Pie Lady wrote:Mr. Pie and I went to the one in Rosemont last month for our anniversary. We found the entree (mahi mahi with a macadamia crust and chile lime sauce served on udon noodles with veggies) incredibly bland, and considering the prices, don't see a reason to return. It was a shame, considering they supposedly specialize in fish.

There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster. It's hard to commoditize higher quality seafood which is effectively what they try to do. We do go there on occasion, but first we get the $80 for $100 gift cards at Costco and then limit our visits to happy hour. With most price points at $6 or under for happy hour items you tend to feel a little less ripped off.

spinynorman99 wrote:There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster. It's hard to commoditize higher quality seafood which is effectively what they try to do.

I agree with your assessment of M&S and you are probably right that they "commoditize higher quality seafood" but I don't understand the phrase here. When I think of commoditizing something, I think of making it undistinguished, ordinary, interchangeable with anyone else's offering of the same item. Thing is, I'd think that'd be easy to do, not hard. What'd be hard is taking a piece of fish anyone else can purvey and putting your own individuating stamp on it.

Like I say, you probably mean something true, I'm just having a hard time understanding it.

spinynorman99 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Mr. Pie and I went to the one in Rosemont last month for our anniversary. We found the entree (mahi mahi with a macadamia crust and chile lime sauce served on udon noodles with veggies) incredibly bland, and considering the prices, don't see a reason to return. It was a shame, considering they supposedly specialize in fish.

There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster.

I'd have rather gone to Red's; at least they have the biscuits. If we ever get another gift card to this "chain", we'll probably use it at Morton's instead. Hey, by the way, we noticed this company also owns Golden Nugget. That can't be the 24-hour diner chain, can it?

Pie Lady wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Mr. Pie and I went to the one in Rosemont last month for our anniversary. We found the entree (mahi mahi with a macadamia crust and chile lime sauce served on udon noodles with veggies) incredibly bland, and considering the prices, don't see a reason to return. It was a shame, considering they supposedly specialize in fish.

There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster.

I'd have rather gone to Red's; at least they have the biscuits. If we ever get another gift card to this "chain", we'll probably use it at Morton's instead. Hey, by the way, we noticed this company also owns Golden Nugget. That can't be the 24-hour diner chain, can it?

Isn't Golden Nugget a casino in downtown Las Vegas?

=R=

There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster. It's hard to commoditize higher quality seafood which is effectively what they try to do. We do go there on occasion, but first we get the $80 for $100 gift cards at Costco and then limit our visits to happy hour. With most price points at $6 or under for happy hour items you tend to feel a little less ripped off.

That's too bad. I remember being at the original one in Portland about 15 years ago and thinking it was very good at the time.

bw77 wrote:

There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster. It's hard to commoditize higher quality seafood which is effectively what they try to do. We do go there on occasion, but first we get the $80 for $100 gift cards at Costco and then limit our visits to happy hour. With most price points at $6 or under for happy hour items you tend to feel a little less ripped off.

That's too bad. I remember being at the original one in Portland about 15 years ago and thinking it was very good at the time.

Unfortunately, all too often the case. Restaurant opens with focus on high quality ingredients and cooking, national chain spots it, buys it, then McChanges it. My first experience with McCormick and Schmick was about a year ago on a business trip and I'd say it was a nicer atmosphere than a Red Lobster, but not much better in quality. But I don't doubt that at one point in time, before there were 100 locations or whatever number there are now, that the name carried positive impressions. That's clearly no longer the case.

BR wrote:

bw77 wrote:

There's little to recommend about McCormick and Schmick, yes they specialize in fish, but they're really a higher end Red Lobster. It's hard to commoditize higher quality seafood which is effectively what they try to do. We do go there on occasion, but first we get the $80 for $100 gift cards at Costco and then limit our visits to happy hour. With most price points at $6 or under for happy hour items you tend to feel a little less ripped off.

That's too bad. I remember being at the original one in Portland about 15 years ago and thinking it was very good at the time.[/quote]
Unfortunately, all too often the case. Restaurant opens with focus on high quality ingredients and cooking, national chain spots it, buys it, then McChanges it. My first experience with McCormick and Schmick was about a year ago on a business trip and I'd say it was a nicer atmosphere than a Red Lobster, but not much better in quality. But I don't doubt that at one point in time, before there were 100 locations or whatever number there are now, that the name carried positive impressions. That's clearly no longer the case.

My first visit to an M & S was in Denver and thought fondly of it. I remember eating on Chestnut Street in Chicago when it first opened and having good food also. I was wondering if it was me or them that changed. I guess a lil of both.

2146 north wrote:

My first visit to an M & S was in Denver and thought fondly of it. I remember eating on Chestnut Street in Chicago when it first opened and having good food also. I was wondering if it was me or them that changed. I guess a lil of both.

When you're trying to replicate a fine dining experience with consistency on a national scale you have to compromise somewhere. If you have 2 locations it's hard enough maintaining consistency between them but once you pass the 50 or 60 locations at M&S then you start employing strategies that are inconsistent with your original objective.