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The Horror That Is Margaritaville |
Satan's Sin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 729
From: Imperial Beach, CA
|  Posted: 2005-11-28 11:08 am Permalink
Hats. I forgot to mention hats. A hat on a man in a restaurant really gets my goat. Baseball caps, especially. There were many offenders at Margaritaville, and the only thing that's worse (in my book) than an empty-eyed young man sitting at table, elbows astride the plate, grimly working his way through the sorry job that is dinner is an empty-eyed middle-aged man who should know better.
I wish I knew why I take such violent umbrage at this. It is a mystery to me. But like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, there is one thing I do know: whenever I see a man wearing a hat in a restaurant I think "well, why not go to the bathroom at the table as well? If taking your hat off in a restaurant is somehow high-falutin' then should we not also abandon the fancified custom of seeking privacy when we relieve ourselves? I mean, monkeys and dogs at the circus wear funny hats and they certainly aren't shy about calls of nature. Why not go whole-hog, o sullen hat-wearer, thou?"
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Tiki-bot
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 24, 2002
Posts: 1345 | Posted: 2005-11-28 11:58 am Permalink
Loved your "review", SS. You should send that to Zagat's. V-Girl makes an excellent point: It is like eating in the middle of a nightclub. Why would people want that, you ask? We are bombarded by noisy, trashy media everywhere we go. Every bar has the big game on...loudly. Every tv show, especially the "variety" kind, is a nonstop monstrosity of quick cuts and loud soundtracks. Hell, we were watching a cake decorating competition on Food Channel and it was cut to within an inch of its life with bubbly narration, swinging, zooming and tilting camera work, and every kind of manufactured drama possible - a cake decorating contest!
I think that restaurant owners believe that the noisier it is, the more casual and family-friendly it becomes. Quiet = stuffy, and nobody wants stuffy. People live their lives going from blaring drive-time DJs to blaring headphoned music to outrageous commutes to screaming kids to squabbling reality shows to noisy nightclubs - why should dinner be any different? I think it's akin to the change in behavior in movie theaters. People now treat the theater like it's their own living room, and I somehow doubt those same people sit quietly and eat at the dinner table every night. They want a restaurant with the same energy (however fake) and noise level as the rest of their lives. I admit, I often choose a restaurant based on noise level, and sometimes I, too, want that festive, racous atmosphere. But I can get that at any number of good restaurants and would never resort to a Margaritaville.
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Kono
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 08, 2003
Posts: 1266
From: Orlando
| Posted: 2005-11-28 5:08 pm Permalink
Those types of restaurants are noisy because they don't want to encourage conversation. A large part of the reason that they are so noisy is because the acoustics are poor, lots of reverberation due to plenty of flat hard surfaces. Add the loud music and what are you gonna do, relax and share quality time with the family? No, you're gonna eat and drink and get the hell out so you can think straight and they can seat someone else. Turn 'em and burn 'em! It's all about the volume (of sales). If you do hang around you're likely to drink more booze since you can't talk to anyone anyhow.
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demerara
Member
Joined: Nov 28, 2005
Posts: 10 | Posted: 2005-11-28 5:57 pm Permalink
Hey folks, newbie here (although I did my homework and I'm well-acquainted with the anti-Buffett sentiment running rampant here at TC). Just wanted to chime in and say that I've been to Margaritaville in Orlando twice and had a great time. The baseball caps and elbows on the table didn't bother me at all - it's casual and it's part of what I'd expect at a Buffett-themed restaurant. Of course, it helps if you're a Buffett fan. 
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Satan's Sin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 729
From: Imperial Beach, CA
| Posted: 2005-11-28 6:21 pm Permalink
Demerara, welcome to Tiki Central, and I hope the next time I'm in Orlando we can buy each other a drink.
I wouldn't say people weren't enjoying themselves at Margaritaville, and heaven knows the tables were full to overflowing and people were elbowing their way in. I certainly wouldn't mind receiving the monthly check Mr. Buffet gets from this venture.
But my God. My dear sweet God.
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donhonyc
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2003
Posts: 1173
From: The Quiet EAST Village
| Posted: 2005-11-28 6:26 pm Permalink
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I wish I knew why I take such violent umbrage at this. It is a mystery to me. But like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, there is one thing I do know: whenever I see a man wearing a hat in a restaurant I think "well, why not go to the bathroom at the table as well? If taking your hat off in a restaurant is somehow high-falutin' then should we not also abandon the fancified custom of seeking privacy when we relieve ourselves? I mean, monkeys and dogs at the circus wear funny hats and they certainly aren't shy about calls of nature. Why not go whole-hog, o sullen hat-wearer, thou?"
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From one cynic to another your 'violent umbrage' is inspiring. There are so many offenders on so many levels out there it's disgusting, and places like Margaritaville, Hooters, Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood and others only perpetuate the crime(s). In an earlier post someone mentioned a kid's birthday at Hooters. Unfortunately, that's not the first time I've heard of something like that. I mean that is just beyond ridiculous. Hooters, which for starters is slang for tits, is basically a softcore T&A gauking theme restaurant. I hope those parents are proud of themselves. What did they give their kids as a birthday gift? A subscription to Hustler?
At the cost of sounding self righteous here, I hafta say that I am not offended by foul language or tits, or anything like that. Adults should all have their fun in their adult worlds at their adult times. Please don't get me wrong, I am not campaigning for squeaky clean family entertainment 24/7. But the way I see it, it's not really those adult things that are offensive, it's the context. I think too many people think that by doing things a-la Howard Stern or Opie & Anthony that they are taking some artistic risk, or perceive themselves as some sort of bold button pusher which in reality is just so weak. Pure schoolyard stuff. People just don't have the class they used to have about things in the adult world. Now it's all Stern-a-fied. Penis this, and vagina that, 'whip em out Wednesday' and all that. I mean c'mon! Kids especially have too much access to this stuff, and I've heard people make the "what's the big deal" argument about that subject believe me. Like I said there is a time and place for adult stuff,however, kids just simply ARE NOT mentally capable of comprehending Janet Jackson's tits on TV. How can you go from Elmo to 'wardrobe malfunction' without being totally confused? Most of us here grew up in the 60s and 70s, not the most conservative eras in US history by any means, and stuff today makes those days look tamer AND classier.
So why the violent umbrage?? Because it IS offensive, but that's the world we live in and from where I'm sitting it just looks like it's gonna get worse and Margarittaville or whatever it's called, fits right in.
[ This Message was edited by: donhonyc 2005-11-28 22:47 ]
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Geeky Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 15, 2002
Posts: 533
From: Las vegas
| Posted: 2005-11-28 10:51 pm Permalink
You guys make some great points.
The images you create are vivid and made me stop and think about Tiki.
One of my favorite things about Tiki is that in Tiki bars or restaurants, I can chat with my companions. Those new loud places prevent that - I had never been smart enough to figure out the churn and burn part, but what an eye opener!
To wax snobbish for a minute, I always thought the engineered noise and pandemonium was purely to distract people in a way the does not encourage interraction - like those places make it so everyone is in the place together, but they're actually kind of all alone, too. The noise isolates the diners. Could it be that some people consider the noise a good thing in that way? It allows them to feel part of an event or something but not "on the spot" to be present in any more personal way?
The "happiness" in those places frequently seems forced, or anxious, with people seeming to need to be told to be happy. More like a nervous happiness (like your nervous aunt who's always trying to make sure everyone is "happy" at events.)
I don't mind the hats and elbows, either - we have our own "uniforms" we wear at Tki functions, so I figure I better not yell about hats when I am often completely happy sitting between two mates wearing straw Chi Chi hats.
So, thanks for all the thought provocation.
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cheekytiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 09, 2004
Posts: 1088
From: The Haole Hut, London, UK
| Posted: 2005-11-29 01:10 am Permalink
Noisy Bars are for a reason - the less time your mouth is used for talking the more likely it is to be used for Drinking. Same thing with uncomfortable seating, they don't want you to settle in and not want to get up to go to the Bar.
Milk and Bread at the back of supermarkets, warm colours in fast food joints, the marketing forces have most people sussed.
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JimTandem
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 02, 2005
Posts: 102
From: Ontario, Ca.
| Posted: 2005-11-29 03:24 am Permalink
Hey! Somebody dissing Nascar? Put up yer dukes!;)
I do have to agree with just about everything said here though. But I look at it this way...its so darn crowded just about everywhere nowadays...thank God for places like these to take a large volume of people and shoehorn 'em in and give 'em somewhere to go....so that places like my favorite little mexican restaurant stays just the way it is.
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2004
From: So FL
| Posted: 2005-11-29 09:14 am Permalink
Quote:
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Here's a shocker. NASCAR Cafe!
http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/citywalk/dining_restaurants.html
Here's my only problem with this thread - You went to a Theme Park for dinner at a Themed restaurant! Not to mention it is in the epicenter of Tourism.
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foamy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 15, 2004
Posts: 585
From: The Land of Pleasant Living
| Posted: 2005-11-29 10:40 am Permalink
Hey AS, it's the same all over. Theme park or not.
JT, I'll get on board with your "bright-side" view point.
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Satan's Sin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 729
From: Imperial Beach, CA
| Posted: 2005-11-29 10:57 am Permalink
AlohaStation, not to be argumentative, but I'd like to point out that I was taken to this wretched place that has so offended my tender sensibilities. Unlike a suggested trip to Hooters by my peers, which I easily and good-naturedly declined, Margaritaville could not be denied, proffered as it was by an otherwise-very nice client.
I wish the incredibly-great Mad magazine of the early 60s could have had a satirical go at this place. That's what I'd like to see.
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El Bastardo
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 27, 2005
Posts: 47 | Posted: 2005-11-29 3:23 pm Permalink
Quote:
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Like I said there is a time and place for adult stuff,however, kids just simply ARE NOT mentally capable of comprehending Janet Jackson's tits on TV. |
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Sorry to go OT for a second, but have you seen Janet lately?
Pray there is never another wardrobe malfunction.
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donhonyc
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2003
Posts: 1173
From: The Quiet EAST Village
| Posted: 2005-11-29 4:03 pm Permalink
Quote:
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but have you seen Janet lately?
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Looks more like a dining malfunction....
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lucas vigor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 3453
From: "I've chopped my way through real jungle
| Posted: 2005-11-30 4:18 pm Permalink
Dang Satan, that was one of the funniest rants I have read in a while!!!
You are no snob. It is perfectly fine to hate, detest, despise and feel sick from all things buffet.
Heck, I won't even drink a maragarita, and I don't care if they are pretty good or not. Tequila is NOT TIKI!!!!!!
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