Kyle T.
Yelp
If you'd asked me three months ago for a review it would be five stars. The staff is kind and helpful, the vibes are high, the other customers are all sweet people who want to support local businesses and health food stores. Bonne Sante is unique and has survived the rapid changes to the retail landscape in Hyde Park.
I love the retail portion of the store, but closing the grill eliminated the only sandwich spot in Downtown Hyde Park. Yes it took a while for the food to come out, but the food was so tasty, and there really was nothing like it nearby. When I mentioned my disappointment in the grill closing, the gentleman at the counter said "Yeah we've had to fight back against customers on that." Chief 1. don't say you're fighting back against your customers, and 2. if a bunch of customers are pushing for the grill, you should report it to ownership, not just tell people tough tuchus.
No worries, I said, we have CJ's Best wraps, awesome quick vegan options to grab and go back to my office - I personally like the Philly Cheese Steak and Buffalo Chik'n. But I've gone in at least once a week for the last month and there's only been one variety of wraps that are, IMO, the worst of the various options. Today there were zero wraps available of any sort - so my lunch needs are likely going to end up served by national chains, which I hate.
I'm not sure how much money the grill was losing, but there are absolutely models out there about how to make your operation more efficient. Tighten the menu up. Do different offerings on different days. Overlap some product (offer a kale salad that ends up on a sandwich, for example). Cook some product ahead of time that then needs 60 seconds on a panini press instead of 5 minutes. It feels like Bonne Sante should be looking at City of Chicago and Cook County small business loans and guidance. There's plenty of money and expertise out there to help iron out any kinks in the operation.
The loss of the grill is a huge loss for DT HP and I hope is not a sign of things to come for the wider store. Bonne Sante reminds me of the co-ops and health food stores I had access to as a kid in Northern California, and I was hoping my kids could have the same experiences I did.
Please bring back the grill!