Pittsburgh Chat Thread (Millvale: stores, garden, bill)

[SteelCityRising]

My partner met the mayor this morning while he was shoveling our sidewalk. I was in the shower. Grrrr...

[doo dah]

The profits of "Darden Concepts. Inc", parent company of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, and a couple that I have never heard of, go to Florida, where they are headquartered. I reckon the profits (if any) of, say, Miss Saigon 88 go to Mount Lebanon, assuming the owners of Saigon 88 live close. Maybe they live in Soulless Cranberry.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by doo dah

"Politically correct"?

If supporting local small businesses is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

Originally Posted by doo dah

The profits of "Darden Concepts. Inc", parent company of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, and a couple that I have never heard of, go to Florida, where they are headquartered. I reckon the profits (if any) of, say, Miss Saigon 88 go to Mount Lebanon, assuming the owners of Saigon 88 live close. Maybe they live in Soulless Cranberry.

Food for thought: Most chain restaurants started out as small local small businesses. Pamela is a chain now. Primantis is a chain. If you're going to argue that's different because it's a local chain, then you have to add Eat n Park because it's headquartered here. It initially grew to just regional and still is for the most part but there's an occasional Eat n Park far and wide. So the people in Los Angeles shouldn't eat at Eat n Park locations there. Then you're getting downright silly in deciding what's acceptable and unacceptable.

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by doo dah

The profits of "Darden Concepts. Inc", parent company of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, and a couple that I have never heard of, go to Florida, where they are headquartered. I reckon the profits (if any) of, say, Miss Saigon 88 go to Mount Lebanon, assuming the owners of Saigon 88 live close. Maybe they live in Soulless Cranberry.

Reminds me of a poster or graphic I saw that said something like the following:

Percentage of the purchase price that stays in the local community when purchasing a book from:

Local bookstore: 65%
Big Box chain store: 45%
Amazon.com: 0% (exception Seattle, I suppose)

Profits from chains go to the headquarters, but they do employ locals, so some of that money arguably stays in the community. It's not nearly as much as it would be if you dined at a restaurant run by locals.

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Food for thought: Most chain restaurants started out as small local small businesses. Pamela is a chain now. Primantis is a chain. If you're going to argue that's different because it's a local chain, then you have to add Eat n Park because it's headquartered here. It initially grew to just regional and still is for the most part but there's an occasional Eat n Park far and wide. So the people in Los Angeles shouldn't eat at Eat n Park locations there. Then you're getting downright silly in deciding what's acceptable and unacceptable.

I don't think it's silly to try to spend one's money so that as much of it as possible stays within one's own community.

I'm not going to condemn people for eating at Olive Garden if they like it, but I'm not doing to deride people who shun it because it is not locally headquartered. Also, it's nice to know that some of the money paid for a meal at an Eat N' Park in State College will go back to Pittsburgh in the form of profits that could then be incorporated into whatever charitable foundations Eat N' Park contributes to.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

Reminds me of a poster or graphic I saw that said something like the following:

Percentage of the purchase price that stays in the local community when purchasing a book from:

Local bookstore: 65%
Big Box chain store: 45%
Amazon.com: 0% (exception Seattle, I suppose)

Profits from chains go to the headquarters, but they do employ locals, so some of that money arguably stays in the community. It's not nearly as much as it would be if you dined at a restaurant run by locals.

Interestingly, a dollar recirculates the most in ghettos.

There are local businesses with owners who live in Florida.

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

I don't think it's silly to try to spend one's money so that as much of it as possible stays within one's own community.

I'm not going to condemn people for eating at Olive Garden if they like it, but I'm not doing to deride people who shun it because it is not locally headquartered. Also, it's nice to know that some of the money paid for a meal at an Eat N' Park in State College will go back to Pittsburgh in the form of profits that could then be incorporated into whatever charitable foundations Eat N' Park contributes to.

I'm pointing out that often times people are pretty much punishing what started as local business for becoming successful enough to become a chain. That doesn't apply to Olive Garden (since it was always a corporate restaurant), but it's an important consideration for many chains. I'm not deriding someone who shuns Olive Garden because of where it's headquartered. This discussion originated from someone coming into this thread chastising people for eating at Olive Garden. Olive Garden gives to charity, not just in its hometown but where restaurants are located too so charity isn't really a good reason to eliminate Olive Garden.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Food for thought: Most chain restaurants started out as small local small businesses. Pamela is a chain now. Primantis is a chain. If you're going to argue that's different because it's a local chain, then you have to add Eat n Park because it's headquartered here. It initially grew to just regional and still is for the most part but there's an occasional Eat n Park far and wide. So the people in Los Angeles shouldn't eat at Eat n Park locations there. Then you're getting downright silly in deciding what's acceptable and unacceptable.

Agreed. And Eat n Park was once part of Big Boy:
Eat'n Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

I don't think it's silly to try to spend one's money so that as much of it as possible stays within one's own community.

I'm not going to condemn people for eating at Olive Garden if they like it, but I'm not doing to deride people who shun it because it is not locally headquartered. Also, it's nice to know that some of the money paid for a meal at an Eat N' Park in State College will go back to Pittsburgh in the form of profits that could then be incorporated into whatever charitable foundations Eat N' Park contributes to.

Well, its kids charities are a little more spread out than you may have thought:
Caring for Kids Campaign for Children's Hospitals | Eat'n Park Restaurants

And so what? It's pretty parochial to think that only the kids in your area deserve support.

This reminds me of the "you shouldn't shop at Walmart" debate. I told someone just yesterday, they have what I want. They're one of the only stores in my local area that carries fabric and sewing supplies. Well, besides Hobby Lobby, which is also "business non-grata" with many acitivists, b/c of its openly Christian orientation. You can't win!

When you start getting into this "locally owned" stuff, you can come in for some big surprises. They're not always as local as you think. Some of their suppliers are national, and they carry things made in China as well. This is especially true of retail outlets, more than restaurants. But one does see people stocking up on restaurant items at Costco. Of course, Costco is everyone's darling right now. If I ever need a PR firm, I'm hiring theirs!

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Food for thought: Most chain restaurants started out as small local small businesses. Pamela is a chain now. Primantis is a chain. If you're going to argue that's different because it's a local chain, then you have to add Eat n Park because it's headquartered here. It initially grew to just regional and still is for the most part but there's an occasional Eat n Park far and wide. So the people in Los Angeles shouldn't eat at Eat n Park locations there. Then you're getting downright silly in deciding what's acceptable and unacceptable.

Eat' n Park is in Los Angeles?

Eat' n Park - headquartered in Homestead PA
Primanti Brothers Corporate Office - Southside
I can't tell where Pamela's locates their headquarters. I don't think it is outside the area.

And I can't recall the last time I ate in Eat' n Park, once with the past five years, same with Primanti's only time I've ever eaten there. Never been to Pamela's. The syrup thing is off-putting, and my husband doesn't do American-style breakfast.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by doo dah

Eat' n Park is in Los Angeles?

Eat' n Park - headquartered in Homestead PA
Primanti Brothers Corporate Office - Southside
I can't tell where Pamela's locates their headquarters. I don't think it is outside the area.

That's my point. Eat n Park does have locations in Los Angeles now.

With your thinking, Los Angeles residents should viewed it as a big national chain.

That mindset punishes success of local businesses that make it national.

With the global economy, I'm just happy if I'm giving my money to an American company. LOL

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Hopes

That's my point. Eat n Park does have locations in Los Angeles now.

With your thinking, Los Angeles residents should viewed it as a big national chain.

That mindset punishes success of local businesses that make it national.

With the global economy, I'm just happy if I'm giving my money to an American company. LOL

I stopped buying Heinz Ketchup, stinkin' furrners.