Food and Dining Notes from the Road
What’s with all the new fees in restaurants? And yes, the Webster in Iowa City is still great. Plus, more news/insights.
Greetings from the road! We were in Chicago last weekend for a family wedding; now, I’m “on assignment” in Dubuque, scoring some insights and finds for a great autumn getaway trip here and then up-river. Stay tuned—that story will be coming soon.
Meanwhile, this missive will be more random than most—but hopefully helpful nonetheless.
The Webster Is Still Tops in My Book
Last year, the New York Times put The Webster, in Iowa City, on their list of 50 best restaurants across the country. This year, it’s no longer on the recently published list. What gives? I highly doubt that whoever is covering this neck of the woods for the Times went back and decided, “It’s not as good as it was.” Rather, I suspect they simply chased something new to write about. It’s so often what we food journalists do.
No restaurant from Iowa made the list, by the way.
But I’m here to tell you that the Webster is every bit as good as it was last year when I reviewed it (before the NY Times discovered it, by the way). Something I appreciated (when compared to a couple recent high-end dining experiences in Des Moines): how exceedingly well staffed the place was in both the kitchen and the front of the house. Beyond attentive service, the generous staffing added a confident vibe overall. We felt in such great hands.
And I loved the way co-owner Riene Gelman circled the room, touched tables, and affected comfort throughout the evening: raising and lowering shades when the sunlight shifted, lowering the lights when needed, stepping in to help servers here and there. Again—a fine-tuned vibe that makes you feel in great hands.
I’ve got more to say about The Webster, but meanwhile, let me just tell you that it’s just one more reason Iowa City is worth an overnight or even a weekend excursion. Check out my story, 36 Hours in Iowa City, for a great trip to a surprisingly cosmopolitan destination that’s less than two hours from Des Moines.
A Thought on Those Credit Card Fees (And Staff Retention Fees)
Everywhere I dined in Chicago and even a few places on the road, I have encountered a 3 to 3.5% credit card fee added to the bill. At one place there was a “Staff Retention Fee” of 4% added. This goes to kitchen workers and non-tipped employees in an attempt to fix the all-too-common wage gap between front- and back-of-house employees. (Generally, servers make much more than line cooks.) The bill says it’s “optional,” but who’s going to begrudge low-paid line cooks and dishwashers a little extra? Talk about a buzzkill.
Of course, we all wonder, why they don’t simply include these fees in the menu prices. Here’s a thought: If the fee were buried in the price of the food and drinks, we’d base our gratuity on a food/drink total that included the buried fees. At Obélix in Chicago, the fees and taxes added up to nearly $30. Did I really need to tip, say, $6 more for these line items, considering they did not add value to the service I received?
No restaurateur will tell you this, but I suspect the tipping factor is one of the reasons they’re breaking out these fees. Burying them in the menu prices would only make you tip more, adding even more to the front-of-house/back-of-house disparity, while also adding more to your bill, and making you wonder if it was truly all worth the cost.
Of course, if you wish, you can tip on the fees and tax. But you do not have to.
In More Food News:
• Linh Ta at Axios reported on “Nightmare at Jordan Creek,” a moody Halloween pop-up bar/restaurant in the former Champps location.
• Karla Walsh updated her list of the best 36 Restaurants in Des Moines for Eater.
• And speaking of The Webster, Susan Stapleton reports, in the Des Moines Register, that the Webster’s owners plan to open a ramen shop and cocktail lounge in Iowa City. This is exciting news, as chef-owner Sam Gelman served in top positions at restaurateur David Chang’s Momofuku Restaurant Group, giving him some major bonafides in Korean and Japanese cuisines.
That’s all for this week! I’ll be back in town soon, and I’ll report on the great Northeastern Iowa food and fun destinations!
fees, fees, everywhere a fee
The Webster is most decidedly my favorite restaurant in Iowa--for all the reasons you specified. My husband and I dine there every time we're in Iowa City. And if our daughter would leave Iowa City, we'd travel there just for the Webster!