[Dotneko]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

This is what I got........few more than 10.

Cant open it, but I will afford you the benefit of the doubt - which you didnt afford me.
A couple of reasons yours may be more full:

1 - they read this and decided that perhaps they were shortchanging people
2 - they were running out on the day she went and they were rationing
3 - they have no portion control and its up to the whim of the sous
4 - they like you better

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Dotneko

4 - they like you better

Happens all the time.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

I can't defend what they're charging for the fries, but what should an order of 7 onion rings cost?

The food service companies like Sysco are charging around $12 for 2.5 lbs of large frozen beer battered onion rings where they would likely get 20 rings per bag, let's say enough for 3 servings, then the restaurant has to cook it in their own oil, plate it, and serve it with a "homemade" aoli and some other garnish. Stuff is pretty expensive now. I think it's hard for any restaurant to make much profit on any menu item that sells for only $7.

Next time we go to Sams or BJ will look but do believe onion rings are much cheaper than that.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Next time we go to Sams or BJ will look but do believe onion rings are much cheaper than that.

This is not a typical apples to apples comparison.

The ones at BJ's are meant to be cooked at home in an oven at 400 degrees.

The food service ones are meant to be cooked in a commercial fryer, sold to paying customers, and designed to retain their crispiness for a period of time which is critical when food is not sent out promptly, or even worse the onion rings are a takeout or delivery item. The commercial formulations use additives like Evercrisp for those particular applications, and it absolutely adds to the cost.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Dotneko

I agree if they buy it. But they could make them for much less than that. Their choice to have pre made frozen crap.

Sure a restaurant can make them for cheaper from scratch if you don't consider labor costs. Also, with the current labor situation, you're unlikely to find suitable kitchen staff that could consistently make presentable onion rings from scratch without disappointing customers. The stuff from the food service companies isn't that bad, and makes it much easier for restaurants to provide a consistent experience with minimally trained kitchen staff.

Are they fast food or a restaurant?

Even the country clubs in TV use food service stuff to quite an extent. Do you think those fries that come with your $10 burger are hand cut from scratch and cooked made to order?

It's a necessary evil. People want to get meals served to them without paying much, restaurants want to serve people food without spending much.

[Dotneko]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

Sure a restaurant can make them for cheaper from scratch if you don't consider labor costs. Also, with the current labor situation, you're unlikely to find suitable kitchen staff that could consistently make presentable onion rings from scratch without disappointing customers. The stuff from the food service companies isn't that bad, and makes it much easier for restaurants to provide a consistent experience with minimally trained kitchen staff.



Even the country clubs in TV use food service stuff to quite an extent. Do you think those fries that come with your $10 burger are hand cut from scratch and cooked made to order?

It's a necessary evil. People want to get meals served to them without paying much, restaurants want to serve people food without spending much.

Of course any restaurant has to determine its line of cost/labor/quality/value. For me, with McGradys, I tell them to look behind them.

[Altavia]

I doubt the target market for this restaurant are the grumpy old prunes complaing here about a price gap no more than the cost of a lost golf ball :-)

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

This is not a typical apples to apples comparison.

The ones at BJ's are meant to be cooked at home in an oven at 400 degrees.

The food service ones are meant to be cooked in a commercial fryer, sold to paying customers, and designed to retain their crispiness for a period of time which is critical when food is not sent out promptly, or even worse the onion rings are a takeout or delivery item. The commercial formulations use additives like Evercrisp for those particular applications, and it absolutely adds to the cost.

Thank you for sharing your expertise.

Thought that these large size packages we have been buying at clubs were also being sold at restaurants. For example once in awhile we purchase mozzarella sticks and heat them in our air fryer.

Far as I can tell same sticks we have purchased at restaurants but can get them to the table a lot faster.

[Skip]

Went there over the weekend. Packed! And the noise level was so high, we left before being called. Not impressed with what I saw or what I heard from people leaving.

Skip

[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by Skip

Went there over the weekend. Packed! And the noise level was so high, we left before being called. Not impressed with what I saw or what I heard from people leaving.

Skip

Another place that’s sucks, and no one will go to because it’s too crowded. That describes all the restaurants in the Villages

[SusanStCatherine]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Nine miles to B&B, seven miles to McG's, four mile difference round trip, about $1 difference in gas. Order more than just a burger, like maybe a beer and a salad or appetizer, and the savings will be much more than $1.

On the other hand, I'll have to give McG's a try once the newness wears off. Some of the food looks interesting and hopefully they add a British/Irish/Scottish draft beyond just Guinness. I would gladly pay more than $1 extra for the variety.

When I was there they had Tennents draft beer which is Scottish. That is excluded from happy hour. But where else can you get a Tennents draft? It was delicious.

[SusanStCatherine]

I've been there twice. The first time we ordered four entrees and shared. My favorite was the Scottish Steak & Onion Baguette. The Guinness Battered Fish & Chips were also good. The Penne Pasta was okay but the chicken on it was very good. The Indian Chicken Curry was tasty but not very spicy. The chips (really steak fries) were good and tasty and hot. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was good and I liked that better than the brownie.

The next visit I had the Bacon & Brie Baguette and mushy peas. It was tasty. I needed to salt and pepper my peas, but I'm not overly fond of peas, I just wanted to try them. My husband had the burger and he said it was good.

I really like the atmosphere - it is nicely decorated and comfortable seating.

The servers are very friendly and helpful. They are taking input from customers so changes can be made.

It hasn't been open very long. I'm sure they are still working on getting going. Yes the portions are on the smaller side and the prices seem a little high for that reason. But then I think how difficult it must be to staff and open a newly built restaurant. I know they've been paying staff since January.

I'm very thankful that there is finally a very nice restaurant within walking distance from my house. I hope it has great success.

I heard the bar is full most of the time LOL. The restaurant is open from 3-9 Wednesday - Sunday and I heard it starts slowing down at 6.

The website shows musicians starting June 15th.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Thank you for sharing your expertise.

Thought that these large size packages we have been buying at clubs were also being sold at restaurants. For example once in awhile we purchase mozzarella sticks and heat them in our air fryer.

Far as I can tell same sticks we have purchased at restaurants but can get them to the table a lot faster.

You're on to something there. For things like mozza sticks, the average ones sold at places like WOB in TV are pretty much about the same quality as you'll find at Sam's club ones made in an air fryer. They are one item with a decent margin for the restaurant, and no sane customer is expecting that they were made from "scratch".

Fries are a high margin item too obviously, but some food service places sell about 5 different quality grades of them ranging from ones sold in bowling alleys to ones sold in mid range steakhouses.

Onion rings, you can get Walmart "Great Value" brand ones for peanuts, but you probably wouldn't be serving them to anyone older than 12 years old, let alone thinking of serving them in a restaurant.

[Aloha1]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Yes, but depends on the definition of domestic. Guinness is the only draft on the menu that is not brewed in the US. Ultra and Yuengling are certainly domestic. The rest of the draft list is imported from places like Gainesville, Tampa, Atlanta, and Boston.

But the Guinness in the US IS brewed in Boston. It definitely has a different taste than the real thing in Ireland.

[Aloha1]

For myself , the food prices did not look too bad BUT the single malt scotch prices are insane. A 750ml bottle of Talisker 10 can be bought retail at Total Wine for $84 plus tax. The average pour would be 50ml or about 15 pours per bottle. McGradys charges $23 per pour or $345 per bottle. Talk about markup. Pretty much the same with any of the decent malts on their list. And keep in mind that McGrady's pays wholesale not retail for that bottle.