Maker's Mark to water down their bourbon?!?!

A great restaurant owner told me that the key to the restaurant business is consistency.  Consistency is the magic trick, by having the service, food, cleanliness all superior and consistently so-the business will always thrive.  Ever since, I have paid keen attention to those businesses who have stood the test of time and those who have failed-and he's right.  The humor I find is, consistency can be created with expectation and vice-versa, but this relationship cannot be created without limited availability.  All too often businesses believe they need to over-expand and complicate their business model, to appeal to the masses, when their exclusivity was their appeal.  Thus, ruining their entire business.  Our culture is one of consumption, we live with caviar tastes in a Wal-Mart world and refuse to see the irony of it. 

Yesterday was a prime example of such irony.  Eatocracy posted the story about Maker's Mark-who was considering watering down their bourbon (decreasing the alcohol content by 3%) in order to keep up with demand.  After public outrage over their announcement, Maker's agreed not to make any changes to their bourbon.   Diane Stafford pointed out how most businesses who are not meeting their demand, choose to raise prices in order to balance the scales-did Maker's not take basic economics?

Recently, Emily Smith and Justin Lear's article on Hopslam was featured on Eatocracy and being someone who regards conservative business practices-I appreciate Bell's approach to Hopslam's popularity, Bell's believes that [increasing production] would take away from some of their other beers and they’re not prepared to do that, at least for now.  A fine example of maintaining the dignity of the business and the product.

Hopefully, Maker's has learned their lesson.

Bloomberg's Fight against Obesity

The New York Times article discussing Bloomberg's efforts banning sales on soda quantities larger than 16oz leaves me wondering if he is really getting to the root of the problem or if this is merely a dramatic gesture.

A few months ago, while in a hurry and running errands, my boyfriend and I ran through a fast food drive-thru (judge away-we all have done it).  I ordered a value meal and was given a size option between medium and large.  I went for the medium-as I typically opt for smaller options when possible.  I in no way was prepared for what they handed me-a 32oz soda!  I have a hard enough time finishing a 12oz can of soda-let alone something almost 3x the size!  My boyfriend explained to me about how after the 'super-size' fiasco in the mid-2000's the companies just removed the labels and renamed the larger sizes a size smaller (see more explanation from Wikipedia).  Needless to say, I barely put a dent into that monster cup, but it did leave me with quite an impression of disgust and a little sad.  I believe it was in Morgan Spurlock's documentary Supersize Me, where he described the progression of how the sizes of sodas and fries have evolved since the 1950's...and to a corrolational degree, society's waistline.

I grew up with a mother who had quite the 'green-thumb'.  We grew up digging potatoes, picking berries and canning or freezing fruits and vegetables as a part of our chores.  In addition, my mother is rather fond of holistic care.  I'm pretty sure she can cure anything with Epsom salts, hot tea and sunshine.  For a living mom drives a school bus for a rural school district.  I'm often regaled with stories of the 'children today' and their very interesting parents/guardians.  One detail she has mentioned on more than one occasion is a child of about 8 years old who gets on the school bus every morning with two 24oz cans of Mountain Dew.  I didn't even know they made soda cans in that size.  I ask you, who is at fault here?  The child or the parent?

I offer these stories as personal encounters in agreement with Bloomberg's efforts.  Whilst, I wish more focused education would be the catalyst for individuals to make long-term healthy decisions-we live in the land of consumption.  Consumption and obesity, formerly a sign of wealth, now has taken a dangerous turn toward lower education and poverty. Sugar, once a luxury, is now over-consumed and in almost everything we eat.  Have you ever walked down the isles of your super-store and truly observed what they contain?  There is one large super-store I refuse to shop at simply because they have a really poor excuse for a produce section.  This is a company who has a reputation for driving down the market prices on a variety of items, while their produce browns on the shelf. 

I empathize with Bloomberg's efforts and frustration, but we as a society are beyond eliminating the larger quantities and are truly within the hampster-wheel of a problem.  Where do we even begin? 

• We live in a land of OVER-consumption.  We over-consume stuff, food, cars, homes, etc.  We try to emulate television personalities and celebrities because we're told we should.  We scoff at their drama and envy their lives.  We purchase late-model luxury cars to impress others, but if you read The Millionaire Next Door, you will learn the #1 vehicle of millionaires is a Ford F150.
• We grow up being told we need to get a 'good job' and make a high income, but go through a public school system that doesn't offer a personal finance class.  And now we live in a society where millions of Americans do not balance their checkbook.
• Stay-at-home moms occupy a smaller and smaller percentage of the population.  This role (whether it be the husband or wife) is highly under appreciated for this occupation is not solely responsible for the children, but the household.  A household is like a business with money coming in and going out.   Someone HAS to monitor and manage it.  Stay-at-home mom=C.F.O.. 
• Going out to eat went from a luxury to a necessity.  How many people do you know that admittedly don't cook?  How many of them refuse to even learn?
• Public schools do not offer nutrition classes and their cafeterias are funded by the government dollar.  Which means cheap food loaded with sugar, salt and preservatives for our children who cant even define what a calorie is.
• According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation 35% of homes are single parent households as of 2011.  This percentage is up 4% since 2000.  Interestingly, the percentage of teens ages 16-19 who found work in the year 2000 was 44% (this being the average from 1970-2000).  In 2011 the percentage of working teens is 26%.  The Casey foundation credits this drop to availability of positions.  Teenage children who work are able to alleviate financial burdens from their single parents by becoming self-sufficient.  

  I'm sure it is not lost on Mayor Bloomberg how his efforts are futile in the grand scheme, but I truly wish him the best of luck. 

Who is wrong? The Server or the 'Pastor'?

Daily we struggle with the art of manners, hospitality and self-control in service. Those we serve are not being paid for their behavior and thus execute less of the constant self-editing we are conducting at all times. Whether it be making coffee in plain view or discussing a guest issue with a manager; the language, gestures and facial expressions will vary greatly if a guest is in view/earshot or not. Occasionally, slips occur-typically when a guest sneaks up on you mid-expletive and mid-rant, but for the most part we keep a respectable level of distance between how we really feel and how we are perceived to feel. I often have fantasized stern 'talking-tos' to some of my clientele explaining to them how they seem to make it their goal in life to make my impossible day harder (yesterday I think I gave about 5 of those talking-tos...3 to the same person). But a story yesterday forced me to seriously think about where the line is between service justice and whining. An incident at an Applebee's was reported by Huffington Post where a girl posted a credit card receipt on Reddit from a guest who stiffed her and left a snide remark on the slip. The deplorable guest saw the Reddit post and proceeded to turn this girl into her employer and demand her job, leading the girl to get fired.
As the general public is in defense of the waitress, who in-fact is the guilty party? I'm sorry my fellow service employee, but the waitress is the faulty party here. Let me explain: In almost all corporate restaurants staff members sign confidentiality agreements upon hiring for various reasons, but one is because they handle transactions using people's credit/debit cards. In some cases, even codes of conduct expanding to facebook and other internet sites are included on the agreement. The waitress may not even realize she signed such a form since the hiring paperwork is extensive and usually done faster than legal wants, but slower than payroll wants...and as we all in service know-payroll trumps legal every time! On that alone, the waitress, 'Chelsea', is subject for termination for posting guest information online-thus also, the Applebee's formal statement in the article.
In addition, some restaurants (at least every single one I've worked in) have rules regarding discussing tips in front of guests. This situation would count as discussing a tip.
Now, I know my feedback my seem unsympathetic to a sister in service and to her, I'm very sorry you got fired. Even though I would have fired you even without the customer complaint. I would have fired you for taking home and taking photos of personal customer information. I don't care if their credit card number was on it or not-the slip is not your property and you are potentially stealing from the restaurant and from the guest.
I still seem harsh, do I? Here's the deal folks, this isn't a 'poor server got stiffed' story. This is a 'server is being unprofessional' story. We all get stiffed and snide comments sometimes! This is not new, this is not revenge-worthy, this is NOT going to change, this is the SERVICE business!!! What? You thought you were going to get a waitressing position, look cute, make lots of tips and live the high-life? Its true to a degree, you can make a decent wage, but you're going to take the hits. You're going to get stiffed, you're going to get felt-up, you're going to have to deal with creepy men and if you're worth a damn-you're going to walk out the door with a little wad of cash, go to the local pub with some co-workers and bitch about the day. Start taking your cues from Mr. Bates and not O'Brien because you have no recourse here.
Do not be confused, I'm not on the side of the alleged 'Pastor Bell'. His behavior is highly questionable behavior of a pastor, which is why I'm not even sure he is one. Matthew 22:36-39, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself." A message reiterated in Mark 12:30-31 among other chapters. In addition, I offer you Deuteronomy 26:12 'When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities.' to remind you why you tithe and 1 Timothy 6:17 'Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.' for you to remember that God provides even for your enjoyment. Eating out is not a necessity, but a luxury in which you are aware of the responsibilities that go with it. Does God not provide for you? Are you bitter at the amount you tithe, because Proverbs 23:5 warns us, 'Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.' Your stingy behavior also has repercussion. I recommend the next time you have an issue with the gratuity, talk to the manager.