Slow????

Has anyone noticed that restaraunts are slow because of the economy?

I was at Patty's on Sunday and there were 6 people there. when it is usually packed????


She is talking about closing, because it is hard to keep running, the bills are going up, but she doesn't have the business to support it.

I can't think about not getting anymore melt-in-your-mouth pancakes, or the famous ham hash!!!!

UGH!!!

samc9111

I have not noticed that, but I typically only eat out on weekends when places would tend to be busier

Sun Wah was busy when we went for lunch a little over a week ago, Cajun Connection had its tyical line out the door by 5:30 the same day. Rips Tavern had about 30 people waiting on my last visit. Same goes for Renga Tei, & Cemita's. All of these places excet one are GNR's so they may be the exception to what you are experiencing. The one place that wasnt busy was Klas, but there was a snow storm that day, and we had dinner @ like 4:00 p.m.

I was at Patty's for lunch on Monday and I was the only customer at 1:40. Patty mentioned the same thing to me (about being very slow). I plan on showing her some extra love by eating lunch there more often during the week. It would be nice if some other folks would do the same. If you're in the area, drop in for one of her daily specials or a great cooked-to-order burger.

Patty's "Patty Melt" on Homemade Bread

I have noticed frightening slowness/emptiness some places, but one thing to be careful of is creating a story around this when it might just be random. What I mean is, let's turn back the clock to early 2007. You go in to a place and there aren't many customers. You say, "Hmm, must just be an off-day." Because there's no "gestalt" going on in the world to make you rush to doom and gloom projections. Now, the same sight causes me to think the sky is falling. But it really might just be an off-day. Of course, it might not really be only that, but it might. Something I keep trying to remind myself as I dodge the plummeting clouds.

January and February (except for Valentine's Day) are slow times in the restaurant business even in peak times.

I am eating out a lot less recently. It is certainly not that I cannot afford as my income will be higher than last year. And it is not because of a fear of a worsening economy.

There are three reasons.

After spending the holidays in Nashville and enjoying great meals at half the price that I pay in this town, I have to question whether it is worth spending the money. In addition, I generally eat better and healthier at home than when in restaurants.

Second, so many operators have this "woe is me" attitude that permeates their operations. You would think that in thsi economy, you would have servers providing you the best service you have ever received. Unfortunately, I see more employees looking board, leaning and providing indifferent service to customers.

Third, restaurants are NOT giving me what I want. We are not through January and TWICE I have arrived at restaurants that decided to close early due to "slow business". i got chased from one restaurant 20 minutes BEFORE closing as the owner had "turned off the oven. Heck, you cannot even get a dark-roast coffee at Starbucks after 6 pm anymore in this area (or at least in the four stores that I have tried between Woodstock and Lake Forest).

BTW, Caribou ran a free decaf coffee promotion this week in response to Starbuck's decision to eliminate decaf coffee availability after a certain time.

I've heard business is down in restarants. I am imagining the expensive places would be really hurting while people downscale their dining choices and maybe eat more at home. Everything seems to be going down down down in the economy.

I took a cab tonight in the loop and the cab driver told me the cab business is way done. More people walking now or avoiding taking cabs. He said his last ride before me was two ladies just laid off their jobs from a law firm and they were crying.