Evidence of a tight economy?

NEWS FLASH: I JUST TALKED TO PO FOLKS OWNER KEITH FOBURG WHO SAYS HE'S DISCONTINUED THIS 25-CENT WATER POLICY. HE'S CALLING IT A FAILED EXPERIMENT. WITH HIS COSTS RISING NEARLY 40 PERCENT THIS PAST YEAR, IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO RECOUP SOME COSTS. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

Alright, Ed C. is right (and, as much as I hate to say it, George W. Bush in his Rose Garden speech the other day is right). The food crisis abroad, and skyrocketing food prices domestically, are worthy of our attention, concern, ink, whatever. Food writers blather on about garniture and sauces while conditions for eaters all over the world are worsening.

People have asked me whether I've seen bleak economic news playing out on menus in the Tampa Bay area. In real terms, are menu prices rising, are menu offerings changing? Not much, I've said. But now I have a little piece of news that may be the beginning of an avalanche of change. Get ready:

Two weeks ago, Po Folks on 34th St. N. in St. Petersburg began charging 25 cents for a glass of water. Glass, water, ice, lemon if you want it, maybe a straw. That's what you get for 25 cents.

Anyone have any other dining-out indications that times they are a changin'?

Comments

[Erica]

Okay, so this isn't that current, but in Jan we were charged $1 for a glass of tap water at a certain Raw/Vegan "restaurant" in Tampa. No straw, no lemon and by the time we got them, the ice was mostly melted.

[StPeteReader]

Ridiculous. It's tap water. I don't eat at Po Folks, but if I did I hope they wouldn't mind me bringing my own water, at least it's bottled.

[Poor Folks]

Guess Po Folks t'aint really fo Po' Folks!

[David]

You would think a place like Po' Folks would want to give customers reasons to come to their restaurant, not reasons to NOT go. Twenty five cents for a glass of ammonia and chlorine? No thanks.

[kitty]

Perhaps if restaurants didn't serve such gargantuan portions, they wouldn't need to charge for water. We recently went to a family restaurant for my husband's birthday. They charged nearly as much for an extra plate to share food as they did for a meal, so everyone ordered their own meal. The portions were so huge that one meal could have served my family of four - and we still would have had leftovers! Many Americans tend to eat what they're served, so by restaurants would also do their customers' health a favor by not providing an obscene amount of food.

[Larry]

I guess that's why I never go to Po Folks. That's pretty stupid. If they had any brains, they would have just raised the price of the food.

[Athony]

Whats next? I guess they will charge to use their bathroom also.

[grossout]

PoFolks is so disgusting all I would WANT there is a glass of water!

[Russ]

Well water does cost them SOMETHING. And the straw and the lemon. Plus, washing the glass. It's about break-even. Why not complain about $2 for a coke? That's a bigger mark-up. Out of the tap it costs them about 25 cents.

[The Mouth]

Is that true, Russ? I was wondering exactly how much it does cost a restaurant, in terms of the water itself, the amortized per-use cost of the glass, the straw, the labor in terms of effort expended by waitstaff and dishwasher, ice. There's so much stuff restaurants give for free. Bread, use of napkins, condiments, sugar packets, etc. I wonder how much that all costs when added up.

I wont be going to Po Folks anymore, oh that's right I have never been.

[The Urban Eater]

Mouth: I'd say 25 cents is about right for everything invloved in the glass of water. But, as Larry said, they would have probably been better off increasing their menu by a few cents on their most popular sellers. Then no one would have noticed or at least not have cared.
As far as bread, napkins, sugar, etc. None of that is free. It's all worked into the menu prices. So is rent, electricity, water, maintenance, etc. It's all considered overhead.
sales - (overhead+labor+food cost)= your profit
Same way any other industry runs a business.

[CJ]

Recent order of dozen oysters on the shell came with 2 packs of saltines (4 crackers) and 1 tiny lemon wedge. Only time we order out is for take out at places that still give huge portions. We split one order, pour our Own water.

[Ted]

Some bars are charging $1 for a slice of lime.

[The Other CJ]

People wondering about what it costs a business for extras, about $30,000 a year for an extra ketchup packet, $70,000 for extra sauce, $10,000 for xtra napkins.

But boy do you get ripped off with soda, fries and shakes.

[The Other CJ]

Ted, if a bar charged me a buck for a slice of lime in my already over priced watered down drink, I'd walk.

but .25 for a water, big deal

[The Mouth]

U.Eater, I think consumers tend to take all those "freebies" for granted. With the price of foodstuffs increasing so dramatically, why don't menu prices, at least in the Tampa Bay area, seem to be exhibiting a similarly precipitous climb? Just that the market won't bear it, or are restaurants cutting corners elsewhere (or by charging for things that heretofore were "freebies")?

[mumbles]

I bought powdered water the other day.

I don't know what to add.

[Pete]

So, what was their point of charging 25 cents for the water? They must be trying to make a point. Surely, they're not stupid enough to know that being charged 25 cents for an item that should be included in the cost of a meal, same as napkins and sugar, would drive customers away. Or maybe they are. They can't spell poor, so maybe they are stupid. And by the way, I've never eaten there either, nor will I be anytime in the near future.

[blah]

If you dont have a freakin quarter for a glass of water, please stay home and have a pack of ramen noodles and a dixie cup of your own water for dinner.

I really dont want to be sitting next to the jerk comlaining about the extra 25 cents on his bill.

[Mike]

Since it hasn't been pointed out in these comments, the point of charging 25 cents for a glass of water is that too many of their customers were bringing in the lemonade mix packets and mixing their own lemonade using the sugar on the table and the lemon wedge. Now, in food service, drinks are one of the hugest markups on the menu, and a large part of income to keep restaurants running. This move is just a way to keep at least part of the margin without creating a conflict with customers of saying "No, you can't bring a lemonade mix in here".

[David]

Does that .25 include free refills?

[Sam]

Is it free for a cup of ice? I'll have water in no time!

[blah blah]

"If you dont have a freakin quarter for a glass of water"
Exactly what they are hoping you would say. And next...parking $1 per hour and 10 cents per minute per seat!!! Add it all add up...it's not just a measly 25 cents.
It should be made up in the overall meal price.
Simple for me - I will not be patronizing them.
Most folks eat out entirely too often anyway, let's save some fuel for the future generations while we are at it!

[Gus Gruerio]

Listen folks....Water cost money, lemons cost money, ice cost money..so pay the quarter and chill out

[Gus Gruerio]

Listen folks....Water cost money, lemons cost money, ice cost money..so pay the quarter and chill out

That 25 cents will lose them goodwill and new customers. Good business move - not!

[Dr_Dug]

Not to worry. Our tax refund should spur the economy and all will be well!! Great voting everyone!!!

Dr_Dug has something there - I'm going to Po'Folks and buy 2,400 glasses of water with my refund!

[hank]

My belief is that the price was imposed because people were forgoing coffee/soft drinks that normally return a better profit than the food items and build his overall tidcket average. If people are ordering water and reducing his ticket average, how else is he going to retain his profit (you take money to the bank not percentages)? 7 – 11 has been charging for a cup and ice for some time. $0.25 is still a value compared to alternative beverages. Nothing is more expensive than “free” at the restaurant.

The statement I am really curious about is that his costs have risen 40% this year. Fixed overhead, labor, food costs? I don’t dispute the number, but where did 40% come from? Protein pricing on chicken and beef is actually lower this year vs. last year. And I have to believe that protein pricing is one of the primary elements of his food cost.

[Old Chef Dude]

I'm still in the restaurant BIZ have a place that's doing really well didn't have to raise my prices. Smart shopping paying attention to market trends and costs adjusting purveyors as needed and etc... its all part of the game.Charging for water please if your admitting to it????????

[Chase]

The sonic drive-thru in Largo charges $.10 for a cup of tap water...no lemons included. plus if you look close enough you may notice the fine print beneath burgers that says "choice of mayo OR mustard". plus those rollerskating fools expect a tip... for taking 30 minutes to bring out condument short burger and dime water?! talk about a rip.