Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Restaurant Impossible - Heather's Country Kitchen Update

Photo - Food Network
Tonight on Restaurant Impossible, Robert Irvine and crew are going to Plains, Montana to makeover Heather's Country Kitchen.  Heather, the owner of the restaurant, was a stay-at-home mom who decided to buy a restaurant and is supposedly 'clueless' about the restaurant industry.  The restaurant has been open for three years, and Robert has to manage high food and labor costs along with getting Heather to embrace working with her daughters.  As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Heather's Country Kitchen to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant Impossible):


Positive Reviews:
  • "We stopped for lunch on our way through Plains. It was about 11:30 am, so we were offered either lunch or breakfast, which is a nice service. The soup...was tasty and fresh, but could have been hotter in temp. The taco salad was hearty and served with fresh guacamole and sour cream . The patty melt sandwich is served with plenty of beef and was delicious..... The staff is friendly and the facility is clean and welcoming."
  • "Love the food, the new decor, and most of all....the staff!"
  • "The food only takes a back seat to all of the wonderful employees!!  Great spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or all three)."
  • "Had a great dinner! The chicken fried steak was awesome and the asparagus is amazing."

Negative Reviews:
None

Reviews from Tripadvisor, Facebook

Other News:

  • According to the restaurant's Facebook page, they recently started offering To-Go fried chicken with mashed potatoes, biscuits and coleslaw on Sunday's.  Prices are 20 pieces for $40, 16 for $35, 12 for $30 and 8 for $25!
  • They have a post Facebook that says they planned incorporating some of their old menu with the new menu based on customer feedback.  They confirmed they did this in another post.
  • In an interview during the makeover, Robert Irvine stated, "We're in a beautiful area...this restaurant should have a deck looking at these mountains and the scenery. It doesn't, but hopefully when they start making money, they'll put one on, because it is absolutely beautiful here."  I guess there wasn't enough money for the show to add the deck themselves.
  • Plains is a small town and the residents hope the publicity of this makeover draws more attention to their town.
  • Here is an excerpt of a blog post about Heather's Country Kitchen on twofarfromnormal: "We parked the car to take a photo of the outside of the restaurant; they were closed when we were there. Curious to our arrival, Heather and her husband invited us inside for a sneak peak of the newly renovated restaurant. Wow. The decor was stunning, homey and cozy. The colors spectacular. We spent some time with Heather and her husband talking about the process of filming, meeting the crew and their experience and their hopes for the future of the restaurant. What left us in awe (besides scanning the menu) was the stories of everyone coming together to help turn this restaurant around. Folks from as far as Idaho and Washington and all over Montana came to volunteer their times and services over the few days it took to renovate. Heather and her husband were blown away at the support and local community involvement. We were not allowed to take any photos inside, as the show has not aired yet, but can promise you it is worth stopping into Plains, Montana for a delicious meal and conversation with Heather and her husband. Thank you both for the behind the scenes “tour.”

 Conclusion:

Reviews of the restaurant before were very good before the makeover, with most of the people saying they like the 'comfort' food, but state that the restaurant 'off the beaten path.'

There were minimal reviews after the makeover, which is why no negative reviews were out there.  There was one review on Tripadvisor, and the other positive reviews were from the restaurant's Facebook page (which are almost always positive as the restaurant can delete negative one's).

It seems like the both the restaurant and town of Plains are excited about the makeover and the restaurant had plenty of support during the makeover.  Location may be one of the issues, but with the publicity Restaurant Impossible brings, it could make this restaurant a success.


UPDATE 1/15/2014 - According to a local article, Heather's has seen its first month with a profit after four years of operation.  Business has been busy, and Heather only expects it to get better when the weather gets warmer.  She also wouldn't change a thing about the Restaurant Impossible experience and is very satisfied with it.

UPDATE 9/2014 - Heather's sales are up 40% according to a local article, and they have been very busy during the summer.

*Visit Our Restaurant Impossible Update Page to see all Restaurant Impossible updates, and which restaurants are open, closed, or have been sold.  Also Like Us on Facebook  and  Follow Us on Twitter 

43 comments:

  1. once the novelty wears off, there simply isn't enough people in the area to support a restaurant of this type. They may want to sell and invest in a food truck that travels around construction sites around the state if they want to stay in this industry. Otherwise, they will probably go belly up within a year no matter how good the food is.

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  2. May I suggest you read what you write before you post it. The grammer and wording are atrocious.

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  3. "May I suggest you read what you write before you post it. The grammer and wording are atrocious."

    "Grammer"? LMAO! Try again.

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  4. Well, they managed to support it failing for 3 years with frozen food so I would imagine they can carry it more than just one with fresh food.

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  5. The economy has closed a lot of restaurants big and small. One of the first things to go when cutting back is eating out. Even big chains like Red Lobster and Olive Garden aren't doing well in the Obama failed economy.

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  6. Michael Lindeen Jr.January 2, 2014 at 9:47 AM

    I lived in a city as small as Plains for a couple of years. There are 2 restaraunts there that have been there for 30+ years. Smallness doesn't matter. If it's good food, people will come from miles around.

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  7. Isn't grammar spelt with an a? Be correct before you correct others, dear.

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  8. good point, but as always with RI, the prices on the menu are raised significantly, that's why I made the comment, this area will not support a restaurant with high prices.

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  9. Grammar is the proper spelling. Read before you post next time to limit your embarrassment.

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  10. This is very entertaining. Oh yes, back to Heather's. I wish you all the luck! You have a beautiful family! You go girl!

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  11. Wow instead of talking about the restaurant you all go off about grammar

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  12. What does Kelsey Grammer have to do with this?

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  13. *cough* Bush *cough* Obama inherited Bush's mess.

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  14. You should talk! You're the one should read before you post it. Read your post again.
    DUMB FUCK!

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  15. All you people suck! You got away from what this was about, none of you own a business, Obama sucks, grammer or grammar has nothing
    to do with running a business in Plains, Montana. I hope this family works hard and pushes through these tough times to put food on the table!

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  16. 6 years later, same statements. Obama apparently isn't a good enough leader to correct things. To that I say, thank God!!

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  17. they have been staying a float because husband covers in the red months I believe 3000.00 to 5000.00 per month
    . I live in plains and the service is terrible along with the food. Show appropriately called Clueless in Country.

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  18. Jesus Christ, this is a blog about Food Network gossip. Let's leave the political discussions to the internet mouth breathers that USE ALL CAPS to bleat about BENGHAZI, OBUMMER, and THE MUSLIM SCARY BLACK MAN. Let's stick to how horrible Guy Ferry is.

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  19. Still living in the past, are you?

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  20. Nah, just stating facts.

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  21. Most Democrats wouldn't know a fact if it bit them on the butt - thought I'd use a reference to eating since this is a Food Network blog. Bush may have left a mess, but Obama has done little to clean up the kitchen. He's actually made things worse.

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  22. And you assume I'm a Democrat... why? I'm not. Try again, you moron.

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  23. Wow. This thread got away from itself...

    I hope the restaurant's doing well. No matter the size of the town, every community deserves at least one place they can go to get tasty food that's fresh and (relatively) local when they don't feel like cooking.

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  24. You need to learn about politics my friend. Obama was part of the democratic controlled congress that caused the deficit that caused the housing market and millions of jobs to be lost. In other word, he inherited what he helped create.
    Bush, on the other hand, inherited an economy that was spiraling out of control. As he himself said, "As President, it was his job to turn it around and I fell to do it, so the buck stop here." He didn't blame the previous administration.
    The deficit of 2007 and 2008 was from the democratic controlled congress. Study a little!

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  25. Try again, troll. Bush inherited a healthy economy. Clinton turned around the mess of the 80's and early 90's and actually sent our budget into a surplus. Bush cut the taxes so everyone could get a 600 dollar check... and then 9/11 happened. Which he used to spur two idiotic wars that have had zero conclusion, and a blanket law that permitted the government to spy on it's constituents and arrest citizens and non-citizens without the courtesy of due process. And since you want to quote Bush, how about some of his more famous proclamations! "Nuc-u-lur.!" "Mission Accomplished!" Sit down, troll, and read a book.

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  26. Both Bush and Obama have SUCKED! Obama has had plenty of time to improve things and has not! thedjandi is absolutely a democrat. That is what all democrats say when they try to defend this Horrific Presidency and I see why when you have to defend the mess over the past 6 years! Good luck to you and your family as at the end of the day you have to live with the same terrible economy and weakened US that we all do. Hopefully we all can hang on until someone who knows how to lead can be elected. Maybe you should wake up instead of trying to lay blame.

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  27. Democrat talking points?

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  28. Wow! WTH does politics have to do with Heather's Restaurant? Conservatives please try to stay on topic, you're all way too obsessed with a black man as the President. Get over it he was elected twice and that's what really drives you all nuts... The POTUS has done a lot of good, it makes me sad to think how much more he could do if he wasn't being obstructed by a bunch of racist Un-Americans in Congress who don't care if you and I go down as long as President Obama goes down. Sad, just really sad...

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  29. I see I brought out an ALL CAPS internet mouth breather. Again, I am not a Democrat. Try again, troll.

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  30. Nah, just talking points, I am not a Democrat.

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  31. The race card again.... It's getting more boring now than infuriating. Obama is not looking out for my family, his opposition is. So if you want socialism, please move to Europe. I like our melting pot, but am so tired of being called racist simply because I don't like Obama's ideals. Who is better off than they were 6 years ago? Median family income has fallen and he's only been hurting the middle class with all of his promises. And if anyone is racist, maybe it's Obama himself!! African-Americans have been hurt the most by his policies, unless of course you consider that unemployment checks are help in the long run. Please check yourself and stop spewing Al Sharpton's thoughts!! Think for yourself!!!

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  32. Obama is just Bush on steroids and you know it so deal with it.

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  33. And you are just a troll that isn't very good at trolling. Deal with that, troll.

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  34. What an appropriate last name you negative schmuck!

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  35. Biff SchmuckatelliJune 20, 2014 at 7:01 AM

    I guess you're the bad guy "tony Montana" - are you as stupid as the eponymous movie character? Just wondering....

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  36. I'm a genius cause I get schmucks like you to respond to idiotic posts you made 6 months later.....you big DUMMY.,..

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  37. I visited family in Plains in Ausust 2014 and loved the food. Burgers fries and fajita soup. The restaurant definitely is doing well. I love the decor on the walls, can't wait to try it in my future home!

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  38. I ate breakfast there two weeks ago. I ordered a Denver omelette which had commercially produced cubed ham (the 3/16" or so perfect cubes) and what appeared to be frozen institutional peppers and onions. The hash browns were greasy, like they were cooked in too much oil that wasn't hot enough. Toast was burnt. Coffee was the best part of the meal, but nothing to write home about. I love Plains, but I won't be visiting Heather's again.

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