250 replies to this topic

[cw68]

I hear your comments and understand your desire for something healthy to eat with the barbecue meats, unfortunately I cannot do anything about it for at least 3 months and then I will need to submit any request for an additional dish to the corporate offices of Dickey's. Since it is a franchise we must adhere to the menu, but I agree I would love a fresh fruit or crisp vegetable side, perhaps even some rice too! I would love to be able to add greens, and sweet potato, sweetcorn etc.

Sorry! :-)

Ray

Thanks for the response Ray, I appreciate it and understand your constraints. I think that, in three months, corporate should understand that Californians would order a healthy side with the traditional sides too. I look forward to supporting your establishment and the time when you can make it your own.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Hi Deb

I have just come up for air after 4 very busy days and wanted to get back to you on your points. I am sorry it was confusing over the sandwich. The easiest way to explain is that there are 3 different size buns from smallest to largest, the hoagie, the big barbecue and the westerner. There are 8 different meats and you can have any one of them in the first two, or a double helping of one or a mix of two in the last. The price of the dish is really in the weight of the meat and not the bun... all meat is weighed so if you had double meat then you would have got the right value no matter what size bun you had. They called it a Westerner because the bigger bun is the one that can accommodate double meat and that would make sure you were charged the correct price. I hope that explains it :-)

The green beans are cooked Southern style.. with bacon and onions until they are soft and really like a soup. This is the way they do it in Texas! I hear ya about not over cooking vegetables.. I am a trained chef and I like my veg al dente too..but most Americans do not, especially those who eat barbecue. Also this is a Dickey's recipe that I must adhere too,can't change it or I will go off menu and that is not allowed.
I really appreciate your custom and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Best regards

Ray

Thanks for your response, Ray. I think the menu and its explanation is the problem, and the staff was too new to explain it properly. The only way to get the Polish sausage sandwich on a long bun is to get the Westerner, and as opposed to the menu's description of getting "two meats" we're getting a double portion of sausage... correct? And to get a single portion the sausage has to be sliced up to fit in a round bun...??? Odd -- but I think I get it.

The other thing the staffer couldn't answer for me (and I didn't press the issue because I had already held up the line)... is what exactly is the jalapeno beans? What kinds of beans? How spicy is this?

How crowded have you been for the lunch hour?

Thanks again! I wish you the best and will be back.

[asbestoshills]

To The Owners of Dickey's:
Things to help your business:
1:Epedite faster! The two times we were there, granted it's a new place and you had more traffic then you will in the future, but there were issues with the line. While the preparers were timely, the cashiers had trouble ringing up both times I was there and really held up the line with no apology. There seemed to be confused employees both times. Think lunch rush and think timeliness-people have to go back to work and will not eat here if they can't get in and out quickly. This is why La Bou and all the fast food places do well.
2:Both times the station with napkins, sauce and pickle wrappers needed tending. Clean and tidy and well stocked (Chic fil a) does an excellent job of expediting and keeping stations well stocked and clean.
3: Your prices aren't the cheapest, which is fine as long as the quality is consistent. This means nice friendly employees (one time when I went the clerk didn't even hand me my to go order, so I had to grab it from the counter)
4:Have someone cleaning the tables and just greeting customers.
5: Your business is a niche and should do well in Folsom as long as you do the above.

[tsukiji]

I'm looking forward to trying Dickey's. I was passing by the smokehouse in Cameron Park over the weekend and stopped in for a quick lunch - this kicked started my summer and yearnings for BBQ from the passing winter.

I can only hope that it's true to BBQ roots, whatever style it is, meats, sides and all. I would not want any 'California-ization' at all and hope it stays outside the walls of Dickey's. If there is a side of fruit there, it better be in a pie.

I don't believe in moderation, having something for everyone. It's analogous to the saying "if you make a product so simple that even a stupid person could use it, then only a stupid person will use it." Be bold, be unique, be real -- attract real BBQ aficionados. Make a Texan proud.

I don't expect BBQ when I go to Fresh Choice / Sweet Tomatoes. I don't expect salads when I go eat BBQ.

Show me a gorgeous smoke ring in the fork tender brisket or finger pull ribs. Give me some cheesy grits, greens (a little chili vinegar on the side), and beans. A shot of Jack and a frosty mug of Coke. And just let me eat.

Folks, let's give Dickey's a break -- he's been open less than a week. Enjoy the food and tolerate any operational issues -- it's no surprise. If there are still critical operational issues after a month, then feel free to offer some suggestions. The employees are probably still trying to get into a groove. Is any business really perfect from Day 1?

[Priscilla]

To The Owners of Dickey's:
Things to help your business:
1:Epedite faster! The two times we were there, granted it's a new place and you had more traffic then you will in the future, but there were issues with the line. While the preparers were timely, the cashiers had trouble ringing up both times I was there and really held up the line with no apology. There seemed to be confused employees both times. Think lunch rush and think timeliness-people have to go back to work and will not eat here if they can't get in and out quickly. This is why La Bou and all the fast food places do well.
2:Both times the station with napkins, sauce and pickle wrappers needed tending. Clean and tidy and well stocked (Chic fil a) does an excellent job of expediting and keeping stations well stocked and clean.
3: Your prices aren't the cheapest, which is fine as long as the quality is consistent. This means nice friendly employees (one time when I went the clerk didn't even hand me my to go order, so I had to grab it from the counter)
4:Have someone cleaning the tables and just greeting customers.
5: Your business is a niche and should do well in Folsom as long as you do the above.

give me a break. I just love Monday morning quarterbacks

[asbestoshills]

Well PRISSYCILLA,
Fact: 9/10 restaurants go out of business, franchises have a higher success rate but still not guaranteed. In this economy, if you don't expedite and keep a clean restaurant, you won't be open for long. Why would you get so testy when a local resident is telling this small business tips to keep their business open?
Just because you serve bbq and no one else does in Folsom, doesn't mean you will stay in business. Also, I went there twice and the first time was the second day it opened and the second time was yesterday for lunch. SO, have you even been there? If so, you will experience the slow lines and the employees backing up the line b/c they aren't expediting fast enough at the register (by the way there is only one). If you have a half hour lunch, you are NOT going to go there, if you can't get In/Out quickly. Also, if the stations aren't filled with straws, napkins,sauces are out, there will be a lot of frustrated customers. Trust me, my parents were part owners of a successful family breakfast restaurant and it's hard to take criticism, but what's harder is to not take it and wonder why you're out of business in two years. Just look around and there's plenty of examples of it in Folsom. Luckily, the owners are on site and present. They seem to care very much about their business, but they are so into keeping the daily work done, they may overlook these issues I have wrote about.

[knittychick]

Is Dickey’s franchise owner, Ray Snook, part of the Jim and Renee Snook family - owners of Snooks Candy on Sutter Street? If so, I'm thrilled a local Folsom family owns Dickey's and they have a great blueprint for quality product and great customer service to help them succeed. Good luck Dickey's we're all rooting for you!

[cw68]

1) they just opened 2) it's not a fast food joint.

It might help to have a bit more patience, especially when you see there is a long line.
Give them a chance, no place is perfect in the first 30 days. There's always room for improvements.

Exactly. Criticism like this is just b*tching. It's not constructive. You need to wait a couple of weeks for operational issues to smooth out. Sheesh.

[redman]

We've been to Dickey's twice already since it opened. In fact, I have leftovers in the fridge here at work that I can't wait to dig into.

Yes the wait can be long, but the staff is learning quickly and the food is amazing. In particular, the ribs and the chopped brisket are VERY good. This is real deal Texas BBQ, something quite hard to find in this area. I just came back from a trip to Dallas, so I have a good basis of comparison :-)

Ray, the owner, is constantly out and about greeting patrons and making sure all is running as smoothly as possible. He's also active on this forum answering everyone's questions. That's a good sign. This place should do well.

For me, the wait is well worth it, and I know things will go faster as the staff gets in a groove.

[redman]

The lines have indeed been long, but on a Friday night there is a wait at most restaurants where the food is good :-) I expect things to settle down over the coming weeks as the staff become faster on the line and we are able to accommodate so many people at one time. It is good that we do have enough seating that no one was looking for a table when they got their food.
If you or any other forum readers do visit Yelp.com I would be very appreciative of some good reviews. Unfortunately that site does filter out the good ones in favor of the spiteful ones that some people love to write from the anonymity of their pc. We had at least 10 great reviews on the first day on Yelp, and then one bad one from a sad little man who appears to write bad reviews for just about every business. Apparently the barbecue is "out of a bottle, tasteless and the best thing at Dickey's is the soda". Well that is his opinion of course, but it is clear his primary intention is to damage my business, not to provide helpful reviews to others. And I have his name so I and my attorney will be watching him very closely!
I am so glad that the majority of people are decent folk and not nasty and spiteful jackasses like Jeff K - or is it B?.

I noticed that too and immediately put up a good review (right after powering through a 2 meat plate and enjoying every bite). Yelp has a lot of influence over a restaurant's business these days. When I find a good restaurant, particularly one here in town, I make it a point to put up a positive review because I want the business to thrive here.

I use Yelp extensively to find good restaurants when I travel, and have never had a bad meal as a result. But I don't just look at number of stars. I look at how many reviews, and I also pay attention to what the good reviews and bad reviews actually say. I tell friends to do the same. It took me all of 5 seconds to see that Jeff K was just inventing crap to bash you. A meaningful negative review would actually say something of substance, and there would be other people agreeing with him. Oh well, there are always a few people like this out there I guess. I suspect his review will very quickly be drowned out.

[Carl G]

I noticed that too and immediately put up a good review (right after powering through a 2 meat plate and enjoying every bite). Yelp has a lot of influence over a restaurant's business these days. When I find a good restaurant, particularly one here in town, I make it a point to put up a positive review because I want the business to thrive here.

I use Yelp extensively to find good restaurants when I travel, and have never had a bad meal as a result. But I don't just look at number of stars. I look at how many reviews, and I also pay attention to what the good reviews and bad reviews actually say. I tell friends to do the same. It took me all of 5 seconds to see that Jeff K was just inventing crap to bash you. A meaningful negative review would actually say something of substance, and there would be other people agreeing with him. Oh well, there are always a few people like this out there I guess. I suspect his review will very quickly be drowned out.

I personally don't trust yelp. It looks like some low-lifes are trying to scam restaurants, according to KCRA. Just like with Amazon, I read online reviews with extreme skepticism.

[tsukiji]

Agree with taking Yelp with a grain of salt. Although if you get to know some of the reviewers and confirm their reviews personally, then it's possible to have less skepticism with reviewers you follow.

For example, this reviewer is probably trustworthy: http://www.yelp.com/...da_jzFFhNwlT8fA

[eVader]

"If there is a side of fruit there, it better be in a pie."

"Show me a gorgeous smoke ring in the fork tender brisket or finger pull ribs. Give me some cheesy grits, greens (a little chili vinegar on the side), and beans. A shot of Jack and a frosty mug of Coke. And just let me eat. "

I like the sound of that!

I think most of the posts are very positive and understand (and expect) a line at the door or a wait when a place first opens. It sounds like with Ray's hands on leadership it will only get better. Now lets get to eating ribs.

[MikeinFolsom]

I've gone three times and found it to be pretty dang good. I don't have a problem with how long it is taking them to LEARN their positions. The food is always good. And hot. And always correct. I have a feeling if you ask for what you want, you'll get it. No problem. Take it easy on the new establishments. Too many people think they're the perfect cat's meow nowadays. Geez.