Applebee's and the current economy

I had completely forgotton about Bill's 77th birthday on 30 June (too busy carpet cleaning the house for Mom's visit on 1 July) so after my three-hour volunteer hours at the County Extension office yesterday afternoon I stopped at Applebee's in town. That place had been our party place for years. Bill was sitting at the bar and I came up behind him to wish him a belated birthday. Bill was already quite toasted after a few drinks at El Paso Steakhouse before coming to Applebee's.

I hadn't been in the place since Mother's Day with Mom, Bill, Kevin. The menu has changed (meaning prices have gone up) but the biggest disappointment was the removal of Fat Tire and Shiner's Hefe Weizen beer from their tap. The only beers Applebee's now sells are the shitty National brands like Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, Michelob Ultra and Amber Bock. Not much of a choice there for good beer. The server, Briannon, seemed impatient with my indecision on beer.

"It was a corporate decision" said Briannon, about removing the microbrews from the tap. Shiner's Hefe Weizen was the only beer I drank at Applebee's, and the only decent beer on tap.

I finally settled for Michelob Ultra. The beer tasted like watered-down hops water. Low in Carbs, low in taste. Yuck.

And then my appetizer, the vegetarian pizza, was half the size it was when I last ordered the pizza a few months ago. Instead of almost as large as the plate it was served on, the pizza was the size of a saucer and thinner than a cracker.

The entire meal was a total disappointment. The portion size and menu change is a direct reflection of the bad economy. Bill said this is the worst he has seen in his life. Even customers were not in the bar like they used to be (I remember when the regulars at the bar would line outside the establishment at 3:59pm to get inside for 4pm Happy Hour. Now half the bar stools were vacant and the restaurant wasn't the loud crowd I remember it to be.

NBC Nightly News a few days ago said that 68% of Americans have cut back on eating out since the downturn of the economy. I know I am one of those Americans, but when I do go out to eat I still want it to be a positive experience.

"'El Paso' is the place to go now," revealed Bill. "Their Happy Hour starts at 3pm seven days a week."

I had two shitty beers and chatted with Bill about upcoming hikes and car camps (still no concrete dates for the Idaho car camp), mentioned my health and my concerns, talked about Sadie. If it hadn't been for Bill being there I wouldn't have stayed at Applebee's, let alone ordered anything. I only showed up in the hopes of catching him for a belated birthday celebration. I treated him to his drinks, which was the least I could have done.

I got back home at 5:30pm to Kevin outside watering the apple trees. I hadn't watered the yards in three days to let the monsoonal rains take over. The water bill in June was $15 less than the huge one in May: down to $51.53 from June's $66.

It stormed again overnight for some more moisture. Now I have to take time out to continue digging two more vegetable patches. I bought more beans and peas for a late-summer harvest. Our garden is growing every month!