Fogbow

Dude has had enough of the junk he's getting:

I agree, Fast food over here has gotten dreadful in the last year or so, and even the low end restaurants are starting to lose quality as well.

It's like they're not even hiding it, either. No quality, service is declining, it just isn't worth buying any longer.

I think we are still recovering from what covid did to the hospitality industry in general. One element is labor. Another is the ingredients.

The people with talent have left the occupation, and the new replacements are not up to the task. Despite the attraction of increased wages, the people that would excel are not running to fill the open positions. That leaves us with people only after a paycheck. They are not interested in the work. It's a means to an end. They will move to the next higher wage in a heartbeat putting the restaurant, deli counter, or even grocery store in an endless training cycle with few experienced people on the floor.

The increased wage pressure was likewise felt in all sectors including the suppliers. That led to cost reduction efforts hoping to shave a few pennies off the unit pricing while maintaining market share and product loyalty. Have you tried a canned soup lately? How about a frozen entree? They've changed. The portion sizes are smaller. They taste different. They are watered down, salty, thinner, and lacking flavor. Those changes were also felt in the end products in restaurants. They must collect for higher wages and higher materials cost while trying to remain competitive.

Potatoes are still relatively cheap, but a medium order of fries now sells for $3.50. And they're cold.

The thing I've run into are understaffed restaurants and fast food places. It's a cycle. They don't have enough wait staff so customers avoid those restaurants. Without customers, the restaurants won't hire additional staff. Rinse and repeat.

The busier restaurants have more staff. I don't know which came first - the customers or the staff, but I do know which restaurants to avoid at which times.

I've gone to Red Lobster when there are tables available but they won't seat you right away because they don't have enough staff to wait on you or to cook your food.

My son and I ate at one of our favorite nice places last night, local to the area, but spread around the state and area a little. Mad Mex. Pleasant place. We went early because they get crazy on weekend nights. We were able to get a table overlooking the lake (my favorite tables), but only half that section was open because of not enough staff. That's the story everywhere around here, regardless of the level of dining. Since we went in early, we were done as they were starting to fill up. We were the first ones there, but all the tables to one side of us had filled up. Two couples came in to be seated and were going to have to wait. Lucky for them, we had just wrapped up our leftover gobbleritos* to take home.




*Big burritos filled with fresh-roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes with a little bit of black beans, fresh corn, topped with turkey gravy, and served with a side of cranberry sauce. Did I mention this is a really funky Cal-Mex sort of place? Served only about six weeks before Thanksgiving and as a surprise occasionally for a day or two only once or twice the rest of the year. Very popular.

"Review Brah", Or ReportOfTheWeek, is a YouTube fast food meal reviewer and shortwave radio host with 12+ years of reviews available.

This rant is about the decline in fast food quality he's noticing over the past year or so.

Not buying his performance art at all.

He is doing it for views and clicks.

If it is so bad, why does he not show this fast food that is vile, disgusting, etc? Just talk.

What is with the greased back hair and crappy suit indoors? How old are you son?

Phony reviewer.

Well, he's being doing it since he was 13: his "act" might not be for everyone, but the reviews he's done have been honest enough over the past 12 years.

John Thomas8 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 1:10 am Well, he's being doing it since he was 13: his "act" might not be for everyone, but the reviews he's done have been honest enough over the past 12 years.

Um, no. He has been honing his shtick for 12 years.

He claimed he ordered a burger at Culvers with no cheese and received 7 (SEVEN!) slices of cheese on it. Show me? Oh wait, he never shows any evidence for his reviews.

File under things that never happened.

Never shows anything? That's factually incorrect.

For your review:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheReportOfTheWeek/videos

He's got a hell of a manicure, and I did like his tie. His suit is too big though. He seemed to be going for Rod Serling or Orson Welles - a dramatic and charismatic story teller that captivates the viewer with their well lubricated voice and fanciful tale of wonder. Twelve years of practice or not, he needs twelve more and some gravel in his throat.

PS: if central casting needs a vampire, I know where to aim them now.

bill_g wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 8:08 am He's got a hell of a manicure, and I did like his tie. His suit is too big though. He seemed to be going for Rod Serling or Orson Welles - a dramatic and charismatic story teller that captivates the viewer with their well lubricated voice and fanciful tale of wonder. Twelve years of practice or not, he needs twelve more and some gravel in his throat.

PS: if central casting needs a vampire, I know where to aim them now.

I get a film noir mid-1930s/40s B&W movie vibe.

John Thomas8 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 8:15 am

bill_g wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 8:08 am He's got a hell of a manicure, and I did like his tie. His suit is too big though. He seemed to be going for Rod Serling or Orson Welles - a dramatic and charismatic story teller that captivates the viewer with their well lubricated voice and fanciful tale of wonder. Twelve years of practice or not, he needs twelve more and some gravel in his throat.

PS: if central casting needs a vampire, I know where to aim them now.

I get a film noir mid-1930s/40s B&W movie vibe.

Yep. Looking at his other work, that's the direction he's going. He has clearly claimed his territory and his brand.

Neon, your grumpy act is getting old. You’re dismissive of everything and kinda mean about it. What’s your problem?

He said he just went out for a meal to have a meal. So he didn't MEAN to do a review of the thing he ate, the video was not a review of what he ate, and it was just incidental to his main point. He said it just got him thinking.

Suranis wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 11:39 am He said he just went out for a meal to have a meal. So he didn't MEAN to do a review of the thing he ate, the video was not a review of what he ate, and it was just incidental to his main point. He said it just got him thinking.

I also heard it that same way, not as a specific review but as what he's been noticing in general.

He cracks me up most of the time. I watch him sometimes for the entertainment of it, I'm not much into fast food so it's not even the reviews that I watch him for.

I even watched the video where he talks about the suits he wears, why he likes them, and how he just decided one day that he doesn't care what everyone else thinks, he's going to do him and wear what he likes. I can respect that.

RVInit wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:46 pm He cracks me up most of the time. I watch him sometimes for the entertainment of it, I'm not much into fast food so it's not even the reviews that I watch him for.

I even watched the video where he talks about the suits he wears, why he likes them, and how he just decided one day that he doesn't care what everyone else thinks, he's going to do him and wear what he likes. I can respect that.

I got a kick out of his trip on an Amtrac overnight train ride, from cabin to meal.

Phoenix520 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 11:20 am Neon, your grumpy act is getting old. You’re dismissive of everything and kinda mean about it. What’s your problem?

I know. Right?
There he goes again, expressing his opinion that goes against the mainstream here.
He should know by now this is not the place to do that.

realist wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:02 pm

Phoenix520 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 11:20 am Neon, your grumpy act is getting old. You’re dismissive of everything and kinda mean about it. What’s your problem?

I know. Right?
There he goes again, expressing his opinion that goes against the mainstream here.
He should know by now this is not the place to do that.

Not liking ReportOfTheWeek is fine, not a single problem.

Lying about what ReportOfTheWeek posts isn't really a polite way to behave, eh?

realist wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:02 pm I know. Right?
There he goes again, expressing his opinion that goes against the mainstream here.
He should know by now this is not the place to do that.

*Eye Twitches*

John Thomas8 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:58 pm

RVInit wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:46 pm He cracks me up most of the time. I watch him sometimes for the entertainment of it, I'm not much into fast food so it's not even the reviews that I watch him for.

I even watched the video where he talks about the suits he wears, why he likes them, and how he just decided one day that he doesn't care what everyone else thinks, he's going to do him and wear what he likes. I can respect that.

I got a kick out of his trip on an Amtrac overnight train ride, from cabin to meal.

I've teed that one up, going to watch it later.

Suranis wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:17 pm

realist wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:02 pm I know. Right?
There he goes again, expressing his opinion that goes against the mainstream here.
He should know by now this is not the place to do that.

*Eye Twitches*

You do know that I adore you and your humor suranis. He’s nowhere near your league, cannot match your erudition even when you rant and rave. How’s that for a contrarian view?

realist wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:02 pm

Phoenix520 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2023 11:20 am Neon, your grumpy act is getting old. You’re dismissive of everything and kinda mean about it. What’s your problem?

I know. Right?
There he goes again, expressing his opinion that goes against the mainstream here.
He should know by now this is not the place to do that.

This is why I haven’t been around much. Bad vibes. Won’t be back for a while