Worth the wait?

[JanMcBaker]

Great time to ask if anyone's going to the Slow Food Philadelphia and Farm to City event this Saturday

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I'm volunteering from 5 to 7.

See you there?

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I'm on clean-up, scheduled from 8:30-10. See you there! Hope the weather's not too interesting-- last I heard they're calling for thunderstorms from Saturday night into Sunday morning......

[mrbigjas]

Great time to ask if anyone's going to the Slow Food Philadelphia and Farm to City event this Saturday

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I'm volunteering from 5 to 7.

See you there?

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I'll be helping set up from 3-5, should be a fun event. Maybe we can go to Cheesecake Factory afterward

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which is funnier, me showing up at amada with a surf'n'turf from johnny's hots for katie, or you guys going directly from the slow food event to cheesecake factory? hm...

[Mummer]

which is funnier, me showing up at amada with a surf'n'turf from johnny's hots for katie, or you guys going directly from the slow food event to cheesecake factory?  hm...

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What's funny, in the best way possible, is that one of those things will happen.

Phil would say, "Foodie friends rock."

[Jeff L]

which is funnier, me showing up at amada with a surf'n'turf from johnny's hots for katie, or you guys going directly from the slow food event to cheesecake factory?  hm...

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What's funny, in the best way possible, is that one of those things will happen.

Phil would say, "Foodie friends rock."

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Hands down going to Cheesecake Factory after the slow food event, which by the way would only happen if every other restaurant in the tri-state area were closed and I hadn't eaten for 3 days.

[MarketStEl]

which is funnier, me showing up at amada with a surf'n'turf from johnny's hots for katie, or you guys going directly from the slow food event to cheesecake factory?  hm...

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What's funny, in the best way possible, is that one of those things will happen.

Phil would say, "Foodie friends rock."

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Hands down going to Cheesecake Factory after the slow food event, which by the way would only happen if every other restaurant in the tri-state area were closed and I hadn't eaten for 3 days.

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Mebbe we should substitute the Spaghetti Warehouse instead. After all, there's one of those in town.

[I_call_the_duck]

which is funnier, me showing up at amada with a surf'n'turf from johnny's hots for katie, or you guys going directly from the slow food event to cheesecake factory?  hm...

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What's funny, in the best way possible, is that one of those things will happen.

Phil would say, "Foodie friends rock."

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Hands down going to Cheesecake Factory after the slow food event, which by the way would only happen if every other restaurant in the tri-state area were closed and I hadn't eaten for 3 days.

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Mebbe we should substitute the Spaghetti Warehouse instead. After all, there's one of those in town.

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Does that mean waiting to actually get INTO a restaurant constitute a slow food event?

[Jeff L]

which is funnier, me showing up at amada with a surf'n'turf from johnny's hots for katie, or you guys going directly from the slow food event to cheesecake factory?  hm...

←

What's funny, in the best way possible, is that one of those things will happen.

Phil would say, "Foodie friends rock."

←

Hands down going to Cheesecake Factory after the slow food event, which by the way would only happen if every other restaurant in the tri-state area were closed and I hadn't eaten for 3 days.

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Mebbe we should substitute the Spaghetti Warehouse instead. After all, there's one of those in town.

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Does that mean waiting to actually get INTO a restaurant constitute a slow food event?

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now that was funny Karen

[MarketStEl]

Usually, when newspapers run multiple letters to the editor on a single topic, the letters chosen are supposed to represent the distribution of opinions received on the subject. IOW, if it's an issue where there is a "pro" and a "con" position, and the paper receives three times as many letters from readers taking the "pro" side, then the ratio of "pro" to "con" letters that run should also be 3:1 if they run more than one or two letters.

Based on that fact, I'd have to say that the responses that ran on today's editorial page to the article about waiting to dine at suburban restaurants are encouraging and disappointing at the same time.

Encouraging, because five of the nine responses received were from readers who said that no restaurant was worth waiting two hours for a table, and four of the five argued either that this was especially true for the chain places or that the chains must be taking us for suckers.

Disappointing, because it appears that these letter-writers are in the minority judging from the actual behavior of diners who flock to these places, then--like the three people who suggested coping strategies--do something else while waiting (or go early, which is at least a self-respecting solution) rather than dine somewhere else.

[mrsadm]

On the subject of chain restaurants, good or bad, with or without a wait ...

Some geographic locations have very few good, local restaurants. I think that's true in my neck of the woods. So people end up going often to the chains.

We have a great French/Thai restaurant, but with white tablecloths and dinners around $50, it isn't for everyone. We also have some great small restaurants in the old Italian neighborhood. The "good" local restaurant where everyone goes for anniversaries and birthdays, has a menu dating back to 1954.

I'm not defending chain food, just trying to explain why they are popular in some spots.

[Jeff L]

On the subject of chain restaurants, good or bad, with or without a wait ...

Some geographic locations have very few good, local restaurants.  I think that's true in my neck of the woods.  So people end up going often to the chains. 

We have a great French/Thai restaurant, but with white tablecloths and dinners around $50, it isn't for everyone.  We also have some great small restaurants in the old Italian neighborhood.  The "good" local restaurant where everyone goes for anniversaries and birthdays, has a menu dating back to 1954. 

I'm not defending chain food, just trying to explain why they are popular in some spots.

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Understood and agreed to. Just explain the immense popularity of chains in the metro Philadelphia, So Jersey area where there are countless quality alternatives, most of which are indeed affordable, i.e. under $50 per person.

[Jason Perlow]

Like Katie, I feel that you shouldn't have to wait more than 10 minutes to eat at these chain joints.

Case in Point -- Outback Steakhouse. Rachel and I were at Outback last night (it was the best option near the movie we wanted to see) and there were people waiting 40 minutes or more to get a table. As it turned out, there was no wait at the bar where we ended up eating, and also there's no wait on the patio tables either, provided there's a free one -- you can just take the first one thats open. No reason to wait 40 minutes for a table there.

[Kent D]

When we go out to eat, we're hungry, and want to eat, not sit and wait two hours while someone else eats. So we either go before the "dinner rush" or we select any one of a number of fine, locally-owned restaurants that are being driven out of town by rampant consumerism.

That's not to say we don't eat chain, we just won't WAIT for chain.

And from what I've heard from people who live where the Cheesecake Factory rules, I can get just as good a meal for half the price with the options we already have.

[KatieLoeb]

Like Katie, I feel that you shouldn't have to wait more than 10 minutes to eat at these chain joints.

Case in Point -- Outback Steakhouse. Rachel and I were at Outback last night (it was the best option near the movie we wanted to see) and there were people waiting 40 minutes or more to get a table. As it turned out, there was no wait at the bar where we ended up eating, and also there's no wait on the patio tables either, provided there's a free one -- you can just take the first one thats open. No reason to wait 40 minutes for a table there.

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That's what I'm talking about. Why would you ever wait if you could eat the same food right away?

As chain outfits go, I find the steakhouses (at the low/midrange like Outback, not the high end like the Palm, Capital Grill or Smith & Wollensky which are just as much a chain) to be the best bet for a less than mediocre meal. As long as the steak is cooked the way you asked for it you're pretty much set. I find Outback and Lone Star (less so, but still palatable) to be a good value for the money. Charlie Brown's does a fine steak and has a decent salad bar too, although I'd probably place that chain as closer to the high end than the low end. I haven't been to the latest chain steakhouse entry in the local market - Ted's Montana Grill, probably because they took over the space of one of my former places of employ, and it breaks my heart to see what they've done to what was once a very pretty dining room.

[berkshirechef]

Here in New England there is no way people would wait 2 hours.

I have a upscale white table cloth restaurant and people here in Williamstown are astounded when you inform them 5-6:30 is booked but we would be happy to seat you at 7:00. All to often they leave to find alternative options, as it is Theater season here they arrive back at seven wanting to be seated, but alas now we have only 9:30 availability and the poor host is attacked again!

[MarketStEl]

Here in New England there is no way people would wait 2 hours.

I have a upscale white table cloth restaurant and people here in Williamstown are astounded when you inform them 5-6:30 is booked but we would be happy to seat you at 7:00. All to often they leave to find alternative options, as it is Theater season here they arrive back at seven wanting to be seated, but alas now we have only 9:30 availability and the poor host is attacked again!

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Welcome to eGullet, berkshirechef!

I have no doubt that's true in a charming little college town full of well-educated people like Williamstown.

I suspect that this is not the case in places like Framingham, Saugus or Dedham.