From 07/13/09
Just when you thought it was safe to poke your head out and see what Yelpers are saying, BLAM, another odd comment I’ve got to address.
Here’s what the Yelper said:
Get ready for shockingly small $16 portions.
$5 for a cup of chowda. $0.50 for a piece of bread?
I don't get it.A little too gimmicky.
I know the rent there must be outrageous, so I understand.
In these hard times, it's tough sell.
Here are my thoughts: $5.00 for a cup of chowder is pretty reasonable for a daily soup with fresh clams in it. Have you been to a movie lately sir, you can barely get a soda for $5.00 which comes out of soda machine, no one made it!
Ah yes, fish is expensive and I have honestly not heard anyone ever complain about our portion size. I was trying to figure out what this gentleman had for $16.00, but alas, I can’t. I feel as though our portion sizes are appropriate for the average eater, but maybe he should have had a crab melt or something heavier. His comments seem to be driven primarily by portion and price. Anyone who has been to the Ferry Building knows, that’s not the scene at the Ferry Building.You have to pay $10.00 for two fish tacos and a drink at Mejita. That’s not a mission price, it’s a quality price.
Who lives in San Francisco and hasn’t heard of the City’s healthcare initiative? Even my beloved Zuni finally started charging 4% of the overall bill to cover healthcare. Our restaurant charges for bread which I am sooooo tired of talking about, which is the least expensive approach to assist the restaurant in covering this overhead. Plus…… it’s a choice to eat bread not a flat rate like most restaurants attached to your bill. My kind Sir, healthcare is not a gimmick and neither is our 50 cent charge for it.
Having said all that I shall move on from my rant with the following closing thoughts, before you write a review of a restaurant, identify what you look for in a great dining experience before you take cheap shots like complaining about bread being 50 cents. Just say, when I ate at “blank” I went in looking for a cheap quick meal…… Or, when I ate at “blank” I went in looking for some really great clean fish with good flavors…..
No one owns a restaurant and doesn’t care about the product they put out and yet, we are a business and we need to tow the line between the product and the price every day.
Think before you write a review, think about the surroundings, the kind of people, that go there, the type of food you are looking and the staff that serves you. From there, take time to write an accurate, thoughtful review.
Thank you Yelpers. As usual, whether I am either pleased, or frustrated I am provoked to respond and think about what you all have to say.
