$100 Dinner for Two is a Recession Concession?
Friday, March 21, 2008 7:44As I have said before, I get a lot of PR emails for restaurants and events around town. I’m not special, most foodbloggers are on the same lists I am.
One email did catch my eye this week. From a PR company, I got a cleverly titled email, “Recession Concessions at Table 8″. Hm, sounds enticing, Table 8 is certainly one of the more talked about restaurants in Los Angeles. The “Recession Concession” is priced at $38 and looking at the options, it is a reduction of Table 8’s normal prices, but is it prudent financial advice to go drop $100 for two (after tax and tip) if you are facing tough financial times? Isn’t this what got us into financial trouble in the first place? Spending more than we should?
In fairness to Table 8, here is what they are offering (Monday through Friday only)
Appetizers
(choose one)local baby oak lettuces with feta, roasted beets, sweet onions and black olive oil
pan-roasted baby broccoli with confit potatoes, flaked salt cod and parsley hollandaise
kobe beef carpaccio with celery root salad, treviso and truffle aioliEntrees
(choose one)grilled baby chicken on short rib hash and cipollini onion jus
olive oil poached sea trout with shaved artichoke salad and caramelized onion mash
estancia grass fed rib eye with pea tendrils, potato puree, roasted baby carrots and pearl onionsDesserts
(choose one)vanilla panna cotta with honeyed blueberries
dulce de leche chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream
Note that this doesn’t include wine, cocktails or sparkling water (maybe cut those out in order to pay your mortgage?)
Here is my la.foodblogging Recession Concession advice. Rather than dropping $100 for lettuce and beet salad, grilled baby chicken and vanilla panna cotta, head over to Zankou. Split a half chicken with pickled turnips, hummous and pita for under $10 then go splurge on dessert for another $5 at Scoops. (That’s a dinner for two!)
Money “saved”? $85!
So where would your Recession Concession meal be? How much would you spend? Are you cutting back on eating out?
By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.
HC says:
March 21st, 2008 at 8:46 am
I thought the naming was clever but yea, nearly $50 a person isn’t much of a concession for someone who’s really hit by the recession.
Or maybe it’s a concession for the restaurants, no doubt many mid- and high-end places are feeling the pinch of hard times & inflated prices of food.
The “inflation libation” also being promoted on that release sounds like a better deal (beer/wine + 2 small plates at the lounge for $18/person) — but that depends on what food’s being served.
Jonah says:
March 21st, 2008 at 8:57 am
You’re right HC, restaurants are getting hit on all sides right now. Decreased spending by customers and increased costs of food and supplies. It’s a tough business that is getting tougher.
I remember after 9/11 there was a wave of restaurant closures, like Ben Ford’s Chadwick, due to people holding on tighter to their wallets.
I don’t begrudge Table 8’s offering a special menu, but your observation of this being a concession for the restaurant may be more accurate.
I suspect that we are going to see an increase in these kinds of promotions as restaurants struggle to stay in business. I wish all of our great chefs and business owners the best of luck!
HC says:
March 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I wish them the best of luck in staying afloat as well.
I mulled over all these economical specials a little more over my own homemade, economical lunch, I just think it’s bad marketing. People who are really pinched are no going to be swayed by a few dollars worth of savings, whereas people who are going to restaurants anyways are just going to feel guilty they’re not saving more (especially when the specials are reminding them of recessions, slowdowns, unemployment, etc.) — further discouraging them from eating out.
George M says:
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I agree with your article, the key to recovery in a Recession is to save money. The more people spend in a recession the more likely they are to contribute to inflation. Beside Ro Ro’s on Sunset is better. Good resturants will survive a Recession, gimicky, trendy, faux richie places will go the way of the dinosaurs.
Tim K says:
March 23rd, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I think the sadder reality is that since snowballing inflation will ultimately be what kills us, economically, the $100 dinner for 2 will soon be a more common event when eating out - but it’ll be for a meal at Burger King. An exaggeration, but you know what I mean.
Jonah says:
March 24th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Sad, but prudent, point TimK. How long can the $1 menu items last at fast food places? Maybe the cost of food coupled with inflation will help us right-size our portions (disclosure: I am guilty of over eating).