Restaurant Revisited: Dinner Bell Restaurant by Maria Russo in Shows, February 27th, 2013
Not long after Robert Irvine arrived at Dinner Bell Restaurant in Madison, Tenn., it was clear to him that this mission would be unlike any he had done in the past. “This has got to be the most desperate restaurant I’ve ever been to,” he reflected after meeting owner Tommy Kirkpatrick. Before its Restaurant: Impossible experience, Dinner Bell was just two days away from closing its doors, so it was up to Robert and his team to rescue the eatery from the brink of financial ruin. Despite initial tension between Robert and Tommy, who was frustrated with the acknowledgment of his failures, Dinner Bell ultimately reopened to a full house after a much-needed deep clean, a revamping of the menu and an interior overhaul. We checked in with Tommy a few months after the renovation to find out how his business is doing today.
Dinner Bell remains “very clean,” according to Tommy, who, since the renovation, has held his employees accountable to excellence in both the front and back of the house. “Kitchen staff are expected to taste the food before each shift to ensure quality and expected to keep the kitchen in clean, working order,” he tells us. The servers “definitely look more professional than they did before the show, and Tommy is “ensuring [they] are consistently wiping the tables and table bases down, and guests are greeted with personality and friendliness.”
After the renovation, Tommy received some “positive” feedback from customers about Robert’s new menu — especially the Derby Pie, a favorite at the restaurant. However, they’ve since resorted to their previous list of offerings because the prices were too high for some diners. “Several long-term customers stated they would not return to the Dinner Bell because they could not afford a $7 BLT sandwich, which was priced previously at $4.50.”
More From Restaurant Revisited:
Nanny Goat’s Cafe & Feed Bin (February 20)
Sapori D’Italia (January 23)
Windseeker Restaurant (January 16)
Whiskey Creek Steakhouse (January 2)
Rising Sun Bistro (December 19)
Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri (December 9)
Bronk’s Bar and Grill (December 5)
Rohrer’s Tavern (November 28)
Poco’s on the Boulevard (November 21)
Oleander Bar and Grill (October 17)
Valley Inn (October 10)
Whistle Stop (October 3)
The Maple Tree Cafe (September 26)
Michele’s (September 19)
Paliani’s Restaurant (September 12)
Frankie’s (September 5)
Gusanoz (August 29)
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More posts from Maria Russo.
Another one that goes back to the old menu…. The Dinner Bell is supposedly going to be on the local news complaining about Restaurant Impossible and how they were treated. More details if you click on my name.
The news story aired last night and there is a video of it… Seems like a non story to me and nothing worthy of complaining over.
It's hard to imagine that he would revert back to old pricing over a few customers that don't recognize the value of a good meal. $7 BLT is not unreasonable and I wouldn't want that customer back if that was the attitude. Too many new customers to make up the difference!
Well when the town only has 12 people in it and 10 of 'em won't eat there…
In that part of the world, a $7 BLT IS unreasonable. Get it?
And without customers, you don't have much of a restaurant, no matter how good the food is.
Robert seems to be extra hostile this season. I am about to quit watching this show. Is he having problems with his marriage?
Most likely annoyed at ungrateful restaurant owners. Who wouldn't be annoyed at criers who can't accept the truth about their own incompetency…even when they themselves asked for such advice. Really?
I agree! I have always thought he was too harsh with people but now he is downright abusive. I can't believe how many people on these posts defend his behaviour! Sure restaurants call the show because they need help! They are failing and need guidance. That's the whole point of this show isn't it? To help people? I dont' enjoy watching people being berated and dragged through the mud before they can receive help…..not a fan anymore.
Irvine's trying to be the poor man's Gordon Ramsay. It doesn't work. He comes off sounding like a wuss and a meathead. I'll bet he wouldn't have been wagging his finger in the face of and threatening someone that was his own size. "I can go out back, but you'd better be ready for me, Tom. That's all I can tell you." What a joke.
"Poor man's Gordon Ramsay", that's a good one!
If you ever watched the show for any period of time you would notice that he has wagged his finger at guys even bigger than himself.
Totally agree. He sets an unnecessarily hostile tone.
I totally agree! I used to really like the show, but Robert has become so obnoxious.
….SHOW….you just typed your answer. It is a SHOW. (all acting)
Honestly, I was surprised by the hostility in THIS episode, in particular. He seemed quick to anger, very rude, and the only parts that seemed acted to me were when he was smiling. I normally do not think that of him, but either something was happening in his personal life or something about this particular restaurant/episode was really grating on him.
Seriously Ryan. Thats the one thing you come up with here. problems with his marriage? The hostility seems to be a common theme with chefs now on Food network. Look at Anne Burrell on Chef Wanted. She SCREAMS and gets in the face of chefs 3 or 4x an episode.
As a former resident of Madison, I can tell you the average person living there will not pay 10.00 for a meal on a regular basis. The clientele isn't there. Madison may be the poorest suburb in Nashville. Something that the show didn't talk about. A coat of paint will only do so much, ultimately its location, location, location and clientele. Madison is not ideal for either. But I admire Tommy and wish him well.
But what you are not thinking about is Madison (IS A SUBURB of Nashville) poor or not there alot of folks in that area. If you look over to west side of TN away from Memphis and Jackson and see how many folks we have passing threw our area and we find a way to make our resturants work ;)
I agree, Charlie. I'd be willing to be drive out of my suburb to another if I heard there was a great restaurant there. People won't do that for average or sub-par food at any price. Location has a lot to do with it, but fantastic food and service can overcome even the worst location.
Madison is definitely NOT the poorest suburb in Nashville. In it's day, Madison was one of the finest places to live east of the river. There are still a lot of people who live and work there that can afford a $7 BLT. The corporate headquarters of Dollar General is 2 miles away and employees 2000 people. What you have is a vocal minority of people who were used to getting a meal super cheap and are upset. If a restaurant is selling food at a cheap price, then you gotta think they are cutting corners somewhere. Restaurant Impossible exposed how the Dinner Bell was doing just that.
And as a resident of Inglewood who works in Rivergate, I can tell you that hundreds of "average" people spend $10 or more on a meal at any of the number of chain (and even fast food) restaurants in the immediate vicinity of The Dinner Bell every day. (Unless you're eating off the dollar menu, it's difficult these days to even get a combo meal at Arby's for less than $9.) The clientele IS there. The Outback Steakhouse immediately across from The Dinner Bell is always crowded.
I am broke as a joke, but in my own experience, I'll spend more on the ingredients for one meal at the grocery than I do on an entree from a restaurant that I can get two meals out of. That said…if I had the choice between a $10 meal at a chain that would be of predictable, consistent quality or a $7 meal at a meat-n-three with a dirty kitchen and unhygienic servers, I would happily pay extra for that peace of mind. But if I had the choice between a $10 meal at a chain and a $10 meal from a GOOD locally-owned meat-n-three, I would choose the good meat-n-three EVERY time. And I bet a lot of other people would, too. They key word is good — the food HAS to be good.
The owners of The Dinner Bell have no one to blame for the restaurant's problems but themselves. Though it is affordable, the food at The Dinner Bell was/is NOT quality or good, and the restaurant hasn't marketed itself at all. Heck, I'd never even seen or heard of this restaurant until I caught a rerun of Restaurant Impossible this afternoon. That speaks volumes for the restaurant's lack of efforts to get the word out about itself.
So sad. Maybe Tommy is destined to fail. Resorting back to his old ways almost bankrupted him, and continuing to complain about how they were treated…. Give me a break! This dude needs quit whining, and praise The Lord he got help!
So, is the Dinner Bell still making money with the new menu? Extra clean kitchen, better trained staff, and wonderful restaurant is super great, but have they changed all of their prices back? I understand that some 'regulars' have a bit of time, but they could slowly up the price.
Apparently you've never cooked a fresh meal, because if so you'd know fresh food in bulk is cheaper than canned food. Tommy is lazy, just as are the people who buy his food because they can't be bothered opening ones own can. Says a lot about your neck of the woods, so II choose not to visit Madison. How's the BMI index in MAdison? Enough said if you can't answer. Robert wasted his time with Tommy!
Golly gee, AMfood, (is that pronounced "am food" as if you are food? Hmm, an interesting name. Are you asking if I have EVER cooked a fresh meal? For myself or for a restaurant? Tommy looked like he was ready to take the leadership responsibilities back, realizing that he had lost them after their second restaurant had failed. He was in a depressed mood and hard-pressed to get any more than the absolute necessities done. Madison is a lovely city with wonderful restaurants and amenities and people. But as in many cities for most people, money is tight and it is hard to continue to go to a favorite restaurant that has upped its prices so much overnight. That doesn't mean that it cannot be done. Just not overnight. Or…have a super special or the old customers? But thanks for the laughs.
Seemed to be a very low-end lunch type of restaurant. I can understand the owner thinking he needs to be at 7 bucks for a meat-and-three for lunch in that part of the world, not at an eleven dollar lunch, as per Robert's take. But frozen meats and canned green beans is how they do it down there.
Going back to the old menu probably will not work. I agree with Robert, that food looked nasty. The lady had to return the catfish, and it still came out wrong the second time. I live in Chicago, sorry the people of Madison can not afford a $7 BLT… here some BLT's are $6 to $10. Today, a pound of bacon goes for about $4 to $6. You have to charge $7 daa. And, Tommy talked about hitting Robert first. These people should calm down and go play some Bingo.
Hopefully, what stuck after RI left was proper service & kitchen hygiene, plus fresher food and more flavorful cooking–even if it's the old menu items. But this place is between a rock and a hard place, as are most of the simple non-niche and downscale restaurants featured and countless others across the country in this economic climate. It's a cruel paradox, and I doubt that in the long run anything meaningful can be done about it.
Mom & pop restaurants, especially the meat-plus-threes, are the bedrock of many small towns. Unfortunately, one of their reasons for being is affordability; and the menu structure as priced by RI is simply unaffordable for most of their long-time and target clientele. OTOH, the old price structure was too low in light of food cost and overhead. And I don't know how the place could keep from losing money, much less turn a profit, with such a small margin between actual cost and menu price.
Something has to give–either food quality (going back to canned & frozen*), overhead (which would necessitate layoffs or wage cuts), or low prices (and with them a huge chunk of their loyal clientele). Otherwise, there's no way this or most other mom & pops can survive in these times. Is it any wonder that downmarket restaurant chains have taken over the small-town dining landscape? Both small-town residents and those of us who tour by car cross-country are fast losing a precious resource, and unless the jobs that supported these towns return (which they probably won't with modern de-emphasis on domestic manufacturing), these restaurants cannot possibly survive in the form that made them popular.
I think RI is doing most of its "patients" a grave disservice in not coming clean about the dire and inevitable bleak future facing most of them despite their best efforts and intentions. But then again, if Irvine were honest about that, there wouldn't be a show, now would there?
*I know that we home cooks make do quite nicely with canned and frozen proteins and veggies–but we have a captive clientele, don't have to charge our families or pay staff, and don't have to cook well and economically in large volume. The only restaurant customers willing to pay for food like that are either the tastebud-challenged or those on very tight budgets. And still, even with low prices the place was losing customers.
Love the positive outlook you have on life!
Nicely said, CS.
TL;DR
Nicely and diplomatically put!! I wonder if Tennessee has a very active restaurant promoting culture? I live in Denver and we have multiple publications, websites, blogs, affiliations and events solely dedicated to promoting local food & restaurants. As a result, many restaurants have to be on their game (no filthy kitchens!!) and offer things that differentiate them from national chains because so many people are aware of these restaurants and there is such tight competition with so many excellent eateries. All those outlets really help to support these independent business owners and has really elevated the caliber of restaurants in the city.
Boy aren't you a joy! :( Robert Irvine and RI are doing nothing but trying to help these people succeed! And as far as canned food goes, yes we home cooks use them at home but when I actually get to go to a NICE restaurant, I want fresh!!!
I can't agree with everything you said (the part about how R.I. should tell the owners how bleak their future is), Chicago Sandy, but thanks for the interesting, albeit moderately depressing post.
he's going on the local news to complain about "how they were treated"? They got a $10k overhaul of their restaurant and were shown how to run their business like professionals. Wow, cry me a river, Some people got it rough.
That $10k makeover only includes the materials, the actual value added is more in the $40k range. Try to do somebody a favor?
Once again the owners catering to a small set of "regulars" after RI leaves. If there were that many regulars, they wouldn't have needed to call RI. Ridiculous. Robert said he wanted to add something to the menu to attract new people. This restaurant didn't give it a chance. I don't know who screens for prospective restaurants, but that person should be fired. They waste money time and again on these restaurant owners who are not deserving. Robert can be over the top, and the designs as of late have been cold/stark – trying too hard to be trendy, but the important thing is food quality. He shows them how to cook real, fresh food and how to price their meals to make a profit. The guy was losing money on every plate, and if he went back to the same prices, he's once again losing money. Complaining about how mean RI was won't bring them more business, rather shaking heads as folks drive down the road past this place to another competing restaurant. And, the nerve of the staff to come out complaining, the place was set to shut down in 2 days. She would've been out of a job months ago if it weren't for RI.
Honestly I watch the show for entertainment, I don't think that most restaurants are "saved". The fact is, years and years of bad decisions can't be undone in 2 days, and old habits will return. That, and there are external factors Robert can't change. They could be in a bad location, or in a part of town that just cannot afford to go out to eat regularly, or surrounded by competition that has the capital to invest and bring in more business. More often than not, these restaurants are failing because of bad decisions AND a poor environment, only one of which Robert can temporarily fix.
I know I read one post by someone who said the strip-mall location with little signage, or at least lackluster signage, was probably part of the problem. The place doesn't jump out at you from the road.
I think in a lot of these episodes a big factor in why the restaurant is failing is ignorance plain and simple. People buy a restaurant or start one from scratch (so to speak) thinking "this will be easy! Anyone can run a restaurant! I've been a waitress/cook for 4 years, how different could it be? And when I own the restaurant I can be my own boss! I can set my own hours and be home with the kids every night!" when none of that is ever true. Running a restaurant is not easy, especially in the first few years. It also takes a huge toll on family life because you have to put in so many hours and most of those hours are in the evenings and on weekends when the nine-to-fivers are enjoying time off or with their families.
Then add to it that often these folks have no idea how to price things, how to figure out labor costs or food costs, how to advertise and get the word out or even how to find out what customers and potential customers like and want.
So you have people that fall in to depression because it just isn't what they thought it would be. They feel like failures, the feel trapped, they sometimes feel isolated and alone under the weight of all the financial and emotional burden.
Some people when they fall in to that depression deal with it by being defensive and staying in a state of denial.
When you have plans for the future, plans of what you thought your life would be and those plans come crashing down you often have to mourn those plans and that life you thought you'd have just the same as you'd mourn any other major loss. It's hard to pick up the pieces and figure out what the next step is if you haven't moved past that. Some people get caught in the denial part of the process and can't seem to get out of it.
Robert can provide the knowledge to help those that were simply unaware of how to do things most effectively, but he can't help those that are trapped in their own little world because of denial, defensiveness and just general anger and frustration.
I would strongly disagree with this. The labor value is minimal. If you pay somebody $100 to put 10 cents worth of lipstick on a pig, then your $100 is wasted.
$10,000 to redecorate any commercial establishment is a joke. That would not even cover the cost of materials for a decent floor. And in order to value the labor appropriately, the materials must be of a quality appropriate to their use.