Well we’ve had about two months of the new lunch format. We need to have the silent majority step up and put their proverbial foot down to complain once and for all that “we’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.”

I know Rotary is about more than lunch, actually the “Knife and Forkers” might argue that, but, what has been delivered to us at the tables can hardly be called what we would like.

I have been a member of Rotary longer than I can remember…. I always ask Laura Freedman how long it’s been, (we joined at the same time). Actually, Laura Freedman used to be Laura Christiansen, but that’s another story. Furthermore, we had two (2) Laura Christiansens in the club at the same time but that’s yet another other story. Lunch used to be run by the Velvet Turtle.

At that time, lunch was actually a pleasurable experience, with salads and identifiable meats and deserts. It was a real Hogwarts experience with floating candle chandeliers and plates of great food with butterbear and other unusual delicacies. OK, I’ll take back the butterbear and floating lights, but I stand by the delicacies.

What we are experiencing today is the proverbial “the heat was turned up slowly until the pot boiled, we were in it, and now it’s hotter than hell and it appears there is no way out”. We have cooked ourselves by staying in one location too long. Ja-maken-me-Crazy has increased prices while delivering less variety, quality and imaginative food. Ok, I’ll give them the imaginative food. They give it to us and we need to imagine it’s good or food or both.

They feel like they have us over the barrel because we are too complacent to leave and would rather offer our membership a sub par experience than search for better food, prices and service (not the servers). While sub par works for the PGA, it shouldn’t work for Arcadia Rotary. I would rather bring my own lunch EVERY Friday and not have to pay the excruciating rates, get what I want and solve the dollar problem than be a willing participant in what they are calling lunch these days.

Part of the problem needs to rest on the Board and the President for letting this happen ( I am not saying past or present). I am sure that they feel this uprising is temporary and that we will all fall into line… but now as they are actually understanding the financial situation, do we really need to take this out on the membership. I don’t want to be a lunch zombie headed for a seat at the table of doom waiting with the “If we are seated, they will come” mentality.

In more recent times, long past the Hogwarts experience, we used to stand in line wondering what the Mystery Meat was…. but, we had the option of putting it on our plate or not. When we had a buffet line we had the opportunity to increase salad, or vegetables, or starch or meat. We have no choice now. We get what we get when Ja-Makin-Me-Crazy wants to give it to us. And they have been “Givin it to us”.

Today’s lunch for example, had the expected Mystery Meat – Fish in a tomato sauce with capers. (I am having one of the “capers” on my plate being analyzed), because I have seen things like that before in my daughters rabbit cage. ANYHOW, Fish, rice vegetable medly and rolls. I didn’t think anything could make me wish we had last years fare back, but this helped me get off my duff and complain. Last years mystery is much better than this year’s surprise.

Remember when we had salads, or spinach with all the trimmings, tacos (with all the accoutrements), I’ll even give you the BBQ chicken. Better yet, when was the last time we had beef for a meal or Lamb Shanks. OK forget the lamb Shanks (but I liked them). Those are the good old days. At this point, I will even take the build your own sandwich, actually that’s good, or hamburgers.

When we get asked who wants the buffet  back, we need to boldly put up our hands and be counted. After all, we’re mad as hell and are not going to take this anymore. If the President and the Board don’t listen, to the majority of the club then we need to get LOUDER. We need to see what’s out there. We need to let lunch venues compete for our business. We shop insurance, services, mechanics, doctors, advertising agencies, CPA’s, Lawyers, schools, you name it. We ought to be shopping this as well.

‘In the Immortal words of John Pinet…. “Buffet Closed….. You eat too much, You go home now.

I’m not going home. If you feel the way I do, make noise…. make alota noise.