Inflation, staff shortages and COVID have caused many problems for restaurant operators. As this week’s illustration shows, a few eating places have gone to a one-option menu for each day of the week.
Before we go any further, let’s examine what Mike’s Restaurant was offering to diners driving by on Hwy. 31. The day after Monday, “TOPLESS TUESDAYS”, there might have been a long line of men at the door. I think they might have been disappointed that the male waiters would serve them open-faced sandwiches.
Having single-offerings specials on various days of the week has lots of potential. In Newfoundland (and Labrador) the sea food restaurants on Tuesdays, theoffering could be turbot. On the rest of the week: mackerel on Monday, whitefish on Wednesday, trout on Thursday, flounder on Friday, salmon on Saturday and sunfish on Sundays.
Only during a leap year, the menu for special days could be as follows: eel onEaster Sunday, coho on Christmas Day, rainbow trout on Remembrance Day,artichokes on April Fool’s Day (fooled you! Artichokes aren’t a species of fish), beluga served in a cardboard box for Boxing Day, and carp on Canada Day.
For the newly proclaimed Columnist Appreciation Day, a variety of fishes could be on the menu: crappie (if you don’t like his or her writing), clownfish if you find her content amusing, or flying fish since I often write about flying in gliders, jets, airliners, blimps and seaplanes.
To the aviation enthusiast, an airport restaurant could offer to waive landing fees to those who fly in. If you arrived in a Martin Mars, your meal was free. Tuesday’s aircraft could be a North American Aviation B-45 Tornado. On Wednesday your type would have to be a Westland Wyvern. A Twin Otter would pay the bill on any. A Fairey Fulmar would do on Fridays.
On any Saturday a Starfighter would do, and after church on Sunday, taxi in in your Supermarine Spitfire.
If a restaurant were in a car manufacturing city such as Oshawa, Detroit orWolfsburg, a discount could be offered if the diner arrived in the following vehicle. Monday: Mercury, Mazda, Morris, or Mitsubishi. Tuesday: Toyota, Tercel or Triumph. On Wednesday, have your Wolseley pull your big Winnebago trailer in, but you may have trouble finding a place to park. Thursday: Tesla, Tornado or Tiguan. Friday: Ford, Fiat, Firenze, or a classy Fleetwood. On Saturday, your ride could be a Saturn, Saab or Seville. Sunday’s free meal would be earned by a Saturn, Singer (not the sewing machine kind), Studebaker or a Spanish Seat.
