about that two star review
Aug 4, 2023
I’ve noticed an alarming disconnect. On one side are people’s expectations, on the other, is the reality of running a small business. For a long time that was preferred, part of the magic, part of the allure. But when people haven’t a clue of what things truly cost, it hurts small business in the end. And a world without mom & pop shops would be too depressing to imagine. So, if pulling back the curtain ruins some of the magic, I do apologize. But it’s too important to go unsaid.
So let me just break this down for a sec, respectfully, and explain why the food was “very flavorful” and the service was “polite and very efficient” in an effort to create some clarity.
Our staff is paid fairly with access to health insurance, benefits, a 401k that’s matched and a positive and healthy work environment in which they are trained, scheduled appropriately, supported, encouraged and respected. This is why your service was polite and very efficient.
We purchase high quality ingredients from reputable purveyors that are handled by trained professionals to be safe, delicious, fresh and sustainable.
We order, receive, organize, clean, wash, store, chop, dice, mince, blend, roast, poach, blanch, grill, sauté, dredge, drizzle and plate- every ingredient, every dish, everyday with care, cleanliness, safety and love.
Your little local restaurant has to pay insurance, disability, Workmans comp, rent, utilities, marketing fees, repairs ($1075 for the ice machine, $1025 for the freezer- just this week alone) replace glassware that breaks, dishes that chip, silverware that goes missing, to-go containers, cleaning supplies, garbage removal, aprons, detergents, credit card processing fees, payroll processing fees, payroll taxes, reservation subscriptions, electricians, plumbers, accountants, licensing fees- the list goes on, I promise you.
Your little local restaurant that has familiar faces and quality food is working on razor thin margins to do what they love. With integrity, to hone a positive place to work and to eat, to last through some of the hardest times of supply issues, staff shortages, inflation, cancel culture, burn out, and the never ending pursuit of being better, doing better, staying inspired, to survive and to, dare I even say it, Thrive.
When you are leading a team who depend on the survival of that business and are part of a community you love and who love you, you do everything you can to keep it open. The restaurant industry (and any small/independent business for that matter) is made up of passionate humans who are proud of what we do and how we do it. And we get it, we really do, it’s tough out there. There’s been a shift in the world as we know it and yeah, prices are higher than say, 2019. It’s important to me that people know why. It’s not easy to raise prices but I know the value behind every dollar so I stand behind every cent.
We all have a choice on where we go and who we support. I’m grateful for each and every person who comes through our doors. But everything comes with a cost. It costs time, money, effort, patience, hard work, understanding, compassion, taking risks, perspective, humility, grace, love and so, so much sweat. And at the end of the day, as they say, you get what you pay for.
