reasearch and development

Whilst vacationing, it's a natural and necessary habit to take note of your surroundings and see what influence they might have on your life back home. For instance, I have brand new resolve to turn the shed in our back yard into a livingroom/cabana. But mostly I am checking out restaurants, to see what some are doing right and/or doing wrong so that I can either obsess over what we need to change, or feel smug in our awesomeness. Archie Moore's, a small chain of bars in Western Connecticut, has an inspiring daily special: From 4pm-6pm every day, they set out a chafing dish of all you can eat chicken wings. This place is not a dive, not particularly cool, but a sports bar that also has a monitor on CNN and the decor is vaguely Applebee's, but steeped in Connecticut paraphernalia. Our friends live literally across the street, on Willow Ave. in New Haven. We stopped in at about 3:50 on a Thursday afternoon, after taking a 2 hour stroll in 103 degree, cloudless, moisture laden heat around the Yale Campus. Of course, it's air conditioned, as no place on the Eastern Seaboard can function an longer without it. No one is in the place at 3:50, but by 4:20, every table is full. The table behind me is occupied by 4 guys who can't be older than 17 (I think this place qualifies as a restaurant, so minors can hang out). Each has his own personal pitcher of soda; they're drinking from them with straws. The wings are, shockingly, very tasty. Not quite on par with my favorite from Sinnot's Lil' Cooperstown on NE Halsey and 58th, but better than I've had at most places. And they're free, and there's no limit. I heard they go through about 3000 wings a week (or is it a day, or is it 30,000?), a little factoid which does tug at your conscience more than a bit, but when you've just broiled your own body, and you're re-hydrating with a bud light (tastes weird, less filling), and you're eating for free with good friends, you're not steeped in conscience. Jeff, by my estimate, probably had at least 20 wings, and our friend Matt might have had more (he's there every day, mind you). Ashley and I kept it under 10 a piece. Nachos were on the way, and I was saving up for the lobster.

There were people there not buying anything at all, just dining on wings, and they staff didn't seem to mind, or notice. I wonder when did they start this as a special, and is this why they have four locations? Because it is just such a nice gesture that people spend a lot of money and tip extra when given something for free? My experience is usually the opposite, especially when it comes to catering, but maybe there is something to this. What kind of "happy hour" (I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to advertise for happy hours in Oregon) special can we offer? The only logical choice is deviled eggs. But there's no way we can sustain an all you can eat situation, for several reasons: we can only make so many eggs at a time, and it's just not safe to that many deviled eggs. But I think we'll have to have a deviled egg afternoon special when we get back. Any suggestions?