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Have you ever not written about a restaurant for fear of it getting too busy and the restaurant suffering because of it? Samantha S., St. Louis
This question was asked in the wake of a recent Thrillist article where a burger critic, after eating 330 burgers in 30 cities, named the cheeseburger at Stanich’s restaurant in Portland, Oregon, the best burger in America.
Instantly, the restaurant was overrun and long waits ensued—up to five hours according to a subsequent article. In the same article, "owner Steve Stanich called the burger award a curse, 'the worst thing that’s ever happened to us.'” The restaurant shut down seven months after the original article and has yet to reopen.
So can a restaurant suffer—or even shut down—after receiving a superlative accodade? Is an Andrew Zimmern or Guy Fieri mention a boon or the kiss of death? In the case of Stanich’s, there were other circumstances (not mentioned in the Thrillist article) that contributed to its demise, but the question is a valid one, nonetheless.
We’re all familiar with the Yogi Berra quote, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." And dining critics (and editors) are occasionally asked not to write about certain under-the-radar joints, lest the place become overrun and lose its mojo. But have accolades, crowds, or pleas ever stopped a food scribe from writing an article or review? Not likely. Unearthing the hidden gems is part of their job.
Locally, several restaurants have received major accolades (both local and national) and not just survived, but thrived. For years, Tony’s received major plaudits (AAA Five Diamond and Mobil Five Star awards) and never flinched at all the deserved attention.
Ten-ish years ago, Pappy’s Smokehouse became a destination almost immediately. The long line became part of the experience. Businessmen discussed deals in the 40-minute line, not in the 20 minutes spent eating at the table. To stay ahead of the demand, co-founder Mike Emerson’s philosophy was to “always have one more staffer than I needed.”
Almost to the minute that sister restaurant Bogart’s Smokehouse opened its doors, it was listed as a “one to watch” in a national publication. Emerson, co-owner Skip Steele, and company responded by cobbling together picnic tables on a then-makeshift patio in anticipation of the crowds that did, in fact (and immediately), materialize.
A kitchen can only produce so fast, so in many cases, the ability of a restaurant to handle increased popularity becomes a function of proper line management (in finer dining establishments, the reservation book controls the flow). To this day, the owners and managers of the Pappy’s family of restaurants can be seen “working the line,” telling stories, and handing out edible samples, thereby creating a social event. Emerson says it’s the owner’s responsibility to make any wait as enjoyable as possible.
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard has been praised locally and nationally for years. Drewes’ incredible organization and service model remains a textbook case of how to manage an invariably long line.
For nearly 60 years, despite decades of great press, the line for the 16 stools at Carl’ Drive-In has been self-regulating, as there’s only enough space inside to stand one-deep. Fans of the incredibly popular Red’s Eats in Wiscasset, Maine, know the line time from how far the queue stretches down the sidewalk toward the river.
When celeb chef Dave Chang recommends an undiscovered, hole-in-the-wall joint in his Dave Chang Show podcast, he does so reluctantly, encouraging listeners to be understanding if the place is packed and the service is slow as a result of his rec.
Decades ago, St. Louis Post-Dispatch dining critic Joe Pollack would give a heads-up (as in “you might want to staff up”) before running a glowing review. The daily's current restaurant critic, Ian Froeb, doesn’t feel that falls within a critic's purview, yet he doesn’t follow a hard-and-fast rule, erring on the side of not advising restaurants on operations (i.e., like staffing up). He adds that “In the rare case where I do like a restaurant but think it is ill-equipped to handle any boost in traffic a positive review might provide, I'll hold off on writing that review.”
In any case, established restaurants should welcome (and be in a position to handle) any big boost in business—no matter the source—while the newbies need to formulate a plan for the day it (hopefully) happens.
If you have a question for George, email him at gmahe@stlmag.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @stlmag_dining. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
