It’s always fun to find a new farm market and sample the fresh-picked produce or try a meat or fish from a protein vendor! Yet, price often remains a little difficult to swallow as fresh-picked corn at the farm market at 50 cents an ear seems a little stiff when compared to the nearby grocer whose signs tout “local” and whose price states 5 for a dollar, i.e. 20 cents an ear! Go figure or try to distinguish which fresh taste matches your wallet’s outlay. Sometimes math calculations outweigh devotion.
Sure the tomatoes are lush and mouth-watering, but a table filled with baby squash varieties has no equal. Price seldom enters that equation as the beauty of squash blossoms with the mini zucchini attached far outweighs any price anxiety. Anyway the blossoms are feather weights and barely tip the scale. Even if your local market managed to have these beauties, you would favor the 2-hour farm stand. No contest.
As for the grocer, everyone wants my number or wants to give me a number. They want my business; my loyalty. Grocers have been in this game a long time, but I’ve noticed we’re moving away from the two-price tier of shopping. If you have a card, you get one price and those who have not given away their lifestyle purchasing info are charged higher. Never really liked this system and much prefer the one I am seeing more of: Everybody gets charged the same price and those with reward cards get a little kickback for future purchases. No more confusion about the tagged price and what you have to give away to save the 40 cents. Reward those who have the “special card.” That’s OK.
More restaurants want to sign me up, too. Restaurant loyalty cards are nothing new as Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You demonstrated over a decade ago. Reward the repeat diners; that’s not rocket science, but good business. The Palm has had its 857 Club for years, and now other restaurants at the full range of price points want to get in on the action. Not a bad move as the economy is still a laggard affecting restaurant sales.
Specials will continue if not increase during these confusing times. This year we’ve seen a growing number of restaurants move into the happy hour space. Expect that concept to proliferate as it drives business at an otherwise slow period and for many spots extends their volume into a strong bar business.
As for good decisions, think it took Starbucks a long time to join the free Wi-Fi brigade. Irony there is that I’ve been seeing smaller coffee shops move out of that space. Yes, it’s a space issue as all day computer campers scout out the perfect area for their work. Not an easy problem to fix anywhere regardless of size of the establishment. Certainly helps when the weather is nice and outdoor access expands the arena.
My mantra today is quite simple: Let me buy the freshest foods I can afford and reward me for loyalty that involves a simple question not a long form!
and replace it with a “Closed” one: Permanently . That is the same story that occurred not that many weeks ago in Washington, DC with Olives, the popular Todd English restaurant just blocks from the White House. Same Scenario: “Renovation” became “Closed”. Name a city, and the story has repetitive qualities. It’s a war of the plates. Those restaurants that were merely hanging on are finding it difficult to grab an additional lifeline.
movie has encouraged a number of special events and promotions. It seems that restaurants are celebrating the movie, the anniversary of her birthday, and just about any Julia Child connection they can make. All of a sudden, everyone wants to be a French chef!
It was just 
Adjust. Listen to your guests. Find a direction.
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I love the promos that have a short time window. As if they know something no one else knows. Like we are just giving you a 2-week boost because we know things will be better in 3! Ha! Doesn’t work like that.