Trader Vic's Lounge in BH - General Tiki

RA Registered Astronaut Member Joined: Mar 05, 2006 Posts: 66	RA Registered Astronaut Posted posted on Thu, May 10, 2007 10:51 AM . What incentive did they have for running the restaurant responsibly and doing the basic things one should do to be profitable? Taking a hit on a restaurant is chump change compared to how much they'll be able to make with it out of the way. The info I have heard from some "ask not to be identified"-type sources at Trader Vic's is that Hilton simply wasn't even trying to make it work. It seems Trader Vic's wasn't keeping up on their end of the bargain either. Numerous posts before the closing comlained of bad food and service at the Bev Hills location and watered down retro-lounge new locations. TV's is a poorly run business, just take a look at their website. An smattering of mugs, syrups, rums, t-shirts, etc. could be sold to us eager to eat up all that crap. To be even cooler they could do limited editions. The restraunts could've updated their menus with fresher, more relevant food fare and outreached to the tiki community by hosting after parties for art events and the like. But they don't. They keep talking about how they invented the Mai Tai. The story is impressive, but c'mon. I invented a few drinks myself, do I get wooden leg too? The company is under the delusion that they are still an upper-eschelon, $100 just-to-sit-down establishment. The real reason anybody goes there is A. for the drinks B. Because they've been going there forever and feel familiar with the menu (because it hasn't changed since 1960) In agreement HumuHumu, I think us TikiPhiles need to stop making apologies for establishments that don't reciprocate our love. TV's 90210 further kicked us in the groin to add insult to injury by raising the cocktail prices. They better let me do a cannonball from a balcony for what they want for a navy grog. The ONLY THING TRADER VIC'S HAS LEFT ARE THE COCKTAILS...after all, Bahooka is cool to look at, but the food and drinks suck. No matter how womb-like an authentic tiki temple is, if the fare is sub-par, the enchantment "melts like ice cream on the altar of the sun (Jets to Brazil)."

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What incentive did they have for running the restaurant responsibly and doing the basic things one should do to be profitable? Taking a hit on a restaurant is chump change compared to how much they'll be able to make with it out of the way. The info I have heard from some "ask not to be identified"-type sources at Trader Vic's is that Hilton simply wasn't even trying to make it work.

It seems Trader Vic's wasn't keeping up on their end of the bargain either. Numerous posts before the closing comlained of bad food and service at the Bev Hills location and watered down retro-lounge new locations. TV's is a poorly run business, just take a look at their website. An smattering of mugs, syrups, rums, t-shirts, etc. could be sold to us eager to eat up all that crap. To be even cooler they could do limited editions. The restraunts could've updated their menus with fresher, more relevant food fare and outreached to the tiki community by hosting after parties for art events and the like. But they don't. They keep talking about how they invented the Mai Tai. The story is impressive, but c'mon. I invented a few drinks myself, do I get wooden leg too?

The company is under the delusion that they are still an upper-eschelon, $100 just-to-sit-down establishment. The real reason anybody goes there is
A. for the drinks
B. Because they've been going there forever and feel familiar with the menu (because it hasn't changed since 1960)

In agreement HumuHumu, I think us TikiPhiles need to stop making apologies for establishments that don't reciprocate our love. TV's 90210 further kicked us in the groin to add insult to injury by raising the cocktail prices. They better let me do a cannonball from a balcony for what they want for a navy grog.

The ONLY THING TRADER VIC'S HAS LEFT ARE THE COCKTAILS...after all, Bahooka is cool to look at, but the food and drinks suck. No matter how womb-like an authentic tiki temple is, if the fare is sub-par, the enchantment "melts like ice cream on the altar of the sun (Jets to Brazil)."

Post #305421 by Registered Astronaut on Thu, May 10, 2007 10:51 AM