Brooks Tavern...not so impressedThe paragraph above is taken from a recently posted TripAdvisor review. I'm assuming it's a dinner review, although they don't say. Not very positive, is it? I wish I knew, first of all, why people seem to think that our menu is misleading - this is the second time I've seen that criticism of the menu. In what way is it "incredibly misleading"? I mean, just look at it, and tell me how we can make it more user friendly. (Here's the lunch menu.) I don't like to think that we are confusing our customers... As far as being outrageously priced, I can understand how some diners might feel that way, after all we are certainly not inexpensive. Tonight we served a $29 steak dinner - unbelievable really - but it was an awesome ribeye from grass fed natural beef that, to me, would be worth every penny. But to think we are too expensive is distressing - we don't want to be a special occasion restaurant, we want to be an neighborhood, everyday restaurant, and that means affordable. With lunch entrees ranging in price from $7.50 to $12 and dinner from $18 to $26, is that "outrageously expensive"? It's not cheap, certainly. That is one reason we offer the small plates at dinner - so people can come in for a light dinner - at $8 to $12 - which is fine with us. It is always a struggle to keep prices down and quality up, every kitchen manager knows that, be it Mom at Home or the Chef at the Restaurant; to do it and keep your customers satisfied is part of what it takes to be successful. And it is not a new complaint for us - I always tell the story of a customer back in the late '80's, who, when her favorite lunch spot closed for a period of renovation, came to the Ironstone instead. At the end of our "turn", after we made the exact same lunch she had at the other spot - sliced turkey on wheat bread - she came to me and said that it had been lovely, but it was still a couple dollars more than she paid at the other place..."But of course", she continued, "you use real turkey". The point being, real turkey costs more than pressed turkey, but how many of the customers really care, especially these days when prices seem to go up daily?
The comment about the "water bugs" was really bad - you recognize that the reviewer was talking about those box elder beetles, don't you.? Oh yes, they are still here and I don't expect them to leave until late spring. Thankfully they didn't think they were something else...but I wonder if I should put a disclaimer on the menu explaining what they are?
At least Anonymous thought the food tasted good, if too expensive.
Anyway, we've gotten other on-line reviews, some similar to this, some a bit more positive, and I've discussed the whole phenomenon in previous postings. It's the way of the times. Still, it stings and you can't take it personally...you just have to address the issues as they arise and hope that you can please some of the people enough of the time to stay in business.
Meanwhile...someone might get a free oyster fritter today!
The comment about the "water bugs" was really bad - you recognize that the reviewer was talking about those box elder beetles, don't you.? Oh yes, they are still here and I don't expect them to leave until late spring. Thankfully they didn't think they were something else...but I wonder if I should put a disclaimer on the menu explaining what they are?
At least Anonymous thought the food tasted good, if too expensive.
Anyway, we've gotten other on-line reviews, some similar to this, some a bit more positive, and I've discussed the whole phenomenon in previous postings. It's the way of the times. Still, it stings and you can't take it personally...you just have to address the issues as they arise and hope that you can please some of the people enough of the time to stay in business.
Meanwhile...someone might get a free oyster fritter today!
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