simply a menu and a map of their location with a big message across the top explaining that there's one 72-year-old guy with one oven making pizzas from scratch that are in high demand (secret ingredient: love) and it's really, really, REALLY important that you call in to check availability and place your order ahead of time. With the upcoming Bourdain appearance, things are going to get bad again.

I did a little research and it would be $70/year for the domain name and hosting. Heck, I'm almost willing to do it myself.

You do realize that Burt doesn't even own a cell phone, let alone a computer. I think the chance of a Burt's website is somewhere right around zero, or perhapes even a -10.

Yes, of course I know that. What I'm suggesting is setting up the website myself, without any participation from Burt (obviously, I want him to be okay with it, but he doesn't need to do anything for it.) Buddy makes and prints the menus off his computer at home, so all I need is the file.

jesteinf wrote:Totally honest question:

If you didn't read LTHForum, is there any way you would know that you need to order ahead of time if you're planning on eating at Burt's?

Sort of a moot point considering, without LTH, I wouldn't know about Burt's.