Taste of Dublin Misleading numbers

ScottSF

I thoroughly enjoyed Taste of Dublin last year despite the rain. Lots of excellent restaurants represented and tons of Irish food and drink vendors to sample and learn about. However this year it seems a bit smaller and I wonder if it is the economy or the high cost of participating.

Their website About page actually says "20" restaurants and "100 producers" will be at the festival. As of today I only count 13 restaurants and about 50 exhibiting vendors. That's a considerable difference right? Is this considered false or misleading advertising?

I'm not sure I'll go this year if the cost is the same or more and the choices for fewer. €20 in advance + an annoying €3.50 booking fee (why is there always a need for a exorbitant booking fee?) which does not include the cost of food plates. Any thoughts about this?

Dizzyblonde

You're more likely to get an answer to your question in Consumer Issues.
Moved from Food & Drink.

SBWife

What they've done in the past is they've had the main restaurants which are there all days, then rotated restaurants in on a session by session basis. I know that last year these were announced later. They're often smaller places that can't have a full component of kitchen staff away from the restaurant for the whole time, places like Isabel's on Baggott Street had these slots last year.

In terms of the vendors versus producers numbers, many of the vendors would represent multiple producers especially the wine importers etc.

dudara

Probably because the line up isn't fully completed yet.

ScottSF

Thanks for the quick responses - makes perfect sense!

I wish the Taste organizers would say more and suggest they'll be adding new restaurants soon. Makes it easier for us to make a decision as to buying early bird tickets now or waiting and seeing...

sandin

Until the space is paid for and signed off, the name won't be published. Standard practice for most trade shows and events.

ScottSF

sandin wrote: »

Until the space is paid for and signed off, the name won't be published. Standard practice for most trade shows and events.

Yes that makes perfect sense. I had more of an issue with the advertisement claim of 20 restaurants which is used to convince people to buy tickets. Last week there were only 11 listed and today there are 13 so it seems misleading at the very least to me.

Chris_5339762

I've always said this is a desperate ripoff. You have to buy tickets to get the privilage of buying food.

Buying the food like in a market is fine, but IMO its just greed to get people to buy tickets to go in. Levy the stalls or something like that to the tune of €2 or €3 per plate instead.

SBWife

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I've always said this is a desperate ripoff. You have to buy tickets to get the privilage of buying food.

Buying the food like in a market is fine, but IMO its just greed to get people to buy tickets to go in. Levy the stalls or something like that to the tune of €2 or €3 per plate instead.

The restaurants pay for the honour as well.

senordingdong

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I've always said this is a desperate ripoff. You have to buy tickets to get the privilage of buying food.

Buying the food like in a market is fine, but IMO its just greed to get people to buy tickets to go in. Levy the stalls or something like that to the tune of €2 or €3 per plate instead.

Have to agree.

I was doing contract work at it one year and thought it looked great but I, naively assumed that your over priced ticket was all you had to pay for.
Turns out, alot of people I know were interested and going and thought the same, but changed their minds once they saw the prices.

I expect this would have something to do with the drop in participants and punters alike.

xpletiv

ITs a rip off, and actually goes against what it tries to do; introduce new people to food in Dublin, or rather, it charges you to find out whats out there. And thats not what it should be. You could easily do the exact same thing by shedding these rip off charging 'Taste of...' wasters. Talk about lining their own pockets!!

PhilMcGee

I have gone to these "taste" events in other countries.
Normally its free in and the different companies can charge for food, or you can buy a book of tickets for food, which were really cheap. eg 10 tickets for $5, which gives you the chance to try lots of stuff.

The Dublin one is definitely a ripoff.
I got free tickets to it before and even then thought it was a ripoff.
They need to think about what they are trying to achieve.

Leroy42

PhilMcGee wrote: »

They need to think about what they are trying to achieve.

They are trying to achieve making money on the back on the increase in food appreciation across from the likes of Masterchef, cook books etc etc.

So they get together many different restaurants in one place as they know that it is easier for a person to go to one place then having to visit the different places themselves. For this 'service' they charge an entrance fee.

The restaurants then charge for the food they serve.

It does seem very short sighted by the restaurants, they could at least give discount of you next meal if you make a booking then and there. Say a €5 for each person, so book four sittings and you have got your ticket entrance fee back.

PhilMcGee

Leroy42 wrote: »

They are trying to achieve making money on the back on the increase in food appreciation across from the likes of Masterchef, cook books etc etc.

So they get together many different restaurants in one place as they know that it is easier for a person to go to one place then having to visit the different places themselves. For this 'service' they charge an entrance fee.

The restaurants then charge for the food they serve.

It does seem very short sighted by the restaurants, they could at least give discount of you next meal if you make a booking then and there. Say a €5 for each person, so book four sittings and you have got your ticket entrance fee back.

Silly me. I thought they were trying to drum up business by offering samples of their food so that happy customers would go home raving about the great food to their friends. All i hear though is what a ripoff it is and how people feel like they were robbed. They leave with a bad taste in their mouths.

Terrontress

PhilMcGee wrote: »

They need to think about what they are trying to achieve.

They are trying to achieve as much money on ticket sales as possible while ensuring enough people come so they can charge a fortune to the caterers, promising a captive market who are definitely in the mood to buy food. And then the caterers pass on the high cost of their pitch to the consumers, meaning people pay twice for the privelege of buying the food.

Save your money and go to a decent restaurant, good waiter service, nice ambience.

PhilMcGee

Terrontress wrote: »

They are trying to achieve as much money on ticket sales as possible while ensuring enough people come so they can charge a fortune to the caterers, promising a captive market who are definitely in the mood to buy food. And then the caterers pass on the high cost of their pitch to the consumers, meaning people pay twice for the privelege of buying the food.

Save your money and go to a decent restaurant, good waiter service, nice ambience.

I meant the caterers.

Terrontress

PhilMcGee wrote: »

I meant the caterers.

The caterers are trying to use the capacity of their kitchens and their know-how to expand beyond the confines of their dining rooms to make an extra few quid.

PhilMcGee

Terrontress wrote: »

The caterers are trying to use the capacity of their kitchens and their know-how to expand beyond the confines of their dining rooms to make an extra few quid.

So you dont think they are trying to make a name for themselves and attract new customers into their existing business at all then.

youngblood

Can anyone answer me this

How much free stuff do you actually get once you have paid for your ticket?

ScottSF

If you look at the Exhibitor list for the Taste of Dublin, you'll can tell who is likely to be giving out free samples.
http://www.tasteofdublin.ie/exhibitors/exhibitor-list/

Last year there were plenty of free samples from mostly Irish food and drink producers. So your entry fee gets you that in addition to talks by well-known chefs, entertainment, and cooking demonstrations. Like mentioned above the tapas-sized portions of food from the restaurants listed (and also drinks) costs extra.

You can compare it to Bloom in the Park or the Christmas Food & Wine show at the RDS in that you do pay an admission fee. I think the admission price is a bit too high and they should never charge an extra $3.50 booking fee as there is no way to avoid it. However I wouldn't expect a high profile and space limited event to be completely free to enter.