How many times have you gotten together with friends for dinner and they all say, “Let’s go to Olive Garden/Macaroni Grill/Red Lobster? Do you want to throw up your hands in frustration and shake those people? Yeah, me too! Why is it that some people seem to think that a CHAIN restaurant/bakery/store will have the best stuff? Is it the fact that they are always the same? Is it that they are reliably mediocre and the diner won’t be disappointed? The diner knows what to expect?
In case you have been living under a rock lately there is a huge MOVEMENT to support sustainable foods, locally grown and sourced items from small businesses. You may ask yourself, “Why is this a GOOD THING?” Supporting small businesses is a GREAT thing for lots of reasons. In the 80’s and 90’s Big Box stores put a lot of the little guys out of business and we saw the decline of “Main Street”. Well, that decline took away a lot of choices we would otherwise have access to. Of course, sometimes the Big Box is a must – I have a reserved parking space at Costco – but when in your own neighborhood, or on the road, you should try to step into the smaller joints for better quality, good citizenship and all around better customer service. Here’s a perfect example – I COULD have had Jack’s Grad/Bday cake made by a grocery chain, or a Big Box, but I chose to spend a little more for a more personalized experience for HIM. The quality was superb and the flavor exceptional. We got a knockout of a cake that people are still commenting on a month later.
The fact is this: Most chain restaurants (Chili’s, Applebee’s, and the like) make NOTHING in house. It all comes in pre-portioned, all the sauces are pre-made and none of the salad dressings are made in house either. Your salad and veggies may very well be the only fresh things you get. This is not a great way to eat. First of all, the amount of salt is a problem for a lot of people (not me, I am a salt-a-holic) and they are loaded with things you can’t pronounce. I personally have a problem with MSG. Now, while this is not true for ALL chains, for a vast number of them, this is de rigeur. There are a few groups/chains that I do like and actually eat in – the Lettuce Entertain You group (Maggiano’s, Capital Grille) has some strip-side places here in town and some others in major cities that actually MAKE the FOOD, in house! Now for the moment of truth: I LOVE Jack in the Box Curly Fries and once in a while I HAVE to have the Ultimate Cheeseburger from there – I know…don’t judge me!
Supporting a “Mom & Pop” business, whether a restaurant or a store, is a fantastically wonderful thing to do for your taste buds, for your attitude and for the economy. Because these owners often make what they are selling, you can get a customized experience and unlike a Big Box joint, they CARE if you come back.
Consider this next time you have to make a dining choice: are you putting $$ in the pocket of “the man” or are you putting $$ in the pocket of A MAN (or WOMAN)? I choose the little guy as often as I can, and I encourage you to do the same.
This week’s Food Memories are grilled wild caught salmon on the patio with hubby John, freshly picked veggies from the local farm, my first successful attempt at melt-in-your-mouth braised short ribs, and popcorn for lunch at Harry Potter. This week’s pic is that fab cake from Retro Bakery* mentioned earlier and my son using chopsticks to “play” it.
Until next week, go out and make your own Food Memories!
