Trader Vic's Lounge in BH - General Tiki

C christiki295 Member LA-2547 mls east Hawaii &5500 Easter Is Joined: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 3837	C christiki295 Posted posted on Sat, May 12, 2007 9:49 AM On 2007-05-10 10:51, Registered Astronaut wrote: . 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)." Stop the madness! The Beverly Hilton owner decides to shutter Trader Vic's to eliminate a possible obstacle to the Waldorf Astoria hotel development and, as a result, Trader Vic's is being blamed for being a substandard restaurant. The gratuitous statement about Trader Vic's not being profitable is obviously not accurate. Further, it wasn't Trader Vic's who decided to shutter their location. Moreover, if the venture was not profitable, TVL would not have opened. The idea that the Beverly Hilton not trying to make it work is both false and misses the point. First of all, the Beverly Wilshire did dedicate exclusive signage rights to Trader Vic's on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica - one of the busiest intersections in Southern California. Trader Vic's was also allowed to maintain its own separate entrance,as opposed to forcing would be customers through the hotel. Lastly, until recently, the Beverly Wilshire did not breach the lease agreement. The fact they didn't do limited edition mugs is also false. In 2004, the Mai Tai was $6.00 with an appetizer. For an additional $6.00 one could get the "60th" anniversery of the Mai Tai glass. One side has the original recipe, the other side some TV philosophy. They would not sell the Tiki Bowl. The comment that Trader Vic's is a poorly run business is not worthy of a response. Regarding their cuisine, the pupus on the menu remain and are just as tasty as ever. The idea that people go there because they grew up going there is just silly. I didn't grow up going there and, based on my 3 visits to TVL in 8 nights, only a handful of customers dinning have been of the age to have done so. The quality of the cuisine at the prior location has been well docucmented. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10007&forum=1&hilite=Trader%20Vic's%20anniversary Trader Vics did share the love - pupus and cocktails were free to any and all on the opening night. While there have been rumours of more such opening nights happening, judging by the 200+ people who mobbed the place last night, almost to closing, such may now be unnecessary. The new Trader Vic's Lounge offers an even better tiki experience than the proir location (yes - I said it). [ Edited by: christiki295 2007-05-12 10:25 ]

On 2007-05-10 10:51, Registered Astronaut wrote:

.

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)."

Stop the madness!

The Beverly Hilton owner decides to shutter Trader Vic's to eliminate a possible obstacle to the Waldorf Astoria hotel development and, as a result, Trader Vic's is being blamed for being a substandard restaurant.

The gratuitous statement about Trader Vic's not being profitable is obviously not accurate. Further, it wasn't Trader Vic's who decided to shutter their location. Moreover, if the venture was not profitable, TVL would not have opened.

The idea that the Beverly Hilton not trying to make it work is both false and misses the point. First of all, the Beverly Wilshire did dedicate exclusive signage rights to Trader Vic's on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica - one of the busiest intersections in Southern California. Trader Vic's was also allowed to maintain its own separate entrance,as opposed to forcing would be customers through the hotel. Lastly, until recently, the Beverly Wilshire did not breach the lease agreement.

The fact they didn't do limited edition mugs is also false. In 2004, the Mai Tai was $6.00 with an appetizer. For an additional $6.00 one could get the "60th" anniversery of the Mai Tai glass. One side has the original recipe, the other side some TV philosophy. They would not sell the Tiki Bowl.

The comment that Trader Vic's is a poorly run business is not worthy of a response.

Regarding their cuisine, the pupus on the menu remain and are just as tasty as ever.

The idea that people go there because they grew up going there is just silly. I didn't grow up going there and, based on my 3 visits to TVL in 8 nights, only a handful of customers dinning have been of the age to have done so.

The quality of the cuisine at the prior location has been well docucmented.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10007&forum=1&hilite=Trader%20Vic's%20anniversary

Trader Vics did share the love - pupus and cocktails were free to any and all on the opening night. While there have been rumours of more such opening nights happening, judging by the 200+ people who mobbed the place last night, almost to closing, such may now be unnecessary.

The new Trader Vic's Lounge offers an even better tiki experience than the proir location (yes - I said it).

[ Edited by: christiki295 2007-05-12 10:25 ]

Post #305877 by christiki295 on Sat, May 12, 2007 9:49 AM