My dream comes true

Well, almost. I've always wanted to take part in the destruction of a Ruby Tuesday; the tacky crap on the walls, the subpar, uninspired, mystery food that's always just a few dollars more expensive than it should be. But it looks like the fine folks at corporate are going to beat me to it, all in the name of pure promotion.



According to their website, the last "old Ruby Tuesday" will be destroyed tomorrow at 3pm - a sign that Ruby Tuesday has moved in a new direction.

So what does that mean? Ruby Tuesday's website states:

After more than 36 years of being one of America's favorite casual-dining brands, we came to the conclusion that when you went out to eat, there was too much sameness and not enough quality. So we decided to make a better, fresher Ruby Tuesday, a familiar, comfortable place but one that is more in step with who you are today. Ours is a brand built on quality, with passion and pride in serving you food made from the freshest and highest-quality ingredients and with gracious hospitality in a place with a fresh new look and feel.

Some of those changes include, "fresh, never frozen chicken and beef", "seasonal vine-ripened tomatoes", "artisan cheeses", and "Going Green to make our world a better place".

Think about it - fresh meat, seasonal produce, artisan cheese, eco-friendly environments - is this Ruby Tuesday or Chez Panisse? Who would have thought that the home of the menu that's long on words and calories, but short on flavor and innovation would go so...progressive.

But I guess the real question is: are all of these things still progressive? Or are they so mainstream that Ruby Tuesday can offer artisan cheese (or at least what they're marketing as artisan - whatever the hell that means) and no one thinks twice about it?

I guess when it comes down to it, a dream of mine has come true - and I didn't even have to blow anything up. Looking at the menu, there are actually some items I'd get, and this nationwide chain is making some major steps to improve its product.

I can't say that I'll be visiting my local Ruby Tuesdays any time soon - not with so many other amazing options in this wonderful food city of ours - but the next time I'm out of town, and at a loss for anything else, you'll know where to find me.