Spend local

I have a theory about people who eat at Olive Garden and think it’s Italian food. I believe they are the same people who get a hickey and think they’ve received oral sex.

The most interesting things within a half mile of Greenville, South Carolina’s Tito’s Pizzeria are a gas station and a former convent. The little white structure is about as inviting its previous neighbors. To the casual passer-by, Tito’s looks like it could’ve once been a porn shop, or at best, a tattoo parlor. That is, if you’re an average careful American, you’re going to drive right by Tito’s and drive the extra two miles down to the ever-familiar Olive Garden for soup and bread sticks. It’s all you can eat!

A couple of months ago, the family was tired and hungry. We didn’t feel like cooking for ourselves. We wanted food that would make us happy. We wanted good food. We had a choice to make.

Here’s a short list of places within a five-minute drive of our home (not including fast food):

  • Pebble Creek Pizza
  • Olive Garden
  • Ruby Tuesday
  • Corona Mexican Restaurant
  • Tito’s
  • Red Lobster
  • Flat Rock Grill
  • The closest of all those places is Tito’s. So we went and we found the best Italian food in the city. Fresh food, made on-site, never frozen, and an off-the-menu ziti bolognese that is out of this world. Meanwhile, a bunch of people lined up at the Olive Garden for their hickeys.

    It’s not hard to understand how the McWendy Kings of the world have ruined eating so successfully. The ability to open a location on every street corner gives them mass produce food such that it can be sold for less than a dollar. The fast food places turned into the Mass Food places and Americans forgot how to eat well. For coming from place that has so easily co-opted the cultures of food rich countries, mass produced American food outlets have done a poor job of teaching average Americans how to eat.

    Yesterday afternoon, I took the family to one of the older Indian joints in town. India Palace is one of the first places I ate in Greenville. It’s a friendly place with good food. Just across the street sits the Open Book, the biggest independent book store in Greenville. We spent more than hour inside. I picked up a book by local author Ron Rash. In the span of three hours, I’d contributed more than $100 to the local economy. It felt good.

    Inside the book store sat a photocopied magazine article that suggested out of every $100 spent at a chain or franchise store or restaurant, $15 stays in the local economy. However, the article said, if you spend at a local place, $45 of the $100 stays local. I can’t vouch for the veracity of it, but it sounds nice enough for me to feel good about spending local.

    I have no great motive for telling you all of this except that I really wonder why–other than sheer convenience or fear–people choose to frequent the Red Lobsters and Oliver Gardens of America. Sure, my family is guilty of it, too, but we’re making every effort to spend as locally as possible.

    So, why, when you could put a dollar in your neighbor’s pocket do you choose to give it to somebody you’ve never met? Why when you could eat something fresh do you choose to eat something that comes frozen, in a bag, off a truck?

    Why do you want a damned hickey?

    Brad Willis

    Brad Willis is a writer based in Greenville, South Carolina. Willis spent a decade as an award-winning broadcast journalist. He has worked as a freelance writer, columnist, and professional blogger since 2005. He has also served as a commentator and guest on a wide variety of television, radio, and internet shows.

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    16 Responses

    1. Falstaff says:

      I can only speak for myself, but when I’m traveling (on the road for one or two days) I tend to stop at chain restaurants because they’re the “safe” choice. I used to spend an inordinate amount of time in Applebee’s restaurants because I knew what I was going to get every time. Mediocre but harmless.

      If I’m going to be going to a town repeatedly, or will be there several days, I’d rather support local businesses. And of course I try to support the local places where I live when I get the chance.

    2. T says:

      I love me some Tito’s.

    3. Jjok says:

      It’s been the struggle of the wife and me to find good local restaurants. Living downtown, we had tons of choices. Now it’s a constant debate of what chain to dine at in the burbs. Agreed with local purchases. We frequent a local fish market once a week to buy some flounder or shrimp or whatever. Beats the he’ll outta frequenting Krogers for everything.

    4. Champ says:

      In a town filled with some amazing coffee houses–offering better coffee at better prices–it’s scary how fast everyone flocked to the new Starbucks (located right across the street) because of their drive-thru.

    5. Matt V says:

      Wholeheartedly agree, at home I avoid large chain restaurants like the plague. There are so many great local places to eat.

      If I am tooling down the interstate I’ll probably end up at McDonald’s, mostly because of their fries and how the quarter pounder sticks together. The ketchup & cheese act as binding agents so nothing falls out of the burger while I eat & drive.

      Shopping local is more complicated. Here in Chicago, the local sales tax is 10.25%. It is very hard to rationalize paying that when you don’t have to on Amazon.

    6. OK…hickey’s growing up were cool, Otis. You know it and I know it…quit making them out to be the plague, damn it!!! LOL! Great write-up…really did enjoy it.

    7. Poker Shrink says:

      Completely with you on this one Otis, although I do prefer to get my hickeys locally as well. I know a lot more than 45% of those stay in the community.

    8. Average White Boy says:

      Stax, don’t forget Stax.

    9. otis says:

      Glad to hear there are some folks with me on this one. And AWB, Stax is almost a weekly visit for us. Uually a weekend mornign for breakfast or lunch. Omega is our second kitchen.

    10. Little Willie says:

      Don’t worry about it. If your savior (President Obama) gets all if his agenda through congress, you won’t have to trouble yourself to give them your business. The local small businesses will have to close. They won’t be able to afford the taxes or the mandated healthcare coverage. Just ask them. Any of them. Seriously.

    11. CJ says:

      I eat at Olive Garden’s because I love their salad, their breadsticks and their fettucini alfredo. It’s not fear of other places. I’ve eaten at other places. I love the Olive Garden food. I’m not sure why there’s something wrong with that. I’ve eaten at some of the local places in E-ville, but I don’t like their food as much. It is possible for a chain place to have better food than a local place.

    12. Robert P. says:

      One of the best things that ever happened to our family was finding out that our son had food allergies. Corn especially. What that means is that we can’t eat out as often as we would like. However, it also means that when we do any and all chains are pretty much OUT. The one exception being McDonald’s hamburgers, which are the only ones without corn. So, we eat a lot of local food. We pay a lot for an 8 year old to eat Shrimp Cocktails, sushi, chopped salads, and other food to which most kids would turn up their noses.

      The problem with chains is that even if it tastes good, it is probably because of a large number of chemicals and additives that have been added pre-freezing in order to make it palatable after thawing and cooking.

    13. Astin says:

      I tend to avoid chains these days. Sure, I’ll swing into Wendy’s for a burger now and then, but without any illusions as to what I’m getting.

      At home, I can’t remember the last time I was in a chain restaurant for dinner. The quality level has dropped significantly over the past 5-10 years to the point where I find most chains serving food that is nearly inedible.

      High salt, high fat, low actual flavour, and all overcooked and overpriced. I fail to see the point.

      But on the road? Well, at least I know what I’m getting. I could go to a “Tito’s”, but would probably be more afraid that it’s past-due frozen food that was cooked next to a cockroach. Maybe I miss out on a good food experience, but maybe I also miss out on food poisoning.

      Which is why I ask before I go someplace if anyone has some recommendations.

    14. HighOnPoker says:

      One of the worst parts about traveling is seeing towns that look all alike, with a strip of chain restaurants in the main shopping areas. I prefer to find the local places, even if its a dive, because those are the unique experiences. What’s the point of traveling at all if you end up visiting the same establishments than you do at home.

      Even worse, the chains are getting stronger traction in some areas. I’ve been to places where its just chain after chain. Buffalo is a good example. In the ‘burbs, there are tons of chain restaurants and its hard to find something that is local.

    15. Drizztdj says:

      I hate my town for turning into the McWal-Mart epicenter of Restaurants.

      Its like someone threw-up franchises where the Eggy’s Cafe used to stand proudly.

      If you want the good stuff, The Lookout’s broasted chicken, or Dean’s Country Manor steakhouse can only be found if you find a local to take you there.

    16. Da Goddess says:

      We have some great little places in town that I gladly encourage folks to enjoy whenever I can. They always feel like they’ve discovered some priceless treasure, and you know what? They have.

      I’d much rather support my neighbors than the big chains.

      Now, how does one go about getting Tito’s delivered?