Boulder restaurant tries to impart a "message" to people dining

I have seen similar signs in a handful of restaurants, but recently had an experience at a popular sushi place where we were next on the list, but a couple of young ladies who had obviously finished kept chatting, and chatting, and chatting.  The waitresses and hostess did their best to drop hints, but they were clueless.   

just another day for a small business during the Trump presidency 

We had the opposite experience last weekend. The lady didn't want us to leave until everyone else was done. 

Efrain sounds like an idiot.  Turning away business?  See how long that'll last.

Yeah it’s not a hang out, Eat your food and GTFO if there are people waiting in line. 

<<<Efrain sounds like an idiot.  Turning away business

 

 

i dont think you are reading that right.

 i think this is great. if you serve really good food in a city like boulder, you will be packed at least during peak hours, and americans eat sooooooooo slowly. people feel entitled to relax after a meal but i dont think people realize how much that eats into the already thin bottom line. if every table is turned over 8x a day, and everyone takes a leisurely 15min extra after eating, thats 2 hours collectively that could seat 2 or 3 more parties...multiplied by the whole place it can be huge.

its a common issue at ramen places - they are small and there is always a line at the good ones. its really rude to sit and chat when you know full well there is a 1hr + long line of hungry people waiting. in japan it is customary to eat quickly...a seat at a japanese ramen joint can be turned over in 20min.

as for the to go thing, there are just some foods that should not be ordered to go. again, its a common issue at ramen joints - it sucks to go. no expections, ramen to go is 100% of the time, terrible. we sell it to go just due to demand. but i wish we just didnt sell any food to go at all. someone can come in, order a ramen to go, and it sits in the car for 10min on the way home and by the time they get it home, the noodles have congealed, the broth is separated and some ofthe toppings are cold...they will add the broth hapazardly to the noodles, and post pictures on yelp of this terrible looking congealed greasy mess, and leave a review about how mediocre it is. so its not like kitchens are always lazy or "to good" for to go food, its just that it can be really harmful to business to let subpar food out the door all day. dont even get me started on sushi to go - yuck.

food to go should really be more limited to burritos, fast food style burgers, deli stuff, etc etc.

"just another day for a small business during the Trump presidency"

Because they were doing so much better under the Obama Presidency?

With all of the legitimate complaints to make about Trump, implying that he's hurting small business is more that a bit off the mark.

lol 

that not what i meant 

but keep trying 

haha 

Understood to not hold people up if the place is busy.  Still, that's ridiculous and a turnoff.

lol, fucking Thom.  Brochacho was praising your Orange Demigod.  But yeah, Obama.

Sounds like they need better kitchen staff.

Place gets good reviews on "Yelp",  but they show a very tiny kitchen with two guys working.  I suppose if they could shoehorn in an extra grill,  they could put those fajitas & burgers back on the to-go menu.

Maybe they just don't feel like it.

http://www.efrainsrestaurant.com/gallery

^ Link to their website w/ photos.  If they really wanted to,  they could add another grill where the stainless fridge is.

Hope you stick with the restaurant theme over the airline one!

Airline "food"!

pizzas should be the only thing "to go".

 

stop your plastic and Styrofoam consumption hippies.

 

thanks.

We have a place that has a sign like that.  I'm OK with it.  They do have a line.

>>Airline "food"!

ha, we can probably all agree on that one.

If there's a line you shouldn't need a sign.

if you're that popular - and I have to wait that long - I'll eat at home -thanks

 

I wouldn't eat there. They should raise their prices, to reduce the crowd without reducing the profit, and not rush their "guests".

Time to move to a bigger place

There are a few takeout items that improve in the process of waiting to eat them,  but MexAmerican dishes are best served / eaten fresh out of the kitchen.

A nearby Thai place has a Spicy Beef Salad that's always better a couple hours later.  The Cow and Lime juice and Hot peppers really benefit from the wait as the flavors merge.

My favorite local Cheese Steak place makes a very nice sandwich,  but they are scalding - hot when they are born.  A 1/2 hour later they are just right.

The other day I tried a 'new' Vietnamese place,  in the mood for a big bowl of Phô.  I like that dish as it arrives on the table,  too hot to eat,  but I always save some to throw in a container with the Basil and sliced hot peppers.  When you heat it up the next day,  the flavors are all merged and it still tastes great.

(psssss to the owners) There is a short window. Quiet up and do the best that you can. Keep in mind stupid people act like bugs towards a light bulb - they'll keep bouncing back until they find a spot. Fleece them while you can. Do all the guys in this place have hair wraps and unkept beards?

I don't really leave reviews unless I feel very passionate about it. Four days after my first experience at this restaurant, I decided to come back to its Yelp page and leave my honest feedback -- hopefully the management cares enough to read this and make changes.

To be fair, I will give this restaurant a 2.5/5 stars (blame Yelp since they don't allow half points). They pour heavy on the margaritas and the food was tasty -- KUDOS. I'm sure those are the same reasons why they have a loyal fan base. 

Here's my rant about the first impression of the bad service: my friends and I arrived at 4:40 and asked for a table for a party of 6. At the time, we had 2/6 arrived, 2 more willl arrive within 5 minutes and the rest will not arrive for another hour. The host person took our name down and said "let us know when all of your party arrives since we don't seat any incomplete parties." Okay, fine that is your policy. What I felt furious about was that he did not even give us the time to explain that our party won't be completed for another hour. We were completely shut down as soon as we try to find other options for our party since all we wanted to do was to sit down, order appetizers and 2 drinks each while we wait. He didn't even try to give us another option, maybe of "you're more than welcome to grab a drink at the bar while you're wait in the waiting area". When it's someone's first time at your establishment, please be a little more accommodating and give us some options because we were there to spend $$$$$$!!! Instead of 3 appetizers, 6 entrees and 10 drinks, they got 6 entrees and 5 drinks... Imagine the revenue lost from this party multiply by how many other times they have done this!? 

I freaking get it; the restaurant gets super busy for dinner service. Every service industry person understands- I used to be a restaurant manager. But please, try to be a little more joyous and accommodating to guests-- all we try to do is have fun, spend money and build memories at your establishment -- PLEASE STOP RUINING THAT.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/efrains-mexican-restaurant-boulder

gonna forward this thread to Hikingman for an honest review.

<<<stop your plastic and Styrofoam consumption hippies

 

 

Im surprised we havent heard about the evil of straws on Viva yet frankly.

I think most people know that plastic straws should be phased out so there really isn't a need to talk about it. Nothing to do with hippies. Turtle -- pizza should be the only take out food offered?

Yes!  In edible boxes!

Think about this…. It might blow your mind man….. A pizza box made out of pizza????

did it go better on PT for ya?

 

https://www.phantasytour.com/bands/phish/threads/4393371/restaurant-puts...

 

these important matters always need more than one thread!

 

>the evil of straws <

 

plastic ones are pretty evil and unnecessary.

picked up like 8 of them among other of societies detritus last weekend...

 

>>did it go better on PT for ya?

 

https://www.phantasytour.com/bands/phish/threads/4393371/restaurant-puts...

 

these important matters always need more than one thread!

 

lol, so needy or attention starved.

That Yelp review is a great example of how self absorbed our society is.  

 

The guy was there to spend money.  lol

So were all the other people there that they were seating while you waited for the rest of your party.

>these important matters always need more than one thread!

this guy has major problems lol

>> I freaking get it; the restaurant gets super busy for dinner service. Every service industry person understands- I used to be a restaurant manager. But please, try to be a little more joyous and accommodating to guests-- all we try to do is have fun, spend money and build memories at your establishment -- PLEASE STOP RUINING THAT. <<

That review gives me an idea for a fun parlor game: Read a cringe-inducing passage, then try and guess if it's a baby boomer or a millenial who posted their inane fucking bullshit.

>> I used to be a restaurant manager.

>> all we try to do is have fun, spend money and build memories at your establishment

I'm guessing "Boomer."

 

>I'm guessing "Boomer

probably listens to shitty blues and has a lot of cds no one cares about 

>> probably listens to shitty blues and has a lot of cds no one cares about 

Lol!

Theyre writing a yelp review about Best Buy phasing out cd sales as we speak

<<<I think most people know that plastic straws should be phased out so there really isn't a need to talk about it. 

 

(That was kind of my point, Jonas, we talk about all kinds of useless stuff that doesnt need to hashed out here...hence [thus?] my surprise. )

Heybro...please change your screen name to "Thoughts from the Ivory Tower"

Yeah, I guess I was being redundant. Sometimes the black screen and my mind don't always see eye to eye.

disposable contact lenses are the silent killer of the landfills 

yoga pants are also polluting the waterways with microplastics....

 

 

>Heybro...please change your screen name to "Thoughts from the Ivory Tower"

what one are you again?

Years ago when my wife was going to college, her sister and I filled the cab of her truck up to the ceiling with styrofoam peanuts. It was a real windy day and they blew all over the place as she was driving away. That was a good one, boy was she pissed. I'll bet there's still some of those things blowing around the planet today. It wasn't a cheap prank to play either but sometimes you have to invest in laughter.

Think about this…. It might blow your mind man….. A pizza box made out of pizza???? 

It's only a matter of time.  We've had pizza made of cardboard for a while now.  

>> what one are you again?

I would answer if I knew what you asked.

thanks gunner

Chacho is new Dogman. 

i never saw jerry

Stopped eating at Efrains years ago. Now i do takeout from Santiago's if I want a reasonable chile relleno. Better green chile too. 

On the topic of self absorbed aholes, Boulder is full of them now. When the price of admission gets this high, it seems to attract people with a sense of entitlement.

Ahh Tra Lings...used to go there when it was next to Jones Drugs. Long time ago.

Efrains just isn't worth the wait for me. The food doesn't suck - it's just ok. It's also inconsistent. I've had rellenos that were way too spicy for me, others just fine. I've had meals that tasted like somebody slipped with the salt (blue corn chicken enchiladas). I also don't like the vibe where everybody's stressed because they're overloaded.

Quite a dearth of decent Mexican places in my area of Jerseyland.  One half-decent Taqueria "El Aguila"  in New Egypt,  a simple Taco & Burrito joint,  no tables.

They also have a grocery store in the "front room"  which never ever has a single customer,  but theoretically you could stock up on cactus pods,  Cilantro,  Limes,  Avocados,  many things.

My guess is that the cash register runs quite a bit,  and it's a thriving groceria on paper.

They're bringing drugs, crime. They're rapists. 

>>>On the topic of self absorbed aholes, Boulder is full of them now.

according to a lot of media, they fled to there from CA.