Farewell Quaker Steak and Lube

I hope Bill Spehn can make it for one last all you can eat wing night. (Or was that during his Geauga Lake tenure?)

In honor of the recently passed-away Big Chuck, Mush-Mouth wants pizza!

Something that i do think would work there, would be something like this, a place I visited in Colorado with fond memories. It has large areas to hang out, and great for large groups. Various food options. Fill your own beer from the tap wall. Waterfront views, similar to how quaker steak is set up.

https://www.thegoldenmill.com/

Secondly, Cleveland has so many good unique restaurants throughout Ohio City, Tremont, and Lakewood. Maybe one of our great culinary entrepreneurs will see an opportunity for a unique spot.

Uncle Steve:

Successful businesses grow.

Don't confuse "success" with quality.

There are a number of local joints I frequent, especially in "downtown" Winter Garden, FL, that are fantastic. Some have two or three locations, sure, but they all offer great food, amazing bar service and atmosphere that you can't fake.

Franchise places microwave their food service food and generally suck. I haven't been to an Applebees in over a decade, because they predictably suck. Fast casual restaurants, which are often not franchised, seem to be doing OK, but the national "brands" are almost uniformly terrible.

^ Sure, I have my local favorites too, Angry Bull and Berardi's in Huron, for example.
But I don't want them to relocate to the old Quaker Steak building.

My vote is for Famous Dave's. And a big NO to anything trendy hipster.

No one has to relocate. The company has actually become quite good at making quality food in large quantities. I think they're qualified to create their own concept, save on the franchise fees, and create something that is long term known for being awesome. Get the right people to create the right concepts, it could be great. And let's face it, the bar is pretty low in Sandusky.

I can't be reading that right - You want the park to steal a local restaurants deliciousness and make it themselves?

Downtown Sandusky has some good spots right on the water. I'm fond of that Saucy Brew Works location, it is a bit more fancy than their Ohio City location.

https://www.saucybrewworks.com/sandusky/

https://www.saucybrewworks....ndusky.pdf

I went to Quaker Steak the other night with some friends. The food was actually really good and fresh. Talked with the waitress who said they’ve been busy since the announcement. Good news is no one is losing their job - they are being moved to other places (Sawmill or Castaway) until the renovations to Famous Dave’s is complete.

Jeff:

The company has actually become quite good at making quality food in large quantities.

Perhaps, but making the food is only part of the equation for a sit-down restaurant at an amusement park. And I am unconvinced they'll be able to serve said food with sustained competency after cutting seasonal pay by roughly 40%.

Jordan_Vanichek:
...they are being moved to other places (Sawmill or Castaway) until the renovations to Famous Dave’s is complete.

Wait, did you mean to say they're being moved elsewhere until the renovations to Quaker Steak are complete? Or are they moving these employees elsewhere, then to FD's first, and then eventually back to Castaway's new eatery once that is done?

Its interesting that we now have at least two-possibly four-sit down restaurants that need replacement this year alone.

Melt, Quaker Steak, (maybe) TGI Fridays...

What's the possible fourth restaurant? Perkins?

I think one of the rumors was Famous Dave's moving to Quaker Steak's current location. Leaving that one that needs replaced? Of course I guess that's still only 3.

Brandon, it’s a temporary move until Dave’s is open - at that point they will return to work again.

Are they renovating the existing FD's, or are they renovating the former QS&L into a new FD's?

The QS&L is being renovated to Famous Dave's, which is being moved from the current location.

Source: The Lube Employees (ergh...umm.. fine, we'll go with that)

So Dave’s on the Marina is going to be permanently gone? Not sure I really see the point of the move.

Is the Dave's on the marina open year round? Certainly moving it to Castaway Bay makes sense just from an ease of access stand point

I imagine having an eatery outside the park is of limited value compared to one inside the park, so I wonder if FD moving to CB allows the park to satisfy a contract with FD's (to be clear I am ignorantly assuming one exists) while focusing their efforts to in-park (or in-resort) food service.

My two potential replacements were Friday's as someone guessed but also Chickie n Pete's, both from the now firmly established aversion the company is showing to anything branded as well as the location's penchant for just not being open all that much (especially in October).

I would be all for sliding Dave's into that old Lube, especially if some of the staff can land year round gigs. There are a few bartenders there (most of us here know them I'm sure) that absolutely deserve it.

Since I now have to make another suggestion ripe for ridicule; a Margaritaville at the marina.

Senor Frogs wouldn’t be bad on the Marina. Ha.