Robert Irvine snookered by country folk? (SPOILER ALERT)

[Bob W]

So last night's episode of Restaurant Impossible featured a tired little place called the Valley View outside Lancaster PA. The place closed last week, even before the show aired, and is now for sale.

So far, no comment from the owners, but it sure looks like they got Food Network to pay for a makeover before the place went on the market.

[smartie]

I've often noticed that the owners in both Restaurant Impossible and Kitchen Nightmares say at the beginning of the programs that they are a few weeks away from closing. I don't know what the timelines are between contacting the producers and either GR or RI showing up for the planned makeover but we must assume it's a few months at least which means the restaurants are really on their last legs. A makeover is probably too late in many cases.

[jenscats5]

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2...

Some interesting comments on the story about the show on the Food Network site. Including some info by the supposed chef hired after the redo and some locals.

[Bob W]

The comments from Chef Matt are very interesting; it certainly seems like he knows what was going on in that place.

[bob96]

We watch for the drama, and I doubt anyone except those in the community care about the fate of these places. The vast majority of the places profiled on RI, and on the Ramsay series (some episodes of which go back years and are still being rerun) close not long after airing. Most restaurants never last more than 5 years, but in retrospect this terminal bunch was more doomed than most.

[dave_c]

I wonder when the show was shot before being aired?

I thought there was usually a few month difference. Who knows, maybe the business just couldn't hang on between filming and the air date.

[ferret]

You're jumping to this conclusion rather than it being a restaurant on its last legs that took a stab at keeping itself afloat a little longer? Considering how little the show budgets for improvements and the likelihood that a failing restaurant property is likely encumbered by debt the difference between desperate and fraudulent is hardly worth discussing.

And I can't possibly believe that anyone involved with the show actually believes they're changing the fate of a troubled establishment that believes this kind of exposure would be good marketing. It's like the people on Hoarders thinking that they're going to get marriage proposals from appearing on TV. By the time you have to rely on Robert Irvine, the future has been written.

[Bob W]

I would not expect radio silence from the owners if that were the case. Something stinks in Amish country and it's not coming from the horses. 8<D

[ferret]

If, as the Food Network website suggests, the place remained open for 3 months after the makeover - apparently still bleeding money - then the premise of this thread is unfounded.

[Bob W]

And then closed right before the show was to air, with the owner suddenly putting her foot down? We'll have to agree to disagree.

[ferret]

If they stuck to a stated budget of $10K then I'd say three months of operating costs would likely balance out any benefit. As for relying on the show for marketing, "buy a failed restaurant with $10,000 in recent improvements" makes for a pretty poor business plan.

[coney with everything]

Frankly, I'm not very impressed with the RI makeovers--the time and budget limits result in some cheapo product, IMO.

But probably the equivalent of staging a house in this case.

[Bellachefa]

yeah, you know that dollar a square foot flooring squares applied to a non prepared sub floor will hold up for about a week of commercial wear and tear. . . the poor hoover never had a chance. . .

[Cheese Boy]

Bamboozled for sure. FN needs to seek compensation of some sort.

[Dave_in_PA]

I doubt the producers of the show care.... They wanted an episode they could air and they got it. Call me cynical but I doubt they think of themselves as a charity.

If any of these "makeover" shows are even real....

[Just Plain Craig]

They really need to change the name because its more of a make over show then fixing up restaurants. They spend a majority of the show on decrations and very little on food and managment.