Deteriorating quality

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
On another forum, people were saying that 5-8 years is a reasonable life expectancy for a TV set. I was blown away. I grew up with Sony CRT TVs that all lasted over 20 years. I still have a 27" Sony built in October 1993 in my master bedroom, still working fine.

My JVC TV, purchased brand new in 1996, has had only 1 repair and is still giving me quality picture and sound.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Originally Posted By: grampi
It used to be that IHOP had excellent food.


This post was in jest, yes?

In the early and mid-90s, we didn't have an IHOP in town, so Linda and I would occasionally jaunt out to the Gulf Coast, partly for the drive and the beach view, but also to eat at the IHOP on Hwy. 90 facing the Gulf. Good stuff, and pretty well priced.

A couple of years ago we visited an IHOP near us for New Year's Day. The check was $30 (though that included the tip) for 2 people, and we were ordering just coffee and menu specials. That's ridiculous, and the fare did not impress my taste buds either. As for the service, let's just say you wouldn't be happy with the people who "serve" you around here.

That same year I was there again by myself, and asked for salsa to put on my eggs. They wanted to charge me for it! I squawked -- "Will you charge us for salt and pepper next?" -- and the manager took it off the bill. I haven't been back.

 

[4D-56]

I've heard recently that some manufacturing is coming back to the US since China is so unstable from a labor perspective. Im not sure if this is true, I need to look into it more.

My boss sells stuff made in China and we see many defects that come from the ever changing labor force, ie, lack of continuity and hence familiarity with tasks.

I think they are having a greater uprising of workers asking for better work conditions, good on 'em.

I recently watched a great documentary on Netflix called "A Requiem for The American Dream" . Its Noam Chomsky's version of how we got where we are.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
And yet the same people who moan and complain about poor quality are the same ones who flock to Walmart and seek out the cheapest product possible. You sit around and complain, and yet you're the ones who financially support one of the largest driving factors in low quality/low price.

And complaining about the quality of ice cream or the fake food that they push at consumers at places like chain pizza joints or IHOP? Now that's just downright funny. You could learn to make real food at home. It's far better than anything you can buy at a fake food joint, it's much healthier, it's less expensive, and you get the satisfaction of making it yourself. Or you can continue to waddle into the local IHOP and stuff your face while you complain about the quality of food.

It's also incredibly ironic that the folks that sit around and complain don't have the drive to actually go out and change anything. Few, if any, are willing to go out and start their own company and build a (insert the name of the product here) that lives up to their quality standards.

Or you can sit around and continue to moan, complain and do nothing to change the situation.


I would much rather cook my own food at home, but that's pretty tough to do when I'm on the road for work...


Couldn't have said it any better than Pop.

On the road? Im on the road lots. Cant say Ive ever eaten at an IHOP, or hardly any other chain restaurant, certainly not if I need to be out at dinnertime. Lunch I may occasionally grab a McDonalds, but its not difficult to find someplace better.

Im curious if smart phones are an evil thing to you, OP, because with a smart phone you can find better quality and better food most anywhere, on the fly, and I know it to be the case as I travel all over the country, including the boonies.

As far as everything else, greed always exists, but the wal mart and harbor freight effect is brought on to ourselves... We have ourselves to blame.

 

[Mr Nice]

People on a tight budget have to stretch their income...
More and more places have a dollar menu.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Why does it seem the norm these days with companies is to produce a quality product, gain a reputation for producing quality products, then either resting on their laurels, or purposely cutting corners to reduce the quality of the products? This doesn't seem to be restricted to only the auto industry either. We all know that companies like Honda and Toyota have done this to a certain extent. While they still produce decent vehicles, most people would agree their quality has dropped off some compared to the vehicles they've produced in the past. This also seems to be taking place in the restaurant sector as well. It used to be that IHOP had excellent food. Lately, I find their quality is just not there anymore. Their portions have shrank, and the quality of the food just isn't very good anymore. It seems to me like a company would want to avoid this as it takes a lot less time to destroy a good rep than it does to build it up. What is going on with all of this stuff?


In a word, pricepoint.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
People on a tight budget have to stretch their income...
More and more places have a dollar menu.
People on a "tight budget" tend to waste a lot of money. The dollar menu isn't cheap at all. $3 for a few items buys 5-6 lbs of chicken quarters. $15 buys a 50 lb sack of potatoes. I see people complaining constantly that their $800 in food stamps can't feed their family of four. I could eat mighty nice for that kind of money.

 

[hatt]

Those people eating fast food because it's "cheap" do the same thing when they get into Walmart/etc. Spend $100 on junk because it was cheap when they actually only NEEDED $50 worth of quality stuff in the first place. Tell me where they saved?

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Why does it seem the norm these days with companies is to produce a quality product, gain a reputation for producing quality products, then either resting on their laurels, or purposely cutting corners to reduce the quality of the products? This doesn't seem to be restricted to only the auto industry either. We all know that companies like Honda and Toyota have done this to a certain extent. While they still produce decent vehicles, most people would agree their quality has dropped off some compared to the vehicles they've produced in the past. This also seems to be taking place in the restaurant sector as well. It used to be that IHOP had excellent food. Lately, I find their quality is just not there anymore. Their portions have shrank, and the quality of the food just isn't very good anymore. It seems to me like a company would want to avoid this as it takes a lot less time to destroy a good rep than it does to build it up. What is going on with all of this stuff?


I am shocked a man of your status dines at IHOP.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
People on a tight budget have to stretch their income...
More and more places have a dollar menu.
People on a "tight budget" tend to waste a lot of money. The dollar menu isn't cheap at all. $3 for a few items buys 5-6 lbs of chicken quarters. $15 buys a 50 lb sack of potatoes. I see people complaining constantly that their $800 in food stamps can't feed their family of four. I could eat mighty nice for that kind of money.


x2

If people actually MADE food, it would be much cheaper and healthier in the end.

Also, folks generally on a tight budget (and/ or on food stamps) will generally have the latest and greatest smart phone, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, smoke, play the lottery etc. and also have a premium cable TV package.

 

[surfstar]

I'm with hatt on the food thing. I find it quite annoying at how expensive any sort of dining out is, when I know how much cheaper (and usually better) eating at home is.
Even on vacations, I hate going out now. I make a great breakfast sandwich for under $1, which you couldn't get anywhere for less than $6.

Even dollar menus don't cut it. You'll end up poor AND fat. Oh wait, I already see that everywhere.

 

[dave1251]

Oh the good old days where a 23 inch color RCA televison cost the equivalent of $2275 dollars today. A dryer $1350. A crock pot $55.


At the above prices they had better be good and still operating until at least 1990 daily.

I am using a 1970 catalog for the prices.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
I hate going out now. I make a great breakfast sandwich for under $1.


I'll have 2 please! But seriously, what's in that for $1? My choice would be croissant, ham and cheese.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Oh the good old days where a 23 inch color RCA televison cost the equivalent of $2275 dollars today. A dryer $1350. A crock pot $55.


At the above prices they had better be good and still operating until at least 1990 daily.

I am using a 1970 catalog for the prices.


And I would bet you if those products were not abused they will ALL STILL BE WORKING PERFECTLY TODAY....see paying more is worth it.
I would also bet that all of them were MADE IN THE USA! So not only do you get a higher quality more reliable, longer lasting product you keep your neighbors employed as well, that is truly a win win.

As for complaining about Breyers Ice Cream....unless you are very industrious it takes a lot of effort and time to hand crank ice cream
and do it very well.

Breyers had been selling 100% ALL NATURAL ice cream for over 125 years before changing the ingredients, and while slightly more than completely inferior product loaded with artificial additives and chemicals, the very modest extra cost was absolutely worth it!

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
People on a tight budget have to stretch their income...
More and more places have a dollar menu.
People on a "tight budget" tend to waste a lot of money. The dollar menu isn't cheap at all. $3 for a few items buys 5-6 lbs of chicken quarters. $15 buys a 50 lb sack of potatoes. I see people complaining constantly that their $800 in food stamps can't feed their family of four. I could eat mighty nice for that kind of money.


x2

If people actually MADE food, it would be much cheaper and healthier in the end.

Also, folks generally on a tight budget (and/ or on food stamps) will generally have the latest and greatest smart phone, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, smoke, play the lottery etc. and also have a premium cable TV package.



Hmmm...shop for food much?

Prices are all over the place! I've sometimes had home cooked meals cost more than they did at applebees! Meat, for example, is been going up like crazy lately.... you can budget meals at times, but they are not always healthy either. We at home do a pretty good mix at home, though it's not cheap to cut carbs...

And to be honest, I grow tired of the stereotype...it's just another excuse to keep class warfare going so that those boys on wall street can keep taking your money while you take it out on the poor....shame the media fools so many... (and it's not really at you-just in general- didn't want ya to think I was aiming at you)

I have both a neighbor and a friend whose families are going through tough times, and require assistance. Neither drinks or smokes, or have the latest toys. Both have phones...just cheapies to get them interviews- and internet to surf for jobs and keep the kids up in school. Both drive older but cared for cars- and I try to help when I can. They are good people-not freeloaders.

I wouldn't be so [censored] if I didn't watch my neighbor get totally embrassed by a few "right" people that were [censored] that she was buying a little extra meat ( simply to make hamburgers and a hearty chili that would last a few days). But I find it's easy to tear others apart....

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
People on a tight budget have to stretch their income...
More and more places have a dollar menu.
People on a "tight budget" tend to waste a lot of money. The dollar menu isn't cheap at all. $3 for a few items buys 5-6 lbs of chicken quarters. $15 buys a 50 lb sack of potatoes. I see people complaining constantly that their $800 in food stamps can't feed their family of four. I could eat mighty nice for that kind of money.


x2

If people actually MADE food, it would be much cheaper and healthier in the end.

Also, folks generally on a tight budget (and/ or on food stamps) will generally have the latest and greatest smart phone, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, smoke, play the lottery etc. and also have a premium cable TV package.



Hmmm...shop for food much?

Prices are all over the place! I've sometimes had home cooked meals cost more than they did at applebees! Meat, for example, is been going up like crazy lately.... you can budget meals at times, but they are not always healthy either. We at home do a pretty good mix at home, though it's not cheap to cut carbs...

And to be honest, I grow tired of the stereotype...it's just another excuse to keep class warfare going so that those boys on wall street can keep taking your money while you take it out on the poor....shame the media fools so many... (and it's not really at you-just in general- didn't want ya to think I was aiming at you)

I have both a neighbor and a friend whose families are going through tough times, and require assistance. Neither drinks or smokes, or have the latest toys. Both have phones...just cheapies to get them interviews- and internet to surf for jobs and keep the kids up in school. Both drive older but cared for cars- and I try to help when I can. They are good people-not freeloaders.

I wouldn't be so [censored] if I didn't watch my neighbor get totally embrassed by a few "right" people that were [censored] that she was buying a little extra meat ( simply to make hamburgers and a hearty chili that would last a few days). But I find it's easy to tear others apart....

All the time my man. Food is like oil. Buy it when its on sale and stock up.

Meat going up? Yes, buy it on sale. I am partial to ground turkey myself which can be had for an average of $3.50 per lb. Throw in some green beans and a few sweet potatoes and you have a simple healthy meal. What are you getting at Applebess that cheap? An appetizer? As far as steak, I can cook a great steak at home for fractions cheaper than a steak house and it'll be better quality. Throw in some baked potatoes and some more grean beans and that is some good eating. Made 4 steaks (New York strips), 4 potatoes and some green beans for about $25 and it fed 4 people.

With the "stereotype", I have experienced it first hand when working in the grocery business. Notice I never bashed folks who actually needed assistance and are actually trying to better themselves like the folks you mentioned in your post. Your experience is limited to your friends and neighbors buying meat for some good chili?

I saw several (easily 50% of local EBT users) taking advantage of the system in ways I mentioned. If folks are getting $x per week in EBT, they don't use that money to put towards their house, kids etc., They just use the money on other wants. Alcohol, tobacco, lottery and fancy phones.

Did I mention pop, chewing gum and ice are also covered with food stamps? Come on man..

Also, we can be honest here and say we've all hit tough times at one point or another so please keep that in mind. I am personally tired of the "class wars" arguments.

Hope you have/ had a great day Dave!

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
People on a tight budget have to stretch their income...
More and more places have a dollar menu.
People on a "tight budget" tend to waste a lot of money. The dollar menu isn't cheap at all. $3 for a few items buys 5-6 lbs of chicken quarters. $15 buys a 50 lb sack of potatoes. I see people complaining constantly that their $800 in food stamps can't feed their family of four. I could eat mighty nice for that kind of money.


Oh my god, you could not have said it better.
FREAKING QUALITY FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS NEVER BEEN CHEAPER.

The only problem now are the lazy people unwilling to make their own meals and clean their own dishes.
So they go out to fast food restaurants and other places to eat, they eat the equal of what used to be the ingredients of dog food from decades ago, then complain about the cost and why they cant lose weight!
Give me a freaking break! Food is dirt cheap.

Dont want to cook? Dont have time? Go to Walmart or Sams Club or a Super Market and buy a hot cooked over 3 LBS Chicken enough to feed 4 people for $5, while you are there, pick up some healthy broccoli to steam when you get home and some instinct mashed potatoes or frozen fries.
You will live a lot longer, lose weight and be feeding 4 people for under $10.

While you are in the supermarket, skip the candy/ice cream/ cookies and buy a bag of cheap fruit.

and ... for tomorrows meal?
Make it simple, pick up some premium canned tuna, premium canned chicken and some whole grain bread and have a sandwich night for less then $10 for a family of four. Oh and drink water at dinner, NOT SODA of any kind.

Gosh, all some do now a days is complain about everything, (not talking about ANYONE in this thread) but the people out there, wanting my tax dollars to pay for their mistakes and lazyness makes me sick.

As far as the IHOPS and every other National Chain out there. The food is [censored] because no matter what kind of garbage they give you, you still buy it! Because so many do not want to cook anymore.
The restaurant chains only have ONE LOYALTY AS REQUIRED by law. Their Stock Shareholders!
PROFITS, PROFITS, PROFITS.

If the public buys the garbage, more power to them!

 

[Andrew1972]

Personally I think the competition catches up and you realize there are better alternatives. If you don't adapt correctly you eventually fall off.

If you are in business you either have to be amazingly savvy and spending money/risking on the next thing/adapting. If you don't have an exit plan to sell when it's worth something.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: grampi
Why does it seem the norm these days with companies is to produce a quality product, gain a reputation for producing quality products, then either resting on their laurels, or purposely cutting corners to reduce the quality of the products? This doesn't seem to be restricted to only the auto industry either. We all know that companies like Honda and Toyota have done this to a certain extent. While they still produce decent vehicles, most people would agree their quality has dropped off some compared to the vehicles they've produced in the past. This also seems to be taking place in the restaurant sector as well. It used to be that IHOP had excellent food. Lately, I find their quality is just not there anymore. Their portions have shrank, and the quality of the food just isn't very good anymore. It seems to me like a company would want to avoid this as it takes a lot less time to destroy a good rep than it does to build it up. What is going on with all of this stuff?


I am shocked a man of your status dines at IHOP.


Where else am I supposed to eat when I'm on the road? Sure, I could go to a better place, but when I'm eating on the road almost every day, I also have to watch the budget...

 

[gman2304]

12 year old whirlpool electric dryer stopped working yesterday. Repairman said $200 to fix. Went to Lowe's and bought a new $549 whirlpool dryer on sale for $359. Almost all consumer goods nowadays are throw aways. My local ihop is lined up into the parking lot on weekends. A family of four could easily drop fifty bucks for a meal at ihop.