A new restaurant recently opened in our area and I went to try it out. The name and cuisine aren’t important. I drove a long way to order three things of which one was unavailable, one was extremely mediocre, and the third never made it to the table because the kitchen was backed up or simply overwhelmed.
I wrote a scathing review on Yelp and was surprised at the response. It was a “soft opening” several commenters suggested so I should give this new spot some time to get its sea legs. Which I will do because I wanted the food these folks claimed to be selling. But meanwhile the original review is valid and it stands. It accurately reflects the experience I had.
Here’s the deal. If you charge people money for your food, you deserve to give them value for their money. You can’t expect them to pay you for the privilege of watching you learn. Give it away free… that’s a true soft opening. Or charge for some basics then surprise them with extra goodies from the kitchen. But don’t take their money till you’re ready to deliver the goods.
That’s my rant for tonight. The 800 pound gorilla in the walk-in has spoken.
