We mentioned not long ago that the company that operates Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants is in financial trouble and is closing outlets. My buddy Tony Tollin sent me this link to an article in The Wall Street Journal about that firm's problems and the woes of others. As is typical for that newspaper, the article talks about demand and growth and discretionary income and population trends…but there's not a word in there about the quality of the product.
I stopped being an avid patron of Souplantations because the food wasn't as good as it used to be. Is it even remotely possible that their business has declined because I am not alone in that viewpoint? The article mentions several other chains but only two with which I have personal experience — the Olive Garden and the company that operates Hometown Buffet. I used to be a customer for each occasionally if I happened to be near one…but now when I am, I go to better places that have opened in those areas.
I know businesses come and go for a lot of reasons having to do with overhead and investment and market conditions and demographics and other factors that accountants can track. But doesn't the concept of good food figure somewhere into that discussion?