The other day someone called me and started off the conversation with “I know you know all the good places to eat in Richmond” and then the conversation ended with think up some restaurants in this specific area of Richmond that serve a late lunch, is something different than what we would normally do and (unsaid, but true) it can’t be expensive or too far into the city because OH MY GOD we don’t drive in the city and how on earth would we park on the street?
So, I gave it some serious thought and expanded the search a little because the specific area is at a mall and there’s nothing but chain restaurants in the immediate surrounding area. I looked on some websites to double-check lunch availability and I thought about price and I thought about parking lots. Then I sent an email with restaurant websites of about five suggestions. My criteria and list were:
A) interesting
B) not a muther-effin’ chain
C) a little different from their usual pattern of eating (see B above)
D) not expensive
E) off-street parking
I got an email back today. They went to Olive Garden. I banged my head against the wall.
I have a boss who lives in town and has not once visited a single restaurant downtown but frequents Olive Garden, Friday’s, Panera etc when she wants to go out. She claims she has looked at menus of local restaurants and the choices look “weird”. I remind myself that she is my boss…
Liz, I feel your pain. It’s so frustrating…we would love to live in a town that had something other than chain restaurants. I just don’t understand why folks don’t support them more.