Grand Rapids' worker-run, no-tipping restaurant closes

Michigan Live ^ | November 29, 2016 | Shandra Martinez

[C19fan]

The end has come for a popular Grand Rapids restaurant known as much for its creative vegan dishes as its progressive business model.

For much of its five-year existence, the eatery went by the moniker Bartertown Diner, until it was rebranded in September to The Garden Diner and Cafe.

The offbeat 30-seat eatery announced this month that its last day would be Wednesday, Nov. 30.

[C19fan]

Another experiment in Ownesque Socialism bites the dust. Enjoy your locally sourced veggies while looking at mass murders:

In keeping with the worker empowerment theme, he commissioned a mural depicting Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong and other provocative leaders tackling restaurant duties.

[rdl6989]

It would be a great place to open a bbq/steakhouse.

[rktman]

Two word in the death knell-——vegan and progressive. Sure signs the end is near.

[outpostinmass2]

Let’s be totally honest here. A Grand Rapids Vegan restaurant? What chance did they have just under those draconian conditions? Vegan places hardly last at all in Boston. We have an over population of that species. Going tip-free was just the final death nail.

[outpostinmass2]

You beat me by 1 minute.

[PIF]

Of course vegan heros are mass murderers ...

[American Quilter]

Reality strikes again.

[relictele]

Bartertown was powered by pig **** and these people are thick as that pig ****.

[lurk]

The comrades who ran the failed venture have good feelings about themselves.

[fishtank]

Lots of Trump voters posting comments!!!

[V_TWIN]

They could have just observed what happened to Air America radio and saved themselves a lot of trouble.

[gr8eman]

That would have required what used to be common, but is now uncommon sense!

[WayneS]

I suspect the “vegan” menu and the Marxist décor had a lot more to do with the failure of this restaurant than the “no tipping” policy.

[\/\/ayne]

Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong and other provocative leaders tackling restaurant duties...

Tragically ironic since Mao starved 10s of millions to death according to Mao: The Unknown Story, by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday.

[Mr. Douglas]

Vegetables are murder!

[rlmorel]

This is the best thing I have read today!

[TnTnTn]

‘Popular restaurant’-must have not been too popular. Most successful businesses don’t close down because they are making too much money. To the owner-it is location, location, location stupid. Move your commie vegan enterprise to San Francisco and rake in the capitalist rubles. And you can save money by having no bathrooms. Patrons can pee and crap on the sidewalk out front! Liberals are truly clueless.

[Buckeye McFrog]

In keeping with the worker empowerment theme, he commissioned a mural depicting Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong and other provocative leaders tackling restaurant duties.

hmmm....Che Guevara washing dishes? Can I get that on a t-shirt anyplace?

[V_TWIN]

Funny you should mention that. My wife watches Dr. Phil which means I watch it. Yesterday I heard him state “common sense isn’t so common any more”...........Ain’t that the truth.

[Oberon]

Five years? That’s a middlin’ success in the restaurant biz.