I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?


--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

"Ruddell" wrote in message
...

I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?


Boston Market is owned by McDonald's Corp. They serve homey food with an
emphasis on their side dishes. They sort of crashed and burned here In
Cincinnati. I know of only one location that remains open. Like many
restaurants, they started out with a good idea - offering an alternative to
burgers and pizza. At first the places were clean and well maintained and
the food was OK - not as good as you would make at home, but OK. All of a
sudden they seems to hit the skids. The stores were dirty and often they
would be out of food long before they closed. Shortly after that, most of
them closed.

By the way, I remember a Swiss Chalet restaurant that operated in Columbus,
Ohio back in the late 70's or early 80's. I sort of liked their chicken but
the menu was very limited. As I recall, they had chicken and the meals were
served in disposable aluminum take-out pans. That restaurant only lasted
about two years.

On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 22:32:20 -0000, Ruddell
wrote:


I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?

I've never been to Swiss Chalet because they don't have them here, but
we have a Boston Market on every corner, it seems.

I think they're quite expensive for quasi-fast food. Average plate
(entree, 2 sides of your choice) is around $8 US. Their new thing is
that they'll deliver "for free". Every item on their delivery menu is
$2 more than in the store. Not a great "free service".

That said, their food is OK, and they have more vegetable sides, etc
than the typical quick-food joint. My daughter is quite partial to
their garlic-dill new potatoes, and I know several people who adore
their creamed spinach.

One last thing...my sister "interviewed" with them for a management
position, which involves working in their kitchen without pay for 6
hours. She said every one of their so-called fresh side dishes comes
pre-frozen in bags, shipped from a central commissary. Nothing is
prepared fresh on-site.

Jeanne

On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 22:32:20 -0000, Ruddell
wrote:


I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?

They've been around here in So. California for years. They are
franchises, so they vary from location to location.

The one nearest my house is quite good. I picked up food from them
several times while the kitchen was being remodled...and I found the
food to be tasty and fresh. We tried garlic chicken, meat loaf, turkey
breast and regular roasted chicken.

They offer a lot of side dishes and the cranberry relish was
terrific...the mashed potatoes are ok..as are the roasted garlic
potatoes... The steamed vegetables were way over cooked. The fresh
salads were ok too...and their fresh rolls were ok.

In addition to individual portions, they offer a "family" meal that
will serve 4 people...it's cheaper than 4 individual portions and you
get to pick the side dishes.

They also offer some desserts, but I never tried those.

Debra

Dog3 wrote:

Boston Market here in St. Louis is always busy. I have ordered take
out
from there 2 times. They keep raising their prices and the
restaurant I go
to is outrageously expensive. I'd rather go to a restaurant than BM.


However, during the "great retrenching" for the chain, most of the STL
area stores closed, including the one in Florissant near me. I assume
you go to the Richmond Heights one? That and the Ballwin store are the
only ones left in the actual area, there's also one in Fairview
Heights.



Brian

"Dog3" wrote in message
1...

I lived in Columbus for 3 years. I lived in Bexley on Parkview. My
apartment was in the Parkview Arms about a block from Tarpys on Main
Street
in Bexley. I hung out in German Village and ate at Lindeys 3-4 times a
week. I also liked the Firehouse and Max & Ermas. I fled Columbus. I did
not like it there.


North Parkview - home of the governor's mansion and Les Wexner before he
bought the whole village of New Albany. Nice neighborhood. My partner
managed a store in Bexley at the Towne and Country center but we lived in
Victorian Village.

I went to OSU for 8 years and lived and worked in Columbus for about 10
years after graduation. I really liked Columbus because it was clean and
easy to get around. I find it much more progressive than Cincinnati. Back
in the early 1970s there wasn't much happening there, but now it is much
better. At one time there were few decent places to eat. The Swill Chalet
was on Dublin-Granville Road near Cleveland avenue. At that time fine
dining was the Brown Derby, the Wine Cellar, The Jai Lai, Christopher Inn,
Marzetti's, and a couple of steak houses like the Top. One bright spot was
the Engine House. I often went to their lower level restaurant, "The Spot,"
for late evening casual meals. We especially enjoyed the Charlie's Chowder
with a salad and that great bread. My other favorite place was the Jai Lai
where I had a house charge account. I had lunch there at least twice a week
and often ate dinner there on week nights. I remember Max and Erma's when
they had only the original German Village location. The franchised heavily
and then had lots of problems. They are back into the expansion mode but
the food is awful now and the menu is very weak. One open near me and after
giving them a try we felt there was no reason to return.

"Ruddell" wrote in message
...

I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?

There are lots of them still in the Houston area. We get takeout from there
every so often. Pretty good chicken and meatloaf, IMO. I also like their
chicken carver sandwiches. My two-year-old daughter loves their mashed
potatoes and mac & cheese.

Mary

On 9-Feb-2005, Ruddell wrote:

I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?

Other than over salted, the food is fairly bland - intended to be acceptable
to everyone but terrific for none. It's target audience is the working
mother who'd like to believe she's providing a decent, home-style meal for
her family, without any more effort than getting in and out of the SUV. The
greatest effort comes when paying the monthly credit card charges.

You can see their menu at http://www.bostonmarket.com/


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On 9-Feb-2005, Dog3 wrote:

I lived in Columbus for 3 years. I lived in Bexley on Parkview. My
apartment was in the Parkview Arms about a block from Tarpys on Main
Street
in Bexley. I hung out in German Village and ate at Lindeys 3-4 times a
week. I also liked the Firehouse and Max & Ermas. I fled Columbus. I did
not like it there.

The Max & Erma's you mentioned - is it a Drury Inn restaurant like the one
in St. Louis? They have some interesting items on the menu and the few
items I've tried have been good. I'm told that Max and Erma are/were the
couple that started the Drury Inn motel chain and the only M&E I've seen is
in their hotel in downtown STL.


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"L, not -L" wrote in message
...

On 9-Feb-2005, Dog3 wrote:

I lived in Columbus for 3 years. I lived in Bexley on Parkview. My
apartment was in the Parkview Arms about a block from Tarpys on Main
Street
in Bexley. I hung out in German Village and ate at Lindeys 3-4 times a
week. I also liked the Firehouse and Max & Ermas. I fled Columbus. I
did
not like it there.

The Max & Erma's you mentioned - is it a Drury Inn restaurant like the one
in St. Louis? They have some interesting items on the menu and the few
items I've tried have been good. I'm told that Max and Erma are/were the
couple that started the Drury Inn motel chain and the only M&E I've seen
is
in their hotel in downtown STL.


Different Max and Erma, no doubt. These two were from the south side of
Columbus, Ohio. Their restaurants are known for burgers and onion rings.
There isn't anything on the menu that could reasonably be considered
interesting.
http://www.maxandermas.com/

"Ruddell" wrote in message
...

I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?


--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

The Boston Market Corp was one of the darlings of Wall Street in the 90's.
The grew like a weed like many other corporations and then imploded. Their
idea was rather simple they had 3 kinds of meat - Ham, Fresh roasted Turket
and Chicken and a wide variety of sides. They were designed primairly as a
Take-Out operation with a few tables inside.

See their takeover histroy below.

Dimitri
http://retailindustry.about.com/libr.../aa120299a.htm

Dated December 2, 1999

Fast food giant, McDonald's Corporation announced on Wednesday that its
Golden Restaurant Operations subsidiary is buying from Boston Chicken, the
majority of the assets of Boston Market restaurants. The $173.5 million,
bottom-dollar deal includes 751 restaurants, franchise rights for an
additional 108 restaurants and certain related liabilities.

The deal is the biggest acquisition in McDonald's history. McDonald's
Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jack M. Greenberg commented
on Boston Market, "the brand is well-established, with excellent employees,
quality products, loyal customers, and future growth potential."

"Because of the accomplishments of the employees of the Boston Market system
in putting the business back onto a positive footing, we are committed to
offering employment and career growth opportunities to all Boston Market
restaurant and Support Center employees," said Jeffrey B. Kindler, EVP of
McDonald's, and leader of the McDonald's team managing the acquisition.
Even though McDonald's feels good about the outlook for the Boston Market
brand, it was obvious from other statements by Greenberg that brand alone
didn't sell the burger giant on the deal. The real estate is what made the
difference. Most of the Boston Market sites are in highly desirable
locations, perfect for the ongoing expansion of McDonald's Golden Restaurant
Operations restaurants, Donatos Pizza and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Boston
Market restaurants are located in more than 30 states, with the majority of
sites in the East and Midwest.
The sale, subject to government and bankruptcy court approvals, does not
include Boston Chicken's interest in Einstein/Noah Bagel Corporation.
McDonald's shares closed up $1.50 in composite trading on the New York Stock
Exchange Wednesday, at $46.625 a share.
With current debt obligations totaling more than $900 million in bankruptcy,
Boston Chicken has publicly disclosed for the past year that holders of
Boston Chicken's equity securities will retain no value under a
reorganization plan and Boston Chicken anticipates that its bond holders
will not retain any value under the plan. Boston Chicken's equity and debt
securities will be canceled upon plan confirmation.

http://www.interbrand.com/portfolio_...portfolio=1329
Launched in 1995, Boston Market was, at the time, the most successful IPO in
U.S. history. Since that time, Boston Market has expanded to over 650
company-owned restaurants throughout the U.S. As the company's tagline says:
"We're always cooking," giving families a great alternative to a staying in.

"Dog3" wrote in message
1...

I practically lived at the Kahiki on Broadway. I was there so often,mostly
in the bar, (Kay and Michael were the bartenders then) management issued
me
my own personal credit card.

Oh yes, the Kahiki. It was THE place to go in the 1970s. I only went there
once, for lunch, after I had a bilateral mandibular block so eating was an
adventure even without the tiki torches and simulated thunder storms.
Unfortunately, it closed and was demolished about 5 years ago.
http://www.ohiopreservation.org/Kahiki.htm
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/...ractionNo==989


I have been to the Jai Lai. I do not remember where it is located.

The Jai Lai was located on Olentangy River Road just southwest of campus -
between 5th. and King as I recall. It had an old club feeling with the
Spanish baroque interior and was a favorite hangout for the likes of Woody
Hayes. The menu had classic dishes like prime rib and chateaubriand. I
loved their Napoleons. Like the Kahiki, it was demolished a few years ago
and replaced with a strip mall.


That's too bad about M&E's. I really enjoyed the place. What was the place
named that was just a few blocks from OSU? It had a terrific patio almost
on the street on a main street. I would love to dine out there in the
spring and summer. I did not sit too close to the street as students would
drive by and throw 1/2 full beer cans at the diners Bad, bad children.
I
got to Cleveland and Pittsburg often. I did not spend a lot of time in
Cincinatti. Cincinatti was a bit too stuffy and repressed for me.


I'm not sure about the place south of campus. Maybe you are thinking about
Rigsby's in the Short North.
http://www.theshortnorth.com/Restaurants.htm

I grew up near Pittsburgh and get back there at least once a year, sometimes
more if I can arrange some continuing ed at Pitt. It's a wonderful town.
My sister lives east of Cleveland. I don't care much for Cleveland.

Nola wrote:



Other than over salted, the food is fairly bland - intended to be acceptable
to everyone but terrific for none. It's target audience is the working
mother who'd like to believe she's providing a decent, home-style meal for
her family, without any more effort than getting in and out of the SUV. The
greatest effort comes when paying the monthly credit card charges.

You can see their menu at http://www.bostonmarket.com/



There were 2 of them in our area (both now closed). Your description
was good. I also thought they had oversalted "industrial" food.




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On 9-Feb-2005, "Vox Humana" wrote:

Different Max and Erma, no doubt. These two were from the south side of
Columbus, Ohio. Their restaurants are known for burgers and onion rings.
There isn't anything on the menu that could reasonably be considered
interesting.
http://www.maxandermas.com/

Looks like it is the same outfit; when I put in a local zip code, the
downtown STL location was one of several returned. It looks like the
waitress that told me who Max and Erma were must have been having a good
time pulling my leg.

I have only been there for lunch a few times, mostly with groups of 8-10; on
each visit, I enjoyed the food I ordered, as did others in the group. I do
recall several people gave very positive reviews of the salmon Caesar salad
and some other salmon dish. Perhaps the cooks at this one are particularly
good or the hotel monitors and enforces their quality.


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"Nola" wrote in message
...

On 9-Feb-2005, Ruddell wrote:

I keep seeing these commercials on cable tv but we don't have Boston
Market in Saskatchewan. They look sort of like Swiss Chalet but
different of course.

Anyone got a rating on BM?

Other than over salted, the food is fairly bland - intended to be
acceptable
to everyone but terrific for none. It's target audience is the working
mother who'd like to believe she's providing a decent, home-style meal for
her family, without any more effort than getting in and out of the SUV.

We stopped very hungry late one night near Fairfax, VA at a BM probably
about 2 years ago. The regular food was so sweet we could barely eat it. We
never went back there and always comment whenever we see a BM about their
sweet food. It seemed to stick in our mind.
Dee