Ruth's Chris Steak House in Wilkes-Barre? (Scranton, Whitehall: cul-de-sac, middle-class, buying)

[Avoca resident]

I found this on Monster.com. h (http://jobview.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=69552790&JobTitle=General+Manage r&q=ruth+chris&rad=20&rad_units=miles&zip=18641&br d=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2008-03-10+15%3a03%3a00&pg=1&seq=1 - broken link)ttp://jobview.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=69552790&JobTitle=General+Manage r&q=ruth+chris&rad=20&rad_units=miles&zip=18641&br d=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2008-03-10+15%3a03%3a00&pg=1&seq=1 (http://jobview.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=69552790&JobTitle=General+Manage r&q=ruth+chris&rad=20&rad_units=miles&zip=18641&br d=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2008-03-10+15%3a03%3a00&pg=1&seq=1 - broken link)

Ruth's Chris Steak House : Welcome to Prime Steak

I wonder where they would put one in the Wilkes-barre Area?
I have never eaten at one, but it looks like a very upscale chain with the closest ones in King of Prussa and Philly.

It says Wilkes-barre, but I would suspect maybe the Shoppes @ Montage since they said they were planning to open two more retail shops and two more restaurants this summer.

Guess will will have to wait and find out.

PS. Monster.com is a great place to find out what new businesses are coming to the area.

[FightinPhils]

We need more chain restaurants in this area like I need a second hole in my arse.

[cgraz1187]

I agree we have a lot of chain restaurants here, but Ruth Chris has a different atmosphere. Maybe I am bias as I lvoe their food, easily the best steak house I have ever been to. I do not know how well they would do here as they are pricey, a full course meal for two would most likely be $150 or over. The steaks really are "that" good though.

[to570717]

Ruth Chris is awesome. They are a la catre though and it does get pricey. I have never spenat less than 150 for dinner and a few drinks with my girl friend. WE will hit that place up only a a special ocasion.

WE did find another place though called Chops. Even better but just as expensive.

[FightinPhils]

I would think that a place where you can expect to pay $150+ for dinner for two would go over like a fart in church in NEPA, where the average income hovers around $30,000 a year.....but then again, lots of people in this area seem to be living beyond their means and living on plastic around here, so it may go over well. I make a slightly above-average salary for this area and see people that make the same or less than I do buying things that I couldn't afford. Lots of people in debt up to their cajones here. That's evident with how packed the restaurants in Dickson City and Moosic are on a daily basis....I wouldn't be able to think of affording eat out on a regular basis and responsibly provide for my family.

[cgraz1187]

Exactly, people in this area have a love for eating out, whether it is at a pizza place, the olive garden, or Amici's, it all costs money that most here do not have. If you look at the sheer number of restaurants and eateries we have here, it is astounding and more just keep moving in to cash in on the market. There have been very few restaurants go out of business around here, which is a good thing. I think Ruth's Chris has a good shot, and I probably should not have said $150 for two, as I am sure the prices will be lower here than they are in Philly and Baltimore.

[TransAm]

I see the same thing, I also make a slightly above salary, and never go out to eat that much, but when we do most of the restaurants are full, you cant even get in the front door, the same with Wallmart.

[to570717]

Depending on where it is located it can do just fine. There are more than enough people in NEPA that can afford to go out and drop some cash on a nice dinner.

[SteelCityRising]

I recently ate at the Buca di Beppo in Whitehall (Lehigh Valley), and I enjoyed the atmosphere quite a bit. I asked the manager if there were any plans to establish a location in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre market, but she said "no."

I've never eaten at a Ruth Chris Steakhouse before, but I could definitely see it thriving locally for the reasons MrKrabs said. If the location said "Wilkes-Barre," then there is no doubt that it is coming to the Highland Park area. That area is already so saturated with restaurants though (think Boston's closing, for example), that I don't really think that corridor can accomodate having a Ruth Chris Steakhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse, AND Outback Steakhouse right on top of each other.

There are also many parcels left for chain restaurants in both the Shoppes at Montage complex and the Radcliffe Drive cul-de-sac across the road (near Johnny Rocket's), so it's not entirely irrational to think that maybe this steakhouse is opening locations in both Wilkes-Barre Township and Moosic.

Whatever happened to the plans to open a Greene Turtle in Dupont?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by to570717

Depending on where it is located it can do just fine. There are more than enough people in NEPA that can afford to go out and drop some cash on a nice dinner.

I wouldn't say that they could necessarily "afford" it. My parents combined earned over $75,000 in 2007, which puts us in the upper-middle-class for NEPA, yet we can't afford to gallavant around the way many others here in Greater Pittston who earn much less do. I just don't understand how an area could be labeled "impoverished," yet pull up to any red light in Greater Pittston and see yourself near Nissan Armadas, Audi TTs, Ford Excursions, Infinitis, and other high-end vehicles. This area definitely DOES have an addiction to plastic.