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| Photo - Dinner Bell Facebook |
Here is an excerpt of a review from the night of the reveal (They did the makeover early November):
I went to the grand reopening of the Dinner Bell last night....After the show rapped up all the owner was doing was telling people this was not his menu and he was going back to his. They ran out of food the place filled with smoke from burning food...Owner kept blaming the show for running out of food.
Here is a review from an employee at the Dinner Bell that complains about Robert Irvine for being 'mean' and 'ruining' the restaurant:
My name is Terrilynn I've worked at the Dinner Bell for years and honestly it is the best job I have ever had!! It's terrible that this "tv show" came in and ruined our business!! I promise y'all that that everyone there puts their hearts and souls into the food and service. It was a mistake in my opinion to bring in Ronert Irvine he intimidated all of us and was incredibly mean. It was all for tv ratings on their part not to help us in any way like they said they were. He made us cry he treated us like dirt and really didn't "do" anything himself like it shows on tv his personal chef does it all. I just think its a shame that those people came in and ruined a great little mom and pop restaurant that people love to come and eat great good'! We now have our old menu back and same great service so please come and see us and give it a try I promise we will blow you away.Reviews from Urbanspoon
And finally, from the Dinner Bell's own Facebook Page:
"you remember we will be featured on restaurant impossible Friday, February 27. After that we will be on channel 2 and channel 5 to tell the truth. ..... The real story behind restaurant impossible and how we were treated "(While there, feel free to like the Food Network Gossip FB Page)
"Remember ! This Wednesday on the food network we will be featured on restaurant impossible. And be sure to watch your local news for the REAL Story on how they treated us"
"Remember tomorrow night 9 o'clock the Food network we will be featured on restaurant impossible. ... Next week will be on two local channels to tell you the truth"
Conclusion:
It looks like the Dinner Bell is not happy with Robert Irvine and Restaurant Impossible and have gone back to their old menu. Also, as Restaurant Impossible doesn't let them talk about the show until it airs, it seems as if they are anxious to get their side of the story out after tonight. I will update this post after the Food Network update as well as these supposed news stories on the local Tennessee channels, so check back in a bit.
UPDATE 3/6/2013 - The local news story finally aired last night on Tennessee News Channel 5 and the video is below. Tommy said he lost employees and customers due to the changes the show made. He also said he was left with no recipes from the new menu and no support from the Food Network. Also, as stated before, they have gone back to their old menu and lower prices. Prices on their Facebook page such as $1.50 for desserts and $5.00 for baked chicken with two vegetables, which are prices that will not help keep them in business.
Waitress Mary Jo Austin said it was difficult to watch her boss and co-workers "go through things that they didn't need to go through." I am not sure what those things were and they weren't in the news story.
Restaurant: Impossible Executive Producer Marc Summers responded with a statement: "Dinner Bell,like all the establishments the Restaurant: Impossible team visits, sought out and invited us to help them. Unfortunately, it seems they may not have been prepared for the reality of what was uncovered, and are (now) sharing a version of events that differ from what was intended, or certainly what was experienced on our side. Restaurant: Impossible seeks to help beloved (and often troubled) establishments better themselves, not every person will be able to hear about the flaws or concerns uncovered and not take it personally or even try to deflect when they revisit the experience after their episode premieres."
UPDATE 4/16/2013 - Dinner Bell Has Closed
On the one hand, I think Restaurant Impossible is a sham; on the other, who invites Robert Irvine in to their establishment and is surprised that he rips apart the menu, the staff, the management and the decor? Exactly why did they bring him again, for a free make-over and hugs?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen tonight's show yet, obviously. But I'm confused by the restaurant worker who said, "It's terrible that this "tv show" came in and ruined our business!!" How is it that RI harmed their business when that's presumably why the owner called RI and their crew in the first place? Wasn't their business already in trouble before the makeover?
ReplyDeleteOwner seems lke a real jerk who can handle crt
ReplyDeleteItiscism
Idiots
ReplyDeleteThe owners want the same thing they always want the free makeover, the national exposure, the local buzz, the increase in foot traffic. For some reason, though, they always think they'll be the "exception " to the first rule of Restaurant Impossible rule of ripping the entire place to shreds in exchange all of that.
ReplyDeleteThey showed the food that they were serving and it was bad. Even the man who owned the dinner bell. Robert made fish and the guy said it was so good and robert gave him some of the owners and it made him sick, he went in the back and threw up. Is he going to serve that to his customers and they want it ? to each his own. he just called to get the make over so he could get thousands of dollars more. when he called RI he was 2 days from closing!
ReplyDeleteWhy go back to the old ways? It didn't work...
ReplyDelete2 days from closing but Robert Irvine ruined the place? lol good one
ReplyDeleteOh, I have no doubt, the people who go on the show are reality grifters. I still think a lot of the show is b.s. in terms of *every* makeover having some dramatic issue with the decor or whatnot, and always some family crisis, etc, but absolutely, in terms of who is attracted to, and willing to take, this kind of exposure, it's people with dollar signs in their eyes.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to catch the reply later - I was watching the Top Chef finale.
I'm looking forward to the FNG update with the news coverage of the owners. I'm sure they practiced their sad faces before going on camera again.
Freaking sensitive Christians.. Goshh
ReplyDeletePretty ungrateful if you ask me. Have they never watched the show? Robert followed his same formula which of course is what has made the show popular. I suppose this guy would have been more happy if we as viewers were watching paint dry...boring. Clearly anyone with half a brain would realize that they are there to produce a show and the by product is a revamped restaurant where lots of resources are provided not to mention the free publicity. Reminds me of when I helped a relative move but all I heard later was that I didn't do enough....I am sure you have experienced people like that yourself. Those types of people are pretty annoying!
ReplyDeleteDan
If this is the way the dinner bell feels and thinks.. then i say restaurant impossibe should charge them for all the repairs they did and for all the time that was put in to do the show... seems to me if this was done in november . aired in feb robert kept a dive that was 2 days from closing open for 3 months. Personally i think robert should have taken owner out back and kicked his........
ReplyDeleteBack to old habits. Won't be long and the doors will be locked. If they aren't happy with the changes, maybe they should give the 10 k back. From the looks before and after, the place was a dump. Was considering going to eat there but since they are going back to the old menu I'd rather stay home and eat dog food.
ReplyDeleteLOL. They came in and HURT their business? They were 2 days from closing!!!! What a bunch of ungrateful assholes. Not to mention the owner threatened Robert with physical violence. No wonder they probably got treated like shit. They deserved it.
ReplyDeleteJust watched the episode. So glad I never ate there after seeing all the violations, YUCH ! "Tommy" admits he was within days of closing and he had already lost his other restaurant. Robert could have burnt the place down and it would have been an improvement . Some people are never satisfied.
ReplyDeleteTerrilyn I have a question, how did they ruin a restaurant that was going to close it's doors in 2 days? Ungrateful to say the least. I did think there would be a problem with the higher prices and that the owner would change his menu back, however if he keeps the formula 3 times + he should be ok if that and the taste of the menu has improved there may be hope for them.
ReplyDeleteThey were two days from closing and they called RI.
ReplyDeleteSo RI is now responsible for ruining the restaurant?
I have never seen so many retarded employeers and owners gathered over one roof.
For your info my daughter Ashley is on this episode she is not a grifter. But she did say it was a nightmare and would never do it again.and the people on the show DO Not get paid. Sorry to bust your bubble. Only the restaurant owner gets the benefit from the Partially free makeover.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes Irvine is as big a jerk as he portrays"
ReplyDeleteI live about 20 minutes away so I will go there for lunch and report back...
ReplyDeleteNo matter what! The owner didn't deserve to be treated like shit in order to receive RI's services. If you want to help me, great! Then do it out of the kindness of your heart in a civil fashion. You don't put your damned finger in my face after repeatedly insulting me on nationwide television.
ReplyDeleteFor all of you who feel that the owner got what he deserved, I think you're all idiots! You remind me of the buttholes who beat the homeless to death with baseball bat, just because they're homeless!
They must be doing ok after reverting back to the old menu and prices. 4 months later, and their still open.
ReplyDeletelol sure lol is she the one who puts people on wet tables or touches the ice maker with bare hands lol and drops it on the ground lol
ReplyDeleteAfter knowing there back to there own ways and there poor servers there i wont go there no way
ReplyDeleteUm, the "kindness of your heart"? Are you joking?
ReplyDeleteRI is a television show with a premise: Robert Irvine, an established loud-mouth chef and Food Network star, comes into your screwed up establishment and takes step to fix it.
And really, comparing the owner's treatment to a man beaten to death? I'm guessing from that ridiculous hyperbole, and the "you don't put your damned finger in my face" statement that you **are** the owner.
Your restaurant looked like crap. You should be thanking Irvine, not whining about him.
Um, duh that the owner reaps the benefits and is the person who applies to be on the show. Did you really think anyone needed to be schooled by you in that?
ReplyDeleteWell then if you are saying what we see is what you got, I assume we can infer the owner is as incompetent as he portrays as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching the show right now it seems pretty amazing how they seem happy and responsive to Robert. I think it's a shame how they see the need to TRY and ruin Robert. I hope that this restaurant does fail because their service sucked and the building was disgustingly dirt. If I lived in TN i would make sure to not let anyone i knew and loved eat there for the risk of them becoming ill or even die. I don't really care what the employees or owners say they are not going to change because they would much rather have a failing piece of dog poo business. So why don't they tell TN the truth about themselves instead of bashing others.
ReplyDeleteThe Nashville Scene had a story about Sylvan Park Diner when it took over the Donelson location of the Ole Dinner Bell Restaurant in November 2011: "The Donelson building was in good shape, so the Sylvan crew just gave it a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint,..."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nashvillescene.com/bites/archives/2011/11/22/meat-and-three-for-donelson-sylvan-park-coming-soon
If
ReplyDeleteyour food, service, clientele, and Management/business knowledge were
so "great" you wouldn't have been closing in 2 DAYS. You called the show
in. They didn't come begging on your doorstep. Seems to me all you are
doing with your "little" temper tantrum is trying to drum up business
because you are FAILING AGAIN. 3 times lucky huh?
Um have you never watched the show? Robert doesnt treat people like shit, hes tells it like it is so you realize what a dumbass you have been and fix it. Sugar coating is not his style. He gets in, gets the job done and hopefully you pull your head out of your ass long enough to learn something. All these people thinking their garbage food is good and that their filthy kitchen is fine.. wake up. You should be grateful he made you clean up that mess before you killed someone, or do you not care about that?
ReplyDeletehe ONLY calls them as he sees them!! I wouldv'e probably gotten in that face too if he would have told me that the food was good!!
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone other than the owner get "paid," so to speak? The other people are getting paid, quite literally, by the owner. Why would FN pay them?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the $10,000.00 makeover Robert did?
ReplyDeleteI cooked there for almost a year. The food sucks. The owner really is like that. The big crybaby waitress is a junkie. She's been fired and quit like 5 times. There's so much more than what they showed. There's a few cool people that work there but the place still sucks!
ReplyDeleteThe owner of the restaurant came off as a complete jerk, who had absolutely no clue what good food was. The staff also came across as incompetent. i wouldn't eat their food if it was free.
ReplyDeleteWas it that bad? *grins*
ReplyDeleteWell, I searched Channel 5 and 2's website and did not find anything about the Dinner Bell. On their Facebook page there is nothing about being on the news.
ReplyDeleteHe was probably just running his mouth about that.
ReplyDeleteI think the response from Marc Summers is spot on! If your business is that close to failing, I have a problem understanding why you didnt make changes sooner and then when you do in fact ask for help at the last minute appear to be very ungrateful for the help you do receive because it doesnt meet some fantasy expectation.
ReplyDeleteLooks Like going back to your old ways "REALLY" helped you out. I counted maybe 10 customers if you were lucky!
ReplyDeleteIf they went are pointing at RI as the problem and have goneback to the old menu, denying there was any problem, you can bet they have gone back to the unsanitary conditions. Can't imagine anyone, even for a cheap BLT, wanting to eat there knowing they are spiraling backwards in to the same dump.
ReplyDeleteTwo days from closing, a company comes and saves you by spending 10 grand and tons of labor cleaning and redecorating your pig sty. They then show ou a bunch of menu options, teach you to add so you can realize that $6.50 for dinner with three sides will get you broke in 2013 with all the food inflation that's aken place, THEN put the whole thing on TV thereby giving you a marketing boost mot dream about.
ReplyDeletethat an apt description of the people that screwed you Tommy? If this placed is open in 18 months it will be a miracle, and good riddance. Talk about biting the hand that Feeds you.
Just watched the show and the news on channel 5 tv. This restaurant and its plain food before or after the remake didnt appeal to me at all. It also seems like the owner is a whiner who doesnt want to accept responsibility for his failures. Instead want to blame Robert Irvine and Rest. Imposs. for his continued failure. Ungrateful and in denial.
ReplyDeletethe obese server is clueless. Putting the ice scoop BACK into the ice machine?? WHY would anyone need to be told NOT to do this? I saw her on camera touch her body, face, touch food- and then she had the gall to trash the Restaurant Impossible show, not just her but the staff and owners. How ungracious can you be? What happened to people today? Have they all lost their minds and sense of propriety? I'm not that old, but seems things have changed for the worse in the past 10 years...
ReplyDeleteThe restaurant is now for sale on Craigslist.
ReplyDeleteI want to know which one was the one that picked their butt! So gross! What a raunchy place and I would NEVER eat there!
ReplyDeleteDINNER BELL: enjoy going into bankrupsy ungrateful brats.
ReplyDeleteYeah I get Robert is intense at times but really to blame the show for ruining your business is bull.. your business was already failing and would have failed faster without the help so they only have themselves to blame for crap food and bad services
ReplyDeleteThe owner himself says he was 2 days from closing. How did anyone ruin his restaurant? The guy is delusional. OTOH, what did you expect a pompous ass from a TV show to do for you in a few days? Some things were meant to be! Close up the store and move on dude!
ReplyDeleteHe's selling the dinner bell on Craigslist......
ReplyDeleteI live in Inglewood and work in Rivergate, and I'd never even seen or heard of this place. I had to Google map it to even figure out where it was. After seeing this episode of Restaurant Impossible and hearing about the restaurant's attitudes afterward, I definitely won't be going there EVER.
ReplyDeleteTommy Kirkpatrick, is that you???
ReplyDeleteInteresting!
ReplyDeletehttp://nashville.craigslist.org/bfs/3659137927.html
I agree. It's ridiculous to ask for help to change and improve and then expect things to stay the same. If they don't want a new menu, new decor, and more conscientious staff, what exactly DO they want? "Please, Food Network, make my customers love my disgusting food and crappy decor "? That seems like what the ungrateful owners want.
ReplyDeletewhat an ungreatful DICK!!! your shitass restaurant is still open thanks to irvine and the show! what a shame 1 NOW I HOPE YOU FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteshe's a GRIFTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! get over it you raised a GRIFTER!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIT IS REALLY SAD THIS SHITHOLE WENT BACK TO THE OLD MENU UR DAUGHTER MIIGHT HAVE LOST SOME WEIGHT WITH THE NEW ONE
ReplyDeleteLOLOLOL!!!!!! WHAT AN ASS U R!!!!!!!!!!!The owner asked him to come help WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BEATING HOMELESS PEOLPLE U SICK IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of restaurants out there who could of really appreciated RI's help in reviving their restaurant. As with any makeover show, the owners are gonna hear things they don't want to hear. IMO this guy is an ungrateful jerk who whined about his experience on his local news station and just posted his restaurant for sale on CL. It did say in the ad he is looking for a career change as reason for the sale. I think he wants to be a prison chef since he would have a captive clientel who have no choice but to eat the crap he served people.
ReplyDeleteThey thought robert irvine was mean, good thing they didnt call gordon ramsay, lol. I also have to agree with everyone else if your restaurant is 2 days away from closing why are you whinning about this show hurting your business??? I live in TN but would never eat here. Nice decor and new menu doesnt cover up the fact that the staff and their actions are nasty as hell.
ReplyDeleteIf they are so right and RI so wrong--why were they "two days from closing?" These people are too stupid for a financial model that requires voluntary customers and need to get themselves a government job...
ReplyDeleteThey have the place up for sale on Craigslist WTH is this guy's problem
ReplyDeleteThis is how much he "loves" this place http://nashville.craigslist.org/bfs/3659137927.html
ReplyDeleteWhat a spoiled brat of a man. He just didn't like that his true side came out on TV so now he's crying foul? I agree with many other people here that if they were 2 days from closing how could the show have made it worse. They are still open ..for now.
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of restaurant that is closing everywhere - cheap, lousy food that panders to folks who can't or won't part with a nickel without screaming. Cafeterias have mostly disappeared, and this Nashville concept of 'meat and two sides' for five bucks or less won't float for a restaurant that depends on those sales to stay open. He might stay open awhile longer with those old prices and bad food, but it'll be a slow and painful death.
ReplyDeleteDinner Bell recently seen it. Did anyone notice the Health code violations was written up? I say Tommy shame on YOU!!! You have some nerve to blame Chef Robert who is a true pro and one of the very best Chefs. U owe Robert and his team! Dinner Bell was going down and going back to the old has proved it. Do not blame Robert! You did not get his recipes that was your fault. Chef Robert is a success and You Tommy and staff are losers!
ReplyDeleteUngrateful people
ReplyDeleteamen
ReplyDeleteJust watched the local news coverage. How many tables were filled showing that "beloved" restaurant?
ReplyDeleteThey couldn't handle a government job. Lots of those jobs are harder than you think.
ReplyDeleteLol and it's super cute that they're closed now. Idiots. Restaurant: Impossible maybe not be one hundred percent realistic, but it's not their fault they were such incompetents that they shut down.
ReplyDeleteBefore RI the food at Dinner Bell was nasty and bland. Dinner Bell once catered a meal at work and all the food they brought was horrible and smelled bad! Not to mention they were late! Decided to give them a chance after RI and it was so much better!! Guess they should have stuck with what RI showed them and they might still be in business.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the Channel 5 News story, it says the restaurant owner lost employees due to RI. Part of me thinks the employees he lost were the ones who threw lemons in his bin, and criticized him, during Robert's meeting with the staff... The owner just seems like that type of guy...
ReplyDelete"Have went"? Have gone.
ReplyDeleteThe owners themselves said they were two days from closing. No one to blame but themselves.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you have the problem dumb person. Don't blame the Christians for this the guy was an arrogant SOB and very ungrateful. He himself said the restuarant was two days from closing when the called RI for help.
ReplyDeleteThe show is a huge sham perpetrated by Sysco foods... Think about it for a minute you will completely understand
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a dinner bell restaurant closing down ???! Was it this shlt place ??? That tallking out of his A** owner going ''back'' to his old menu LOLOLOL. How awesome. Shows you what ungrateful inbreds HA !I've saved this dinner bell episode on our dvr just so we can laugh at this ridiculous ungrateful owner and those trailer trash minions he couldn't let go. Well all of you didn't deserve this beautiful makeover nor tips to better your old nasty place and food. The good samaritan (Robert Irvine) should have just kept walking and let yall close yourselves, bunch of ingrate inbreds down!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all the comments about this restaurant being for sale on Craig's List, it seems apparent the ole Tommy used Restaurant Impossible for a free makeover with all intentions of selling. All the derogatory comments towards RI were an attempt to cover up what he had done. What a LOSER! He obviously knew nothing about running a restaurant
ReplyDeleteThat's why you're restaurant CLOSED because you went back to your old ways and you'll be living in regret for the rest of your life!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTommy deserved what he got -- nobody can make money at those prices, even in massive volume, and he was stupid to think he could. He had brought in that CHEAP, penny-pinching crowd and made them his base, then they WHINE like idiots when a piece of pie ala mode costs more than $1.50. IDIOTS. It costs TWICE that at the local grocery store! Tommy is a FOOL, and a FOOL and his MONEY are SOON PARTED. Tommy, a RESTAURANT is about the COMPLETE EXPERIENCE, and people PAY MORE for that whole experience and service. Your problem was that you thought you should GIVE AWAY your LABOR and OVERHEAD, and just charge about what the food cost you. FOOL.
ReplyDeleteI think that RI is one of the best shows on the Food Network Channel. As for the Dinner Bell, I think the owner planned on selling his business before he contacted RI. One of the other contributors stated the same view. By not spending $10,000 dollars out of his own pocket the owner gained both money and a property that he could sell. No investor with any business knowledge would have bought the restaurant in the nasty condition it was in before the makeover. As for the owners, he is a real piece of work, a jerk and a blowhard. Not to repeat, but he is also a whiner, an ingrate, and a big baby. His wife is a nonentity. The staff are incredulous. What nasty, stupid, shallow individuals. One could tell that at least two of the staff had huge crushes on saint owner. What horrible taste.
ReplyDeleteGood riddance to a nasty resturant and a despicable owner/man. Go Robert and RI.
The owner is an idiot, a whiner, and a cry baby. His method was not working and so he called for help. If he didn't do as was recommended, it isn't RI or Chef Irvine's fault. When I saw this episode, I didn't think he was going to make it. Problem is that he is only targeting one group of people instead of trying to attract new customer's. He said in the interview that they knew a lot of their customer's by name so that tells me they are stagnant in growth. He needs to grow up a lot more before he starts another business or he will fail once again.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to see & read about what the owner & employees would've said about Gordon Ramsey, if they asked for his help at The Dinner Bell! Chef Gordon Ramsey makes Robert Irvine look like Mother Teresa! Then the folks at The Dinner Bell would REALLY known what MEAN is!
ReplyDeleteIDIOTS???!?? REALLY???!!??
ReplyDeleteAnd you claim that RI didn't give you any new menu items for the new menu he insisted on giving you for your restaurant, after you hired him to help you with your already failing restaurant.
Your explanation makes no sense whatsoever.
There cannot be a new menu, if RI showed you how to cook fish on your grill, and you both agreed that it would be put on your new menu, can there??
So how can you say that you went back to your old menu, if RI didn't give you anything new for you to cook in your restaurant in the 1st place, as you claimed??!??
That claim is really so ridiculous!
Your reason that your restaurant failed is all because RI was so mean to you & your staff??!??
Even though your restaurant was already failing & ready to close down before RI & his show came to you when you pleaded for his help???!!???
HILARIOUS!!!
Nothing but classic excuse making!!!
Good fucking riddance!!! The restaurant was going to fail regardless of Restaurant Impossible intervention. The makeover should have went to a better class of humans that can take the criticism and drastic change in all aspects of the show.
ReplyDeleteIf the Dinner Bell served such great food with their last menu, I don't think they would have needed Robert. Sounds like a desperate attempt to save face! Shame on the Dinner Bell! Don't ruin it again!
ReplyDeleteRobert is brutally honest. If the dinner bell was so great, why did THE OWNERS ASK for help?
ReplyDeleteI have seen an episode where Robert says the all of the food tastes good. But, obviously something was not right. He fixed the problem. He doesn't dislike every menu for ratings!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the Dinner Bell was looking for a free lunch!
ReplyDeleteAfter the dinner "rapped" up? I thought it was "wrapped" up! Not too intellectual are you? Want some canned Spam instead?
ReplyDelete"Thomas" that's the stupidest shit I ever read. Robert should have kicked in the owner's teeth for the way that restaurant was run. FILTHY! Should have been shut down, not having someone try to save it. Glad it ended up closing...that's karma for being ungrateful and talking trash.
ReplyDeleteExcuse me, but didn't the restaurant get a free 10,000 redo? How is that not getting paid?
ReplyDeleteDid you guys bother to watch the show before you called? Robert is an in your face kind of guy. What the heck did you expect? Seriously. This place obviously had issues, or why would they have called the show? I seriously don't get it when restaurants are close to closing, call for help, and then get mad when someone tells them they have issues.
ReplyDeleteSo the owner lied in the clips aired for the show? Did the customer s lie also about the improved food. Sounds like the owner chose to fail. Irvine didn't cause him to fail, he was ready to close in two days when Irvine showed up. 10K, new menu and some harsh criticism, perhaps deserved, and he closes it inspire of the help. WOW! Someone needs a reality check. If the owner wanted to succeed, he would have.
ReplyDeleteCan't cook or run a restaurant either. Which explains why it failed and is no longer in business. He really had to want to fail. He had all the help he needed. He just wasn't smart enough to turn that help into keeping the business open. Looks like he got why he wanted.
ReplyDeleteHe must have wanted to close the business on a high note. Now he knows he's a failure since it closed.
ReplyDeleteIt's supposed to be a "nightmare" for those who have been wallowing in failure and liking it. Otherwise there would be no need for a rescue, there would be no TV show and the restaurant would still be in business.
ReplyDeleteSince they are out of business you have all the proof of incompetence you need. As if the lousy food wasn't enough, the dirt and filth along with the careless servers who didn't know the first thing about health and safety laws would kill any restaurant. It was a perfect storm of failure. The owners and staff did nothing right.
ReplyDeleteSome people are experts at failure.
ReplyDeleteIt aired again (10/24/13) last night which is interesting since it's no longer in business.
ReplyDeleteApparently this owner didn't want to keep his place open. He just gave up when he realized he didn't have what it takes.
ReplyDeleteThey were two days away from closing when Irvine arrived and went back to their old menu after Irvine left. The owner was stubborn, did not accept change, and ultimately failed. The owner needs to take responsibility for his demise and not blame Irvine.
ReplyDeletePretty obvious why they failed.
ReplyDeleteIt's another situation in which the owner won't take the blame himself. He's trying to shift the blame onto Robert Irvine and his show. Robert did an awesome job with a difficult person. The owner needs to realize that HE ALONE is to blame. The owner is delusional if he thinks that Robert was at fault. Denial is NOT a river in Egypt!
ReplyDeleteI watched the Dinner Bell Restaurant Impossible segment, and the owner was from the start disagreeable with Chef Robert. He couldn't take criticism nor did he like to be told his food was poorly prepared or seasoned. What was shown on Roberts actions was for the owners best interest, and he called it the way he saw it.
ReplyDeleteMy question is this, why did the owner allow Robert Irvine continue with the remodeling of the Restaurant, and set up a new menu?? If he didn't want him there he should have stopped him him and asked him to leave?? Half of the upgrade of the restaurant the Owner showed his contempt for Robert Irvine, and until the end of the program, he began to soften to the changes showing his appreciation for the improved look.
First off, Chef Robert uses the rough techniques to shock the owners into reality of how poorly and inadequately the restaurant is being managed. Also he points out the main reasons why the business is failing, and most owners can't accept the truth because of their ego. These Restaurant Owners contact Restaurant Impossible for help, there is no way Chef Robert could possible know which business was needing help!
ReplyDeletethe owner was a loser who didn't have the right stuff to run the restaurant business. That being said, Irvine is not the be all end all that he pretends to be. I lived in England for several years and they really don't cook too well. They can do breakfast and fish and chips, that's about it. The rest of their cooking is either faux French with pretentions of grandeur but is really bad, or simply gross food like eel pies (East end of London), Bubble and Squeak, Trout Marney with granules of sand in it, etc. If one is to really open a good restaurant to USA tastes, first research the market, get a good accounting system in place, and hire good quality people. You don't need to go to a TV show to do that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a moron. It is nearly impossible to stay open selling 5 dollar meals with 3 sides. Even if you kept food costs at 1.50 you still would not make enough per customer to keep the place open. Well, unless you are McDonalds with a hundred grand worth of automated equipment that lets you heat up frozen food and get them out the door in 60 seconds...
ReplyDeleteI would imagine it takes a bit of rumination to decide to call up Food Network and invite Robert Irvine. First, they have to have watched a few (or a lot) of his episodes to know they will most likely be harshly criticized, and yet, they act surprised and complain? Secondly, to still vilify the show after $10000 had been spent on their establishment at no cost to them?
ReplyDeleteThe owners of Dinner Bell are definitely not clear thinkers.
Love this show! I've noticed that some of these failing restaurants just
ReplyDeletewant the 10,000 dollar makeover, then sell the place. I think that was
the case here. I'm sure Robert is aware this goes on, so he probably
puts geeks (like Tommy) through the shredder. Tommy is obviously someone who has issues, and I hope RI got what it needed out of his failure.
Just saw the episode 11/23/2014. The wife is a nurse and educated. I wonder what his educational level is. He acts ignorant and spoiled. He can't hide his failure by deflecting it. He is only emphasizing the cause of his failure. The obese waitress reinforced southern stereo-types. Stupid has no cure. But, ignorance can be fixed if the person is receptive. This guy chose to remain ignorant. Too bad he reproduced. I just hope that his wife is the major influence on the children. Maybe the next generation will select more suitable mates. RI blew 2 days and $10,000.
ReplyDeleteTommy's petulance did him in.
ReplyDeleteThis restaurant is now a Salvadorian restaurant using the redecorated seating area unchanged from the redecoration of the Dinner Bell.
ReplyDelete