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Tom's Restaurant: Does this sound right for a sandwich?! — Brooklynian

Tom's Restaurant: Does this sound right for a sandwich?!

dennisobell
dennisobell
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights

Subject: Tom's Restaurant: Does this sound right for a sandwich?!

Longtime member, super-infrequent poster, reemerging on the board for a sanity check on an expensive lunch I just had...at Tom's Restaurant on Washington.

I was working from home this morning (off work at noon), and decided to treat myself to lunch there. Little did I know what a splurge it would be!

I ordered a chicken cutlet sandwich, with lettuce and tomato, Swiss cheese and fries (plus a soda, but that's not material). When the check showed up, the tab for this sandwich, as described: $12. With the soda and tax, the check for my rather average-size lunch was 15 bucks.

I called over the waiter to make sure there wasn't an honest mistake -- I saw on the menu a chicken cutlet dinner platter that's priced at $12. The guy was polite enough but firm, and here's how he broke it down for me:

• sandwich: $7
• lettuce/tomato: $1
• cheese: $1
• fries: $3

Out of all the extras, cheese for a dollar seems standard and reasonable to me. But shouldn't L/T be a gimme? And my three bucks bought a small plate with fewer than 20 fries on it, less than you could fit in a McDonald's medium fry box.

I felt I had my answer, and so I reluctantly paid it. As anyone who frequents Tom's knows, the very friendly proprietor (Tom?) usually handles the register, and I was tempted to tell him about my dissatisfaction -- how a sandwich that, with fries, would've cost me six to eight dollars at a Manhattan deli somehow cost me $12 plus tax on my day off in Brooklyn. But I kept my mouth shut, paid (plus a $2 tip for the waiter) and left feeling ripped off.

I dunno...does this sound out of whack to anyone else? I do love Tom's breakfasts, and those have always seemed fairly priced to me. But it'll be a cold day in hell before I go back for lunch.

Comments

  • kaki
    kaki
    Tom's over rated, i gguess if you are a hipster or yuppie thinking you are cool go there, the diner on Dean and Vanderbilt 3 bucks foe Burger
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    that sounds way overpriced to me. tom's, which I also love, can be a bit dodgy that way. like, some things can be cheap or expensive depending on how you order them. and some stuff just seems inordinately expensive for what it is. personally, I'm with you - a $7 sandwich with a $1 for cheese seems fine. but they should throw in the fries & L&T. I wonder what'd happen if you ordered a blt ...
  • MOD
    MOD
    On the Upper West Side (which is notorious for high priced food) I got a chicken cutlet at a deli with lettuce/tomato (no cheese) for $5.
    It was huge too.
    If that helps as a comparison.
  • kaki
    kaki
    like i said over freaking rated, its expensive for crappy diner food, if you are into token waiters it is the best place to go!!!!
  • brooklynpotter
    brooklynpotter
    way over priced, and i don't even know the place. l&t should always be free. does the menu show all the raised prices?
  • raisedeyebrow
    raisedeyebrow
    I like tom's anyway. Gus is the owner. Very nice.
  • brooklynred87
    brooklynred87
    I would definitely say something to Gus (he's the owner -- Tom was his dad). He's a nice, reasonable guy...at the least, you'll probably get a freebie out of it.
  • mateo
    mateo
    $12 does sound high especially for Tom's where one of the main virtues is the utter reasonableness of the food. For a while I'd stop in there for eggs, potatoes, toast, and coffee... all for about $5 or even less, I think.

    You do see restaurants charge extra for lettuce and tomato on burgers (generally they phrase it as they're making it, "Deluxe") but not sure if I've ever heard of it being charged extra on a standard sandwich. The $3 extra for fries is what seems high to me, though.

    I guess moral of the story is just go there for breakfast.
  • drabrabbit
    drabrabbit
    I wonder what the $7 dollar plain sandwich would look like. Just chicken and bread? The restaurant cost on that is like a buck fifty. Hell of a markup.
  • mr. tips
    mr. tips
    So much hostility toward Toms resturant in these posts...
  • god
    god
    I love Tom's Diner, But the food is a bit greasy. Now Teddy's is healthier and fresher choice. It's becoming my favorite place in the Hood.

    Lemon potato's Mmmmmmmm.

    :drunken:
  • poot
    poot
    I second Teddy's. We've started ordering from there at least once a week. I am not sure the lemon potatoes are the healthiest thing on the menu, but I agree that they are yummy.
  • brooklynpotter
    brooklynpotter
    where is teddys? and are you talking about greek lemon potatoes? because they rock.
  • jgregorie
    jgregorie

    Subject: its expensive but what can you do

    yes tom's is over priced but its a really unique place. i wonder what the rent situation is? maybe thats why the food is so pricey. just look at katz's delli in the lower east side its like $15 for a corned beef sandwich but the rent is astronomical from what i understand..

    when i work from home i hit toms atleast once a week for pancakes with starwberrys, bacon and an ice coffee, the bill come out to $11.00 but if i get the right waiter i get free refills.
  • liftandcut
    liftandcut
    Yes, Tom's is stoopid overpriced, and, in fact, costs the same as Cafe Shane. The food is marginal and nowhere near as good as Cafe Shane's. HOWEVER, the service is excellent and Gus is a gem of a human being. Everything extra costs at least a dollar, but that's NY for you. I reached the "Gus greets me by name" level a couple years ago, and recently achieved the "complimentary egg cream" rank last week. I'm stoked. Both Cafe Shane and Tom's treat their regular, or neighborhood customers like family and that is a wonderful thing. I view both restaurants as a monthly treat.
  • dinkyla
    dinkyla
    I never go to Tom's anymore unless I have friends in from out of town. If I need diner food I ALWAYS go over to that place on Vanderbilt and Dean. It's cheap and cheerful. It's diner food at diner food prices.
  • dinkyla
    dinkyla
    Also I hate Cafe Shane. The food is fine. It's the actual layout of the place that turns me off. I always feel so cramped and uncomfortable in there.
  • meganlibrarian
    meganlibrarian
    If I'd seen this post before I went there for breakfast this morning, I would've looked at the lunch menu to see what it said. However; I do recall lunch options being pricey. I've always found breakfast at Tom's to be a much better deal than lunch. In fact, I've never ordered lunch there, even when eating at lunchtime hours!

    Regardless, I love Gus & Co.. My husband and I have eaten breakfast there most Saturdays for the past 1.5 years or so. :)
  • kaki
    kaki
    Dean and Vanderbilt cheapest diner food around. Also try the Spanish on Bergen and vanderbilt one of the best lunch deals in town, $6 for a lunch special , Carne guisada with rice beans and a soda, can't beat that!!
  • MOD
    MOD
    Beware!!!!!!!!

    kaki = image

    EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • god
    god
    brooklynpotter wrote: where is teddys? and are you talking about greek lemon potatoes? because they rock.
    Teddy's is on Washington Ave. Between Lincoln and St.John's place.
    Open every day from 11 am to 11 pm


    Yes, I'm talking about Greek Lemon Potatoes. Mmmmm, Delicious.

    :P
  • kick rocks!!!!
    kick rocks!!!!
    I like Gus, he knows the family by name. I like the Cherry Lime Ricky drink they have. Love the breakfast, but as I always tell people "lunch at Tom's is really only good for pregnant chics who want their water to break". It worked for myself and 2 other people I know.

    We now go to The Usual for breakfast because it's cheaper, grits are better and you don't feel pressured by the huge line of people waiting for you to gobble and go! But, The Usual is only good for breakfast, same as Tom's.

    Teddy's ROCKS! Their falafel is aweful though. Yummy pork!!!!!
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    i do think the usual does a very nice blt. that's what i always get at lunchtime, so i can't speak to other options.
  • kaki
    kaki
    Mamacita i guess you don't like rice and beans or maybe Latino food in General?
  • whyfi
    whyfi
    kaki wrote: Mamacita i guess you don't like rice and beans or maybe Latino food in General?
    That seems like a logical conclusion, given the evidence...




    :?
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