I want to slap the person who made this, because Earl's is not going to be competing on price the way Walmart does.
It's pointing out the hypocrisy of complaining about someone else (in this case, a restaurant) not supporting local in one instance but deciding not to yourself in another, just to save a few bucks. You should probably go all in if you're going to take that stance like that. Otherwise it just comes across as self-righteous, empty whining.
It's kind of like the people that brag that they recycle, but they only bother with things that return a deposit. Everything else is off to the landfill but they still take credit for 'doing their part'.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Fire of the Phoenix For This Useful Post:
It's largely just people participating in the new cool thing, which is pretending to be upset over something they'd never usually care about. Nobody will care about this in a month
It's pointing out the hypocrisy of complaining about someone else (in this case, a restaurant) not supporting local in one instance but deciding not to yourself in another, just to save a few bucks.
As pointed out previously, Alberta beef is cost-competitive. It just doesn't come with a hippie-friendly label, which makes Earl's "Certified Humane" the opposite of Walmart from a consumer choice standpoint.
It's pointing out the hypocrisy of complaining about someone else (in this case, a restaurant) not supporting local in one instance but deciding not to yourself in another, just to save a few bucks. You should probably go all in if you're going to take that stance like that. Otherwise it just comes across as self-righteous, empty whining.
It's kind of like the people that brag that they recycle, but they only bother with things that return a deposit. Everything else is off to the landfill but they still take credit for 'doing their part'.
Lots of things wrong with how our society thinks these days. Self righteousness for one.
Have a friend who is now the head chef at a earls in Calgary. He was actually the first head chef I ever had years ago, at a different restaurant, and essentially the guy I credit for getting me into it in the first place.
Anyway, I ended up sending him a facebook message with a few questions I had about all of this and he invited me for a tasting tomorrow night. Tasting it is something anyone can do since I think all the restaurants have had the new meat for a few days now, but a chance to catch up with an old friend, have a free steak, and ask a few questions to a guy that will give me answers without PR nonsense should be nice. Will report back.
Last edited by btimbit; 05-01-2016 at 08:52 PM.
The Following User Says Thank You to btimbit For This Useful Post:
I want to slap the person who made this, because Earl's is not going to be competing on price the way Walmart does.
I'm not sure I follow.
McDonald's is the Wal-Mart of beef sales. They definitely compete on price. You can't beat them on price!
All the beef they sell in Canada is Canadian beef. If they were to announce tomorrow that they are going to get all their beef from the States from now on, that would be fine, because they compete on price?
McDonald's is the Wal-Mart of beef sales. They definitely compete on price. You can't beat them on price!
All the beef they sell in Canada is Canadian beef. If they were to announce tomorrow that they are going to get all their beef from the States from now on, that would be fine, because they compete on price?
If McDonalds were to start sourcing from the US, one might assume that our producers were not cost-competitive, and therefore accept McDonald's choice as economically valid.
Earl's is changing their sourcing to a (presumably) more expensive source, which they are likely to pass on to the consumer, and then increase their own profits on top of that.
It's very much different. I don't care for the Canadian dairy industry ripping off Canadian consumers through the quota system, but Alberta beef is competitive, and as such, I have no interest in paying a premium for beef sourced from the USA.
Protectionism/jingoism/nationalism/mercantilism/whatever is economically detrimental (given that other jurisdictions can reciprocate if we do not adopt free trade with them) but I object when we kneecap our own competitive sectors for political reasons.
If McDonalds were to start sourcing from the US, one might assume that our producers were not cost-competitive, and therefore accept McDonald's choice as economically valid.
Earl's is changing their sourcing to a (presumably) more expensive source, which they are likely to pass on to the consumer, and then increase their own profits on top of that.
It's very much different. I don't care for the Canadian dairy industry ripping off Canadian consumers through the quota system, but Alberta beef is competitive, and as such, I have no interest in paying a premium for beef sourced from the USA.
Protectionism/jingoism/nationalism/mercantilism/whatever is economically detrimental (given that other jurisdictions can reciprocate if we do not adopt free trade with them) but I object when we kneecap our own competitive sectors for political reasons.
Earls customers (and restaurants) are pretty much the same everywhere I'm sure. I don't think it's something they care about.
I guess my point, which I didn't make because I didn't actually say it, is that the "our customers demand it" is just a cover for something else.
Probably a cover for "we'll make more money doing it this way", which is generally why large corporations do things.
About 40% of Earls' locations are in Alberta. If the customer they cater to today was the customer they wanted in the future, then adopting what is ostensibly an anti-Alberta, "Canadian beef isn't good enough for us" stance is beyond stupid. What this decision indicates - beyond a desire to save money by sourcing to a single supplier instead of the multiple they had previously - is to appeal to a more pretentious, shallow, latte-sipping crowd that is easily swayed by an American lobby's trademark.
About 40% of Earls' locations are in Alberta. If the customer they cater to today was the customer they wanted in the future, then adopting what is ostensibly an anti-Alberta, "Canadian beef isn't good enough for us" stance is beyond stupid. What this decision indicates - beyond a desire to save money by sourcing to a single supplier instead of the multiple they had previously - is to appeal to a more pretentious, shallow, latte-sipping crowd that is easily swayed by an American lobby's trademark.
It's kind of akin to having a restaurant base in Quebec and saying that there will be no French language on the menu or language used in the restaurant (I realize that's probably illegal there but it's just the point I'm making). IMO this is simply foolish business and at the end of the day I'm not exactly sure what Earls management was thinking. That said I didn't realize that many people frequent them for steaks.
I'm sure it is no coincidence but over the weekend I noticed many restaurants (billboards outside their doors, websites etc.) all specifically mentioning they use Alberta beef. Undoubtably trying to make a point.
Meh, it might be a good thing, the way Earls cooks its beef is a crime against humanity anyways.
I've maybe gone to Earls once or twice in the last 10 years, and their food doesn't exactly make me salivate when I look for dining choices.
the major backfire right now though, isn't that Earls stopped selling Alberta Beef, its that they announced it in a province that feels like its under siege from the long haired greasy hippy movement.
So the other restaurants out there are going to double down and of course they're only going to use Alberta Beef. And they're going to gain customers from it, Earls is going to lose Customers here for sure.
Earls is the fast food of mediocre tablecloth dining.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
The Following User Says Thank You to CaptainCrunch For This Useful Post:
Yeah the only reason they're taking any backlash is because they turned it into a publicity stunt, I wonder how many restaurants around the city are like "oh crap, we better keep our mouths shut." because they're not using Canadian beef.
Yup. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. They could have quietly switched suppliers and nobody would have noticed. Instead, they decided to brag about moving to an American supplier while insinuating that Canadian producers are inhumane. As a PR move, it was not handled well at all.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Resolute 14 For This Useful Post:
To be fair, Earls didn't really "announce" anything. I mean, I'm sure they put out a release or posted it on their site or something but it isn't like it was them that put this in the paper and on the news.
The media saw this as an opportunity to get people foaming at the mouth and they ran with it. I'm sure Earls would have been quite content with this being a quiet announcement.
To be fair, Earls didn't really "announce" anything. I mean, I'm sure they put out a release or posted it on their site or something but it isn't like it was them that put this in the paper and on the news.
The media saw this as an opportunity to get people foaming at the mouth and they ran with it. I'm sure Earls would have been quite content with this being a quiet announcement.
Earls Restaurants @earlsrestaurant Apr 27
This is really big.
Earls is the first chain in North America to source all its beef from Certified Humane® farms http://ow.ly/4n8DZ0
Oh, they announced it. On all their social media channels. And the anger about it was instant. The #BoycottEarls hashtag, for instance, spawned about an hour after Earls tweeted their new policy, and long before the media had any idea what was happening.
Earls' social media presence has been entirely on the defensive since.
To be fair, Earls didn't really "announce" anything. I mean, I'm sure they put out a release or posted it on their site or something but it isn't like it was them that put this in the paper and on the news.
The media saw this as an opportunity to get people foaming at the mouth and they ran with it. I'm sure Earls would have been quite content with this being a quiet announcement.
