LawTalkers - Towards A Virtual Williamsburg!

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476198)

I see. So you're saying that when they are tourists, they still don't know any better and reach for what's comfortable even though they're in a city of endless food options?

It frightens them. It might be "spicy" (meaning contain something crazy like raw onions) or be fish or weird bits of fish with which they aren't familiar. Or they might not know what a fair price is and be uncomfortable about getting ripped off in a tourist trap.

Also, there are a lot of tourists. Most may be finding the latest hot place in Tribeca, but that still lives a lot of lowest common denominator spill over.

Finally, people on vacation may be trying to accommodate a variety of pallets, so rather than risking Grandma's delicate food sensibilities by insisting on yet local place, you might give in and do something easy.

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When I'm in Paris, I refuse to eat anything American.

I try, but it's harder with my parents are around.

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When I'm anywhere outside of the US (and often when traveling while still in it), I drink the local beers.

Beer is a different thing. I'll drink local unless the local sucks and there are good imports available.

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Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 476201)

When you're traveling you have to make dozens or hundreds of decisions. Which museum, is that taxi safe, should I take the bus, which broadway show, Sabrett or Nathan's cart. It gets tiring. It's one less decision to make and guide entry to consult.

I'm not saying this is where I scrimp on decision making energy, but I understand why some people do.

That's a good point too. As is Hank's point about people feeling self-conscious about fru fru New Yorkers judging them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476187)

I definitely overpaid. That was part of my complaint. I suppose I wouldn't have been as disappointed if I paid $20 for a steak (unless all steak prices within 5 miles were also $9 cheaper than in NYC).

So, is the other food there good? Because if I'm going to eat steak, I'd rather pay a few extra dollars and have a good one. How often do people go out for steak?

I know this will, once again, make me look like a New York snob but, why the hell do these awful restaurants make midwesterners and suburbanites comfortable? The food is terrible. And it's not even like fast food, where you're looking for a specific kind of crap. There are Dominos Pizza chains in the city when you can get better pizza on every single corner (outside the 99 cent slice places). There are Olive Gardens (although I think I've only seen them in Times Square) when there are better Italian restaurants everywhere you look. Is it the never-ending feature of their pasta bowls? And as a tourist, why the hell would you eat at a fucking restaurant that is exactly the same--other than the higher prices--as the restaurant you eat at at home? And why would you wait on line to do it? Please to explain.

TM

You're not being a NY snob, or even a snob. You are just civilized. A civilized dick, but civilized nonetheless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476198)

I see. So you're saying that when they are tourists, they still don't know any better and reach for what's comfortable even though they're in a city of endless food options?

When I'm in Paris, I refuse to eat anything American. When I'm anywhere outside of the US (and often when traveling while still in it), I drink the local beers. What is so different about midwesterners that they need Olive Garden?

TM

The first question I ask when I'm at a bar out of town in the States is "do you have anything local on tap?"

By the way, we are now awesome at making beer. There may be a lot of things not to like about this country, but the recent beer boom isn't one of them. USA! USA!

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Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 476199)

I can think of two reasons for eating at them at home. My practice never takes me to NYC. I'm always in like Arkadelphia Arkansas or Maxton NC. In some of those places the Olive Garden or Outback is better than the other choice, Jim-Bob's Bar and Grille.

This makes inherent sense. I do the same. The best option is the best option, even if it sucks.

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Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 476199)

The other thing is a bit of a guess, but i can remember my dad taking us into restaurants and shitting once he saw the prices. And I've taken him into restaurants where he was uncomfortable with what was on the menu or the too touchy feely service. Plus a lot of them fancy restaurants want you to drink wine, when all folk want is a Budweiser.

This one I can relate to, although I'm not necessarily talking about fancy restaurants. I didn't come from money, so my first experiences with nice restaurants were intimidating and I sure as hell didn't know what a sommelier was and often felt pressure to purchase wine when handed the wine list. If you don't know that world, it can be intimidating. Of course, a good Italian restaurant doesn't necessarily have to be a fancy restaurant, but I suppose if you're intimidated by New York, you may just assume that it does. Midwestern transplants who have lived here for awhile have no excuse, though.

In college (in the midwest), we traveled to an Olive Garden once to have a "nice" dinner. Compared to dorm food, it was definitely better. But after having eaten at average, neighborhood, inexpensive Italian joints, there ain't no goin' back.

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Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 476199)

I bet a lot of people like the predictable and known. And the fear of the unknown is only worse when you are in TCOTU. Still, why bother to travel and not be adventurous to try something different? Fuck if i know.

Exactly! The point of traveling to New York is embracing the unknown, no?

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Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 476199)

I'll tell you this though, I'm glad all those people that go to the Times Square chains, because they're loud and ugly and I don't want them coming to where i eat. We found a great Cubam place by Columbia. Havana Central maybe? It was quiet and refined and delicious. One night after a show we needed to eat still. The playbill had an ad for a branch of HC right there. Perfect choice!!!

There are restaurants near Time Square that make a decent business just on walk-ins who have a horrible experience and never ever come back. I went to a Brazilian place once (not a chain) on restaurant row on a whim after a show and it was the worst dining experience I've ever had at a sit-down restaurant. Waiters, owner, chefs didn't care. They knew they'd catch other walk-ins even if every single one of their customers yelped til their fingers were sore about it.

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Originally Posted by Gattigap (Post 476200)

Unlike most of us, the country is filled with people who don't particularly like to travel - and when they do, the local Olive Garden/Applebees/TGIF/Whatever is the metaphorical teddy bear to sleep with at night, to get them back home.

I can eat some Chilli's when I'm out of town, though. The fajitas are never as good as they smell when they parade them by, but they catch me every time.

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Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 476201)

I'll give you this. I suppose it's not that different than eating room service or at the hotel restaurant or going to the hotel bar instead of exploring a bit. It's just that there are so many decent options that almost any restaurant you walk into (outside of Times Square) will be better.

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Originally Posted by Adder (Post 476202)

It frightens them. It might be "spicy" (meaning contain something crazy like raw onions) or be fish or weird bits of fish with which they aren't familiar.

These people are stupid and I am glad they have someplace to be that I am not.

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Originally Posted by Adder (Post 476202)

Or they might not know what a fair price is...

This is just lame. I recognize that it happens, but anyone can read the menu before entering the restaurant.

TM

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Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476206)

This is just lame. I recognize that it happens, but anyone can read the menu before entering the restaurant.

The menu doesn't tell you much about value. There is a wide variety in quality of similarly priced price fixed menus in the Latin Quarter in Paris, for example.

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Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476179)

Yes, I am Wonking.

I do not understand Outback's business model. I went to one in New York once and the steaks were $28. And the steak sucked. Why would I pay that kind of cash for a steak at outback when I could go to a very good french bistro and get a steak that is twice as good for the same price?

I understand that Outback is like the most successful restaurant franchise ever (by profits per restaurant, I think), but I just don't get it. Surely in the places where the steak prices are actually a good deal, there are other options for steak at the same price point. Or is it all about the bloomin' onion?

TM

NYC is not the place to go for outback or to compare to other restaurants. The 28 dollar steak is not the one to get. The 10.99 sirloin is what you get when you're in pt richey fl. If there are going to be any problems in consistency they would show up here.

It's a cheap consistent steak meal. Go to outback with the fam and you're out for 90 bucks. Go to SW or PL and you're dropping $350.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476187)

I know this will, once again, make me look like a New York snob but, why the hell do these awful restaurants make midwesterners and suburbanites comfortable? The food is terrible. And it's not even like fast food, where you're looking for a specific kind of crap. There are Dominos Pizza chains in the city when you can get better pizza on every single corner (outside the 99 cent slice places). There are Olive Gardens (although I think I've only seen them in Times Square) when there are better Italian restaurants everywhere you look. Is it the never-ending feature of their pasta bowls? And as a tourist, why the hell would you eat at a fucking restaurant that is exactly the same--other than the higher prices--as the restaurant you eat at at home? And why would you wait on line to do it? Please to explain.

TM

You need to interact with people off TCOTU more.

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Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 476209)

You need to interact with people off the island more.

I've been holding out until I get voted off.

(Should be soon at this rate.)

TM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476187)

So, is the other food there good?

No.

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I know this will, once again, make me look like a New York snob but, why the hell do these awful restaurants make midwesterners and suburbanites comfortable?

The food serves markets where there are fewer choices, and so is pitched to a lower common denominator. Put in an unfamiliar city, many people worry more about finding an experience that is comfortable than about having a foodie moment, and the branding of the restaurants you mention addresses that need.

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Originally Posted by Flinty_McFlint (Post 476169)

I get the "I'm at target, which size lunchboxes should I get for the kids" calls all week long. How the hell should I know?

Easy, lunch-sized

Re: In flight wifi

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Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 476216)

Best thing evah.

you r welcome.

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Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476187)

If you figure this one out let me know, because I've never understood it. Maybe it's just that some people fear that any non-chain will be overpriced or bad or dirty, but even if that ever made sense it doesn't know with the ease of Yelp and TripAdvisor and so forth.

Once you figure this out, explain to me why people would ever go to Rainforest Cafe without kids.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 476198)

There is a chain in Paris called something like "Indiana." There is also a national chain with some faux-western name. I have eaten at these places. They are American-ish, but they are off in a number of ways -- ways that are really good, and often kind of funny.