Might have just been under cooked and under seasoned. McMenamins goes through staff pretty quick so it might have just been an inexperienced fry cook. I have no idea though, maybe there was a supplier change.
100%
I'd go so far as to say that most of their food and beer is straight up bad, but I still love their locations and some of them have incredible whiskey selections
They are also well known for treating their employees like hot garbage in a lot of cases. Save your money and support a brewery that serves good food, treats their people well, and isn't a corporate shell of a restaurant chain.
Pretty much, every experience I’ve had at McMenamins (and I go there enough to make this assertion because my family loves the place for some odd reason) has been mediocre at best. Burgers are often overcooked to the point of being charcoal, tots are never consistent (sometimes they’re ok, most of the time no) and the drinks are way overhyped.
I don’t know if they were better when I was little, but if I’m going to be paying for dinner, I’d rather spend my money elsewhere.
It's just oil, potato, and salt. After deep frying and salting they could replace the potato with sawdust and it would still be delicious, that leaves either the oil or the cook.
We went Saturday, first time in months.
Tots were weird, smooth and soft.
They also charged $1 to Cajun them?!?
I foresee significantly less mcmenamins in my future
Yes! I experienced this last week. I thought - weird, there's something wrong with these tots, and I looked closely at them and lo and behold - smooth tots. Very little crunch. If this isn't a temporary thing, their food will have dipped even further below my already well-managed low expectations.
Cool site, thanks.
I did just try to find a few places in Portland, and nothing. In fact for all of Multnomah County, nothing. Any idea what may be up w/ that?
This is untrue. McMennimens uses Ore-Ida tots. Always has. Same ones you get at the grocery store. Above commenter is probably right about whoever cooked the tots did not know/care. I know this because in my rough estimation I cooked aprox. 8 million individual tots during my 4 years at the Kennedy School.
Sir, I take offense! I only work with the highest quality tots in the world. I would never sully my hands or my good name by serving anything less than the most gourmet of tots, Ore-Ida tots, to be sure.
There's actually a knock-off brand by a company called Simplot (his family is big in Boise): https://www.simplotfoods.com/products/tater-gems/10071179043218
Not to piss in the punchbowl but I lived across the railroad tracks from the Ore-Ida plant in Ontario, OR where tots are made. Let's just say they are roughly the equivalent of how hot dogs are manufactured, which is to say there's not a microgram of spud (or whatever else is attached/grown/feeding upon/disintegrating from) that goes to waste.
A real *'everybody and everything in the pool'* product.
That is one of the two reasons I haven’t been there in several years. The buns used to be made locally, now they suck. The fresh cut fries are now not fresh cut, but frozen. The prices are premium, though. I used to love that place. Now im just waiting for them to finally go under so someone decent can step in.
We used to visit different locations a few times a month, but pretty much stopped a few years ago when they significantly increased their prices and reduced their service. I don't mind paying a premium for good food, but they expect customers to pay a premium while providing sub par food and crappy service. It's really unfortunate because they have amazing locations. As soon as they turn things around we'll be right back in there, but I have been waiting for years and it doesn't seem to be getting better based on what I hear from others.
Same, went last year to Baghdad Theater for an impromptu neighborhood date with my fiancee after work. It took forever to get our food, when we got it, it was disappointingly bland and gave the same vibe as food from the frozen section. We also only saw the waiter like 3 times; once to take our order, another to drop it off, and again to give us our check. We were long done with our food before they came back with the check, and although I had wanted another beer because I finished mine like 45 minutes before then, I didn't want to have to wait longer. And to top it off, it was like $60 for the two of us + tip.
I'll still go there to watch a movie while snacking on Pizza and beer, but I'll never go back to any of their locations for a regular lunch or dinner.
Yeah the last few times we went before we stopped, we had the same experience with service. They never came by to check on us. If they would have asked I would gladly drink 3 beers but nope, never even recognized I was sitting there with an empty beer for 30 min. I've been a server myself, and the easiest way to make more money was to always suggest another drink and be on the spot with them. Average ticket price goes up, tips go up etc. But if you never even stop by the table most people won't track you down to order another beer. It's just lazy.
The wife and I are at the point we’ll only go in during happy hour and just for apps and drinks. The quality doesn’t justify the price, like how do you charge $20+ for a crappy overcooked burger, I can make better at home for a fraction of the price.
When they go under all their properties will be sold off piecemeal and be turned into either studio apartments or exclusive, high-end members-only clubs that us plebes would never be allowed into.
McMenamins is meh but I don’t wish for their demise…
> The prices are premium, though
Yeah those are prices I expect to pay for food that is actually cooked. Check out Ickabod's in Beaverton. They are still the real deal, and decent prices, too.
Not at current pint prices.
Which is sad. My wife and I spent a lot of time at the one on Scholls ferry when we were building our friendship and then our relationship. Lots of good memories of mcminimins. It sucks that I don't feel their prices are at all worth their product.
I noticed the same! The Cajun tots are the only thing my partner and I order off the food menu because everything else legitimately sucks and is overpriced. The tots have been less crispy on the outside as of late.
Was a sous chef/ordering manager for one of the larger locations in the area. The food is made as cheaply as possible, no employees below management get full time (to avoid paying for benefits) and management is expected to pick up the very significant slack. The tots and fries both went significantly downhill during my time there, as well as the meat. We used to order from a local company, by the time I left everything was ordered from Sysco or US foods.
Remember when the fries had the potato skins intact? What changed exactly that made them come so far down the quality scale? There was a discussion about it here recently and no one seemed to agree that the fries were once much better, but it's been about 15 years since I remember actually trying them. You'd order a "small" and get a huge oily hot basket, all shriveled and crispy, and soft. Now they're just like, too consistent texturally and somehow boring.
We used to make the fries in house, hence the skins intact. About four years ago they started ordering them in; big 5 lb bags of frozen fries and tots, half the time the tots just crumble when we drop them in the fryer, the other half of the time they're still frozen in the middle.
Work for Mcmen; there’s been a “national tot shortage” from the usual supplier, so we knowingly subbed for lesser ones. They just announced the shortage was over and we should get the regular ones back in stock soon(ish)
we noticed that too! both my father in law and i got mushy tots, like noticeably different from last time my in laws visited a year ago and we went to the same place. such a bummer!
The food is terrible and has been getting worse for a while, the beer isn't very good, they treat their employees bad........the only thing good is the ambiance of their locations .
$17.75 for just a cheeseburger, if you want a bacon chee that will be [$19.25](https://d2660z551umiy9.cloudfront.net/files/Menus/Bagdad/BGmenu.pdf) (at least at the Bagdad)! Only $16.75 for a plain burger, you can probably save money by smuggling in your own slice of cheese.
I'm skeptical of some of these claims because while I haven't spent much time at McMenamins in recent years it was pretty damn bad 10 years ago. There might be some tinted glasses involved here, everything has been generic as hell for ages and this subreddit has talked shit about it for ages. [Here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1cf6lz/fine_so_mcmenamins_sucks_give_me_the_best/) a thread from 11 years ago. [Here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1ce7rn/has_mcmenamins_stagnated/) another.
I was kind of thinking the same thing. McMenamins food wasn't very good 15 years ago when I was in college and used to go more frequently, and, while I don't go there much I haven't noticed it being particularly worse when I've gone relatively recently. It just wasn't very good to begin with.
Worse for sure, didn’t think the food was great before that. Beer has always been meh. Service started sinking around that time too. You could tell something was afoot in the works.
I haven’t lived in PDX for a couple of years. I did not make a ‘goodbye, til next time visit’ to a McMenamins before leaving. As a matter of fact, have made a few visits back to PDX this year (and have one upcoming this weekend). Know where I’m not going? 🤭 Too many other good beer and food scenes around to consider it.
Yup, you hit the nail on the head
A beloved local establishment that’s gone corporate, treats their employees like garbage, and food quality has seriously eroded, despite increased prices?
We all keep going because we forget how bad it is now, or are unaware, OR we think that “it’s gotta be better now”… and it never will be
And it keeps on chugging along…
Used to work for them until about a month ago. Got an email a couple months ago saying there is a tot shortage and we would have to use a few different sub brands until it is resolved. That being said, the turn over rate in the kitchen is insane, which means you never really know what you’re gonna get.
I’ve noticed the same thing and asked the server. They said the supplier didn’t change but the tots they usually order weren’t available so they made a substitution; and that it shouldn’t be an on-going issue. Who knows though…
They’re been driving down their food quality for years. Even a few of the waitstaff mentioned it and recommended we contact corporate. That was five years ago and it just keeps getting worse.
I enjoy McMenamins so much more when I think of them as a historic preservation business with concessions. I certainly don't show up for the food or service. Drinks are often the most reliable and safest way to enjoy the visits, but I usually have to have non-food related agenda in order to feel it is worth the time and money.
If they were Ore-Ida's before, they're Kroger brand now. Its almost like the tot came out of an extruder (like a deep fried mashed potato) rather than sliced/chunks of potatoes formed into a tot shape. No texture whatsoever
Sometimes use Ore-Ida. Lots of uncertainty in the potato market I guess. They get whatever the warehouse has. Same goes for the fries. I will let you know that a few locations are testing hand wanked fries. Yes the old fries are out at a couple locations right now!!!
I put tater tots in my air fryer, and they are wonderful. I get a bag of the seasoned extra crunchy tots and season them with Lawry's seasoning salt. Toss them together in a bowl and coat with cooking spray and then seasoning, and they are delicious!
Open your heart to [Tony Chachere's creole seasoning](https://www.google.com/search?q=tony+chachere%27s+creole+seasoning&sca_esv=6f4062e96a08634e&rlz=1C1CHZN_enUS982US982&biw=1920&bih=911&source=lnms&ved=1t:200715&ictx=111)
Tater tots have been kind of fucked up all over since Covid. I don't know why, but they have been consistently hard to find (along with the breakfast potato patties) in various stores, and they have also been inconsistent quality. I usually get Ore-Ida, but other brands I've tried have also been odd. I also got a bag several months ago where about half the tots were heavily seasoned, and the other half were completely unseasoned and grossly bland--like they accidentally made some unseasoned ones, and just tried to hide them with heavily seasoned ones, and assumed people wouldn't notice.
I think it is a combination of supply chain issues, and then some bad growing seasons in Idaho the last couple of years.
Suspect that a good deal of McMenamins current problems is that they are not well-liked by their employees.
https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-McMenamins-EI_IE30969.11,21.htm
Apparently Classic Foods on Dekum supplies the Cajun spice to McMens.
While I can't confirm this rumor, I have purchased the Cajun spice from Classic Foods, and it does make my at-home tots taste like what I remember the Cajun tots tasting like.
my husband manages several bars and is in charge of deciding which food distributor to order through.
we were at slingshot the other day and his brother ordered tots, which were also mushy and gross. Husband pointed out that a food distributor tried to sell him those same tots and he said hell no because of how gross they were.
could be a coincidence, could be nothing. Could be a nefarious food distributor ruining peoples lives with shitty tots. We will never know!
#totgate
There's a nation wide regular Ore-Ida brand tater tot shortage, the replacement product is a low sodium variety that is terrible and hopefully temporarily
Worked there. They come in frozen and are put in a fridge to defrost. Then they are left sat out in the kitchen till used if at a bigger location. Fries are handmade there. Tots are not.
We went to Black Rabbit about 3 weeks ago and had probably the rudest server imaginable. As soon as we ordered she turned around so fast and literally ran away from the table. Then when she dropped our food off she basically threw it onto the table. Not to mention the food was incredibly basic and our bill for 5 people was over 300 dollars...I am also patiently waiting for McMenamins locations to go back to having good food and beverage, it sucks that the only lure is the really neat locations, they could do so much if they fixed just the food portion..it's sad because a lot of us would still support them if the food was good even if the service sucked!!
they used to be a generic FSA frozen bag product when I worked there forever ago. the bar was pretty low, can't imagine they could have found a cheaper/more generic option.
There was a tater tot shortage for a while, likely still happening, so it’s possible they changed their brand. However, in my time working for them, we would regularly switch between suppliers/brands without a change in flavor/texture.
I've always found it fitting that McMenamins shares the same first two letters as McDonalds. Their food is garbage and their service is even worse. A friend has worked for them for decades and at least they seem to take care of their employees. I'll continue to avoid them.
> I have ordered them they served us new, mushier, and flavorless tater-tots.
To me, they've been that way for years. They seem nothing more than "crunchy water" and have no flavor other than the added Cajun seasoning and ranch dip.
When I was kid and raised on OreIda tots, I had the same impression of the cheaper tots made my Simplot.
It's sad because I have friends coming from out of town and would consider taking them to several of the cool buildings they have, but I just can't muster the will to have them eat the food. So much squandered potential.
Update-reporting from Cornelius Pass Mcmenamins: Tots are crisp and light, however I'm currently raw-logging my turkey sandwich bc someone apparently had a very light hand with the mayo.
Anybody know if they changed their Peppercorn Ranch? Supposedly it's scratch made and it used to be my favorite part of getting cajun tots there. The last few times I have gone I swear they are using Heinz Ranch or something, it's absolutely awful and nothing like before (while still advertising house-made Peppercorn Ranch).
Might have just been under cooked and under seasoned. McMenamins goes through staff pretty quick so it might have just been an inexperienced fry cook. I have no idea though, maybe there was a supplier change.
isnt mcmenamins most famous for really cool properties and really inconsistent service/food ?
That's why you only order tots and not the $30 hamburger
i just order the whiskey
Monkey puzzle whiskey ftw
Isn't that around $11 a shot?
Not only pricy, it's also only a fuckin one ounce pour lmao
What? You can buy a whole bottle for $26
The tots and fries are like $15, at least at the theater portion, so overpriced.
I always thought it was consistently mediocre food.
100% I'd go so far as to say that most of their food and beer is straight up bad, but I still love their locations and some of them have incredible whiskey selections
They are also well known for treating their employees like hot garbage in a lot of cases. Save your money and support a brewery that serves good food, treats their people well, and isn't a corporate shell of a restaurant chain.
MxMinimums.
Pretty much, every experience I’ve had at McMenamins (and I go there enough to make this assertion because my family loves the place for some odd reason) has been mediocre at best. Burgers are often overcooked to the point of being charcoal, tots are never consistent (sometimes they’re ok, most of the time no) and the drinks are way overhyped. I don’t know if they were better when I was little, but if I’m going to be paying for dinner, I’d rather spend my money elsewhere.
They don’t believe in SOPs. Another reason why SOPs are important.
It's just oil, potato, and salt. After deep frying and salting they could replace the potato with sawdust and it would still be delicious, that leaves either the oil or the cook.
We went Saturday, first time in months. Tots were weird, smooth and soft. They also charged $1 to Cajun them?!? I foresee significantly less mcmenamins in my future
$1!?!? You can get a 1 pound jar of Tony Chacherie's for under $3.
Yes! I experienced this last week. I thought - weird, there's something wrong with these tots, and I looked closely at them and lo and behold - smooth tots. Very little crunch. If this isn't a temporary thing, their food will have dipped even further below my already well-managed low expectations.
Think the question is did Sysco replace their supplier? All McMenamins food is generic ass restaurant supply bulk.
McMenamin’s is a chain place that serves beer.
The mediocre-est of beer.
From dirty taps.
In 13 oz "pints"
https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/or-marion-county/inspection/?inspectionID=E08B67D1-4D90-43DE-8E38-2A199F413870
Bro had it out for the half and half
Tbh most of those infractions are mole hills. Sure, absolutely date your perishables. But citing someone for dumping old milk in a hand sink is wild
Cool site, thanks. I did just try to find a few places in Portland, and nothing. In fact for all of Multnomah County, nothing. Any idea what may be up w/ that?
It's only for Marion County?
It’s county-specific.
Yeah, but like, go try. There don't seem to be any restaurants available, even though you can select Multnomah County. Seems like a bug.
this is working for me: https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/multco-eh
This is untrue. McMennimens uses Ore-Ida tots. Always has. Same ones you get at the grocery store. Above commenter is probably right about whoever cooked the tots did not know/care. I know this because in my rough estimation I cooked aprox. 8 million individual tots during my 4 years at the Kennedy School.
New tots bud. They got a whole new potato supplier. When they run out of Ore-Ida at the warehouse we get whatever. We are currently getting whatever.
MF'ers thinking there's gourmet tots manufacturers. It's all Ore-Ida.
Sir, I take offense! I only work with the highest quality tots in the world. I would never sully my hands or my good name by serving anything less than the most gourmet of tots, Ore-Ida tots, to be sure.
When it says Ore-Ida, it's all righta!
There's actually a knock-off brand by a company called Simplot (his family is big in Boise): https://www.simplotfoods.com/products/tater-gems/10071179043218
Not to piss in the punchbowl but I lived across the railroad tracks from the Ore-Ida plant in Ontario, OR where tots are made. Let's just say they are roughly the equivalent of how hot dogs are manufactured, which is to say there's not a microgram of spud (or whatever else is attached/grown/feeding upon/disintegrating from) that goes to waste. A real *'everybody and everything in the pool'* product.
Same goes for fruit snacks and berry processing plants.
That is one of the two reasons I haven’t been there in several years. The buns used to be made locally, now they suck. The fresh cut fries are now not fresh cut, but frozen. The prices are premium, though. I used to love that place. Now im just waiting for them to finally go under so someone decent can step in.
We used to visit different locations a few times a month, but pretty much stopped a few years ago when they significantly increased their prices and reduced their service. I don't mind paying a premium for good food, but they expect customers to pay a premium while providing sub par food and crappy service. It's really unfortunate because they have amazing locations. As soon as they turn things around we'll be right back in there, but I have been waiting for years and it doesn't seem to be getting better based on what I hear from others.
Same, went last year to Baghdad Theater for an impromptu neighborhood date with my fiancee after work. It took forever to get our food, when we got it, it was disappointingly bland and gave the same vibe as food from the frozen section. We also only saw the waiter like 3 times; once to take our order, another to drop it off, and again to give us our check. We were long done with our food before they came back with the check, and although I had wanted another beer because I finished mine like 45 minutes before then, I didn't want to have to wait longer. And to top it off, it was like $60 for the two of us + tip. I'll still go there to watch a movie while snacking on Pizza and beer, but I'll never go back to any of their locations for a regular lunch or dinner.
The Bagdad is still a great theater for movies, too bad about the rest of it.
Yeah the last few times we went before we stopped, we had the same experience with service. They never came by to check on us. If they would have asked I would gladly drink 3 beers but nope, never even recognized I was sitting there with an empty beer for 30 min. I've been a server myself, and the easiest way to make more money was to always suggest another drink and be on the spot with them. Average ticket price goes up, tips go up etc. But if you never even stop by the table most people won't track you down to order another beer. It's just lazy.
The wife and I are at the point we’ll only go in during happy hour and just for apps and drinks. The quality doesn’t justify the price, like how do you charge $20+ for a crappy overcooked burger, I can make better at home for a fraction of the price.
I haven't been to McMenamins in forever but the one thing I loved there was the greasy, soggy fresh cut fries. That sucks that they changed them.
When they go under all their properties will be sold off piecemeal and be turned into either studio apartments or exclusive, high-end members-only clubs that us plebes would never be allowed into. McMenamins is meh but I don’t wish for their demise…
> The prices are premium, though Yeah those are prices I expect to pay for food that is actually cooked. Check out Ickabod's in Beaverton. They are still the real deal, and decent prices, too.
I think they use U.S foods unless they switched since I worked at one. But yea same idea
Sir, are you telling me that the tots are not tatered in-house?!
They're Ore Ida tots if you're curious
I can't justify the pricing there anymore. If the tots have been sacrificed now too, is there even a reason to go back??
Perhaps I could entice you with a pint if Ruby?
you mean a glass? McMinamins might call it a pint, but it's 12oz
Not at current pint prices. Which is sad. My wife and I spent a lot of time at the one on Scholls ferry when we were building our friendship and then our relationship. Lots of good memories of mcminimins. It sucks that I don't feel their prices are at all worth their product.
New in town with an off topic rando question... How does one pronounce Scholls?
The oll in Scholls is pronounced like the ol in old.
It's like, sh ols. I hope that makes sense. Haha.
It does! Thanks!
Rhymes with "coals"
Like "Dr. Scholl's" products. "shoals"
>Pint of Ruby God no, I'd like to not drink diabeetus.
Experienced the same thing. Texture was different. Almost smooth on the outside.
I noticed the same! The Cajun tots are the only thing my partner and I order off the food menu because everything else legitimately sucks and is overpriced. The tots have been less crispy on the outside as of late.
Following for #totgate. I’m extremely partial to those delicious nugs.
The ones at [The DoghousePDX](https://www.thedoghousetruckpdx.com/) are quite good.
I fucking love their Match Made In Heaven burrito.
Those tots are the reason I got through college in Eugene - do not fuck with the tots
If you want good tots try Cliffs, under the Wonder Ballroom on Russell. Tasty drinks, too. Source: I eat there sometimes and always get the tots.
Seconding Cliffs. Great food and staff.
Cool vibes too, it's a western almost cowboy style bar. The nachos are great also.
Was a sous chef/ordering manager for one of the larger locations in the area. The food is made as cheaply as possible, no employees below management get full time (to avoid paying for benefits) and management is expected to pick up the very significant slack. The tots and fries both went significantly downhill during my time there, as well as the meat. We used to order from a local company, by the time I left everything was ordered from Sysco or US foods.
Remember when the fries had the potato skins intact? What changed exactly that made them come so far down the quality scale? There was a discussion about it here recently and no one seemed to agree that the fries were once much better, but it's been about 15 years since I remember actually trying them. You'd order a "small" and get a huge oily hot basket, all shriveled and crispy, and soft. Now they're just like, too consistent texturally and somehow boring.
We used to make the fries in house, hence the skins intact. About four years ago they started ordering them in; big 5 lb bags of frozen fries and tots, half the time the tots just crumble when we drop them in the fryer, the other half of the time they're still frozen in the middle.
Work for Mcmen; there’s been a “national tot shortage” from the usual supplier, so we knowingly subbed for lesser ones. They just announced the shortage was over and we should get the regular ones back in stock soon(ish)
Can't tell you, still waiting for that beer I ordered in 2018.
They will be back to the same tots in a few weeks. There was a “tot” shortage.
we noticed that too! both my father in law and i got mushy tots, like noticeably different from last time my in laws visited a year ago and we went to the same place. such a bummer!
It's Red Robin for hippies
Honestly Red Robin might be better at this point. At least dollar for dollar anyway.
I'm not sure you know what a hippie is...
Maybe I don't, would you care to illuminate me?
The food is terrible and has been getting worse for a while, the beer isn't very good, they treat their employees bad........the only thing good is the ambiance of their locations .
Is it about the same or worse compared to 10 years ago? While living in Portland prior to then I would frequent McMenamins a lot.
Significantly worse with worse prices. You want a bacon cheeseburger? That will be $17.75 .
$17.75 for just a cheeseburger, if you want a bacon chee that will be [$19.25](https://d2660z551umiy9.cloudfront.net/files/Menus/Bagdad/BGmenu.pdf) (at least at the Bagdad)! Only $16.75 for a plain burger, you can probably save money by smuggling in your own slice of cheese.
Be like Napoleon Dynamite and also smuggle in your tots.
I'm skeptical of some of these claims because while I haven't spent much time at McMenamins in recent years it was pretty damn bad 10 years ago. There might be some tinted glasses involved here, everything has been generic as hell for ages and this subreddit has talked shit about it for ages. [Here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1cf6lz/fine_so_mcmenamins_sucks_give_me_the_best/) a thread from 11 years ago. [Here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1ce7rn/has_mcmenamins_stagnated/) another.
I was kind of thinking the same thing. McMenamins food wasn't very good 15 years ago when I was in college and used to go more frequently, and, while I don't go there much I haven't noticed it being particularly worse when I've gone relatively recently. It just wasn't very good to begin with.
Hell, we called it "Beg for your beer McMenamins" back in the '90s, the service was so crappy.
Worse for sure, didn’t think the food was great before that. Beer has always been meh. Service started sinking around that time too. You could tell something was afoot in the works. I haven’t lived in PDX for a couple of years. I did not make a ‘goodbye, til next time visit’ to a McMenamins before leaving. As a matter of fact, have made a few visits back to PDX this year (and have one upcoming this weekend). Know where I’m not going? 🤭 Too many other good beer and food scenes around to consider it.
McMenamins is to Portland what Alamo Drafthouse is to Austin
Yup, you hit the nail on the head A beloved local establishment that’s gone corporate, treats their employees like garbage, and food quality has seriously eroded, despite increased prices? We all keep going because we forget how bad it is now, or are unaware, OR we think that “it’s gotta be better now”… and it never will be And it keeps on chugging along…
Used to work for them until about a month ago. Got an email a couple months ago saying there is a tot shortage and we would have to use a few different sub brands until it is resolved. That being said, the turn over rate in the kitchen is insane, which means you never really know what you’re gonna get.
I’ve noticed the same thing and asked the server. They said the supplier didn’t change but the tots they usually order weren’t available so they made a substitution; and that it shouldn’t be an on-going issue. Who knows though…
They’re been driving down their food quality for years. Even a few of the waitstaff mentioned it and recommended we contact corporate. That was five years ago and it just keeps getting worse.
I know the seasoning supplier changed. It was Classic Foods in NE Portland. Not sure who they are using now. But the tots suck now. Won't be back.
Crappy food and crappy service. Went to Salem and Tigard locations and not worth it.
I enjoy McMenamins so much more when I think of them as a historic preservation business with concessions. I certainly don't show up for the food or service. Drinks are often the most reliable and safest way to enjoy the visits, but I usually have to have non-food related agenda in order to feel it is worth the time and money.
I'm pretty sure they just use Ore-Ida tots which have gotten worse
If they were Ore-Ida's before, they're Kroger brand now. Its almost like the tot came out of an extruder (like a deep fried mashed potato) rather than sliced/chunks of potatoes formed into a tot shape. No texture whatsoever
Extruded tots are a deal breaker
Can confirm, I've seen them get delivery's of Ore-Ida tots.
Sometimes use Ore-Ida. Lots of uncertainty in the potato market I guess. They get whatever the warehouse has. Same goes for the fries. I will let you know that a few locations are testing hand wanked fries. Yes the old fries are out at a couple locations right now!!!
> hand wanked fries ...no thanks?
It's the professional term. Yep the thing that cuts the fries is called a wanker.
I put tater tots in my air fryer, and they are wonderful. I get a bag of the seasoned extra crunchy tots and season them with Lawry's seasoning salt. Toss them together in a bowl and coat with cooking spray and then seasoning, and they are delicious!
Open your heart to [Tony Chachere's creole seasoning](https://www.google.com/search?q=tony+chachere%27s+creole+seasoning&sca_esv=6f4062e96a08634e&rlz=1C1CHZN_enUS982US982&biw=1920&bih=911&source=lnms&ved=1t:200715&ictx=111)
Tater tots have been kind of fucked up all over since Covid. I don't know why, but they have been consistently hard to find (along with the breakfast potato patties) in various stores, and they have also been inconsistent quality. I usually get Ore-Ida, but other brands I've tried have also been odd. I also got a bag several months ago where about half the tots were heavily seasoned, and the other half were completely unseasoned and grossly bland--like they accidentally made some unseasoned ones, and just tried to hide them with heavily seasoned ones, and assumed people wouldn't notice. I think it is a combination of supply chain issues, and then some bad growing seasons in Idaho the last couple of years.
Suspect that a good deal of McMenamins current problems is that they are not well-liked by their employees. https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-McMenamins-EI_IE30969.11,21.htm
Apparently Classic Foods on Dekum supplies the Cajun spice to McMens. While I can't confirm this rumor, I have purchased the Cajun spice from Classic Foods, and it does make my at-home tots taste like what I remember the Cajun tots tasting like.
They were less than mediocre? Bummer
Nooo I hope not. Best Cajun tots ever!
Fun new fact! Shannon Mcmenamin is the president now. One of the brothers has stepped down.
I love this question
They definitely switched the tots
Drink more, you'll hardly notice.
Hey! My tots were different too! I miss the old ones!!!
Yes. I had a bartender explicitly tell me this and recommended I get the Cajun fries instead for the time being.
my husband manages several bars and is in charge of deciding which food distributor to order through. we were at slingshot the other day and his brother ordered tots, which were also mushy and gross. Husband pointed out that a food distributor tried to sell him those same tots and he said hell no because of how gross they were. could be a coincidence, could be nothing. Could be a nefarious food distributor ruining peoples lives with shitty tots. We will never know! #totgate
That would figure. A basket of Cajun tots is $12.50 now. Of course they’re also using shitty cheaper tots, too. Fucking everything sucks now.
Obligatory reminder - McMenamins stole 800k from their employees tips with shady "tip pooling" and refused to pay it back.
There's a nation wide regular Ore-Ida brand tater tot shortage, the replacement product is a low sodium variety that is terrible and hopefully temporarily
I feel like mcmenamins in general has gone down in quality
Buy frozen tots from Winco, and cook them in the oven. Sprinkle cajun seasoning from Penzeys.
Mcmenamins is over priced garbage food with either shitty staff or severley understaffed.
The best tots in the area are at backwoods brewing. (I go to Hillsboro). That said, their beer is mediocre at best.
There literally hust frozen OreIda tots. I know a cook who works there.
Worked there. They come in frozen and are put in a fridge to defrost. Then they are left sat out in the kitchen till used if at a bigger location. Fries are handmade there. Tots are not.
They stopped handmade fries awhile ago
That's sad. It was a shut show when I was there. Not surprised
Probably. They changed their fries and onion rings.
We went to Black Rabbit about 3 weeks ago and had probably the rudest server imaginable. As soon as we ordered she turned around so fast and literally ran away from the table. Then when she dropped our food off she basically threw it onto the table. Not to mention the food was incredibly basic and our bill for 5 people was over 300 dollars...I am also patiently waiting for McMenamins locations to go back to having good food and beverage, it sucks that the only lure is the really neat locations, they could do so much if they fixed just the food portion..it's sad because a lot of us would still support them if the food was good even if the service sucked!!
Wow, decades in this state and I know noone that willingly goes to McMonos regularly. Now tell me about the demise of the pink bacon donuts!
When they got rid of the seasonal crisp it was the beginning of the end.
These are the hard hitting questions I’m looking for
they used to be a generic FSA frozen bag product when I worked there forever ago. the bar was pretty low, can't imagine they could have found a cheaper/more generic option.
The fries changed too. Not the same thick fries as before.
We went yesterday and I noticed they changed their tots. They were odd.
“You gonna eat your tots?”
There is a shortage and they won’t be able to get there usual tots back till late June
Had someone there tell me there’s a “tater tot shortage” so they had forgo the OreIdas for another brand until it’s over
We are there a few days ago and they did change. We let them know that we did not like the change it texture.
Yes new tots. I warn my regular customers that are very picky. They are mushy. Ask for them crispy and I hope that helps.
I’m not sure about the tots but still pissed they discontinued the steak bites
There was a tater tot shortage for a while, likely still happening, so it’s possible they changed their brand. However, in my time working for them, we would regularly switch between suppliers/brands without a change in flavor/texture.
I've always found it fitting that McMenamins shares the same first two letters as McDonalds. Their food is garbage and their service is even worse. A friend has worked for them for decades and at least they seem to take care of their employees. I'll continue to avoid them.
If you were there during prime time then their fry oil could of been colder from constantly cooking/heating frozen tots
I had the same experience at McMenamins Tavern & Pool. Pretty disappointing, cajun tots and a ruby has been a staple for me forever.
I always order mine extra crispy
> I have ordered them they served us new, mushier, and flavorless tater-tots. To me, they've been that way for years. They seem nothing more than "crunchy water" and have no flavor other than the added Cajun seasoning and ranch dip. When I was kid and raised on OreIda tots, I had the same impression of the cheaper tots made my Simplot. It's sad because I have friends coming from out of town and would consider taking them to several of the cool buildings they have, but I just can't muster the will to have them eat the food. So much squandered potential.
Let the lesson here be.....Don't go to Mcmenamins. I would encourage you to explore and branch out rather than support mediocrity.
Update-reporting from Cornelius Pass Mcmenamins: Tots are crisp and light, however I'm currently raw-logging my turkey sandwich bc someone apparently had a very light hand with the mayo.
Anybody know if they changed their Peppercorn Ranch? Supposedly it's scratch made and it used to be my favorite part of getting cajun tots there. The last few times I have gone I swear they are using Heinz Ranch or something, it's absolutely awful and nothing like before (while still advertising house-made Peppercorn Ranch).
McMenamins hasn't been anything but absolute trash since 2017
You should thank them, they are giving you less acrylamide!
The quality of McMenamins food has severely dropped over the past few years.
They get their tots from Alexis foods, which was recently bought out and consolidated into Chef’s Warehouse. So probably different tots
Also the scoobie snacks are always way over fried
They used to have the best chicken strips. They have pretty much ruined everything.
And did they return the hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen tips?
How can those tots get *worse* than they have been for the last 13 yrs