America's dining scene has been overtaken by chains — not just Chipotle, Chili's and Starbucks but local restaurants that open up multiple spin-offs in cities, neighborhoods and even streets. Is all this flattening and homogenizing the dining experience? Or are there upsides too? @Eater has built this @Flipboard Storyboard exploring the issue from all angles. Tell us in the comments what you think.
The thing I like least about the recent wave of inflation is having to now forensically check every cafe/restaurant menu to decide whether I can afford to eat there. Never really had to do that before. But prices are soaring while my freelance income remains much the same.
ICYMI: Japan is experiencing a huge influx of tourists. As a result, some stores and restaurants are struggling with how to handle customers who don’t speak Japanese. Learn how one restaurant owner took out his frustration on social media – & had to close his store shortly after.
If you’re a #cars guy in the #sfba, you’ve probably heard of Alice’s restaurant in La Honda. I went up there recently and I saw this sign.
This is chickenshit. If you want to raise prices, raise your menu prices. I’m willing to pay for the difference. Don’t blame “inflation” and then add 6% to your prices off-menu. This shit should be illegal.
Also, disturbing commentary from an ex-worker of Alice’s:
“Alice’s is a horrible restaurant, they have “weekend menus” where they raise prices dramatically to scalp customers, they mistreat and underpay workers, and the quality and care for the raw food is despicable. The amount of cross contamination in the kitchen is unbelievable, I have seen fresh fish sitting out for hours in the sunlight before anyone bothered to put it away. Do not eat here!! The 6% up charge is the least of your worries if you choose to eat at this despicable restaurant. How do I know? I used to be an employee and witnessed firsthand all of the above mentioned issues and many more!”
Raising prices on weekends is understandable. But the suggestion about poor food handling is not great.
It’s getting easier to book a reservation online if you don’t speak Japanese. TableCheck, the Toreta app, Omakase, and Tabelog now support English. Tabelog also supports Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean. Meanwhile, TableCheck supports a whopping 18 languages.
A restaurant in Tokyo had to close temporarily after its owner ranted on social media about a non-Japanese couple who came to the store. Learn why the remarks are so controversial - and how some Japanese restaurants are struggling with the influx of tourists.
Oh no! Sichuan House in Melbourne (Victoria) has closed down. There was no announcement but first they closed for renovations, never re-opened, and their phone is disconnected).
Does anyone have any recommendations for good, authentic, Sichuan food in or around Melbourne now? 🙏
(Should add: I'm a snob, and cook my own Sichuan food at home, gong bao ji ding and ma po tofu, because there's nothing authentic near me.)
Liebe #vegane Leuts & #Allies, wenn ihr zusammen #essen geht, bitte geht in vegane #Restaurants. Bei Gruppen von veganen + nichtveganen Leuten geht's meist in "Gemischtwarenläden", weshalb vegane Läden weniger Zuspruch haben. Sie sind aber — neben ihrem ethischen Beitrag — eine der wenigen Zufluchtsorte für die veganen Freundys, wo sie einmal nicht mit all dem #Tierleid konfrontiert werden.
Derzeit gehen viele vegane Läden kaputt.
Bitte helft diese Orte zu erhalten.🙏
Teilen erwünscht. #fedihelp
The James Beard nominations for 2024 have just been announced, and a few of the folks we've worked with over the years are in the mix. Here's the full list of nominees, via @Eater:
#Restaurants bloggers live in a bubble, it shows particularly in this #stagflation (#recession + #inflation), where they keep saying things like, "Not only are the ambience & food great, it doesn't wreck your wallet either: you can get a meal for two at merely 49$ per person!" (+15% tip, +15% tax) 🤌
…while I make myself fairly high-quality (and definitely healthier) meals for 5$ worth of ingredients.
Sure, I lose 200$ worth of my time doing so, but hey, I've always been terrible at math 😉
According to National Geographic, Americans have hated tipping almost as long as they've been doing it. Here's the story of the practice's origins, the debate around whether racism made it more widespread in the U.S., and what people are tipping for today.
TO Acorn: A place to play
Partners plan to create food truck, entertainment park for families... "Adjacent to the southbound Westlake Boulevard on-ramp to the 101 Freeway, the longtime friends intend to open The Drop Yard, a food truck court with a bar, a stage, picnic tables and games. " https://www.toacorn.com/articles/a-place-to-play/#ConejoValley#VenturaCounty#food#restaurants
Environmentally sustainable plant-based dishes in restaurants and cafes?
"Occasionally ordering a plant-based meal instead of a meat dish can greatly reduce the environmental footprint of the global food system. Animal agriculture accounts for 56% of food-related greenhouse gas emissions but produces only 18% of calories and 37% of protein."
"This means a family of four ordering plant-based meat burgers instead of beef patties saves carbon emissions equal to driving from Brisbane to the Gold Coast."
Immer mehr Restaurants erheben Gebühren bei Nichterscheinen
Viele Restaurants erheben inzwischen bei Nichterscheinen trotz einer Tischreservierung Gebühren, um ihren Umsatzausfall auszugleichen. Auch mussten zuletzt viele Gastronomen ihre Preise erhöhen.
OpenTable says it won't allow anonymous reviews anymore. In an email to those who've previously posted comments, the reservations platform said the goal of including first names and photos on all reviews was to "give you even greater confidence in the reviews — and when booking a new restaurant.” Initial reports said that old reviews would be retroactively updated, but after a user backlash, these will remain anonymous. Here's more from Bleeping Computer. What do you think of the plan to remove anonymity from reviews?
In 12+ years in Japan, it's my first time in a Saizeriya. A very weird place, indeed, for this European.
For people not in Japan, it's a chain of "Italian" restaurants that also have other kinds of "European" dishes.
I'll get back to you after eating (I suspect that it won't be authentic but still good, this is the Japanese way for non-Japanese food in Japan)
Sometimes I worry that the principled stand I am taking not to patronize a particular business is just hurting me without doing diddly squat to influence the business. Two example, both #Boston area #restaurants...
🧵1/? #ConsumerActivism