What's up with the prices at Garwoods?
 

As we all know we have limited places to go around the lake, especially on our northern side. I like Garwoods but the last two times we went in for just a cocktail I couldn't believe the prices. We had two beers. A bottle of Miller Lite and a draft. Which came to a total of $11. I looked at the prices on the menu which seem very high as well. Guess we won't be going in anymore. Just not worth it to pay that kind of money.

What does everyone else think?

LG

I agree
 

$11 for two beers $5.50 each is very expensive considering their cost for it. That is more in line with a single shot top shelf drink.
You think that is bad have you noticed how much gas has gone up in the last 2 weeks. Last time I filled up it was 3.25 this week it was $3.63 in Concord and even though I was on reserve and running on fumes I elected to try for and make it to Sam's Club where it was still $3.50 for 87.
In this economy we almost never go out to eat anymore just because it isn't worth spending the extra money. I'd rather spend it on gas for my sleds or bank it.

I understand the Mickies D's is looking to put in a shot and a beer bar at locations in areas that have trouble paying market prices for food and beverages. Patience they will be able to serve you shortly.

In the mean time those other places that are paying $3.79 per gallon for heating oil, more for electricity, more for delivery of produce and beverages because gas is now close to $4 a gallon and coping with other rising costs will have to make it withour your business.

My feeling is that you are paying for location. And the renovation is nice.

I am paying $4.24 gal in Rhode island for heating oil. Last bill was over $600 bucks. We are now keeping the thermostat at 66 F. :eek: NB

BTW: The last time we went to GarWoods was right after the renovation...three years ago..?? The prices were through the roof. Never went back. We had always liked the place. NB

Yup, rough world we live in. Cost to do business goes up, you pass it on, business goes down because customers can't afford to pay the prices, you close down, someone else comes along and the cycle starts all over again.
Believe me I've been playing the game for years. With increased gas prices I'm eating it and I'm making less but I'm making money, a lot more then I would if I raised my prices and didn't get the work.
Just ask those boneheads that priced Burger King out of their lease what 7 or 8 years ago before Watermark finally bought the property. I wonder how much they paid out of pocket for all those years in taxes on that lakefront property because they were GREEDY.
Oh and whenever I go to Micky D's I always order off the dollar menu. That is another place that has gotten way out of control with prices yet people just keep going there and paying what $7-$10 for artery clogging junk.

Not unreasonable
 

Right, you should expect to pay more for a couple of beers at a restaurant like Garwoods than a pizza place or bar because their costs are so much higher. You're paying for their property taxes, ambiance, waitstaff, etc.

The beer prices at our favorite neighborhood restaurant in the Washington DC suburbs are $5.30-6.85. It's a restaurant comparable to Garwoods...but no Lake. :-)

I've noticed the dollar menu is no longer posted, at the McDs I frequent. You have to remember/hope for what is on that menu now. :eek:

I think they've done away with the dollar menu....it's now the value menu.

Garwoods has pretty much always been overpriced for sub par food. Do yourself a favor and walk toward back bay to the Mill Street meat market. You won't be disappointed. A little more than you may pay at the grocery store but the steak is very good and you get to cook it how you like it.

elections have consequences

Interesting. I didn't realize that Garwoods renovated because of an election.

Re market
 

Going to the market and buying your own steak, although a great place to shop ( pricey, though) defeats the purpose of going to a restaurant.

Stop going to Garwoods
 

Since it became Garwoods. The price is way over the top with mediocre food and service. If I were to spend that kind of money, I would travel to O's. The food and service is much better! The brew and wine are also cheaper. :D

not fair
 

Really? Come on now...that's not fair. No matter how you slice it, $11 for 2 domestic beers is a bit strong. I'm sure they know what the the winter market will bear...it's their business to know that. But why take a sarcastic poke at the poster?
And who is to say what someone can or cannot afford? That is not the issue at all. They might be able to affort $100 for a beer. It does not make it a good price.

Maybe you should try them a third time just to make sure the drinks are too expensive for you.

Usually when you go to a restaurant once and you find that the drinks are too pricey, then I would think that the second time should not have been a big surprise to you.

A great dinner at Legal Seafoods Harborside in Boston last night caused me to think about this thread.

Late yesterday afternoon, we went to the Boat Show, which was $15/person and that I think is kind of crazy. Then we went to dinner, which was awesome, but (for us) relatively expensive. However, it was fun, fun, fun.

As we walked back to the car I said to my husband, "That was a big bill, huh?" His answer, "Yup. That's why we don't do it that often, and when we do, we make it count!"

I agree that it's cheaper to drink a beer at home than it is to drink it at Garwoods. It's nothing but awesome to watch the sunset from our dock with a cocktail in hand. Every once in a while, though, it's nice to mix things up and go out on a date.

I can understand not wanting to spend 5+ dollars for a beer. Having a beer at Garwoods isn't just having a beer. It's about the experience.

Where on the lake could you have that experience for less money?

What kind of experience are you referring to, Legal Seafood or Garwoods?

T-Bones / CJ have happy hour from 4 to closing. My kind of prices!

Not if when you go out to eat and the food and service stink especially when you give a restaurant second chance and fails again!

The lake. My thoughts above the OP's post were to say that everything is relative. Eating out, drinking at a lounge will never be as inexpensive as those same activities at home.

With your recommendation of T-Bones/CJ's, you gave LG her answer! : )

Thanks for being so kind! We were using up a gift certificate. No need to get testy.

I know it's cheaper at home, I'm not stupid! But it's nice to go out once in a while. We now usually eat at home then go out for a social drink. So my complaint is how expensive it is there for a cheap beer!!! I don't think I should have to pay for the renovation. I actually liked it better before. Miss the boats on the ceiling.

And to the remark about going there twice, that was uncalled for. We just felt like going out for a drink and were using up a gift certificate, but decided that Garwoods is just too expensive for sub par food. There are other places on the water that do not charge that much for a cheap beer. So we will be going to those places from now on.

I only meant that it is too bad that they try and get away with it just because they are on the water. Oh and by the way, a very small piece of seats and viewing on the water.

I don't enjoy being totally ripped off and that is what they are doing. Considering a 30 pack of Miller Lite is $20 or less, 5 x 30 = $150. I would say that is a pretty unbelievable profit.

Hopefully the owner/owners scan this website and will make things more reasonable because it sounds like a lot of folks have no desire to go there.

I wouldn't have made that remark if you would have said that you went there a second time because you had a gift certificate. I'm not a mind reader.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up about their prices. I'm not a drinking man but if their food is as high as their beer then they won't get much business from the locals...like me. :D

Well, i have to stand up for the family that owns Garwoods because they are a very nice family and I don't think would intentionally rip off anybody. I imagine their higher prices are necessary because it is Wolfeboro and they probably don't have a huge turnover. That said, I do think the food could be better. We have been disappointed in the food and the menu.

About a year ago, we went to Garwood's and I asked for a specific drink which they didn't have. So the waitress suggested something else and it sounded similar so I said ok. When I got the bill, the drink was $9.00. And though I don't even usually have ONE drink when I go out, that night I had two, because the others were lingering so I paid $18.00 for two drinks. That was more than the meal I had. But that is not the most expensive drink we have ever ordered. My better half had a rum and coke at Anjon's in Scarborough, Maine and was charged $3.00 for the coke and $8.00 for the rum. This seems to be a trendy thing to separate the drink into two parts. We have seen it a couple of times.

My take on it....
 

Unfortunately, NH restaurant owners (especially waterfront owners) get whacked with a high property tax, federal income tax, etc. Patrons then get whacked with the 9% meal tax. Those added expenses have to get passed along and picked up by the consumer.

Location, Location
 

It's not that complicated. Garwoods is newly renovated and it operates from a waterfront location in the expensive resort town of Wolfeboro. My guess is they aren't making that much money when all of their costs are factored into the equation. You are paying for the atmosphere and location. Given that backdrop, $5.00 for a beer is reasonable.

Bottom line
 

You want a cold beer you go to a bar that serves bar food and has all kinds of TV's.
You want to have a good meal you go to a place like Garwoods.
After much debate it does after all make sense, especially if it is considered a high end eating establishment. I sure wouldn't consider heading to the Canoe, Lago's or O's just to hang at the bar for a few cold ones.
Lucky Goose what the heck were you thinking anyways. :confused:
Shame on you! :laugh: :laugh:

Hot?
 

Why so high?

They are not paying retail for the beer either, they are paying wholesale! :eek:

liability Insurance
 

Don't forget, our laws are set up so anyone can sue the establishment millions of dollars if a patron left the bar and crash into his or her car or house. Liability insurance on a full license is outrageous!

They also have overhead: lights, heat, salaries, taxes for that waterfront real estate, and like Broadhopper said, insurance...the list goes on...

WHAT is a reasonable price for a beer at a place like that? What have people paid at other (comparable) places?

LG says she wants to know what other people think. I think she has a dilemma. What LAKEFRONT establishment can you patronize and pay less?

A reasonable price is the price their clientele will pay for a beer. Period.

It is very rare for a restaurant to buy beer or wine at wholesale in NH. They actually pay more than the public. New Hampshire law requires the purchase via a distributor. The distributor adds shipping surcharge on top of retail pricing. Grocery Stores and Convenience stores buy at wholesale and will often sell for as much as 30% less than your favorite restaurant buys for.

Many of the additional expenses associated with the restaurant sale of booze are already mentioned in this thread. The rule of thumb for a restaurant as advised by business school is to set the price at 4 times the cost. A restaurant may choose to price it higher to filter rif-raf or leave room to have special deals (ie; 2 for 1 or Happy Hour)

It seems like there is a big differance in the taste quality going from Labatt's Blue Ice, $1.19/24-oz can at Bob's Shurfine and stepping up to the pricier Pabst Blue Ribbon at $1.35 for a jumbo 24-oz can. It just shows to go, that you get what you pay for, and one can always hide a big 24-oz beer into a paper bag down at the Subway and enjoy it with the 12" sub of the month for $5.45, 9% NH tax included, for a complete meal!

Beating the low prices on beer at Bob's Shurfine, in Ashland, could be a challenge!

If they are considered high end food, which they are not, then I would rather go to Mickey D's, which I don't like either. There are other waterfront restaurants that do not charge what Garwoods charges.

I also do not understand why folks are so petty and rude sometimes. And I don't care what anyone says, $5.50 is too much for a bottle of Miller Lite. I do not pay that anywhere else, waterfront or not.

I stand corrected! What about liquor?

I don't think anyone's deliberately being petty or rude, just trying to understand the issue.

In your original post you asked, "what do others think?"

I don't think anyone disagrees that $5.50 might be a lot to pay for a beer, but you're paying for much more than the beer when you go to any restaurant.

Wolfeboro Inn? Canoe? Shibley's? The Naswa? Anyplace at all that has some nice atmosphere?

Cheap night out.
 

Join the local Elks Club, VFW or American Legion! You can't beat the bar prices!

If you like BYO go to the Pitman's Freight Room in Laconia. Friday nights are Blues night. They have Jazz nights and comedy nights. Excellent talents. http://pitmansfreightroom.com/

Excellent meal at the Local Eatery within walking distance, if you want to make it a night! http://laconialocaleatery.com/

If you like the atmosphere of old landmarks, try this combination! :)

We have winner! Someone who understands capitalism.

This is a self correcting problem, if they charge too much, then people will buy elsewhere. Then they either adapt or close.

The only time this doesn't work is captive audience places like airports, movie theaters and stadiums. There people will put up with overcharging on an incidental expense like beer because they have to.

hey yesterday I payed $12.50 for a cheeseburger at the boat show That was ridiculous all by itself.

:eek:

Unfortunately, America is no longer a capitalist nation. We have more of a mixed economy. An economic system that permits private property, but only at the discretion of government planners. A little bit of capitalism and a little bit of socialism.
IMHO the return of capitalism will not happen until there is a moral revolution in this country.

There are no morals in economic systems
 

Pure capitalism and morals are mutually exclusive. As long as human nature is involved, economic systems will fall prey to human weakness. Capitalism breeds greed, communism breeds sloth.

Who ever said it was two domestics? The original post stated a Miller Lite and a draft. The draft could have been a Guinness or a Stella Artois. Even if it were a domestic, it could have been a Boulevard Tank 7 which costs a restaurant $89 for a 1/6 barrel (just over 5 gallons). Easily can be sold for $8 for 12 ounces. Another question is was the draft 12, 16, or 20 ounces. This also changes the price. I don't know what Garwoods has for beer or what it pays for rent, but that also factors into price. In no way am I defending high beer prices, but we need all the facts before jumping on Garwoods. I really enjoy the place, but I don't drink alcohol.

We don't have to bring politics (Rusty) or religion (Gillygirl) into it, and don't get me started on the boat show venue.

Reread
 

Morals does not equal religion. :rolleye1:

And...we all have choices. The OP used the term "ripped off," which is a bit harsh. She had been there previously, so knew that it wasn't the same price for beer as your local VFW.

Still waiting to hear where one can enjoy a beer lakeside retaurant (not your cottage or mine ; ) for less...anyone? Bueller? :)

Not to mention that the beer prices are usually on the menu, and you could always opt for a soda instead.

The restaurant threads are good places to point out the general ambiance and cost of various places. I'll be honest, for me, a $5.50 beer wouldn't warrant much after-the-fact mention. It might cause me to only have 8 beers instead of my usual 13 with dinner, but $4-$6 seems like the going rate for a beer in most places.

If you're price-conscious you can certainly scope out the lowest possible price. But that, to me, is like driving 8 miles and 20 minutes out of your way to save 5 cents/gallon on a tank of gas... I (thankfully) have better things to worry about.

Only place would be Margate maybe or when the Winnie doesn't go out on the weekends during bike week.

Lake side bar and Grill offseason.
 

I can think of T'bones, Lakeside, and Lyons Den. They have a bars that overlook the lake.

During the season the NASWA, Town Docks, Margate and new this season AKWA Soleil Marina, has bars almost on the water. NASWA will allow you to cool off in the water with a brew or mix drink.

I am enjoying a drink at The Cove, at Deerfield Beach, FL. :cheers:

The places that you mentioned all serve beer for less than $5? That's probably why you didn't mention Lago or the new bar at the Lakehouse...?

I think somebody needs a stiff one rather than a beer.:laugh:

Are you buying? :D

(I refrained from posting the line from "The Office" that fits here...!)

I was reluctant to post this little trick that I have used in the past. FLL will Like this. It's called Yankee Ingenuity. When going to a wedding there is usually a Bar..sometimes OPEN..sometimes you have to pay. Either way the drinks are watered down. I always Pay for the first drink. It's the RIGHT thing to do. :D

After that, I have a (Grenade Sized) Poland Springs water bottle with a pre-mixed Martini.. with which i can refill my glass. Just thinking ahead..:D :D NB

Old trick from college days
 

NB, That was an old trick I learn from my college days. Those little nips you find at the liquor store also comes in handy!

I would find date with a BIG hand bag!

I liked using a Camelback but I'm not sure that would look too cool with my suit.:laugh:

We had a great meal there last weekend. Looking forward to going by boat.

I keep going back to Garwoods, hoping it will get better but I 'm disappointed again!!!!!!

I like the look of the place, the location and the people who work there, he'll, I don't even mind paying high prices for a good meal!!

The food is lousy!!!! Please if you own Garwoods Get a new chef!!!!!!

Please, please, I want to love it again!!!!!!! :cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::c heers:

We were there a couple of weeks ago. Had a good salmon dinner and my husband loved his salad with scallops. I don't find their entrees any more expensive than the other fine dining places near the lake.
I will say the place was pretty empty...