The week we were expecting the George Zimmerman verdict, I stopped in at the buffet place across the street from the Radio Flyer wagon company – as I was leaving, I noticed this picture on the wall. I was pretty sure it was new. Almost all of the employees are black Americans, and maybe half the customers. It’s just beyond the city limits of Chicago on Grand Avenue. I thought it odd enough that I took the picture for future reference.
I went there today for my $12 buffet lunch – all of the help I saw were Hispanic. The place was close to empty and not up to normal. Buffet needs volume to keep the food from drying out.
On the way out, the picture had been replaced with this chocolate chip cookie
I’ll bet the manager changed, and he made a lot of changes to the decor and the employees (within the confines of a recently twice-bankrupt chain)……. http://www.startribune.com/business/215760161.html
I had talked with the woman running the place about a year ago. I believe she told me it was locally owned, not an O&O outlet. I haven’t seen her for several months. Maybe they cashed out with the impending Obamacare and moved to Texas.
Oh, one more change – maybe six months ago they added a “Mandarin stir fry” station. It is now empty with a sign saying something like “something exciting coming here this fall”
My sense is they also have cut way back on salt and fat. Everything was pretty bland. It isn’t worth $12.
K&W – here I come.
Probably worth a mention – before I saw the sign, I took two chocolate chip cookies – they were stale and cold.
Next time you are there, tell them that CC says that poster will sell more cookies than the last one, but non-Chinese don’t associate chocolate chip cookies with a store like theirs.
I recommend they use this poster instead… here is is via Blaze, not to be confused with the House Fire Radio Network that is coming soon:
http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ScreenSnapz0072.jpg
My favorite places are O&O restaurants. I could care less that they are about a 1/2 step above ‘hole-in-the-wall joints’. They are always packed because the food is great. Lunch is about $4 -$6, Dinner $6-$7.
What do you think of truck stop restaurants?
I don’t hold truck stop restaurants in very high regard, except for Yesterday’s Calf-A in Dell, MT.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/87656813.jpg