Profit vs. Quality. The Ultimate Smackdown.

I recently learned that one of my favorite local restaurants was closing its doors. Roam Cafe in Wilton opened about three years ago. My first visit, for breakfast soon after they'd opened, was not, I admit, an altogether stellar one. My server was a tall, youngish woman sporting a sloppy chignon, short-shorts, and an expression that communicated she wasn't happy about being there, and even less so about having to serve me my veggie omelet and coffee. I chalked that first encounter up to the typical opening week "settling in" period, which I think all new restaurants must go through. My omelet was great, the coffee worth paying a premium for. For that I forgave the lackluster enthusiasm, because I've experienced similar nerve-wearing situations. I once made a vat of vegetarian (gasp!) chili for a town full of discerning and die-hard meat eaters; I opened and ran a college concession, catered a town meeting luncheon for the sitting governor, and have been the only server for twenty eight tables and an ice cream bar--when two servers who should have shown up--didn't.

Life in the food service world is hard and unforgiving. Now, it seems everyone is ready to jump online to rate their satisfaction (or lack thereof) over their dining experience. That's great, when it's a motivating factor to improve in the areas that need improvement. But it must be so frustrating to be working hard, only to see a review from one bad night, that may or may not have any grounding in reality (google bogus restaurant reviews). Roam Cafe was like other better restaurants; it had mostly stellar reviews, but a few that were not so. No big deal there. I like to think I've become good at figuring out which reviews are legit, and which are simply born of a fickle and impossible-to-please character; that customer who must always find fault with something--BAH!

There was a time I would have researched places online before deciding to where to eat. After all, eating out is an investment today. Where I live, it's certainly not out of the ordinary to expect to pay $25+ per person at a nice restaurant, for a sit-down lunch. Add anywhere from $15-$25 on to that for a nice dinner out, NOT including drinks and tip. And, nothing against this part of New England, but it's not like I live in a cultural mecca. Now, combine that cost with weekly morning coffees, the odd take-out meal, maybe a guilty bite at the local fast food or greasy spoon...and pretty soon you're spending your discretionary income to pay someone else to cook for you. Did I say "discretionary income?" Really, who worries about that? Who has that? Just call it: Pre-spent, or misspent savings.

Fortunately for us, we're not like that frog in a pot of warming water, who comes closer to frog heaven with each upward tick of the dial. We're noticing that our wallets are lighter, our bank statements less of a statement and more of a whimper. But the other side of this coin is what the stats prove: despite the known health risks long associated with "fast" food, we're eating more of it...instead of just eating out a little less often, we're choosing to spend our money at the Taco Bells or McDonald's, instead of at the Roam Cafe's of the world. And that's sad. Add to to all the cost, the relentless hours, the spiteful reviews, and I think that would be enough to do me in, or at least have me behaving like Seinfeld's Soup Nazi. "No soup for you!" Oh yes, it would be a cocktail for disaster.

My turn to play the diner! 1970-something. My sister and I played 
"restaurant"on Nana's back porch. Ambiance was in the details: Nana's 
good linens from Woody's, an old transistor radio, and an owl candle. 
I don't look too happy. Maybe spinach was on the menu?

On her Facebook page, the former owner of Roam Cafe offered an explanation for the closure, and one of those reasons supports the above. Cost. From an operational perspective, small locals have to act like large conglomerates. They must carry high cost insurance, they must pay for the costs associated with having employees, and they are weighed down with so much of the business part, that the big deal motivations for those who start out dreaming about opening their own restaurant--the food, the service, and the sense of community--simply must feel like added burdens to be managed. As one who has dreamed of opening her own small restaurant, Roam's experience hasn't just given me doubt--it's made me wonder how people do it at all. But they do.

On a related note: Fast food will always be fast food, but lately it appears these big companies are pulling out the stops to put on a friendly-neighborhood face. McDonald's is set to start offering table-side service, and Burger King stores are revamping their outward image to look more like a Chipotle's (still fast food, but with limited, simple ingredients we use in our own kitchens). Hmmm. Someone's grandma out there is very wisely shaking her head and calling this nothing more than "putting makeup on a pig." Right on, Grandma!