I work in a small restaurant as a server and I RARELY get questioned about where our ingredients come from. Maybe it's the locale (let's face it, Ohio is not exactly the mecca of health/social-consciou sness.) I am trying to get my dad-the co owner-to switch to wild Alaskan salmon instead of farmed and also to buy a steer that we can have butchered and split between the restaurant and our two households (I would go in on the cost, of course.) He is not so keen to the idea, thinking it would be more expensive (surprisingly, it ISN'T when you buy a whole animal.) I'm convinced that having sustainable ingredients on the menu would bring in a whole new clientele and a new image for the restaurant. So....my question is, would you be more likely to eat at a restaurant that served more wholesome (insert your adjective here..local, pastured, etc) food? And would you pay slightly more (say $1/entree')? Thanks!
Would a restaurant's source of ingredients (local, organic, grass-fed, sustainable) affect your decision to eat there?
05/31/2012
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I have worked in restaurants for the last 14 years, so I know what you are saying. I completely agree with you. It really IS a good idea. You might have to pay out more in the beginning but would end up making a lot more money in the long run. Not all high dollar meals are what they are cut out to be BUT if it is a quality product with quality taste then it would definitely be worth it. I think mostly society as a whole has about the same opinion (just from my experience). It also helps to have a well known product (the Alaskan salmon) that is known for its quality. Maybe you could talk him into it for just this one time and see how it goes. More than likely, he will be suprised.
05/31/2012
I am very much into sustainable food and don't mind paying more, and in the area where I live that's a pretty common opinion and many of our local restaurants and businesses support it. It definitely works in the California North Bay, but I don't know how much of an uphill battle it would be to try it where you live. At a small restaurant, it's probably a simpler change to make. I encourage you to try!
05/31/2012
I couldn't afford to pay significantly more than normal, but I would be drawn to these types of restaurants. Keep pushing!
05/31/2012
I said no, but let me explain my answer:
I don't really worry too much about health, and I'm not one of those people who will stop eating somewhere just because I find out that the food is really unhealthy. Even after all the news articles about McDonalds, my wife and I are going there for the second day in a row for breakfast today, so we don't really BASE our eating decision around healthy food.
I will admit though, if we were at a restaurant, we ate there and asked about the ingredients and they were already really healthy, same cost as any other place we go, and we loved the food, we'd continue to go, and maybe share that information with some of our friends who ARE more concerned about their health.
Now, I will tell you, MY WIFE on the other hand, would LOVE to find a place that has things like fish that isn't farmed, etc, because even though she eats unhealthy foods too, she used to be vegan and if you put 2 things in front of her and tell her one is healthier than the other, she will pick that one even if it's a few cents/$1 more expensive or something. But she won't go OUT OF HER WAY to get it, if that makes sense
I don't really worry too much about health, and I'm not one of those people who will stop eating somewhere just because I find out that the food is really unhealthy. Even after all the news articles about McDonalds, my wife and I are going there for the second day in a row for breakfast today, so we don't really BASE our eating decision around healthy food.
I will admit though, if we were at a restaurant, we ate there and asked about the ingredients and they were already really healthy, same cost as any other place we go, and we loved the food, we'd continue to go, and maybe share that information with some of our friends who ARE more concerned about their health.
Now, I will tell you, MY WIFE on the other hand, would LOVE to find a place that has things like fish that isn't farmed, etc, because even though she eats unhealthy foods too, she used to be vegan and if you put 2 things in front of her and tell her one is healthier than the other, she will pick that one even if it's a few cents/$1 more expensive or something. But she won't go OUT OF HER WAY to get it, if that makes sense
05/31/2012
I would definitely pay a little bit more for good ingredients.
05/31/2012
Quote:
no, unless I was allergic to their ingredients.
Originally posted by
bayosgirl
I work in a small restaurant as a server and I RARELY get questioned about where our ingredients come from. Maybe it's the locale (let's face it, Ohio is not exactly the mecca of health/social-consciou sness.) I am trying to get my dad-the co
...
more
I work in a small restaurant as a server and I RARELY get questioned about where our ingredients come from. Maybe it's the locale (let's face it, Ohio is not exactly the mecca of health/social-consciou sness.) I am trying to get my dad-the co owner-to switch to wild Alaskan salmon instead of farmed and also to buy a steer that we can have butchered and split between the restaurant and our two households (I would go in on the cost, of course.) He is not so keen to the idea, thinking it would be more expensive (surprisingly, it ISN'T when you buy a whole animal.) I'm convinced that having sustainable ingredients on the menu would bring in a whole new clientele and a new image for the restaurant. So....my question is, would you be more likely to eat at a restaurant that served more wholesome (insert your adjective here..local, pastured, etc) food? And would you pay slightly more (say $1/entree')? Thanks!
less
05/31/2012
Yes I would pay more
05/31/2012
Don't really care where it comes from just as long as it tastes good.
05/31/2012
Quote:
Have to agree. It's perfectly awesome and groovy if a restaurant's ingredients are organic/local/grass-fe d/etc., but it has to taste good.
Originally posted by
G&L
Don't really care where it comes from just as long as it tastes good.
05/31/2012
I would pay a little more for sustainable food, and promoting this in your restaurant would definitely improve PR.
05/31/2012
Several of the restaurants we frequent serve locally grown veggies and get their meat from local sources. It costs a little more but it's nice to support these businesses.
05/31/2012
Several of the restaurants we frequent serve locally grown veggies and get their meat from local sources. It costs a little more but it's nice to support these businesses.
05/31/2012
Quote:
That's awesome, Passion plum. I love to hear from people who share the same mindset as I do.
Originally posted by
Passion plum
Several of the restaurants we frequent serve locally grown veggies and get their meat from local sources. It costs a little more but it's nice to support these businesses.
06/01/2012
No for me eating out is a rare indulgence and all that matters to me then is the taste.
06/01/2012
Quote:
Yes, I would pay slightly more for this food.
Originally posted by
bayosgirl
I work in a small restaurant as a server and I RARELY get questioned about where our ingredients come from. Maybe it's the locale (let's face it, Ohio is not exactly the mecca of health/social-consciou sness.) I am trying to get my dad-the co
...
more
I work in a small restaurant as a server and I RARELY get questioned about where our ingredients come from. Maybe it's the locale (let's face it, Ohio is not exactly the mecca of health/social-consciou sness.) I am trying to get my dad-the co owner-to switch to wild Alaskan salmon instead of farmed and also to buy a steer that we can have butchered and split between the restaurant and our two households (I would go in on the cost, of course.) He is not so keen to the idea, thinking it would be more expensive (surprisingly, it ISN'T when you buy a whole animal.) I'm convinced that having sustainable ingredients on the menu would bring in a whole new clientele and a new image for the restaurant. So....my question is, would you be more likely to eat at a restaurant that served more wholesome (insert your adjective here..local, pastured, etc) food? And would you pay slightly more (say $1/entree')? Thanks!
less
06/01/2012
I eat at a restaurant if they keep the outside, kitchen, dinning room, ect.. clean; and if the food taste good. I do not really care where they get the ingredients. A lot of ingredients can only be local at certain times of the year (fresh produce and such), and most restaurants bring in the locally produced goods when they are available, because they are cheaper then the flown in goods.
06/02/2012
Total posts: 17
Unique posters: 15