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Dining in or Dining out on STJ- Discussion Post
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Xislandgirl
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Dining in or Dining out on STJ- Discussion Post
I was taking to a good friend on island in the restaurant business and she said that business is very slow this season. She works at a very popular reataurant that normally is very busy but she said that she sees so many people getting off the ferry with coolers of food that she is not surprised. She is actually, after 20+ years on island in the restaurant biz, thinking about leaving the island because the restaurant business has really declined in the past few year.
I like to eat a dinner or 2 in, but for the most part we eat out. I know that there are many people here that like to eat in for all of their meals. I bring some food with me but I still buy plenty on island.
So here is my question:
Do you think that eating all( or many)of your meals at the villa is hurting the tourist economy on STJ?
I like to eat a dinner or 2 in, but for the most part we eat out. I know that there are many people here that like to eat in for all of their meals. I bring some food with me but I still buy plenty on island.
So here is my question:
Do you think that eating all( or many)of your meals at the villa is hurting the tourist economy on STJ?
I love to cook so eating in is my preferance. I don't have the time here after work to do that much gorment cooking. Also we are paying for the great views of the villas and spending the days at the beach so we like to enjoy sun set at the villa in fact even when we eat out we have drinks before on the deck watching the sun set. To have a great meal with the lights of STT and the cruise ships leaving is great.
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Xislandgirl
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I agree that the rising costs of all of those things force some of us to make the decision to eat in but that is not helping the STJ economy. Is that something as visitors we should worry about?
Mind you, I am just throwing out different thoughts here. Not being argumentative.
Mind you, I am just throwing out different thoughts here. Not being argumentative.
Last edited by Xislandgirl on Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I think this is a very good subject.
I have been connected to the food biz all of my working life and business is bad everywhere! Anyone who sez they are doing well is probably lying! So I believe it is the overall economy, not specifically St John. I thought restaurants were slow when we were there in Jan, but getting anyone to admit so goes against their grain.
So far all of our trips (4) we have not stayed in villas therefore eaten out every night, and bought everything on island that we either ate in for b'fast or a lunch picnic from a deli. I am hoping to stay in a villa next and plan to eat in most nights.
I'm anxious to hear more opinions on this!
I have been connected to the food biz all of my working life and business is bad everywhere! Anyone who sez they are doing well is probably lying! So I believe it is the overall economy, not specifically St John. I thought restaurants were slow when we were there in Jan, but getting anyone to admit so goes against their grain.
So far all of our trips (4) we have not stayed in villas therefore eaten out every night, and bought everything on island that we either ate in for b'fast or a lunch picnic from a deli. I am hoping to stay in a villa next and plan to eat in most nights.
I'm anxious to hear more opinions on this!
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Kentuckygirl
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We ate most dinners out on our last trip to St. John, but it was just the 2 of us. This year we have a large group going and I would like to eat in more. Plus, the villas we have rented are in the Catherineberg area, so there aren't any restaurants really close. I've been reading the off-topic forum, trying to plan some meals to cook. I think I'd like to eat about half of our dinners out and half in. I don't want to hurt the economy in St. John. I just think it will be fun to stay in and enjoy the views, happy hours, sunsets, and dinner at the villa.
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Xislandgirl
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I don't think that it is a case of guilt at all.Jorge wrote:In over 25 years of going to STJ, I can count the amount of times that we have dined out on one hand. Guilty as charged! Jorge
I guess one of my thoughts is that we spend so much money on a house and most of that money goes to someone off island. As tourists that enjoy the island, do we have a responsibility to stimulate the economy on island?
If I rent a house close to town, do not rent a car, only go to beaches that I can walk to, and cook all my meals with food that I have brought from home am I being a responsible tourist? Or is there even such a thing?
Good topic X.
I can certainly understand why you would want to stay in at the villa for dinner when you have a beautiful view at home, and often---a great kitchen. If St. John had developed like other islands with more hotels rather than villas, the restaurant business might be doing better. But the it wouldn't be St. John:(
I like to cook and would actually like to stay in a few more nights. But I usually go in a group and everyone likes to eat out most meals. Janie feels its more of a treat to eat out on vacation. Our general routine is to have cocktails at home, then go out to dinner.
I'm certainly not questioning what your friend told you about business being slow, but I will tell you that the restaurants were incredibly crowded the week that we were there in mid-March. It was a prime Spring Break week. Anyway, I doubt you could have walked in to Lime Inn, La Tapa, Zozo's or The Balcony between 6 and 8 and gotten a table without a reservation. I do think there is a need for mid-priced restarants in Cruz Bay (such as Lime Inn, Morgans Mango), but maybe the rents and high food costs don't make it work. I've got to believe most of the profit is in the liquor anyway.
St. John does have a lot of really good dining choices right now and I hope they are able to continue.
I can certainly understand why you would want to stay in at the villa for dinner when you have a beautiful view at home, and often---a great kitchen. If St. John had developed like other islands with more hotels rather than villas, the restaurant business might be doing better. But the it wouldn't be St. John:(
I like to cook and would actually like to stay in a few more nights. But I usually go in a group and everyone likes to eat out most meals. Janie feels its more of a treat to eat out on vacation. Our general routine is to have cocktails at home, then go out to dinner.
I'm certainly not questioning what your friend told you about business being slow, but I will tell you that the restaurants were incredibly crowded the week that we were there in mid-March. It was a prime Spring Break week. Anyway, I doubt you could have walked in to Lime Inn, La Tapa, Zozo's or The Balcony between 6 and 8 and gotten a table without a reservation. I do think there is a need for mid-priced restarants in Cruz Bay (such as Lime Inn, Morgans Mango), but maybe the rents and high food costs don't make it work. I've got to believe most of the profit is in the liquor anyway.
St. John does have a lot of really good dining choices right now and I hope they are able to continue.
---Jim
Eating in is certainly not helping the tourist economy on St. John though I understand some people prefer cooking their own meals at their villa.
In my case, we live in a small apartment (well, not so small for this city, still...) and when we stay at a beautiful villa with a big gourmet kitchen on St. John, I just can
In my case, we live in a small apartment (well, not so small for this city, still...) and when we stay at a beautiful villa with a big gourmet kitchen on St. John, I just can
Last edited by Pickle on Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Xislandgirl
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I don't believe that I said that we have an obligation, I was wondering what people's opinions are about that thought process. Is it OK to vacation somewhere and do nothing to put money into the economy of where we go?SJfromNJ wrote:I am not quite sure what you mean by "tourist obligation to stimulate the economy". Are we obligated dto eat out every meal in STJ? Certainly not.
I am just trying to fuel the discussion, that's all. I just thought that it would be a good topic for this board.