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NOTE: This is a reposting of an earlier commentary on The H-Word. The recent announcement of Applebee’s coming to Hastings seemed to make this previous post…and the comments it generated…relevant at this time.
There is no decent place to eat in Hastings – so the saga continues. Expand this notion that all of the dining woes of Hastings would be solved with…..(trumpet fanfare please!!!)
APPLEBEE’S !!!!!!! We need to talk.
I have always lauded Hastings for the LACK of chain restaurants. We have the fast food explosion, but when it comes to dining, the locally owned restaurant reigns in Hastings – that is not such a bad thing. I cannot understand when people travel, why would you go to a chain restaurant when you can do this anytime? Part of the dining experience is enjoying the “local flavor” of foods, traditions, and unique treats only found in that area. Foodies do not think twice about driving to Cozad, Dannebrog, York, etc. because there lies a restaurant offering something unlike anything you will find in a chain restaurant.
If Hastings offered a viable market, the chain restaurants would be well established by now. Major chain restaurants have market analysis teams constantly monitoring regions, communities, and neighborhoods for the demographics ripe for the addition of one on their outlets. I feel the greatest demise to the dining culture in Hastings is the “burger night” phenomenon. Name the day of the week and you can find cheap eats – burger, fries, and a drink for $2.50. We have become euthanized in thinking that if you pay more than $2.50 for a hamburger, why this is an outrage! A hand-formed, freshly ground beef patty on a fresh baked bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion does not equal a frozen 3-ounce beef patty on a day old bun with a pickle and minced onion. Face it, when it comes to eating locally WE ARE CHEAP and WE DO NOT SUPPORT our local restaurants. I have experienced this in my own business, customers would comment on the prices they deemed too expensive with “well this is Hastings.” The addition of a chain restaurant would result in sticker shock, we are willing to pay the price on the occasional outing, but on a regular basis to keep the operation open, I think not.
However, our local restaurants need to step up to the plate as well, in my humble opinion. I hope the 70’s are not going to back on the decorating scheme, so updates to the surrounding are in order. Part of the dining experience is the visual surroundings and we are lacking in that arena. When I go out for a nice dinner I want to feel that my dinner experience is being shared with those in my dinner party and not eating in a dormitory dining hall. Ambiance is lacking. And MENU – some creativity and change is essential; I’ll come back if I know something new will be offered. The draw of the chain restaurant is the decor and an ever-changing menu. Granted, millions are spent in advertising for the chains, but notice how frequently new items are introduced as a means to draw the customer back to the restaurant. Enough with the hot roast beef sandwich special, I want something NEW.
Improved dining scene in Hastings? Very much a possibility – restaurants, how about something new and patrons – show your support! What would YOU like to see new on the local dining scene?
Tags: dining, Food review, Hastings, restaurants
About the author: Pat McCoy
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Pat, me and my partners could not agree more. We are currently working on opening a new bar/restaurant on the northern part of Hastings. We wanted to give our friends, family, and others a different options to dine at. WE all feel as co owners when people go on vacations they try local fare and stay away from the norm of the chains.
After living in multiple large cities, I am thrilled to live in a community that is not full of chain restaurants. I love the simplicity and quality of selections right here! Family owned and operated restaurants also gives more control and financial resources to the community, rather than a conglomerate run corporate office in another state.
I would agree that Hastings should not fall victim to the large chains. I do however think that variety is what a lot of people are looking for. The Bar burger is good and don’t get me wrong I like but after awhile I’m sick of eating in a bar! I also understand that we want to attract visitors but we also need to think about the people living in the area and what they would like as well. I would agree that many of the restaurants in the area could benefit from updates. How do they expect to attract new customers with date menus and decor?
I agree with Mike, when my husband and I travel we always try out the local restaurants. I think Hastings needs a good restaurant with some atmosphere that isn’t just a bar that serves food. I’ve lived all over this country and have never seen a town with so few choices as far as dining out. No wonder we all travel to GI for something other than sandwiches or something no better than we can fix at home.
Pat, as you know, this one went right through my heart. I was trying to get my own food business going in the past year, looking for investors and starting to look for a location. Indeed I have not followed through completely with this, mainly because many people expressed their uncertainty of Hastings being a good location for a French café/bistro. Your point is well worded out.
I do visit the local eateries but I also admit that when & if I am out of town, I will seek out a chain restaurant just because it is different than what I have at home. I wish someone at one of our local restaurants could tell me where I can get a piece of pie after the late movie here in hastings. Or perhaps after the County Fair I would like to get breakfast. Which one of our local restaurants could I go to after 10:00 PM and get either one of these?
I agree with Chris. I know Village Inn’s service was horrible, but at least it was open after a movie or if you wanted to get some coffee and pie late at night.
I guess when I read your opening paragraph I find it contradictory. The fact that you have always lauded Hastings for the lack of chain restaurants is fine, being a small business owner (not in the food industry) I agree with supporting the “little guy”. Then you go on to say “I cannot understand when people travel, why would you go to a chain restaurant when you can do this anytime?” Living in Hastings, that’s not an option! Therefore, when I travel, I go to a chain restaurant!
A lot of times, my family and I, find ourselves planning shopping/dinning trips out of town for the sole purpose of chain retailers. Part of the reason for this is the fact that although Hastings does have a few places we can go eat & enjoy good food, most of them are BARS that happen to serve good food!
Being in my 30′s and a father of 3, I don’t feel these are places for “family time”. I am cheap (just ask my wife) but when it comes to quality family time I’m not afraid of the sticker shock of chain restaurants, as you said they spend millions on advertising. Along with the advertising usually comes special price menu items, and we always seem to find a good meal at a fair price.
I feel that the majority of places to eat in town have stood the test of time and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, but the competition of a few chain restaurants would probably be the kick in the pants for them to update their atmosphere and offer the new menu items you speak of. I too am tired of the hot roast beef sandwich.
I travel all over Nebraska and the surrounding states and find towns of similar sizes and many times smaller that have chain restaurants they have supported for years. Times have changed, the world is commercialized. When you look at the commerce of the “Tri-cities”, Hastings appears to be the “third world country”. The mall has turned into a “ghost town” due to, in my opinion, the lack of chain retailers.
Without the chain retailers (who spend their millions on advertising) in our mall, there is no draw to go there, and we get what we have. Thus being the reason people travel north, east and west to do their shopping. We are a generation of visual influence, we see television ads, newspaper ads, magazine ads, online ads all for chain retailers. That’s where we go to spend our money.
I have to say I find it funny how people complain that the places to eat in Hastings are bars that serve food. Applebees calls themselves neighborhood grill and bar, right in the center of the restaurant in GI is the bar. You have to walk right by the bar at Whiskey Creek to get to your table, plus the name says it all. But yet they both get a pass on being a bar that serves food.
I was just wondering where all these local restaurants are located? When it comes down to it on a Friday night my family can’t think of any place to go. You can only eat at the same few restaurants before you get tired of the same old thing. Its just a basic economic principle that competition benefits everyone. It increases standards, because to put it bluntly some of these local restaurants’ food and service are not that good. We need a good mix of both local and chain restaurants. Also I don’t know if some people have forgotten, but we are coming out of the worst recession in decades, so yes people don’t want to pay $20 for the same old steak each time.
There are plenty of local restaurants that are not just bars. Garden Cafe, OK Cafe, Hunan’s, Daly’s Deli, Sanchez Plaza, Goldenrod plus the new Mexican restaurant Hacienda Los Caporales is wonderful. Hastings Keno and Bullseyes are bars but cater to families also. I truly believe if people would actually take the time to realize all the great places we have to eat that are locally owned and operated they would appreciate what Hastings has to offer.
Thanks Sheri, I was in Grand Island tonight at a meeting, the discussion was “there is no place to eat in Grand Island” I had to laugh. I am sure people in Lincoln and Omaha and points beyond say the same thing! I got an idea, instead of looking for a place to eat with your family on a Friday night, WHY NOT COOK DINNER AT HOME? There’s a novel idea. Family time around the dinner table needs to become frequent event, and dining out needs to become the special occasion event like it used to be.
It was great to hear the news last week about the three new places to eat that will be opening soon. El Toro will be a nice addition out north along with Rivals. And, I hear that Kitty’s Roadhouse is going to be making some great pizza in an oven imported from Italy. They are on my list to visit as soon as they get open.