The 'Restaurant Makeover' Curse

[DC83]

Has anyone else noticed that a lot of the Restos 'reno'd' by FoodTV's Restaurant Makeover show have either closed down, or aren't doing very well business-wise?

A couple examples I can think of:

Lub on Church St -- Gone within a couple months of the reno.
Lobby on Bloor, near Avenue -- Always deas every time I walk by
That Greek Place on Bloor, just east of Yonge (with the split; bar down, resto up) -- Closed down/changed themes?
Mustang's, John & Adelaide -- Only ever see ppl here during 'club hours'.

I'm sure there are more to add to the list, but can anyone think of any Restos that were made more successful thanks to the show?

 

[whatever]

Dooney's also died as a result, didn't it?

 

[DC83]

Found an interesting article on Macleans.ca with a similar title:

http://www.macleans.ca/culture/lifestyle/article.jsp?content=20080122_094626_5624

re: Cabbagetown's old Bistro Aubergine (renamed Cork & Cabbage by the show's ppl)

The only problem is that they never delighted any customers before or since. The show documented a Makeover executed in April, but by the time it was first aired on Oct. 1, the Cork and Cabbage was long gone, sold to a new ownership group that had reopened the place as JAM Café nearly six weeks earlier, in August.

 

[davidtopping]

Torontoist (which, full disclosure, I edit!) published a pretty thorough investigation of the issue in January:

http://torontoist.com/2009/01/restaurant_makeover_a_villain_revis.php

 

[syn]

Restaurant Makeover hasn't had that bad a success rate. A fancy makeover and three new menu items (many of which, admittedly, aren't that practical) aren't going to be much help if the owners don't know how to run a business. There are a lot of people on the show who have no business running a restaurant and 'chefs' who have no business being in the kitchen. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how nice your restaurant looks - if the service is bad and the food questionable you aren't going to last very long.

As for Dooneys, didn't the owner sell? They were apparently not doing well before the makeover and it didn't boost business as much as hoped. I think the new owners just decided to start fresh with something different. RM or not, Dooney's was heading for closure.

In any case, it all makes for good TV. I think show ended production last year, so it looks like there won't be any more restaurants 'cursed'.

 

[CDL.TO]

Side Door Grill on Dundas one block west of Bathurst didn't last long after their makeover.

 

[GraphicMatt]

The Richmond Rogue is still around, but really doesn't look very friendly. It's very dark. I live right by there but have actually never gone in.

 

[kitestate]

graphic matt...i was just going to chime in on the rogue's restaurant makeover ...massacre

it was such a solid place before the makeover...ambience. great food with solid portions and interesting but familiar combos. comfy seating..predicable, regular table service with a healthy portion of regulars...plus 2 pinball tables, and a pool table

the makeover of the rogue in the show was terrible and made me irate, but the final product was far more sinister. ridiculous METAL chairs...small portions, food that is trying to be gastro pub but turns out to be just worse in real quality and a whole new owner/mgmt style. and took out the pool table and pinball (like, i don't even really play them...but why? were they cultivating the 'wrong' image? was it giving up too much space? -like two tables out of 34)

with this being said, i totally recommend one tries the place on their own, b/c they have some good beers and a few nice daily specials! really...try it.

 

[syn]

The only place I've been to after a makeover is College Street Bar. The interior seemed well done but they didn't keep any of the new menu items (which I was looking forward to trying). I wanted to check out Stoney's at Yonge and Sheppard, but I think they closed too.

 

[mr airbus]

The Office at Bloor and Islington didn't make it too long before it turned into the Longest Yard.

 

[syn]

The Office at Bloor and Islington didn't make it too long before it turned into the Longest Yard.

I found out that when I went to visit last year and noticed it gone. The makeover they provided didn't really work.

 

[adma]

Judgment's out on the de-greasy-spooning of Vicki's F&C/Sue's Thai Food on Roncy...

 

[kitestate]

so apparently listers cannot identify any restos that were more successful after the show..perhaps a cross-reference to HGTV msg boards should be in the works to investigate!

 

[DC83]

In any case, it all makes for good TV. I think show ended production last year, so it looks like there won't be any more restaurants 'cursed'.

For serious!?!?! That's some of the best news I have ever heard!
That show is terrible!

I will be happy to never have to 'guess' whether they're going to finish on time or not; or worry about Carpenter Guy freaking out; or wonder if the Restauranteurs are going to actually go along and give them $15,000 (happens every episode).

The false suspense this shows tries (tried!) to create was so unbearable, I had to stop watching it after about 4-5 episodes. And those same episodes are always on!!

Edit: The other problem with this show was that they always tried to turn restos like 'Jack's Roadhouse' (totally fake, just an example) into 'Jack's Four Seasons'. I'm sorry, but people go to Jack's Roadhouse for Grilled Cheese & Soup, not Aged White Cheddar & Fresh Ontario Apples baked between a fluffy Brioche with pomegranate ketchup for dip, served beside a Cream of Summer Leak & Yukon Potatoe Gazpacho.

 

[TonyV]

Should be renamed Restaurant Lobotomy.