Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

The Lure of Nostalgia

The last Howard Johnson restaurant in America closed earlier this year...victim, not of bad reviews but, of the owner sexually molesting female staff. But, while it was still open, it was a pilgrimage site for Boomers that longed for all-you-could-eat fried clams.

Of course, it wasn't the fried clams the brought them to Lake George NY. It was the memories of those meals with family that was the lure.

Just as, when I used to return to my alma mater, I'd always hit the V.I. for its legendary cheese soup...even though the original recipe is long gone.

And, it's happening with Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. Once over 800 locations strong, the Columbus OH-based chain is down to just four of the original stand-alone restaurants...all in Northeast Ohio.

According to the story in the Plain Dealer, the four remaining locations are becoming a bonafide tourist draw (especially during Lent). According to the owner of one: "It’s almost like a cult. They love the fish (but) also reliving their memories coming here with their parents or grandparents.”

He goes on to say: "We've had people call from around the country to see if we do mail order. One guy from Oregon wanted me to mail him four dozen fish & chips dinners -- I wouldn't know how to even do that."

I think I'd try to solve that dilemma.

But, channeling Samuel L. Jackson, here's the real question: "What's in your nostalgic past" to which visitors would beat a path?

If it's Too Loud, You're Too Old

That was a line from my wild, misspent youth, when hard rock overtook the land. 

The science of the effects of audio on the dining experience followed and, last decade, some restaurants began to ramp up the beats per minute and the volume to encourage faster eating (it worked), which resulted in at least one extra table turn a night.

Now, smart restauranteurs are looking for ways to tone down the sound (often in funky spaces that inadvertently amplify sound) to enhance the experience. Better conversations ensue. Healthier work conditions for staff.

And...better reviews. This Chicago Tribune article from a month ago (if you missed it) is worth a read.

What's For Dinner Tonight?

If it's not Burger King's "Nightmare King," you must not live near one.

I mean, really: The meat pile layers a quarter-pound of beef under a crispy chicken fillet, bacon, cheese, mayo and onions. All of it is loaded onto a glazed sesame seed bun that is nuclear green. 

Happy Halloween, y'all.

Organic v. Organic

I gotta be somewhat careful here, as there are members of my extended family that feel passionately about organic and vegan options for their lifestyle. And, I'm good with that. I've made several shifts in my consumption to be more vegan as a result of their recommendations. All good...and thank you.

But, let's be clear. Organic is stuff that isn't rock. That the word is supposed to convey other meanings is a challenge. And, it's one being dealt with by the Bareburger chain.

Bareburger has long claimed to be organic...but a recent challenge from a customer has rocked the company. Apparently, some of the meat served there is 80% organic. And the mayo and tomatoes weren't. But...restaurants aren't held to the same standards as other companies when it comes to just how organic is organic.

But, here's the classic bit from this story. Another restaurant that built its trade on being organic says they have no interest to be certified as such. “It is our own transparency and integrity that makes us organic, and not someone that puts the label,” Vladimir Grinberg said. “I don’t think the government knows more about food than we do.”

True dat.

 

On Tipping

The evolving debate over the custom of tipping often plays out in major cities facing $15/hour pay mandates. So, it's refreshing to see a restaurant in tiny Delta WI get international exposure through a Skift piece on the evolution of the practice.

Realizing that servers could, on a great weekend, walk away with $400/night during peak season (while line cookies wouldn't break $100), Delta Diner's Todd Bucher said no mas. And, he added the tip to the bill.

There was no discernable push back from customers because, in the end, they didn't feel a financial hit on the final bill.

Bucher expects a 30 to 40 percent growth in revenues within five years after eliminating tipping. He says staff turnover is down dramatically and he expects his once 5 percent profit margin will eventually hit 13 to 15 percent with this new operational structure.

So worth a read.

 

My Kinda Resort

Seen at a resort in Northeast Ohio (click image to enlarge).

Necessities indeed.

I'm there.

Smart Like a Whip

You gotta love the minds that gather each year at Destinations International's Annual Convention. One Destination Marketing Organization CEO (relatively new to their destination) was overheard telling another that their city's annual chili cook-off was next weekend. "Chilli...during the hottest month of the year," they exclaimed in exasperation.

To which another DMO pro quipped, "well, look at it this way. It's probably the only chili cook-off in the country that weekend. For chili aficionados, it oughta draw a crowd."

Too funny.

Reassessing the Problem at Hand

There's a famous quote attributed to George Burns that goes like this: "I don't have a drinking problem. I drink. I get drunk. I pass out. No problem."

Which reminds us that it's all in how someone views a situation.

Like Ken Harwood, who publishes an e-newsletter called Wisconsin Development News in which he links his subscribers to stories from around the State about (obviously) development issues. And, he often opines on the news...as he did last week when he linked to a story that America's Cheese Stockpile has just hit an all-time record at just under 1.4 billion pounds:

"World Hunger Statistics from the Food Aid Foundation suggest there are some 795 million people in the world who do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life. That`s about one in nine people on earth. The vast majority of the world`s hungry people live in developing countries, where 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished.

My math suggests that is about 1.74 lbs of cheese per hungry person. We DO NOT have a cheese surplus...we have a distribution problem. Time to step up and help those countries in need. (Financial aid) gets lost in translation -- cheese gets eaten."

True dat.

 

On Anthony Bourdain

I'll admit it. I was late to the party.

I know...as one who is looked to be on the cutting edge of everything, this was one I missed. There was something about Anthony's early video persona that I rejected...I'm not entirely sure why. But, when I read Kitchen Confidential, I was hooked. And, I knew that the persona was real and true.

The accolades that have cascaded since his death have endowed him with a culture-shifting power that is so sensationally true. He showed us the world through the food we eat, the liquids we drink and the music in which we luxuriate. And, by doing so...he made us more accepting and inquisitive of a world that our current leaders intend us to eschew.

My favorite Bourdain quote is that one's body is not a temple. It's a theme park to be enjoyed.

And then, there is this: The value of a dish is the pleasure it brings you; where you are sitting when you eat it—and who you are eating it with—are what really matter. Perhaps the most important life lesson (my Dad) passed on was: Don't be a snob. It's something I will always at least aspire to—something that has allowed me to travel this world and eat all it has to offer without fear or prejudice. To experience joy, my father taught me, one has to leave oneself open to it.

Thank you, Anthony. Thank you for everything.

Fathers' Day

Exactly where should the apostrophe go?

Regardless...is it just me? Are Father's Day ads consuming the consumer marketing space like never before?

My favorite is this e-mail missive from one of my favorite steakhouses on the planet.

Honor the Stud, indeed.

Click the image to enjoy.