FROM NAPLES TO MONTREAL…A SIGN OF THE TIMES

Once upon a time… 

The night before I was to begin a recent 6-day drive from Naples Florida home to Lowell, MA—an agenda stocked with friend-visits and crashing in guest rooms—I was in the mood for some BBQ.  I checked the hours of my favorite Black-Eyed Pig, to be sure, and was pleased to see they were open until 8pm.  It was 7:15, and I was a half hour away. (Shame on me for not calling while driving!)  As I walked in the door 15 minutes before closing time—so ready to pick up some quick ribs, collard greens and coleslaw—the server said “Sorry, the chef gave last call at 7:30.”  I protested!  But….Google…my favorite…ya gotta…. “Sorry honey, he’s already working the smoker for tomorrow.”  I was crushed. 

Four nights later, in remote Ligonier PA, my lifelong friend wanted to show me their favorite restaurant.  Out of the Fire left us out of luck!  We jumped in the car at 7:40 and drove the 10 minutes only to be informed by the server that “It was dead.  The chef closed.”  Apparently, out of the fire had run out of fuel.  Note: Both restaurants were only opened to 8PM.  Not 9, 10 or 11pm.  And both closed while the little hand was still shadowing the 7.  Like, the sun was out.  Is it me?

The following weekend, on the road again for a wedding of a beautiful family friend in Montreal, we arrived at the hotel at 8:30pm after 6+ hours on the road and after an airport pick up “along the way.”  We received a recommendation from said friend for an “excellent” restaurant within walking distance of the hotel.  Their posted hours were 10pm.  We had an hour to check in, freshen up and muster the energy to walk the 5 minutes…only be told by the waiter—who was about to join multiple friends sitting, and partaking, at a corner table; “Sorry guys.  It was dead so Chef decided to close at 9:30.”

And here’s the thing for me.  I understand as well as anyone, the challenges our industry is facing, every day, for years now. But can we survive closing at 8pm?  Can we survive, not honoring the posted hours and saying, “Sorry, no.”  Can we cut it doing the opposite of what we always did, “back in the day” while honoring the essence of “The answer is yes, now what’s the question?”  Because, of all the demanding people including me, none are more sentimental to the challenges than I am…but I am also making you a sandwich if you walk in after “the chef” has closed the kitchen.  And I would hope my people will too. And as a baseline, we are absolutely honoring our hours. Unless it’s a Nor’easter.  Or Folk Festival weekend.

Good luck to all my restaurant brethren wrestling with these dilemmas. It only gets harder…