A Rant About Restaurants

[princelh]

I decided to take a day-trip, up to Ottawa on Saturday, (Part Of Leafs Nation, The Sens are just visiting, on their way south, in the new Bettman NHL) just to see the sights. When I went for lunch in Perth, I decided to go to KFC. When I went in to buy a 3 piece snack pack, I noticed that you are forced to take the soda, with the purchase. Telling the people behind the counter, I didn't want the soda, I just wanted the meal, I asked how much? Same price. Why? I don't want the watered down, ice filled, over-caffeinated soda? Still no discount. Took it and was pissed off, since I had a cooler full of my own drinks.

Fast-forward to dinner time. I stopped at a Kelsey's, in Kanata, and sat down for supper. What would you like to drink, says the waitress. Two glasses of water please. "We can sell you two different kinds of water", she says. How much? $2.50 per bottle. Pass, I said. So we ordered another diet soda and a chocolate milk, before ordering our supper. While looking at the price list, I noticed how expensive it was getting to get a glass of ice with 5 cents worth of syrup. $2.69. The Chocolate Milk was $3.69. My wife and I looked at the price of the food and just got up and left. $6.00 just to get a drink is ludicrous! It would have cost us over $40.00 for a simple meal or over $50.00 with a better meal. I sure am getting sick of getting gouged at the restaurants. The soda thing is getting ridiculous. I also see places like Harveys, Wendy's, and Burger King pulling the same crap, by selling you a 10 cent bottle of Nestle's water for $1.49 or more. I guess my day-trips will now happen south of the border because I'm sick of being gouged at the Canadian restaurants!

End of Rant.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

I think the best restaurants are the ones run independently, princelh. At least they have better atmospheres than the franchises.

There's several "holes-in-the-wall" kind of restaurants here in Kingston. I go for greasy-spoon breakfast every Friday morning with a few of the lads from work; two eggs over, home fries and bacon or sausage and a cup of coffee for about 5 bucks. There's three right downtown.

As far as franchises go, Kelsey's isn't one of our favourites. The menu is alright, but like you say, their prices are pretty steep for a roadhouse. And if you want to talk about ridiculous pricing, try "Red Lobster." The portions are smaller and the prices are too high. When "all you can eat" shrimp deals are on, the first portion comes out pretty quick. However, there's a long wait for subsequent helpings. One of the waitresses there told us this was done deliberately so as to discourage people from taking full advantage of the deal.

We like "Montana's" mainly because you know what you're getting. The food and service is very good and the prices aren't too bad either. However, in recent years, "Lone Star" has gone the way of "Red Lobster." Smaller portions; higher prices.

Don't mind "East Side Marios" from time to time. But, you have to watch what you order because the prices can eat you up, so to speak. There was a Montreal-based restaurant here in town called "Dunn's." It flogged the best smoked meat sandwich in the city and really it wasn't too bad. However, like other smoked meat houses I've been to, the sandwich is normally accompanied by a pickle. Not a big deal if it doesn't come with one, but why would I pay a buck just to have a pickle on my plate?

With any restaurant, though, first impressions are everything to me. I could care less if it's a luxurious restaurant, roadhouse or a hole-in-the-wall, if the bathroom is the pits, we probably won't be back. The other thing we look for is the quality of the food. I don't care if it's a hamburger, a plate of pasta, crabs legs or just a plate of chips. If they aren't good to begin with then forget it.

Kind of harsh I guess, but if we're paying for something we'd like to get what it is we're paying for. And, like you two, if we have to pay $2.50 for a bottle of water with our meal, rather than go to the tap like everyone used to, then we'll eat somewhere else as well.

Mind you there are folks who ask for that stuff too and that's cool. But, at those prices, I think "Kelsey's" is looking at another money maker rather than providing a menu option for their clients. And, we wouldn't be back.

Cheers.

[Deleted]

I make pastas at Boston Pizza, and let me tell you, what you're getting is not worth the $15 you're forced to fork over. But at least there's no charge for a glass of water.

I hate Kelsey's, too.

[HabSolute]

princelh said:

I decided to take a day-trip, up to Ottawa on Saturday, (Part Of Leafs Nation, The Sens are just visiting, on their way south, in the new Bettman NHL) just to see the sights. When I went for lunch in Perth, I decided to go to KFC. When I went in to buy a 3 piece snack pack, I noticed that you are forced to take the soda, with the purchase. Telling the people behind the counter, I didn't want the soda, I just wanted the meal, I asked how much? Same price. Why? I don't want the watered down, ice filled, over-caffeinated soda? Still no discount. Took it and was pissed off, since I had a cooler full of my own drinks.

Fast-forward to dinner time. I stopped at a Kelsey's, in Kanata, and sat down for supper. What would you like to drink, says the waitress. Two glasses of water please. "We can sell you two different kinds of water", she says. How much? $2.50 per bottle. Pass, I said. So we ordered another diet soda and a chocolate milk, before ordering our supper. While looking at the price list, I noticed how expensive it was getting to get a glass of ice with 5 cents worth of syrup. $2.69. The Chocolate Milk was $3.69. My wife and I looked at the price of the food and just got up and left. $6.00 just to get a drink is ludicrous! It would have cost us over $40.00 for a simple meal or over $50.00 with a better meal. I sure am getting sick of getting gouged at the restaurants. The soda thing is getting ridiculous. I also see places like Harveys, Wendy's, and Burger King pulling the same crap, by selling you a 10 cent bottle of Nestle's water for $1.49 or more. I guess my day-trips will now happen south of the border because I'm sick of being gouged at the Canadian restaurants!

End of Rant.

Were you wearing a Leafs cap maybe ? ;D

[Disgruntled70sHab]

mattdhf said:

I make pastas at Boston Pizza, and let me tell you, what you're getting is not worth the $15 you're forced to fork over. But at least there's no charge for a glass of water.

I hate Kelsey's, too.

You must know the "Smokey Mountain" spaghetti plate then, Mattais. Can't remember the price of the plate but I finished it each time. Just the same, every restaurant makes good money on pasta and pizzas, or so I've been told.

Enjoy getting out for lunch with Mrs. Dis at "Boston Pizza". Beef dip with some fries and a pint or two. Goes well with sports on the big screens. Keep Dis Jr. busy playing pool as well.

Cheers.

[Polarice]

I'm the same as Dis, I would much rather eat at a Ma and Pa run restaurant, home style cooking at a good price....and the water is always free.

[CentreHice]

It's the adult beverages that really balloon the price.....but at least there's some bang-per-buck. (hic)

If you're in a really nice place and you get the atmosphere, service, and food quality, you expect a hefty bill.

But $10+ for a salad (just because it has two slices of egg and some bacon bits) at a roadhouse-type franchise is just ludicrous IMO.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[princelh]

Were you wearing a Leafs cap maybe ? ;D

No, but I wished that I had been wearing my Johnny Reb Kepi!

[habmeister]

everywhere i go they offer ice water for free, and the water tastes no different than bottled. kfc makes me puke, literally, the grease upsets my stomach, there is one 100 steps down broadway, i've lived here 5 years and haven't set foot inside it.

when i can get a wicked sushi or thai meal for about $8 it's hard to go to any fast food type restaurant.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

habmeister said:

everywhere i go they offer ice water for free, and the water tastes no different than bottled. kfc makes me puke, literally, the grease upsets my stomach, there is one 100 steps down broadway, i've lived here 5 years and haven't set foot inside it.

Honestly, the flavour of the chicken went down when the colonel died. And while they have tooney-Tuesday's Dis Jr. won't even eat KFC any more.

Ditto MacDonald's. I showed him the film "Supersize Me" and he hasn't been back since.

However, I will take the family to Mary Brown's (Spidy/Skilly jump in any time you want) every so often (once every three months or so). It's the best deep fried chicken I've tasted. However, it is expensive for what you're getting ... but you have to sometimes.

when i can get a wicked sushi or thai meal for about $8 it's hard to go to any fast food type restaurant.

The best sushi houses I've experienced are in Vancouver. I went out there a few years back and I think we ate sushi three times in six days. Like you say, all you can eat for a very reasonable price.

Cheers.

[Skilly]

disgruntled70shab said:

However, I will take the family to Mary Brown's (Spidy/Skilly jump in any time you want)

I used to favour Mary Brown's over KFC. But it is over-priced (like you say) for what you are getting ... I also found the chicken was too oily/greasy. But you can't beat their taters!!

I go to KFC for the big crunch and the popcorn chicken .... but I find their chicken undercooked 9 times out of 10.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

skilly said:

disgruntled70shab said:

However, I will take the family to Mary Brown's (Spidy/Skilly jump in any time you want)

I used to favour Mary Brown's over KFC. But it is over-priced (like you say) for what you are getting ... I also found the chicken was too oily/greasy. But you can't beat their taters!!

Don't eat anywhere near the amount of fast food as I used to. It's not only the high cost but the lack of nutritional value as well.

Mary Brown's is excellent, but three, 3-piece dinners approach the $25.00 mark, Skilly. So much for the cheap night out. And like you say the chicken is greasy ... but you know that going in

I go to KFC for the big crunch and the popcorn chicken .... but I find their chicken undercooked 9 times out of 10.

There's the odd co-located Taco Bell/KFC franchises in the area. I'll give KFC this though; their fries and heart attack on a plate poutine are pretty good. I used to love Taco Bell and still do I guess ... but the after affects are brutal

Another franchise I've come to like but only go to every so often, is Quiznos. They're a tad more expensive than Subway, but their subs are second to none. Delicious.

Cheers.

[wpghabsfan]

Fast food restaurants make a lot of their money off the fountain drinks they sell. I used to work at McDonalds and I know for a fact a medium soda (including the cup) costs about 5 cents to make. Restaurants are going to charge 2-3 dollars per non-alcoholic drinks (about 1.30 for a medium drink at McD's) even though they cost next too nothing to make because people are going to pay that much for a drink.

Sadly, it's been 4 years since I've worked there, and I still crave their burgers about once or twice a month...the grease is just so d*mn addicting!!!

[Deleted]

disgruntled70shab said:

Enjoy getting out for lunch with Mrs. Dis at "Boston Pizza". Beef dip with some fries and a pint or two. Goes well with sports on the big screens. Keep Dis Jr. busy playing pool as well.

Cheers.

Have you tried the Cheesesteak? So good.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

mattdhf said:

disgruntled70shab said:

Enjoy getting out for lunch with Mrs. Dis at "Boston Pizza". Beef dip with some fries and a pint or two. Goes well with sports on the big screens. Keep Dis Jr. busy playing pool as well.

Cheers.

Have you tried the Cheesesteak? So good.

Haven't tried that yet, Mattias. However, red meat, cheese, fries and beer make for a good combination. Will let you know though.

Also, Dis Jr finds it kind of neat that a lot of the Frontenacs used to go in there after their games. Find the service pretty good in BP as well.

Cheers.

[franko]

Going out to eat is expensive. Let’s remember why:

You are leaving your house. You pay to use someone else’s kitchen and dining room.
You don’t buy groceries. You eat someone else’s food.
You don’t cook. You pay for someone else to do it for you.
You sit down and have the food brought to you. You don’t get up and down.
You don’t clean up. Someone else does it for you. You leave all the mess behind – clearing the table and washing the dishes.
Hopefully, you leave a thank-you “note” (not coin) behind. Your waitress earns 2/3 of the minimum wage. S/he does not keep all the 10-15-??% -- it is shared with kitchen staff, hostess, cook, busboy, etc.

We usually go to more ethnic places: Thai, Indian, Ethiopian . . . we go for the experience. If we are going for burgers, it’s for a “gourmet” burger (in Ottawa, The Works). Thankfully we are passed the fast food stage. And I don’t know when the last time I set foot in a pizza place was – take out from one local place only.

[Skilly]

wpghabsfan said:

Fast food restaurants make a lot of their money off the fountain drinks they sell. I used to work at McDonalds and I know for a fact a medium soda (including the cup) costs about 5 cents to make. Restaurants are going to charge 2-3 dollars per non-alcoholic drinks (about 1.30 for a medium drink at McD's) even though they cost next too nothing to make because people are going to pay that much for a drink.

Sadly, it's been 4 years since I've worked there, and I still crave their burgers about once or twice a month...the grease is just so d*mn addicting!!!

I used to work at McDonald's .... still remember the soda drink mantra "4 parts water to one part syrup".

[Skilly]

franko said:

Your waitress earns 2/3 of the minimum wage.

I thought this was only true in the US, and on cruise ships where they make far less than minimum wage and survive on tips.

I am pretty sure most, if not all, restaurants here the waitresses make minimum wage (which is somewhere around $7.00 an hour)

[franko]

$8.00/hr: general Ontario minimum wage
$6.95/hr: waitress Ontario minimum wage; tips shared.

[franko]

skilly said:

wpghabsfan said:

Fast food restaurants make a lot of their money off the fountain drinks they sell. I used to work at McDonalds and I know for a fact a medium soda (including the cup) costs about 5 cents to make. Restaurants are going to charge 2-3 dollars per non-alcoholic drinks (about 1.30 for a medium drink at McD's) even though they cost next too nothing to make because people are going to pay that much for a drink.

Sadly, it's been 4 years since I've worked there, and I still crave their burgers about once or twice a month...the grease is just so d*mn addicting!!!

I used to work at McDonald's .... still remember the soda drink mantra "4 parts water to one part syrup".

McDonald's . . . what a joke! Their claim for "great primo beef patties" sounds good . . .but let me tell you about the beef. Sure, it is Canadian "grown" (enough of an outcry in the 70s when a lot of it came from New Zealand) now. And sure they only use federally inspected abattoirs (any meat sold in Canada has to pass stringent inspections).

But having worked as a butcher, I know what beef is used. Notice that they don't say "grade A" or "Grade AAA" beef, but that it comes from an AAA-rated facility. Big difference. All that means is that the abattoir passes the government inspections. And inspectors aren't in every part of the plant, believe me . . . and kill floor managers have a responsibility to make sure that nothing is wasted, even if the inspector thinks that something may not be good enough, or that a piece of meat that hits the floor makes it to the garbage disposal.

Think of it this way: Your one-year-old heifers and steers are what you see in the butcher case. Nice, marbled meat.

Cows are usually good for 7 years of breeding. After that they are about done in, good only for . . . hamburger. Too tough for anything else.

Want to know what goes into a hot dog? It says "100% pure beef", and it is. However . . .

[Disgruntled70sHab]

franko said:

skilly said:

I used to work at McDonald's .... still remember the soda drink mantra "4 parts water to one part syrup".

McDonald's . . . what a joke! Their claim for "great primo beef patties" sounds good . . .but let me tell you about the beef. Sure, it is Canadian "grown" (enough of an outcry in the 70s when a lot of it came from New Zealand) now. And sure they only use federally inspected abattoirs (any meat sold in Canada has to pass stringent inspections).

But having worked as a butcher, I know what beef is used. Notice that they don't say "grade A" or "Grade AAA" beef, but that it comes from an AAA-rated facility. Big difference. All that means is that the abattoir passes the government inspections. And inspectors aren't in every part of the plant, believe me . . . and kill floor managers have a responsibility to make sure that nothing is wasted, even if the inspector thinks that something may not be good enough, or that a piece of meat that hits the floor makes it to the garbage disposal.

Think of it this way: Your one-year-old heifers and steers are what you see in the butcher case. Nice, marbled meat.

Cows are usually good for 7 years of breeding. After that they are about done in, good only for . . . hamburger. Too tough for anything else.

Want to know what goes into a hot dog? It says "100% pure beef", and it is. However . . .

Good info Franko, thanks.

I remember a friend in the 70's who worked as a manager for a Harvey's. He told me that the beef they were using was 100%. However, he also said that beef wasn't the only ingredient to their burgers ... but the percentage of beef they did use was 100%.

Believe it or not, I had a butcher's assistant recommend Costco's cuts of meat if I didn't buy from them. She said the portions are excellent for the prices we're paying. We buy most of our meat there nowadays.

Question for you; as a former butcher what do you look for in buying quality poultry?

Cheers.

[franko]

Organic grain fed. Really.

Free range chickens are a bit tougher. "Warehouse" chickens are pumped full of viatmins and minerals and gorwth hormones and whatever else they can use to bulk 'em up in a hurry. Things may have changed in the last too many years and there may be less enhancers, but I doubt it.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

franko said:

Organic grain fed. Really.

Free range chickens are a bit tougher. "Warehouse" chickens are pumped full of viatmins and minerals and gorwth hormones and whatever else they can use to bulk 'em up in a hurry. Things may have changed in the last too many years and there may be less enhancers, but I doubt it.

Thanks. It was about six years ago, but we used to buy our chickens off of a lady in Clayton ON. They were free range and you could taste the difference in the texture of the meat. A lot less fat as well.

Don't have that contact any longer though. I guess she didn't make enough in the end after the birds went to slaughter, were packaged up, etc.

Cheers.

[CentreHice]

Can anyone debunk this one? I've heard that the "100% pure beef" claim is a misnomer.

McDonald's have a middle-man company named "100% Pure Beef" so, legally, they can say they are 100% Pure Beef patties.

If it's true...it's pretty darn smart.

[franko]

Whenever I hear about something questionable I go to snopes.com and get the scoop. Of course, some say that Snopes is in cahoots with McDonalds/Coke/whomever, but that I don't believe.

Snopes says "no" to the 100% pure beef story, and others.

[jkr]

disgruntled70shab said:

franko said:

McDonald's . . . what a joke! Their claim for "great primo beef patties" sounds good . . .but let me tell you about the beef. Sure, it is Canadian "grown" (enough of an outcry in the 70s when a lot of it came from New Zealand) now. And sure they only use federally inspected abattoirs (any meat sold in Canada has to pass stringent inspections).

But having worked as a butcher, I know what beef is used. Notice that they don't say "grade A" or "Grade AAA" beef, but that it comes from an AAA-rated facility. Big difference. All that means is that the abattoir passes the government inspections. And inspectors aren't in every part of the plant, believe me . . . and kill floor managers have a responsibility to make sure that nothing is wasted, even if the inspector thinks that something may not be good enough, or that a piece of meat that hits the floor makes it to the garbage disposal.

Think of it this way: Your one-year-old heifers and steers are what you see in the butcher case. Nice, marbled meat.

Cows are usually good for 7 years of breeding. After that they are about done in, good only for . . . hamburger. Too tough for anything else.

Want to know what goes into a hot dog? It says "100% pure beef", and it is. However . . .

Good info Franko, thanks.

I remember a friend in the 70's who worked as a manager for a Harvey's. He told me that the beef they were using was 100%. However, he also said that beef wasn't the only ingredient to their burgers ... but the percentage of beef they did use was 100%.

Believe it or not, I had a butcher's assistant recommend Costco's cuts of meat if I didn't buy from them. She said the portions are excellent for the prices we're paying. We buy most of our meat there nowadays.

Question for you; as a former butcher what do you look for in buying quality poultry?

Cheers.

Maybe you guys can try what I did - gave up meat completely over 4 years ago. It's not for everyone but I feel a lot better.

[MC Habber]

franko said:

Organic grain fed. Really.

Free range chickens are a bit tougher. "Warehouse" chickens are pumped full of viatmins and minerals and gorwth hormones and whatever else they can use to bulk 'em up in a hurry. Things may have changed in the last too many years and there may be less enhancers, but I doubt it.

"Free-Range" Poultry and Eggs: Not All They're Cracked Up to Be

Any thoughts on this?

[MC Habber]

centrehice said:

Can anyone debunk this one? I've heard that the "100% pure beef" claim is a misnomer.

McDonald's have a middle-man company named "100% Pure Beef" so, legally, they can say they are 100% Pure Beef patties.

If it's true...it's pretty darn smart.

I noticed recently that they now say "100% USDA approved beef," or something like that, in their commercials.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

jkr said:

disgruntled70shab said:

Good info Franko, thanks.

I remember a friend in the 70's who worked as a manager for a Harvey's. He told me that the beef they were using was 100%. However, he also said that beef wasn't the only ingredient to their burgers ... but the percentage of beef they did use was 100%.

Believe it or not, I had a butcher's assistant recommend Costco's cuts of meat if I didn't buy from them. She said the portions are excellent for the prices we're paying. We buy most of our meat there nowadays.

Question for you; as a former butcher what do you look for in buying quality poultry?

Cheers.

Maybe you guys can try what I did - gave up meat completely over 4 years ago. It's not for everyone but I feel a lot better.

Does that include fish as well, JKR? What are you using for protien if you don't mind me asking?

Cheers.

[franko]

machabby said:

franko said:

Organic grain fed. Really.

Free range chickens are a bit tougher. "Warehouse" chickens are pumped full of viatmins and minerals and gorwth hormones and whatever else they can use to bulk 'em up in a hurry. Things may have changed in the last too many years and there may be less enhancers, but I doubt it.

"Free-Range" Poultry and Eggs: Not All They're Cracked Up to Be

Any thoughts on this?

Since I'm more or less just putting in time for the rest of the afternoon (officially on holidays tomorrow, unofficially now) . . . as always I have lots of thoughts. What they are worth, however, is anybody's guess ;D

As I said to Dis, given my druthers I'd go with organic chicken (and I ain't a health nut), with free range second choice, and from a harvesting farm last. As to price, though, it goes in reverse: cheapest from the cage, most expensive organically (and anyone can slap an "organic" sign on anything).

The article hits it right – what is free range? And what exactly do they get to eat “on the range” (and to me honest, I like my chicken b-b-q’d rather than cooked in the range, but that’s another story ) You don’t know what in the world the chicks are scratching at and eating “on the range”.