this american life investigates south slope

marzipan · July 2010

From the TAL site, this week's episode:

PROLOGUE.
Hanco's and Henry's are two restaurants in Brooklyn that sell Vietnamese sandwiches and bubble tea. Their menus are identical, down to the order of the items, the layout, the fonts. Ira Glass investigates, and finds out about Henry's million dollar idea. (8 1/2 minutes)

I would be that our little ol' message board was the inspiration for this......

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/412/million-dollar-idea

astigmatism · July 2010

Ha! What I great, hysterical bit. It's good to know that the guys at Henry's are as shady as I always imagined them to be.

pitu · July 2010

Thx for posting that! I missed TAL this week.

I don't think it's a big deal that the menu items are the same - they're pretty much the same (and in the same order) at the older NYC shops like Ba Xuyen, or the Vietnamese sandwich shops in No. Virginia or California.

mpmav1 · July 2010

I cannot wait to listen! I love that show so much!

armchair_warrior · July 2010

they all copy each other. hmm i know a guy who work in all Vietnamese restaurant and they are all own by the same group of guys in the north east etc... probably same goes for sandwich shops.

same goes for 99 cent stores and deli's and quickie marts. immigrants from the same back ground and families and friends generally ending up doing the same thing. its easier for them than start a totally different business.

veets · July 2010

Armchair...This is beginning to remind me of the "Urban Myth" about Indian Restaurants on 6th Street in Manhattan.. a dozen restaurants on the block with individual names but the food for all is coming out of ONE communal kitchen located in the backyard of one building that has an extension that is the kitchen for all.

blkpetal · July 2010

Subject: Thanks!

My DH and I have talked about it and have heard rumors. It was so gratifying to hear it directly from the source.

I think it is more of HOW Henry's did it. I have been to other Vietnamese/Bubble tea establishments and so yes, there are always similarities. At the very least, recognize that they are just a few blocks away, have almost the same name and the exact same menu? Clearly Henry's was fully aware of what they were doing.

I am all for competition but there is something to be said for being neighborly. How many sushi places and pizza places exist on 7th Ave? They offer similar fare but yet they don't have the EXACT same menu or sauces...etc. I think that's the real problem.

brooke lynn knight · July 2010

As always, The Onion is all over this important story.

this american life investigates south slope

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