Supply-chain issues. Living wage and labor shortages. Food inflation. And, of course, COVID.
The world of the restauranteur has been turned upside down since the advent of COVID roughly two years ago. Shutdowns, occupancy limitations, and the challenges created by the larger economic environment have formed a perfect storm wherein the independent restaurant is gasping for air.
In Chicago, literally hundreds of restaurants have either shut down permanently or until the COVID pandemic has simmered down. Among these are Tiffany-level establishments like Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Lawry’s, Trattoria 10, Rainforest Cafe, just to name a few. The carnage is real.
Enter Red Poppy Bistro, a charming little bistro “in the heart of Downtown Elgin, that specializes in home-cooked meals with a European flare!” Pre-COVID, Red Poppy had carved itself a respectable niche in the Fox Valley dining scene, serving creative, evocative meals that combined a sense of nostalgia with European flair. Now, after a two-month shutdown to rest and re-evaluate, the owners have decided to take a unique approach.
Gone are the day-long opening hours. Gone are the ever-changing and varied menus. And gone is the walk-in customer. Red Poppy is, in many ways, turning itself into a weekend-only supper club.
And our guess is, given their devotion to their customers and their wonderful food, they just might pull it off.
On Wednesday, the owners posted the following announcement explaining the changes being made and the reasons therefor.
It has been a less-than-enjoyable two months for us, to say the least. Being shut down has at least given us time to re-group and decide a path forward with the Red Poppy Bistro, so we are pleased to announce the following, effective immediately:
At this time, we can not afford to maintain day-long business hours or utilities & overhead. We can not increase menu prices without alienating our customers. We cannot ethically cut our staff’s hours and expect them to have a livable wage. We can not rotate our menu and maintain our homemade dishes consistency, due to shortages and the limitations of our small kitchen.
We can, however, reinvent ourselves and focus on what we do best: making delicious homemade meals while giving our customers the attention they deserve. Our main goal is to transport you back to your grandmother’s kitchen and let you re-experience the care & love that can go into food; the intimacy of sharing a meal with those you love.
We are now focusing on a weekly rotating menus of multi-course, specifically-tailored meals we love to eat and share with our own families. Everyone is welcome, however, the meals must be reserved and pre-purchased ahead of time and we will only be accommodating dine-in.
By focusing on one specific, multi-course exclusive meal a week, this allows us to negate any current issues, and actually turn them into positives: Food costs and shortages will be manageable with a smaller menu, while logistics and attention to our visiting customers will be met, as we will know exactly how many people expect for the evening.
Please see the new website layout and options at www.redpoppybistro.com
This might be a huge success, it might be a scorching disaster. Either way, at least we’ll get a little more time to have some fun and we can say we tried everything.
Thank you for your support and we hope to see you soon. Please feel free to share this and if you are a previous customer, please consider leaving a review! (Any valid gift cards will be accepted for these meals. Please call 708-738-8306 or e-mail to make arrangements)–Matt & Jen
No matter how you slice it, it’s a gutsy move. We wish them all the good fortune in the world.
Red Poppy Bistro is located at 109 East Highland in Elgin.
1 Comment
If anyone can pull it off, The Red Poppy Bistro can! Pre-shut down, this unique, homespun bistro cultivated a devoted customer base due to their personal approach, their fabulous, creative menu, and owners that made you feel as if you were a part of the family! Come out to the Red Poppy Bistro in February! You will not be disappointed!