jwsknk:
morning really depends on location, location, location. Campgroung, route out of town, and where you are. People are more willing to wander to find supper than breakfast. If y’all haven’t collasped by 9 am may stop by.

I hope not to collapse until Thursday afternoon, but time will tell. Being one block off the courthouse square downtown, we are no where near campground locations or the route out of town. Coming to eat with us in the morning will take you out of your way. I just hope that we do a good enough job Wednesday night, that everyone that stops in will think we’re worth the extra time and trouble to visit again in the morning. A tall order, but we’ll try our hardest.

Zinger:
Beef stroganoff sounds fabulous!! Please, please, please plan to keep serving late! My group often times doesn’t eat until 9-10 pm and it’s often times slim pickings!!

We are planning to serve until 10:00, or longer if there is a demand, we haven’t run out of food, and staff doesn’t revolt. It’s a crap shoot which happens first. I would like to get at least a couple hours sleep before we fire the ovens in the morning in order to open again at 4:00 a.m.

Terry Hunt:
Okay, you have me sold.I will be looking for your restaurant.I love seafood and vegetarian dishes and you have both.

Thanks. We’ll keep an eye out for you.

havencoffeehouse: Ok, I’m really confused here.We don’t sell walleye and we’re not in Springfield.I’d appreciate if someone could explain this. . .

That is a reply to murphymp. Look closely at his avatar and all will be clear.

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Sandaltan:
Here is what the 2003 survey said.
http://www.siouxcenterragbrai.com/wp-content/themes/responsive/docs/Catering.pdf

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Interesting. Many here have bemoaned the abundance of pasta on the ride, but the survey puts spaghetti or lasagna as the top two preferences. Beef and noodles barely makes the top ten of the survey, but is requested by many here. Is the nine year old survey out-dated, or is our little cross sampling here not representative of the majority? Hard to tell at this point, but I’m listening, and I should learn a lot in the next few months. Maybe we’ll end up with a choice of marinara and meatballs or alfredo with chicken breast over pasta and a side salad as our special-made-in-abundance that night, and then cross our fingers the survey is still right.

Minnesota:
I have noticed over the years that places at night that have vegetables in some form do really well and people will stand in line a long time for veggie ca-bob. Many people are bogged down by so much starch and fried foods, many athletes or even in shape people are not used to eating this stuff. Definitely agree on the limited memu. Pick what you do well, and do lots, but make sure you get the word out if you are not prominent.

Point taken. Good information and something to seriously consider how we could do that. Thanks!

Michrider:
Beer & fried chicken!!!!

I could go for some of that myself, be we don’t fry anything, and we don’t serve alcohol. We’ll both have to find somewhere else to toss back some suds — and some chicken bones.

Minnesota:
After looking at your menu, I would suggest you do 1 or 2 of you specialties (lasagna or something with chicken) and if you do sandwiches have them all prepared and lots of them…DO NOT plan on making them as you go! Depending on how close you are to the action, this “could” be the busiest night of your business ever. Quick, easy, somewhat unique and get the word out.

You are singing my song Minnesota! I’m expecting exactly what you predict, and I want to offer what you suggest: “quick, easy, and somewhat unique”. I don’t know yet what that’s going to be, but time is on my side yet, and I’m learning a lot from the postings on this forum. Thank you, and thank you everybody for chiming in. Keep the ideas coming!

Regarding the survey HCH, it did not ask for seven dinner preferences only what do you prefer. After three or four days of spaghetti and lasagna a chicken and noodle or beef and noodle look pretty good. The answer ya get often depends on how you ask the question. AND…I will go back and look….maybe tomorrow, but oatmeal did not make the breakfast list. Many of us would pay top dollar for a breakfast of oatmeal & the fixins with choice of coffee and / or milk and maybe a frozen fruit cup.

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Sandaltan:
Regarding the survey HCH, it did not ask for seven dinner preferences only what do you prefer. After three or four days of spaghetti and lasagna a chicken and noodle or beef and noodle look pretty good. The answer ya get often depends on how you ask the question. AND…I will go back and look….maybe tomorrow, but oatmeal did not make the breakfast list.Many of us would pay top dollar for a breakfast of oatmeal & the fixins with choice of coffee and / or milk and maybe a frozen fruit cup.

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Very true. It’s hard to interpret information from the survey without having seen it myself. Was the list of choices provided and respondents simply ranked them as to personal preference, or was there a blank to fill in what they actually would like to eat. That could change the answers. No one wants to eat the same thing night after night. I never did when I rode. But I also don’t know what you will have for food options on the nights earlier in the week. If everyone pays attention to this forum debate, you might have beef & noodles available the prior four nights. Lots of variables without concrete information, which boils down to a flip of the coin. What concerns me most from the survey, is that the VAST majority prefered to eat dinner at churches. Only 17% prefered local eateries. That doesn’t look good for me, does it.

As far as breakfast, oatmeal wasn’t on the survey as an option. Again, was there a blank for people to write in their preference, or just rank the provided list? Cereal was the closest choice and it didn’t fare well with popularity. Doesn’t look good for our homemade granola then. The biggest number for me to pay attention to is that 79% prefer to eat breakfast 10 or 15 miles into the ride. Someone in Garwin or Cluttier needs to be ready with pancakes and oatmeal.

I don’t remember the format of the survey, a long time ago for my feeble memory to handle. Sometimes overnight towns will post on their web site the menu that has been decided upon by each civic organization and church. I like that and I make notes before I leave home because I know where I want to eat when I roll into town. It is good that the organizations put their heads together otherwise everyone could decide on spaghetti and meat sauce. HORRORS!!

Do not worry about everyone eating at the churches, you will be swamped. Have three or four kids on hand to just empty garbage and bus tables. Think about having a couple kids in sandwich boards walking the city square in the afternoon and early evening advertising your breakfast.

You have a very active bike club in M’town with decades of RAGBRAI experience that you can tap for opinions, do so.

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ST, how did “Meat on a stick”do on the survey??????

I’m a meat and potatoes guy, always with a salad. Anything hearty fits the bill for me. As long as there’s enough. Don’t want to leave unsatisfied!

Michrider:
ST, how did “Meat on a stick”do on the survey??????

I have gone back and researched the archives and “Meat on a stick” was second only to “COLD beer in a can”.

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Sandaltan: I have gone back and researched the archives and “Meat on a stick” was second only to “COLD beer in a can”.

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That’s what I’m talking about!!!!!!!!