urbanSTL

STLight wrote:Valet @ Shannon's was $6 when we went on Monday night....Loved the food and atmosphere, but it does seem that this restaurant week has made'em a bit shady

Just to be clear, I'm saying the valet was possibly shady, not Shannon‘s itself. I believe the valets are contracted. Or it could be that they charge based on the night like the parking lot behind my building. It's $4 most days but on days there are events at the dome or america's center they charge up to $20.

^sure-didn't know valet was outside contract-thanx for clarification...I too would like to clarify....I believed that the auto-grat was an attempt to take up the slack from the $25/per person meal....I overheard a couple (2 parties) customers said they simply were not going pay it...they would tip what they wanted, especially if the service was not that great....the service and food WE received was AWESOME! 2 thumbs up for M. Shannon's however is it normal practice to charge gratutity @ Shannon's???...the waiter informed us that it was something that they were doing for the restaurant week....which is my other problem....it would appear that restaurant week would be a chance for establishments to show off their service and cusine, so you should expect those that like the food, drink, atmosphere to come back as repeat customers meaning more business....of course some just want to take advantage of the price reduction to try a bunch of DT restaurant...no beef there, however for a lot of those folks MOVING downtown by the end of the summer (such as myself) we will pay for a quality meal and good surrounding (over and over AFTER restauarant week is complete) from a restaurant that is in close proximity to our residence.....venting finished

CHEERS

Why would a restaurant auto-grat to "pick up the slack" from a meal, if it didn't intend on keeping the charge itself? Or is it trying to pick up the slack on behalf of the waitperson, i.e. its servers traditionally get <18% during Restaurant Week?



I don't exactly view what we got at Shannon's as a price reduction; sure, IF you had gotten everything exactly as described in the original menu, it would have been a $50-70 meal, but all our entrees (with some appetizers being the exception) were tapas-sized. Some were missing ingredients, and others were singular where even the DTRW menu had plural.



In other words, we probably got about $25 worth of Shannon's food, and service that was on par with a low- to mid-range sports bar at best. I was expecting to see a restaurant try to shine and bring back repeat guests, which is what Copia, Mosaic, AAP, and others seem to be doing this week.

I don't agree. All four of us we're very pleased with the amount of food for the money especially considering the quality. Two of us had food left over for lunch the next day.



Regarding the auto gratuity, it was not added to our bill. Which is fine for me because when dining on a discount like this, I typically tip what I would have paid. The waiter did the same amount of work that they would have done for full price. I ended up tipping about 35% on my tab of $50 plus drinks. I think the auto-gratuity is fine especially considering that most people aren't very generous tippers. I don't think they are picking up the slack of the meal.



If you have enough of a problem where you don't want to tip 18% on $25 ($4.50), you've got an issue big enough to talk to the manager about.

I'm thinking there's a little confusion here between an "auto-gratuity" and the 15-20-25 calculations that appear at the bottom of the bill for informational purposes to save the diner the trouble of calculating.

bonwich wrote:I'm thinking there's a little confusion here between an "auto-gratuity" and the 15-20-25 calculations that appear at the bottom of the bill for informational purposes to save the diner the trouble of calculating.

Shannon's auto-added 18% to the bill total.



BL, I don't think anybody was complaining about the gratuity.



We must have been at a different restaurant or had a new guy. We gave the ol' "1 to 10" ratings afterwards and six people averaged about a 4. Scientific, I know

STLight wrote:could you recommend a place to go for a good steak...?

I wish I knew. It's been awhile since I've had a good one that didn't come off my own grille. I had pretty good steaks at Zia's and Mangia Italiano a few months ago, and I loved the pepper steak at the dearly departed Lagniappe's in Soulard.



However, I'd really like to find a true steakhouse that isn't overrated, overpriced, a chain, or all the above. Does anyone else have any suggestions? Bonwich, what place(s) would you recommend?

The Central Scrutinizer wrote:I've had many great steaks at Shannon's.

Me too, but my last dining experience at the Seventh @ Chestnut location and my first & most recent trip to the present location were nothing to write home about.



Unfortunately, I never got to try Thurmer's. And I guess I need to give Carmine's and/or Dierdorf & Hart's a try some time soon. (I've eaten at the latter, but it was many years ago when they were in Union Station). And like you, I'd really like to see Shula's open a downtown location.

My metro fave for steaks is Annie Gunn's. Used to really like Andria's in Fairview Heights for middle-range-priced steaks, but it's been several years since I've been there. Also like Citizen Kane's.



Liked the new Ruth's Chris when it opened, as long as you've got an expense account. Didn't like Fleming's as much at the opening, but have had a couple of good steaks there since. Again, megabuxx.



Loved Tucker's on 12th in the old days for affordable steak; but again, no recent experience down there -- but I'm not as fond of the suburban Tucker's.



I'm more of a meaty-steak kind of guy, so I'm more likely to get hanger steak or something unusual. Loved the hanger steak at Five, but I think it rotates on and off the menu. Oddly enough, Oceano also does a great hanger steak.



If I remember right, Thurmer's used to have a 12-ounce ribeye for about 7 bucks. (20 years ago.) It was a bar steak, but it was a great bar steak.

I'll be in Philadelphia during their Center City Restaurant Week next month and received the flyer in the mail today from an associate there.



Philly's is 3 courses for $30 and they have a parking deal component -- park for $9 or less with a voucher. 106 restaurant choices. Dinner only.



Interesting too that they use "center city" and not downtown.

It is a matter of opinion, but I don't tip solely on the price of the meal. My tip is also predicated on the service I receive. That being said a tip is just that...don't tell me what I should tip if I don't have a huge party that apparently requires more attention unless that is the establishment policy. I was prepared to tip more, however I don't like surprises. Let me be generous and prosper from my business when I come back again and again and again. Is that not what restaurant week is all about?

Cheers

"but I don't tip solely on the price of the meal"







well, you should, because that's pretty much how it works. Unless you get awful service, I think you should tip 17-20%.



Did anyone go this weekend? I missed it.

I think it's obvious that this won't change anytime soon, but I wish that servers and bartenders were paid a reasonable wage ($12-$20/hr) and that cost was added to the food/drinks. Just as I like to shop at stores that do not pay on commission - I wish there were restaurants like this.

JCity wrote:"but I don't tip solely on the price of the meal"







well, you should, because that's pretty much how it works. Unless you get awful service, I think you should tip 17-20%.

That is how it works but 17-20? That's awful high. I reserve that for absolute great service. Anyone who only does "not awful" is not getting that kinda tip.

First of all, we went to Shannon's for downtown restaurant week and it was awesome...we left stuffed, great experience.



Second, 20% tip is standard, if I tip less than that, there is a reason...I will almost never go under 15%...

JCity wrote:"but I don't tip solely on the price of the meal"







well, you should, because that's pretty much how it works. Unless you get awful service, I think you should tip 17-20%.



Did anyone go this weekend? I missed it.

You're missing the discussion on stltoday, where the phenomenon of "tip creep" now apparently indicates that 30% is the standard tip for excellent service. As the waiters say, if you can't afford it, stay home.

Come to think of it, I guess you guys are right about 20% being standard. 30%? ....no.

bprop wrote:As the waiters say, if you can't afford it, stay home.

I don't consider myself a cheap tipper - but I think this attitude sucks. 30%? I don't think so. As much as "tip creep" annoys me, I'm really annoyed that every where I go seems to have a tip jar and a tip line on the receipt. I mean, thanks for pouring my coffee, but I don't think I'm going to tip much because of it! (FYI - I have worked in the resturant business as a server at an upscale restaurant.)

I agree with CS. Overtipping at an inexpensive restaurant isn't required, but leaving extra doesn't hurt. Especially if you are a regular. A generous reputation will get your coffee cup refilled faster than a cheap reputation.



Edit: Grover's post came in at the same time as mine. Just as clarification, I don't like the tip jar either. For me, tipping is for table service.

Or how 'bout the foursome who comes into the bar and orders 4 snifters of $90 a pop cognac? The server walks over $360 in drinks and is done. Does that person get a $72 tip for the walk? Granted the foursome could probably afford it and want to come off a certain way but come on.



And be careful of the auto added gratuity. I hate this one! When I waited tables I never added the tip in unless asked to by the table and in the case where we were supposed to add it, I wouldn't. I told the table you should tip me based on my service, not what someone is telling you to tip me and it paid off way more often than not. In my opinion the server should ALWAYS let the table know that the tip has been added. Otherwise a lot of people do not pay close attention to the bill and end up double tipping. I have know serves who do this intentionally hoping for the double tip. This is nothing but stealing.



And yes, hate all the tip jars you now see in all kinds of places. But in some cases it's warranted. I will tip the girl working the sandwich and market area at Sqwires for example but will not tip the person making my sandwich at Subway.