Wars, genocide, reparations, religion, etc (split from recruiting forum)

[DD4ME]

A sign that America is rapidly declining

A sign that Americans prefer better food. Lol

Fast casual is taking over. Think Chipotle, Panera etc. O'Charleys may be one of the few places with locations closing I have eaten at in the last 3 years.

Also Chick-fil-A still has lines wrapped around the parking lot. Make a better product and people come.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

The issue with restaurants specifically is the bounce back inflation after COVID lead to big profits and the CEOs and money folks started squeezing the lemon for more juice to try and increase margins.

1. increase cost to consumer
2. decrease overhead (less locations, cheaper suppliers, cheaper/less employees)

 

[Vols4us]

View attachment 647544

Buh bye to jobs.

 

[jave36]

View attachment 647544

Almost all of those are chain sit down restaurants. They've been declining for a decade now, too many good local places exist now to suffer through mediocre/awful food while still paying high prices.

That and fast casual places antiquated the chain casual dine restaurant. Sooo much better food, so much quicker, for so much less money.

Pizza hut have up on trying to make good food a long time ago lol

 

[jave36]

Buh bye to jobs.

Total restaurants are flat, just the old disgusting ones are being replaced with better ones. Foodservice jobs aren't disappearing, just rearranging.

 

[BarrythesnoUT]

Almost all of those are chain sit down restaurants. They've been declining for a decade now, too many good local places exist now to suffer through mediocre/awful food while still paying high prices.

That and fast casual places antiquated the chain casual dine restaurant. Sooo much better food, so much quicker, for so much less money.

Pizza hut have up on trying to make good food a long time ago lol

Most of those places I can’t even remember the last time I ate there. O’Charleys and Outback are the only 2 I can think of.

 

[BigSteve09]

Almost all of those are chain sit down restaurants. They've been declining for a decade now, too many good local places exist now to suffer through mediocre/awful food while still paying high prices.

That and fast casual places antiquated the chain casual dine restaurant. Sooo much better food, so much quicker, for so much less money.

Pizza hut have up on trying to make good food a long time ago lol

A lot of those chains were legendary in the 80's-early 90's. A true treat, an experience, sometimes a reward (pizza party, after little league games, whatever).

They started breaking even early 00's so most hired new leadership (CFOs) to squeeze every penny out. Meant terrible ingredients and process. They cut corners on quality, they sanitized every single location so they all felt like carbon-copies. Easiest way to replicate literally everything about it for the cheapest price. Most customers stopped going because it didn't feel authentic anymore. Then it started tasting terrible.

I will miss the memories that some of those places provided, but I won't mourn their demise. Makes way for better places with better food (hopefully more family-owned small businesses).

 

[VolNRaleighNC]

The issue with restaurants specifically is the bounce back inflation after COVID lead to big profits and the CEOs and money folks started squeezing the lemon for more juice to try and increase margins.

1. increase cost to consumer
2. decrease overhead (less locations, cheaper suppliers, cheaper/less employees)

And don’t forget they want you to tip at every turn for even the least amount of service.

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

 

[screenthis]

And don’t forget they want you to tip at every turn for even the least amount of service.

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

Pet Peeve of mine. I'd prefer if restaurants paid the staff a fair wage and not be dependent on tips (European system). Went for Brunch and the lowest level tip was 20%. And yes, if I run in to Bojangles, do I really need to be asked for a tip amount?

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

 

[Vols4us]

Pet Peeve of mine. I'd prefer if restaurants paid the staff a fair wage and not be dependent on tips (European system). Went for Brunch and the lowest level tip was 20%. And yes, if I run in to Bojangles, do I really need to be asked for a tip amount?

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

It is the way it is to avoid paying taxes and reward the better performers. We have an immediate family member who has been in the industry for 30 years. The method works against the same good performers when they become older and are looking for a bigger SS retirement check.

 

[BigOrange15]

Pet Peeve of mine. I'd prefer if restaurants paid the staff a fair wage and not be dependent on tips (European system). Went for Brunch and the lowest level tip was 20%. And yes, if I run in to Bojangles, do I really need to be asked for a tip amount?

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

Lol, if the lowest tip available is 20%, they will be getting 0%. I saw one the other day where some place had a piece of paper over the "No tip" option. Not going to bother if that is how they are going to play the game.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Pet Peeve of mine. I'd prefer if restaurants paid the staff a fair wage and not be dependent on tips (European system). Went for Brunch and the lowest level tip was 20%. And yes, if I run in to Bojangles, do I really need to be asked for a tip amount?

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

Agreed. However I'll go one step farther. I wish these companies would pay fair wages without dramatic price increases. There's no reason a consistent % of return isn't good enough, and companies think they have to continually increase profit.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

And don’t forget they want you to tip at every turn for even the least amount of service.

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

100%.... Hate me if you want, but if I'm not sitting at a table I'm not tipping.
With the exception of carryout. I'll tip if I order that.

 

[McDad]

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I've been to one chain on the list in the last 30 days...Outback. It is not what it was 20 years ago. None of the others are placing I even think about going to.

Used to love Boston Market 30 years ago. I thought their food was fresh and reasonably priced. Don't have one close to me now. If so, I would likely get take out from there regularly.

 

[McDad]

Pet Peeve of mine. I'd prefer if restaurants paid the staff a fair wage and not be dependent on tips (European system). Went for Brunch and the lowest level tip was 20%. And yes, if I run in to Bojangles, do I really need to be asked for a tip amount?

Sorry for those of you in the restaurant industry.

Occasionally a mom n pop place will convert to this concept. Usually with great fanfare. Many times they are out of business a little while later.

 

[hog88]

Agreed. However I'll go one step farther. I wish these companies would pay fair wages without dramatic price increases. There's no reason a consistent % of return isn't good enough, and companies think they have to continually increase profit.

Their stockholders (you, me and everyone with a 401K) disagree with you.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Their stockholders (you, me and everyone with a 401K) disagree with you.

And thus my point of greed.
Although 401k are a completely different situation. And yes if you told me I would have peaks/valleys and would always get X % I would be fine with it

 

[hog88]

And thus my point of greed.
Although 401k are a completely different situation. And yes if you told me I would have peaks/valleys and would always get X % I would be fine with it

It's not greed to expect your investments to grow.

 

[EasternVol]

Occasionally a mom n pop place will convert to this concept. Usually with great fanfare. Many times they are out of business a little while later.

Why do you think they're out of business soon after, can't keep staff?

 

[mr.checkerboards]

It's not greed to expect your investments to grow.

It's greed to price gouge your customers to increase profits.
If I have $5, and make $1 profit, then I take that 6 and make $2 profit, then I have 8 and make $3, profit. That's one thing.
Making 5% one year, then making 7% then thinking you have to jump to 12% then 15 then 20 is pure greed. Especially when you do it by jacking up the prices on the same basic product, while using cheaper supplies.

 

[jave36]

A lot of those chains were legendary in the 80's-early 90's. A true treat, an experience, sometimes a reward (pizza party, after little league games, whatever).

They started breaking even early 00's so most hired new leadership (CFOs) to squeeze every penny out. Meant terrible ingredients and process. They cut corners on quality, they sanitized every single location so they all felt like carbon-copies. Easiest way to replicate literally everything about it for the cheapest price. Most customers stopped going because it didn't feel authentic anymore. Then it started tasting terrible.

I will miss the memories that some of those places provided, but I won't mourn their demise. Makes way for better places with better food (hopefully more family-owned small businesses).

When I worked in the chicken industry, Applebees was always asking if they could get a cheaper boneless wing, what was the least amount of chicken to breading ratio they could get away with to still call it a boneless wing. Meanwhile the Slim Chickens, Raisin Canes of the world were asking "what's the highest quality chicken option to give the best tasting chicken tender?" That's why Slims and Canes have added hundreds of locations while Applebees is declining.

Never let a finance person take over a food company. They'll always trade long term dollars for short term dollars, so it'll be an inevitable slow decline.

 

[jave36]

I've been to one chain on the list in the last 30 days...Outback. It is not what it was 20 years ago. None of the others are placing I even think about going to.

Used to love Boston Market 30 years ago. I thought their food was fresh and reasonably priced. Don't have one close to me now. If so, I would likely get take out from there regularly.

They're completely out of business now so that's unlikely lol

 

[jave36]

A sign that Americans prefer better food. Lol

Fast casual is taking over. Think Chipotle, Panera etc. O'Charleys may be one of the few places with locations closing I have eaten at in the last 3 years.

Also Chick-fil-A still has lines wrapped around the parking lot. Make a better product and people come.

This. It's only crappy restaurants that are declining, good ones are growing and thriving.

 

[utvolpj]

It's greed to price gouge your customers to increase profits.
If I have $5, and make $1 profit, then I take that 6 and make $2 profit, then I have 8 and make $3, profit. That's one thing.
Making 5% one year, then making 7% then thinking you have to jump to 12% then 15 then 20 is pure greed. Especially when you do it by jacking up the prices on the same basic product, while using cheaper supplies.

Price gouge? What good or service are you describing? Surely not Bojangles referenced in the post you quoted.

In a free market why would a company charging the highest price win?

 

[McDad]

Why do you think they're out of business soon after, can't keep staff?

I don't know if that is rhetorical or not. But to answer, I don't know. They are closed and I cannot contact them for a debrief on what happened.

What I do know is back when I was serving, I made more in tips than a restaurant could offer in living wage. Server's now can make 3x per hour what I averaged back then. I wouldn't work for $20 an hour in payroll, when I could make $36 an hour with tips.