Changes at the Burgoo Restaurant - Powerplant Mall

We were at Burgoo Restaurant, Powerplant mall, Makati last night. Ikee had to eat beef and the place is just across the cinema so we went there.

Normally, I'd order salad, an appetizer and a main course. I'm not fond of soups but it would have been good to have it. Neither Boyet nor Ikee craved for it either so we had skipped the soup altogether. I wasn't hungry because I had just come from Big Chill and had a Jumbo drink of yogurt and fruit.

Our fare included an order of cesar's salad, calamari and beef fajita. The quantity was just right for us such that it was one of the few times we didn't have to go home with a doggie bag. The meal was ok. Nothing spectacular. Although it hadn't been like that before. Burgoo used to be a family favorite.

Last night, I thought the salad was a bit too sour for my taste. Plus, it lacked the creaminess that I used to like and had craved for in the past. Probably due to the effect of rising prices, the large serving which used to feed all five of us was not even enough for the 3 of us, to think that I wasn't even hungry. Neither were my companions.

I do wish they'd address that. It's not really a bad dining experience because Ikee still liked the food. But, I would have been happier if they hadn't altered anything. Well, maybe the price can change every now and then because customers should pay for the quality of the dish they order anyway. What's your idea?

Crayons in Your Menu?

Nah, of course not. Crayons can't be part of the menu. But it can be part of what a restaurant can offer. These days where the competition gets really stiff, there's got to be some gimmick that can attract customers to get shell their dough. Perhaps one of the best age group of customers to invest in are the children. And why not? where the children go, there's got to be at least one person to go with each one of them. That would make the sales grow double instantaneously.

But what about crayons? In Manila, there are restaurants that are considered to be kid friendly. By that I mean these restaurants offer some sort of treat to the children by giving them activities that they can do while they wait. And yes, of course, crayons are vital to the activities. In Burgoo, for example, they have this huge easel paper that covers their table and there anyone specially the children cn doodle on it. Parents and children get quality time together because they can interact while the child draws. The Burgoo branch that we like are those found in Podium and Rockwell Malls.

Another such restaurant is the TGI Fridays. Unlike Burgoo though, Fridays has the regular platemat sized paper which has caricatures that the child can color. But, they occasionally give out balloons to the young ones. Ikee's favorite is the Friday's at the glorietta. She used to like their dessert treats for kids.

If I remember correctly, even Cravings at the Shangri-la Plaza also uses crayons to keep their little customers busy while waiting for their chow.

Anyway, I do hope the restaurants realize that entertaining their most valuable clients will substantially increase their profits.