When Brett Anderson visited the Minneapolis diner Modern Times in the spring, its menu had no prices.
“when I visited in the spring, there were no prices on the menu”
Person
Brett Anderson
1 episodes · 17 quoted claims
Modern Times owner Dylan Alverson decided to remove prices from his menu in the aftermath of the killing of Alex Pretti.
“Dylan Alverson, who owns Modern Times, had decided in the aftermath of the killing of Alex Pretti, which is when I was there, that he was gonna remove prices from his menu.”
According to Brett Anderson, Modern Times attracted enough donations without charging for food that it was effectively more profitable than when it charged.
“He had attracted so many donations that he was effectively more profitable than he had been when he was charging for food.”
Alice Waters opened her Berkeley, California restaurant with a $10,000 loan from her father.
“Alice Waters, its chef and owner, got that restaurant off the ground with a 10,000 loan from her father.”
Chef André Soltner bought his New York restaurant from its original owner in the 1970s using money he had saved as a chef, not a bank loan.
“Andre Soltner, the famous chef who ran the place, purchased it from its original owner in the 1970s. Not with a bank loan, but with money he saved from working as a chef.”
Chef Tom Colicchio closed his flagship New York restaurant Craft in the summer, citing real estate and other rising costs.
“He closed his flagship New York restaurant, Craft, just this summer, citing real estate costs among other rising costs.”
An industry study cited by Brett Anderson found restaurant wages were up 41 percent compared with pre-pandemic levels.
“a recent study that came out last year, industry study said that wages are up 41 compared to pre pandemic levels in the restaurant industry.”
Brett Anderson says food costs for restaurants are up 35 percent compared with pre-pandemic levels.
“food costs are up 35 for restaurants compared to pre pandemic levels”
Restaurateurs told Brett Anderson that credit card swipe fees of 2 to 4 percent are severely hurting them.
“how these two to 4% swipe fees are just killing them.”
Most restaurateurs Brett Anderson talks to say they lose money on delivery-app orders and treat them as a marketing cost.
“most of the restaurateurs I talk to say that when you order using a delivery app from them, they lose money, that they basically consider it a marketing cost.”
A National Restaurant Association report found that 42 percent of restaurant owners said their restaurants were not profitable in 2025.
“42 of restaurant owners reported that their restaurants were not profitable in 2025.”
Brett Anderson says a family of four ate at Five Guys for nearly $80 on his son's 12th birthday.
“it costs nearly 80 for a family of four to eat there.”
Rye Bunny, a counter-service restaurant in Washington, DC, replaced a successful restaurant the same chef and his wife had run in that space.
“Rye Bunny is the concept that they came up with to open in that very same space.”
Brett Anderson says make-ahead desserts like soft serve and sliced cakes let restaurants avoid hiring an expensive pastry chef.
“they also do not require you to hire a pastry chef, which is an expensive position that has traditionally been part of high end restaurants.”
Brett Anderson says caviar add-ons have become so common at restaurants that he no longer mentions them in his writing.
“it has become so customary to find caviar markups and add ons at restaurants that I have stopped mentioning them in my writing.”
Brett Anderson says Italian restaurants, steakhouses and French bistros tend to be higher priced and attract affluent diners, making them a safe business model.
“These are also types of restaurants that tend to be higher priced to begin with and attract affluent diners.”
After reopening, Modern Times restored menu prices but still gives away 125 free meals a week, supported by a grant.
“there are now prices back on the menu, but he is still, he tells me, giving away 125 free meals a week. He went out and got a grant to help support that particular program.”