Kitchen Nightmares (US) - General Discussion

[dmeets]

From their website:

Hours:

MONDAYS CLOSED

Dinner: Mon-Thurs 4:30-9pm

Umm, okay then.

That family’s going to fall apart if the 800K followers brother ever surpasses the 2M followers brother.

Edited October 17, 2023 by dmeets

[seacliffsal]

This is two weeks in a row that Gordon has helped new restaurants.  He is helping people who decided to open restaurants on a lark whereas I would like to see restaurants helped that maybe need help after closing during the pandemic or are long-standing and struggling.  Half a million in debt?  Obviously Melissa just spent, spent spent even though, according to her own words, she had no idea what she was doing.  Maybe she thought just having social media savvy sons would be the golden ticket or something.  And that "wall" that was originally in the restaurant probably actually scared off potential customers...

It just seems to me that if Gordon has to redecorate and reorganize a brand new restaurant that it is in far more danger than anyone can fix.

I did like Antonio.  Didn't like Melissa and her 'I actually had to use my own money to make payroll (which indicates they didn't use any of their own money to start the restaurant IMO).'  Felt bad for the dad/husband who is having to pick up double shifts to finance his family's dream.  Or should I say "Kitchen Nightmare..."

[Madding crowd]

Why would Gordon even bother with a restaurant that is closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday and doesn’t serve lunch? I don’t know what is going on with that place but it doesn’t seem they are serious about having a restaurant. I’m convinced they bought the place to have Gordon redesign so they could flip it and have content for the sons social media. I have never seen a pizza place that is closed every weekend.

[dmeets]

41 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

Why would Gordon even bother with a restaurant that is closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday and doesn’t serve lunch? I don’t know what is going on with that place but it doesn’t seem they are serious about having a restaurant. I’m convinced they bought the place to have Gordon redesign so they could flip it and have content for the sons social media. I have never seen a pizza place that is closed every weekend.

To be fair, they had Friday and weekend dinner hours too (I was just noticing that they are closed Mondays yet included Monday in their dinner hours). To be less fair, they also don't appear serve lunch on weekends either. Maybe nobody in the family likes to wake up before noon?

 

I'm sure the actual reason is she wanted to make sure they're keeping operations within 40 hours a week to only have to hire a single shift's worth of employees.

Edited October 17, 2023 by dmeets

[rmontro]

12 hours ago, vibeology said:

The other two sons have over two million followers on social media. That doesn't happen by accident. They have worked very hard to build a successful brand and they absolutely should not tie themselves to the sinking ship that is their mother's shitty restaurant with frozen food and slow service.

They had over three million followers.  Sounds like they are mostly on Tiktok.  I've never been on that site so I'm not sure how it works, but I know on YouTube those kind of numbers would be massive, and they would be making a very good living.  Even the 800,000 the one brother had would be enough to be quite comfortable.  

So yeah, I see your point that their focus is in building their own success.  I'm guessing that kind of notoriety tends to fade with your youth, but who knows how long the restaurant will last?  The mother acted like there was some expectation that the boys work there, so it sounded like they were drawing a salary from the restaurant for basically doing nothing.  But maybe I misinterpreted that.

Edited October 17, 2023 by rmontro

[vibeology]

19 minutes ago, rmontro said:

They had over three million followers.  Sounds like they are mostly on Tiktok.  I've never been on that site so I'm not sure how it works, but I know on YouTube those kind of numbers would be massive, and they would be making a very good living.  Even the 800,000 the one brother had would be enough to be quite comfortable.  

So yeah, I see your point that their focus is in building their own success.  I'm guessing that kind of notoriety tends to fade with your youth, but who knows how long the restaurant will last?  The mother acted like there was some expectation that the boys work there, so it sounded like they were drawing a salary from the restaurant for basically doing nothing.  But maybe I misinterpreted that.

They'd be making a good living on TikTok too. I checked them all out quickly and they're doing some sponcon mixed in with what I consider unfunny comedy videos. They're all also on instagram with fewer followers (The main brother had 127K followers). That's real money especially for young adults. It won't last forever; no one but the Kardashians can stay popular forever on SM. But if they don't blow it all on watches, vacations and other stuff, they can set themselves up for a comfortable adulthood.

Now, if they're pulling a salary that's another story. Then they need to work either in the restaurant or producing enough SM content to justify a salary. But the way Melissa was running things, I think the kids were all "owners" probably for feels. She wanted a family business so everyone in the family is an owner but on paper it's probably just her and her husband. Otherwise, keeping those younger two in the dark on the debt while their names are legally attached to the restaurant and they have actual assets is truly the shittiest move of all. 

[rmontro]

32 minutes ago, vibeology said:

That's real money especially for young adults. It won't last forever; no one but the Kardashians can stay popular forever on SM. But if they don't blow it all on watches, vacations and other stuff, they can set themselves up for a comfortable adulthood.

Thanks for posting that, I was wondering what kind of content they were creating, and I didn't want to go to Tiktok myself.  That one kid had a $35,000 watch, not sure why a kid that young needs a watch that expensive.  So draw whatever conclusions you can from that.  

As others have said above, maybe the fault lies more with the mother, for awarding them ownership, when they probably really had no interest in owning a restaurant, other than it sounds cool.  "Hey girl, I have 2.6 million followers, here's my $35,000 watch, and I own a restaurant".  Really, if they can make that kind of money in social media, why should they be interested in the restaurant business, and a failing restaurant at that?  But it would be nice if they could help their mother out a bit.

[12catcrazy]

The whole New Jersey stereotypical "Guido" thing was a turn off from the get-go.  I have no clue why this woman would open a restaurant having no experience with that kind of business and then having her oldest son (who also seemed to have no experience) try to be pizza chef and manager.  I actually felt bad for the kid as he seemed to be trying to work hard with basically no support from dear old Mom.    

Maybe Gordan Ramsay gets a kick from doing these shows but you have to ask yourself why he bothers with some of these places.  Why did these people deserve a total restaurant makeover and the free publicity they get from being on this show?  Melissa would have been better off taking some of  the 500k she sunk into this restaurant and sending her older son to the CIA where he'd learn how to actually cook and manage a restaurant instead of making him a slave to a glorified pizza joint in a strip shopping center.  

And for a personal comment - why the hell does a 18, 20 year old kid need a 35 THOUSAND dollar watch, and what kind of values are the parents raising their children with?  (why am I asking as I live on Long Island and see these "values" all too often).    Oh, and I checked the Yelp reviews,  which are very mixed.  People either seem to really like the food or they're totally not impressed - very odd. 

[potatoradio]

17 hours ago, DoctorK said:

Dad shows up for the first time after the miracle restaurant make over is done. I don’t have any idea what his role (if any) in opening the restaurant and leaving it in the hands of his incompetent wife and the one hard-working but unskilled son.

His role was to work two jobs in order to cough up more and more money to wash down the failing restaurant sink. 

*small voice*: if i saw "balls in a bowl" on a menu and discovered it was meatballs served in a breadbowl, I would order that in a hot minute. I love breadbowls and love meatballs even more (have ordered a "bucket of balls" without a lick of shame or irony). But that did look....disappointing. 

When and how, when it features one of the most dynamic and dramatic celebrity chefs on the planet, did this show get to be freaking boring? I miss seeing the idiots have to scrub the overflowing grease traps and the discussion of how to update a menu. now it's just "it's slimy!" [puke]. Then, "my crew worked all night and cleaned up the place and here's your new menu." 

Plot, people. Even reality shows need plots. 

 

[Colorado David]

yeah this seem like the low end for an episode, almost like its contrived.  and hi, what sorta content do those nincompoop brothers do to rack up 3.5 million subscribers? is the younger generation just absolutely starved for any entertainment, cuz those two seemed like low end jersey types. and i do like jersey people but these two are not shining examples of jersey quality from what i can see.

[oliviabenson]

How can they make $ if they are only open 5 hours a day???

[seacliffsal]

I think there is way more to this story.  When I looked at their website it seemed like they were more of a special events venue.  It's really weird.  And, I think there's more to the wife/mom's story as Gordon did take it really easy with her (and with the chef as well).

I am surprised that when the sons were touting about their social media followers that Gordon didn't tell them that he has over 100 million followers (I think that's how many he has stated in the past).  

[Shrek]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

I think there is way more to this story.  When I looked at their website it seemed like they were more of a special events venue.  It's really weird.  And, I think there's more to the wife/mom's story as Gordon did take it really easy with her (and with the chef as well).

I am surprised that when the sons were touting about their social media followers that Gordon didn't tell them that he has over 100 million followers (I think that's how many he has stated in the past).  

He has 39.7 million followers on the tickety tock.

[oliviabenson]

https://newjersey.news12.com/bergen-county-italian-restaurant-featured-on-gordon-ramsays-kitchen-nightmares

[seacliffsal]

1 hour ago, Shrek said:

He has 39.7 million followers on the tickety tock.

Thanks for the info!  I thought I had heard the 100 million on another show.  Still, way more than the sons.

[Drogo]

Gordon’s commentary on other people’s cooking videos is funny, complimentary, and just generally uplifting and high quality.  He doesn’t have to do them, but he makes somebody’s year every time he does.

Vito and Bozo are typical clowns who will turn 30 and wonder where their “empire” went.

[GHScorpiosRule]

7 minutes ago, Drogo said:

Vito and Bozo are typical clowns who will turn 30 and wonder where their “empire” went.

They struck me as such wannabes and have such punchable faces.

And again, threatening to punch Gordon if he DARES to get in their faces and fold like fucking accordions, heads lowered, in fake shame, and not a nary sound out of their mouths. Just like that head chef from two weeks ago.

[NJRadioGuy]

1 hour ago, Drogo said:

Gordon’s commentary on other people’s cooking videos is funny, complimentary, and just generally uplifting and high quality.  He doesn’t have to do them, but he makes somebody’s year every time he does.

I never knew that was a thing until my wife pointed me towards this one (Wellington in a dorm room). Brilliant!

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, NJRadioGuy said:

I never knew that was a thing until my wife pointed me towards this one (Wellington in a dorm room). Brilliant!

I laughed my ass off at Gordon's "Oh STOP IT!"

[NJRadioGuy]

21 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I laughed my ass off at Gordon's "Oh STOP IT!"

Bets on whether that dorm room chef would do better than 50% (or more) of the cheftestants on HK, or than half the pretend "executive chefs" on Kitchen Nightmares?

[bluepiano]

On 9/25/2023 at 11:13 PM, MrBuhBye said:

420 items is insane but I think one page may not be what is expected of a diner.  If they are serving three meals that doesn’t leave many choices for each one.  Also 20 cooks for a diner?  Maybe part of the problem is they are tripping over each other.

Gordon may be a world-famous Michelin starred chef, but he knows squat about east coast diners. I grew up eating in diners in Queens and Long Island, and they all had gigantic, multi-page menus. And the astonishing thing was, whatever you ordered, it was good. That's why people go to diners, especially with families, because there's something for everyone. And 20 cooks is not crazy, because diners are typically large, with multiple rooms, and have to quickly turn out a huge volume of food.

For this episode, he must've found the worst diner in New York, because they could barely cook toast. Or else the food wasn't really that bad, and it was producer shenanigans. I suspect that was the case with the filthy gross food storage area. Because restaurants get regular visits from health inspectors. How would that diner not have already been shut down for multiple health code violations?

I'm not surprised they went back to the large menu, because if I walked into a diner and saw a one-page menu I'd be shocked. Gordon contradicted himself, because he said "it's a diner, not fine dining," and then he gave them the kind of very limited menu you see in high end restaurants.

As for Kitchen Nightmares, I'm glad it's back, but I wish in all that time away they'd retooled the concept, because this episode was like a hundred others I've seen. Does every failing restaurant have a filthy, disgusting kitchen? Does every KN episode need to include GR yelling, "you're going to kill someone" and "shut it down."

Edited October 21, 2023 by bluepiano

[SG429]

10 hours ago, bluepiano said:

Because restaurants get regular visits from health inspectors. How would that diner not have already been shut down for multiple health code violations?

Totally. In my area restaurants regularly get dinged for violations we'd consider trivial in our own kitchens, as well as undated containers, cross-contamination, rodents, etc. Always been hard to understand the extreme conditions shown.

[12catcrazy]

On 10/21/2023 at 12:11 PM, bluepiano said:

Gordon may be a world-famous Michelin starred chef, but he knows squat about east coast diners. I grew up eating in diners in Queens and Long Island, and they all had gigantic, multi-page menus. And the astonishing thing was, whatever you ordered, it was good. That's why people go to diners, especially with families, because there's something for everyone. And 20 cooks is not crazy, because diners are typically large, with multiple rooms, and have to quickly turn out a huge volume of food.

 

Bluepiano, I don't know if you still live in New York but diners are a dying thing.  I live on Long Island and I've seen a lot of them go out of business in the last few years (the trend started even before COVID).   I think chains like Applebees have helped to do them in and also that the younger generation doesn't want to work in the diners that their parents and grandparents started.  I've kind of given up on diners because my last eating experiences have been pretty bad (and I always opt for breakfast type of stuff because that is what diners do best) .   You'll still find a good one every now and again but it's not like it was when I was growing up in the 1960s;  it's not even like it was in the 90s.   

As far as the health inspectors go, there aren't enough to go around.  A friend of mine was once a health inspector and he told me that some of the stuff that he saw really put him off on going out to eat.   Maybe Gordon Ramsay shows us some of the worst of the worst but I don't think the health dept catches even half of it.  

Edited October 25, 2023 by 12catcrazy
fix typo

[Yeah No]

On 10/17/2023 at 2:17 PM, 12catcrazy said:

The whole New Jersey stereotypical "Guido" thing was a turn off from the get-go.  I have no clue why this woman would open a restaurant having no experience with that kind of business and then having her oldest son (who also seemed to have no experience) try to be pizza chef and manager.  I actually felt bad for the kid as he seemed to be trying to work hard with basically no support from dear old Mom.    

Yeah, tell me about it, yet another episode pushing negative Italian American stereotypes.  If this were any other ethnic group there would be a hue and cry about it but it seems that the last socially acceptable one to do that to is with Italians, and that really gets under my skin as an Italian American.  I don't know why any Italian Americans would want to capitalize on that in the name of self-promotion but that's what these dimwits are doing.  Thanks a lot for perpetuating that image, assholes.

I agree that this is yet another episode that seemed to be dramatized and not based in any sort of reality and I think that theory mentioned above about it all being done as a way to promote themselves and their SM channels might be correct.

On 10/21/2023 at 12:11 PM, bluepiano said:

Gordon may be a world-famous Michelin starred chef, but he knows squat about east coast diners. I grew up eating in diners in Queens and Long Island, and they all had gigantic, multi-page menus. And the astonishing thing was, whatever you ordered, it was good. That's why people go to diners, especially with families, because there's something for everyone. And 20 cooks is not crazy, because diners are typically large, with multiple rooms, and have to quickly turn out a huge volume of food.

For this episode, he must've found the worst diner in New York, because they could barely cook toast. Or else the food wasn't really that bad, and it was producer shenanigans. I suspect that was the case with the filthy gross food storage area. Because restaurants get regular visits from health inspectors. How would that diner not have already been shut down for multiple health code violations?

I grew up eating in NY diners too and while the menus could be very large, that one seemed OTT even compared to them!  I think the situation today is much different than years ago and that's why it's harder for these places to keep that many things on the menu and have them all be fresh.  Food costs (and other operating costs) have shot up and so instead of cutting back on the menu offerings they end up cutting corners at the expense of the freshness and quality of the food AND the competence of the prep and cooking staff.  And it's been long known that those inspections aren't worth the ink on the paper either.  How many of these restaurant makeovers have I watched over the decades that have confirmed that for me?  I can't even count.  It's like the elephant in the room that no one talks about but there must be a lot of corruption in that business. 

8 hours ago, 12catcrazy said:

Maybe Gordan Ramsay shows us some of the worst of the worst but I don't think the health dept catches even half of it.  

Nitpick here but it's "Gordon", not "Gordan".  Somehow I see that misspelling all the time and I don't get it, so forgive me as it's become a pet peeve of mine.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, 12catcrazy said:

Bluepiano, I don't know if you still live in New York but diners are a dying thing.  I live on Long Island and I've seen a lot of them go out of business in the last few years (the trend started even before COVID).   I think chains like Applebees have helped to do them in and also that the younger generation doesn't want to work in the diners that their parents and grandparents started.  I've kind of given up on diners because my last eating experiences have been pretty bad (and I always opt for breakfast type of stuff because that is what diners do best) .   You'll still find a good one every now and again but it's not like it was when I was growing up in the 1960s;  it's not even like it was in the 90s.   

I hear you about the diner closings and giving up on most of them.  I think the work ethic and talent required to make these places shine is not something easy to find these days.  When talent can go elsewhere and get paid more for less why would they stay there?  It was a good place for immigrants to go for a job back in the day when they had fewer choices for employment and were content to make less.  The only places that have succeeded over the long haul have been run by families who keep a very tight ship and know where to spend and where to save.  If you were succeeding in spite of yourself back in the day that doesn't work today.  I have been close to a family run diner in the Bronx for decades and they are able to keep in business because their son has a good head for managing and running the business, having learned at his relatives' knee.  Most of their cooking and wait staff now are either Mexican or South American immigrants.  The owners have a knack for picking the hardest working, most dedicated and lovely people.  But because they never let things run down and the place is consistently packed and making tons of money, they can afford to attract and pay for the best employees.  If you're ever in the Bronx, it's the Tibbett Diner in the Kingsbridge/Riverdale neighborhood, a little place not known to the world but has been a local gem beloved in the neighborhood for decades.  I am just glad that Nick, the grandson of the original owner decided to stick with it because it was like a home away from home for me and my family for many years when my parents were alive.  There was a time when he wasn't sure if he was going to go into some other field but after graduating college with a degree in Business Administration he decided to take over the restaurant.  God bless him and his family, they were so kind to my aging father in his final years.  They would send someone up to his apartment (which was 2 blocks away) with food for him and not even charge him delivery.   It's like a slice of the old days with that place.  I haven't been there in a long time (it's hard for me because my father died of Covid in 2020) but I still follow it through friends who still go there.  I keep meaning to go but I live 100 miles away and I admit it's been difficult for me to go back since Covid.

[12catcrazy]

 

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

 Nitpick here but it's "Gordon", not "Gordan".  Somehow I see that misspelling all the time and I don't get it, so forgive me as it's become a pet peeve of mine.

Sorry - brain and fingers not in synch.  I corrected my error - thanks for pointing it out.  

[Angelsmom1009]

Yeah, I was initially excited this show was back, but after these first few episodes? Meh. Even Gordon seems over it. He's had like four shows airing at once this year so just he may be exhausted LOL. But all of these restaurants so far seem to be either a family member taking over an already established business, when they really don't want to (the diner and the Haitian restaurant) and people opening restaurants out of pure vanity and not realizing how hard thar business is (the Guido and culinary gangster restaurants). No one who is passionate about food and had a dream of opening a restaurant or anything. And im sorry...in a post Covid world, with renewed regulations, and the hospitality world already struggling with elevated food costs, there is NO reason why a kitchen and walk in to be so disgusting, overloaded with food. I read up thread that he stopped doing KN originally because he was frustrated that he would help them, and people would revert right back their old ways and blame him when the restaurant finally went under (when the reality is, these places are already so deep in the red financially, they're probably about to close anyway). I wouldn't blame him if he refused to sign on to do it again after this season, because it's the same nonsense again.

Also, I know cussing out these idiots is part of his brand and I know it's hyped up for American audiences (because he is NOT like that on his UK shows) but frankly I'm over that aspect of his shows too, and again, it seems he might be too. It's just...a lot. I'm rewatching his show from a few years ago "Gordon Ramsay Uncharted" and he's funny and engaged and really seems to be enjoying himself, because he's actually cooking with other established chefs, self taught and formally trained. If anything, I would love for this show to come back. I know COVID made it come to an end kind of abruptly, but now that travel restrictions have mostly been lifted, why not.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Angelsmom1009
Typos

[bluepiano]

On 10/24/2023 at 2:51 PM, 12catcrazy said:

Bluepiano, I don't know if you still live in New York but diners are a dying thing.  I live on Long Island and I've seen a lot of them go out of business in the last few years (the trend started even before COVID).  

No, I don't still live in New York, and as I said, I grew up eating in diners, but that was admittedly many (many) years ago. So I'm sure you're right about diners being a dying thing. One of the diners in my old Queens neighborhood is still there, and seemingly going strong, but they may be an exception. The neighborhood delis in NY are all pretty much gone too. We didn't have the enormous number of chain restaurants and fast food places in the "old days," and that's surely a factor.

The restaurant business is strange. In times of economic uncertainty, it seems that many high-end restaurants thrive and the fast food places are packed, but the middle ground restaurants (like family owned diners and delis) struggle to survive.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, Angelsmom1009 said:

Also, I know cussing out these idiots is part of his brand and I know it's hyped up for American audiences (because he is NOT like that on his UK shows) but frankly I'm over that aspect of his shows too, and again, it seems he might be too. It's just...a lot. I'm rewatching his show from a few years ago "Gordon Ramsay Uncharted" and he's funny and engaged and really seems to be enjoying himself, because he's actually cooking with other established chefs, self taught and formally trained. If anything, I would love for this show to come back. I know COVID made it come to an end kind of abruptly, but now that travel restrictions have mostly been lifted, why not.

I think he's softened up a lot on MasterChef but on Hell's Kitchen he still puts on that irascible persona.  Despite that for some reason that still works for me on that show.  This show is working off a formula that feels outdated to me and his behavior is part of the issue.  It's also the stereotyped people and what feels like typical issues and situations that are either made up or exaggerated for show drama.  I liked "Uncharted" but didn't realize it ended because of Covid. 

7 minutes ago, bluepiano said:

No, I don't still live in New York, and as I said, I grew up eating in diners, but that was admittedly many (many) years ago. So I'm sure you're right about diners being a dying thing. One of the diners in my old Queens neighborhood is still there, and seemingly going strong, but they may be an exception. The neighborhood delis in NY are all pretty much gone too. We didn't have the enormous number of chain restaurants and fast food places in the "old days," and that's surely a factor.

What gets me is that both diner and deli food is hugely popular in this country but the iconic places that made both styles of food right are the ones disappearing and no new ones are opening to replace them.  You see some places try to imitate the style of cooking but it is never anywhere near as good in my opinion.

[oliviabenson]

I am not sure I’m going to finish this season. It’s very boring.

Vito and Vincent were acting like that for the camera. It was so cringe I could barely finish the episode.

The chef Francesca needs to be replaced…

[oliviabenson]

On 10/19/2023 at 11:23 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

They struck me as such wannabes and have such punchable faces.

And again, threatening to punch Gordon if he DARES to get in their faces and fold like fucking accordions, heads lowered, in fake shame, and not a nary sound out of their mouths. Just like that head chef from two weeks ago.

Culinary Gangster lol. He is now a retired cook.

[bluepiano]

3 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

I am not sure I’m going to finish this season. It’s very boring.

Vito and Vincent were acting like that for the camera. It was so cringe I could barely finish the episode.

Yeah, it's been really disappointing. As someone previously posted, GR seems checked out and only going through the motions. Why even bother bringing this show back? It's not like GR is lacking for TV shows. Or money.

Just once I'd like to see an episode that deviates from the tired old formula. Where the food is actually good, but the restaurant is failing because of other issues, like mismanagement or poor marketing. But then Gordon would have to get into the actual business of running a restaurant, instead of screaming about how the kitchen is disgusting and they're going to kill someone. Clearly GR and his producers think that's why people are watching. 

In the real restaurant world, one of the biggest issues that restaurants have is theft by staff, but that's something this show has never touched on either. A few years ago the Food Network had a show about that called Mystery Diners. 

[oliviabenson]

New episode is not until November 7th on HULU. Restaurant is called juicy box 🤣🤣🤣. Ummm ok 🤣.

[12catcrazy]

On 10/26/2023 at 12:50 AM, bluepiano said:

 The neighborhood delis in NY are all pretty much gone too. We didn't have the enormous number of chain restaurants and fast food places in the "old days," and that's surely a factor.

The restaurant business is strange. In times of economic uncertainty, it seems that many high-end restaurants thrive and the fast food places are packed, but the middle ground restaurants (like family owned diners and delis) struggle to survive.

I think New York was one of the last holdouts for chains and fast food places.  I grew up here and never ate at a McDonalds until I was almost 15 and living in Canada (and granted, I am 66 now).    When I came back to NY in late 1988 I was surprised at how even by then, chains were rare.  Now in 2023, chains are everywhere as well as the fast fold joints.   It still boggles my mind that people will eat at Olive Garden here rather than at a good non-chain Italian place (and they're starting to go the way of the delis and diners). Americans seem to like food that is predictable and mediocre and the cheaper the better.  High End places do well in a tough economy because the carriage trade always has money; the fast food joints do well because you can eat lousy unhealthy food on the cheap.  The middle end places go under because the folks that go there (like me!) stop going because eating out is a luxury and when times get hard, you start looking at needs and wants and what to cut, and nights out are one of the first things to cut.  

[oliviabenson]

I only eaten at Olive Garden once. $54 just for me tip included. That’s not cheap. 
 

NYC is completely different now than pre Covid.

[Yeah No]

7 hours ago, 12catcrazy said:

I think New York was one of the last holdouts for chains and fast food places.  I grew up here and never ate at a McDonalds until I was almost 15 and living in Canada (and granted, I am 66 now).    When I came back to NY in late 1988 I was surprised at how even by then, chains were rare.  Now in 2023, chains are everywhere as well as the fast fold joints.   It still boggles my mind that people will eat at Olive Garden here rather than at a good non-chain Italian place (and they're starting to go the way of the delis and diners). Americans seem to like food that is predictable and mediocre and the cheaper the better.  High End places do well in a tough economy because the carriage trade always has money; the fast food joints do well because you can eat lousy unhealthy food on the cheap.  The middle end places go under because the folks that go there (like me!) stop going because eating out is a luxury and when times get hard, you start looking at needs and wants and what to cut, and nights out are one of the first things to cut.  

I grew up in NYC and lived there for half my life (I'm 65 now) and you sound like me.  I have a theory about this subject and have seen stuff written about it in several places.  The chains started coming to NYC when it became super popular after 2001, when the economy was good and shows like "Sex and the City" caused a renewed interest in NY and an influx of young, rich trust fund hipsters from the suburbs.  Unfortunately a lot of them didn't care to fit in with the local culture like earlier generations of transplants to NYC and set about gravitating to what was familiar to them, like chain restaurants and mall stores.  Also, as real estate prices climbed, not as many "mom and pop" and individual boutique stores could afford the rent and were replaced by the big retail and chain restaurant companies, which could afford them.  Then the pandemic did even more damage to what was left of the individually owned shops and restaurants and even more of them closed.  Many storefronts are still vacant.  And the cost of doing business is so high it's even more prohibitive and harder to stay afloat and in business than ever.  To stay in business prices have risen so high it has to be doing even more damage.  So now the very things that made NYC unique and special have been eroded away.  The character of NY now seems more like the suburbs than it ever did and that in my opinion is not a good thing. 

[NJRadioGuy]

My favourite diner in Queens closed down a few years ago—the Georgia Diner on 55th Ave., beside the Queens Mall, just off Queens Blvd. That was our go-to when we lived in Maspeth back in the early aughts. Amazing food, huge menu and (gasp!) free parking, but now it's the site of yet more apartments. In Manhattan, the old familiar Luncheonettes are pretty much all gone now. They were a working class staple, much like Automats were in the day, where you could get a filling meal for minimal cost. Now we have McDonalds, Wendys, Panera, and Chipotle on every corner, almost, and not only are they very fast and at least somewhat affordable, but they're also very consistent.

Out here in Northern NJ diners are still a big deal and I don't think I've visited one that I didn't like in many years. Like I said earlier, I'll drive well out of my way for the Park West Diner on 46 West.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Out here in Northern NJ diners are still a big deal and I don't think I've visited one that I didn't like in many years. Like I said earlier, I'll drive well out of my way for the Park West Diner on 46 West.

You're lucky, NJ is the diner capitol of the world, especially Rt. 46.  When I was young I used to go to a few places out there when I went to that area.  We also went to the Suburban Diner every time we went shopping at all the malls in Paramus.  Those were the days!  In my part of CT diners are scarce and most of the ones we have aren't very good.  I think there are still a few good ones in Fairfield County, though.

[seacliffsal]

Just watched the Juicy Box episode.  Once again, the owner knows what the problem is (his son) but doesn't want to be the one to use the 'hammer' so gets Gordon to be the one to say 'no' to the son.  I see this more and more-parents who give everything to children or fight all of the battles for their children but don't want to say no or discipline.  They leave it to the teachers (but then complain about those teachers), employers, and...Gordon...

I liked the chef, Seth, as his food looked good (and in the preliminary meal Gordon even complimented the snapper which is something he normally doesn't do).  I thought the revised menu food looked amazing.  And, when I'm in Brooklyn next summer may even try to find the restaurant.  I think this one could really work if Q follows through.

[vibeology]

The trend that I'm seeing this season is that every owner or manager just sees these restaurants as a way to get money or have a place to hang out. No one seems to have any understanding of how a restaurant works, how a kitchen functions, what food tastes good or bad etc. I don't expect owners to be trained chefs but why own a restaurant if you don't care about food?

The Juicy Box is a mess. No silverware? No juicer? A walk-in broken for months full of rotting food and flies? Can't make payroll? I honestly think getting on this show was just a way to get a renovation/repairs and then they'll sell. Those two kids don't give a fuck about the restaurant. Q is maybe an alcoholic (I wonder how much money was going out the door in shots for himself and his friends) and if Zappy actually works at that restaurant, I would die of shock because she had no serving skills.

A google search tells me the restaurant currently opens at 11am and the Juice Bar at 10am. So Q hasn't changed and is missing out on major income. The website also has a header that says "24/7 HAPPY HOUR 🎉🍻" so that fills me with no hope. 

[Cineaste]

This felt more like an episode of Bar Rescue, where most of the owners don't care about running a business, they just want a place to hang out with their friends

I can't feel sorry for the parents in this scenario, they know their son is screwing up and they won't do a thing about it. It's also obvious that several of the people who work in this restaurant are alcoholics

[GHScorpiosRule]

I should HAVE watched one of my favorite episodes, from the U.K.'s fourth season, "The Curry Lounge" AFTER watching this hot mess.

 

[rmontro]

On 11/7/2023 at 8:27 AM, seacliffsal said:

I liked the chef, Seth, as his food looked good (and in the preliminary meal Gordon even complimented the snapper which is something he normally doesn't do).  I thought the revised menu food looked amazing.  And, when I'm in Brooklyn next summer may even try to find the restaurant.  I think this one could really work if Q follows through.

I was also going to say hey, at least he liked the snapper.  If you can get any kind of compliment like that from Gordon during his initial test, it's a win.  Only thing that makes me a little suspicious is that his liking the snapper went with the theme of the show, which was to follow the inspiration of the father.  

Q seems to genuinely want the restaurant to work and to genuinely appreciate Gordon's advice, so maybe with the aid of the mentor, they actually will succeed.  I think he wants to, it's just a question of if he has the self will and discipline to do it, or will he revert to his old ways due to alcohol.

[NJRadioGuy]

If "Q" accepts the mentor's advice and follows it to the letter then the place has a chance. But I just don't think the restaurant will be there this time next year. The discipline it takes to run any kind of a successful business, let alone a restaurant in a city with insanely high costs of doing business I think might be more than this team is ready to handle, and when things get tough next time those bar shots might become too tempting once again. In the setup I was saying to my other half that the place is definitely fixable, and without a lot of work, but the wrong people are in charge. I gave it no chance until the end when GRRRRR gifted them the services of that chef for a time.

[TV Glotzer]

Those two Juicy Box kids were halfwits—on a good day. They had no interest in running a restaurant. Nor any concept of how to run a business. Just wanted to hang and drink while daddy pays the bills. And what kind of casual restaurant opens at 2:00 pm and completely misses lunch?

And the conceit that the morbidly obese Q was some sort of former gym rat was downright preposterous. 

This episode made me furious. 

[jcbrown]

And it's a terrible name for a restaurant, full stop. I get that they had a "-box" theme going for their other places but Juicy Box? Really? Am I a complete degenerate for not hearing that name as a restaurant name? Just me?

[Shrek]

10 hours ago, jcbrown said:

And it's a terrible name for a restaurant, full stop. I get that they had a "-box" theme going for their other places but Juicy Box? Really? Am I a complete degenerate for not hearing that name as a restaurant name? Just me?

You're not alone & that's all I'm saying.

[rmontro]

20 hours ago, jcbrown said:

And it's a terrible name for a restaurant, full stop. I get that they had a "-box" theme going for their other places but Juicy Box? Really? Am I a complete degenerate for not hearing that name as a restaurant name? Just me?

Well, Gordon kept calling it Juicy Box (accent on the Juicy).  Which sounds very different than if you call it Juicy Box, which is probably what the kids had in mind.  They were probably wondering "Why does he keep thinking we serve juice?"

[Meowwww]

This abusive jerk Chris and his mom and future mother in law babying him at Love Bites.   He disgusts me.  Yelling mean insults at his fiancee, blaming anxiety. He’s so much like my ex…I hate him so much.  I can’t believe his fiancée’s mom babies him, she needs to stick up for her daughter, she’s not what a mom should be. 
Narcissistic jerk, I’m glad the restaurant is closed. I hope Tess left him.  
Let me tell you how I really feel.  

[tinkerbell]

Watching the Juicy Box episode right now.

How strange. Q sleeps in, starts his day with a shot, says he wants to run a restaurant but shows no interest in doing any actual work. And they don't have a working refrigerator.

Gordon buys him all new equipment. No, he doesn't  deserve it. Let losers go broke.