Comments on: Bad News on the Dining Front http://alamancefoodie.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/05/bad-news-on-the-dining-front/27/ Takes and Tastes on Local Foods and Eateries Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:07:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: alamancefoodie http://alamancefoodie.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/05/bad-news-on-the-dining-front/27/#comment-178 alamancefoodie Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:18:01 +0000 http://alamancefoodie.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/05/bad-news-on-the-dining-front/#comment-178 Jim, "too bad," wasn't meant to imply that closing the Bistro for lunch was a bad move. Too bad meant that I'll miss the ambience of B's Bistro at lunch. Benjamin's may serve the same food, but it doesn't have the same feel. The Saturday, March 8 issue of The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) had a feature article titled "Cutback Cuisine." Randy Cox isn't the only restauranteur facing higher food costs. According to the article, it had become a national problem. According to the National Restaurant Association, last year "restaurant owners saw wholesale price increases of 7.4%, the biggest jump in nearly three decades." According to the feds, consumer food prices went up 4% in the same period. Restaurants that spoke with the WSJ said their solution was to substitute pasta dishes for beef and to trim portion sizes. Expect to fine fewer European wines and more domestics on wine lists this year. A recession, sky high gas prices and general economic malaise prevent restaurants from raising prices. I hope we don't lose any more local places to dine. As a foodie, I'm optimistic that the good ones will survive. Cheers. Jim, “too bad,” wasn’t meant to imply that closing the Bistro for lunch was a bad move. Too bad meant that I’ll miss the ambience of B’s Bistro at lunch. Benjamin’s may serve the same food, but it doesn’t have the same feel.

The Saturday, March 8 issue of The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) had a feature article titled “Cutback Cuisine.” Randy Cox isn’t the only restauranteur facing higher food costs. According to the article, it had become a national problem. According to the National Restaurant Association, last year “restaurant owners saw wholesale price increases of 7.4%, the biggest jump in nearly three decades.” According to the feds, consumer food prices went up 4% in the same period.

Restaurants that spoke with the WSJ said their solution was to substitute pasta dishes for beef and to trim portion sizes. Expect to fine fewer European wines and more domestics on wine lists this year.

A recession, sky high gas prices and general economic malaise prevent restaurants from raising prices.

I hope we don’t lose any more local places to dine. As a foodie, I’m optimistic that the good ones will survive.

Cheers.

]]> By: Jim http://alamancefoodie.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/05/bad-news-on-the-dining-front/27/#comment-176 Jim Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:31:32 +0000 http://alamancefoodie.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/05/bad-news-on-the-dining-front/#comment-176 Running a restaurant is not an easy task especially in these economic times. When you see franchise operations closing, you can only imagine what the independent, small operators are experiencing. The closing of B’Bistro and opening Benjamin’s for lunch was not a bad move by Chris Russell. Many of the lunch favorites from the Bistro are on Benjamin’s lunch menu such as the Bistro Burger, Croque Monsieur, and their soup and salads selections that are complemented with Benjamin’s good selection of seafood lunch selections. I agree with the Alamance Foodie that dinning under an umbrella will be missed. I am hopeful we will not have to many more closings. Running a restaurant is not an easy task especially in these economic times. When you see franchise operations closing, you can only imagine what the independent, small operators are experiencing.
The closing of B’Bistro and opening Benjamin’s for lunch was not a bad move by Chris Russell. Many of the lunch favorites from the Bistro are on Benjamin’s lunch menu such as the Bistro Burger, Croque Monsieur, and their soup and salads selections that are complemented with Benjamin’s good selection of seafood lunch selections. I agree with the Alamance Foodie that dinning under an umbrella will be missed.
I am hopeful we will not have to many more closings.

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