Comments on: Hard Times in Food and Wine http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/ Tue, 22 May 2012 19:59:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tish http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136984 Tish Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:11:36 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136984 At a trade tasting recently in NYC, a wholesaler (with a rather high-end heavy portfolio) said his volume of orders had not gone done, but that restaurants were buying almost exclusively at the low end, as in wines that can be listed at $40 or so. It will be interesting to see in Manhattan how quickly prices of already cellared "good stuff" may fall. But as you point out, even if they fall, there are a heckuva lot of people who just are not going to eat out on the town as often. At a trade tasting recently in NYC, a wholesaler (with a rather high-end heavy portfolio) said his volume of orders had not gone done, but that restaurants were buying almost exclusively at the low end, as in wines that can be listed at $40 or so.

It will be interesting to see in Manhattan how quickly prices of already cellared “good stuff” may fall. But as you point out, even if they fall, there are a heckuva lot of people who just are not going to eat out on the town as often.

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136794 Thomas Pellechia Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:54:02 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136794 Let's see: by tripling the retail cost a wine that retails at $30 costs $90 in the restaurant--a 50% reduction makes it cost $45 in the restaurant. An improvement--I suppose, but I'd bet retailers would love to have such a markup. Let’s see: by tripling the retail cost a wine that retails at $30 costs $90 in the restaurant–a 50% reduction makes it cost $45 in the restaurant.

An improvement–I suppose, but I’d bet retailers would love to have such a markup.

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136767 Fredric Koeppel Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:15:14 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136767 maybe they're contentious too. Dirty Wine South ... that's amazing. perhaps i'm too pessimistic. maybe they’re contentious too.

Dirty Wine South … that’s amazing. perhaps i’m too pessimistic.

]]> By: Dirty South Wine http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136733 Dirty South Wine Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:59:39 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136733 A few of Atlanta's top tier restaurants have cut wine prices 50% through the end of the year. Bottles and by the glass. That's a huge move (and a bit scary). A few of Atlanta’s top tier restaurants have cut wine prices 50% through the end of the year. Bottles and by the glass.

That’s a huge move (and a bit scary).

]]> By: Terry Hughes http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136724 Terry Hughes Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:29:27 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136724 FK, you meant "contented" customers? FK, you meant “contented” customers?

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136597 Thomas Pellechia Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:19:15 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136597 oops: should have read, high-priced inventory oops: should have read, high-priced inventory

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136596 Thomas Pellechia Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:18:17 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136596 Contented customers be damned! I tried to prove to restaurateurs that the name of the game is volume sales--instead of holding high-proceed inventory, wouldn't it be better to move three times as much wine? That can be done only after the wine price is right. I can count on one hand the restaurateurs who understood me--and still have a few fingers left over! But those few said that their profits did move in the right direction, and so did their nightly turnovers, as well as staff tips who moved more wine. Contented customers be damned! I tried to prove to restaurateurs that the name of the game is volume sales–instead of holding high-proceed inventory, wouldn’t it be better to move three times as much wine? That can be done only after the wine price is right.

I can count on one hand the restaurateurs who understood me–and still have a few fingers left over! But those few said that their profits did move in the right direction, and so did their nightly turnovers, as well as staff tips who moved more wine.

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136556 Fredric Koeppel Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:20:43 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136556 of course, Thomas, restaurants have been in the business of charging too much for wine forever, amd indeed they make far more money from wine than they do from food, which operates pretty close to the margin. But I don't think restaurants are going to reduce wine prices if they can get away with not doing it, unless the rare restaurateur or manager understands that fair wine prices will lead to contended customers. of course, Thomas, restaurants have been in the business of charging too much for wine forever, amd indeed they make far more money from wine than they do from food, which operates pretty close to the margin. But I don’t think restaurants are going to reduce wine prices if they can get away with not doing it, unless the rare restaurateur or manager understands that fair wine prices will lead to contended customers.

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-136553 Thomas Pellechia Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:59:01 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/11/05/hard-times-in-food-and-wine/#comment-136553 Fredric, Shouldn't we accept any wine price reduction in restaurants that we can get? I agree that we likely won't see prices reduced in restaurants unless producer prices decrease, but I don't think that's why prices in restaurants are exorbitant. Restaurants attempt to make most of their money on wine rather than on food, and I've always felt that not only is that a disservice to consumers but it is limiting to volume wine sales in restaurants. Fredric,

Shouldn’t we accept any wine price reduction in restaurants that we can get?

I agree that we likely won’t see prices reduced in restaurants unless producer prices decrease, but I don’t think that’s why prices in restaurants are exorbitant. Restaurants attempt to make most of their money on wine rather than on food, and I’ve always felt that not only is that a disservice to consumers but it is limiting to volume wine sales in restaurants.

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