Farmington airport restaurant may reopen

Good Grief wrote:

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But yet people are willing to drive to Durango for good food. If the food is good, people will go out of their way to get there. I would. Perhaps drinkers will curtail their drinking if they have to drive past the police station.

Zebras wrote:

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Thanks for your comment, I know there will always be negetive people out there to quikly bash anyone willing to step forward and take the risk. I did report to the newspaper that I wanted to be compared to Chillis, Applebee's, Outback, and Fudruckers because they are all on the east side of town. Like them you will be able to recieve Lunch or Dinner style meal. Unlike them this faciluty is located on the west side of town. We will offer great food with great service at a reasonable price. As far as the bid process; I submited a RFP just as anyone else in the world had the opportunity to do so, I really wish you would have offered one also. The fact that I am a city employee had no positive gains, rather the fact that I have owned and operated a Catering buisness in farmington for the last 8 years and family dinning establishment for the last 3 years did bare positive reinforcement of my RFP. As you will find the uniforms will be of the up most respect for both the male and female staff. I am very excited for the grand opening and can't wait to share this addition to the Farmington Dinning experience. Please post any comments, concerns, or ideas as they will all be considered. Thank you for your posts, Lance Johnson Zebra's Sports Grill.

Taxpayer wrote:

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If you're convinced that this will work, then by all means go for it - I'm not stopping you. I just want to caution you that this is not 1997 anymore. We no longer have 8 or more Mesa Albuquerque flights, 4 or 5 Phoenix flights, and several Denver flights. And the Mesa Air Pilot Development program is only a fraction of what it was 10-12 years ago (as most of it has moved to ASU at the Phoenix-Gateway airport in the city of Mesa, AZ). The point is that the customer base is only a fraction of what it was pre-9/11 when Senor Peppers was open. But you seem like a smart enterprising individual that has done the required homework, so I'm sure you already knew all of that.
And no, I did not submit a bid for a restaurant because I have no desire to own and operate a restaurant. I DO have a desire, however, to see my tax dollars spent wisely. After the complete boondoggle of Sky Haven, I feel angry and cynical about this deal and give the Farmington city council a vote of no confidence as to their competence in this matter. And as a past frequent traveler to Durango, Albuquerque,(and in the past) Roswell, Pueblo, CO, and Dalhart, TX, and all around the US, Canada, and Mexico, I know what airport restaurants/grills/snack bars work and which ones don't. But don't take my word for it.
If, however, you can make a go of it at the airport and can turn a profit, more power to you. I might even be a customer if that happens.
Remember, good food at a reasonable price. Prompt service. Don't get too fancy and upscale. Keep it simple and unpretentious. Again, check out the snack bar/grills in Durango LaPlata County airport and the lower floor of Albuquerque Sunport where the Great Lakes gates are. They offer basic breakfast, lunch, and dinner food at a reasonable price with no games and "atmosphere".
Good Luck.

TooTrue wrote:

I can assure you that when someone opens a new eating place in Farmington, even if they sold "Dog Poop on a Stick" they would be busy for a month or two. People in Farmington have no idea of what good eating establishments are. The pople in Farmington do not Tip well, Dress well, talk/speak good english, or understand politness - in other words most of your citizens are jerks! No, dumb jerks who don't really care or even know better - they don't even know there jerks.

Objective Opinion wrote:

Greg
Famington residents have been trying for years to get Olive Garden to come to town. They have too many company rules and dont want to put one here. Several have even tried to bring them here on their own, but they refuse to let it happen.
Farmington will probably never see Olive Garden in this town. This is Olive Garden's doings.
I too would like to see a good Italian place come to town. I frequented Johnnie Carino's alot, it was good food at a good price.

Dashell wrote:

<quoted text>Johhny Carino's was considered good food? Ever wonder why they are out of business now? Olive Garden is way, way better than anything Carino's could've mustered. Even the little Italian restaurant on Main and Broadway St in Farmington serves food with true zestiness of herbs and spices, that made Carino's taste like cardboard.