[Sca-cooks] Master A's Feast; my 2 cents

[Tara Sersen Boroson]

Diana said:

> I think the idea here is that the people in East
> Kingdom - I came from there - are used to paying a bit
> more for going out *period*.  Movies are either just
> under or a bit over $10 now - and dinner in a
> *marginally* nice restaurant will cost no less than
> $25/person.  Now, put that into context - with the
> fact that Adamantius's feasts are pretty danged
> amazing - and you will see that it is a great deal.
> I'd consider it a great bargain - I'll just sit here
> and whine now that I am in Las Vegas.


And Anne said:
 > Oh, they've been griping on the EK list, let me tell you!   As I
said, he's
 > been very patient. Puck was driven to offer a money back guarantee to
 > anyone who eats it, and then can look him in the eye and tell him it
wasn't
 > worth $15.

Disclaimer: I'm not saying that I like the attitude described below, but
I'm trying to analyze it.

Remember that feasts aren't supposed to generate profit.  People are
used to paying $7-$10 because it's become the standard to try to plan
your ingredients around that price range.  The idea that the cost of
ingredients can be half again to twice what they're used to paying is
boggling to some people, especially to people who simply aren't
interested in the quality of the food in the first place.  They just
want to be slopped.  There are plenty of people for whom going out to a
nice restaurant is going to a diner instead of McDonald's.  Some people
don't want to pay more than absolutely neccisary, especially at an event
that they're "supposed" to go to, when they don't feel they will
appreciate what they get for it anyway.  They're basically thinking "I'd
be happy with hamburgers and french fries.  Why are you 'making' me buy
an 'expensive' meal, just so I can eat with my friends?"

I must admit that I'm not on the EK list.  I was a long time ago, and
decided that it was going to drive me away from the SCA...  But, Puck
and Master A, if you're getting a lot of flak, my offer still stands to
make up a couple vats of soup and pick up a few loaves of breads for the
unwashed masses.  I'm sure I could draft a few people down here to help
out, and we could manage it for anywhere between $1-$3/person, depending
on what you want.  We could do it a tavern outside the feast hall, to
avoid interfering with Master Adamantius' plans.  Whatever will stop
people from whining :)

-Magdalena