"If you take a seat, you need to eat"
Being the first day of spring and having beautiful weather, Derek and I decided to check out what the Quakertown Farmers Market had to offer. The focus of today's visit was to Big Richard's Steak Shop, also known to some as Big Richard's Sandwich Shop. Additionally, we broke away from our routine in that going to the Q-Mart sounded like a great double date so we both brought along our better halves. First off, entering the Q-Mart we had no idea where Big Richard's was so we went in one of the entrances and began to wonder in the direction we thought it may be. After passing an eclectic smorgasbord of shops and delis we finally spotted the Big Richard's Sign. Pay close attention because if you are walking to quickly or distracted, you will pass on by very easily without even noticing the restaurant.
We grabbed a table for four and began to contemplate what meal would have the opportunity to dance across our palates today. Be careful where you put your elbows while sitting down as we had some elbow sweater stick. The table of our choosing had not been visited by Mr. Clean, and it was awkwardly close to the ordering counter. The decisions were made and the result were four value meals. Two cheese steaks, one Webber, and one pork BBQ sandwich. The value meal started at about $5.50 which gave you the sandwich, fries and a drink, or you could up grade for another buck and half to a large. This meant receiving a club roll vs. a hoagie roll. The cheese steaks were anything but mind blowing, the Webber was not impressive (turns out you also have to pay more for lettuce and tomato), and the pork sandwich was good - having a tint of sugary sweetness to it. While half the the party (being the guys) liked the fries our counterparts pointed out that they thought they just tasted like grease.
Putting food aside, the service was up to par of that of your local DMV. I believe it would take a miracle to get a smile to break out on any of the employees faces, although, being in a windowless area, it can have that effect on you. We all just felt that there was no effort made to make us comfortable or to have us feel welcomed. Additionally, I ran into one of my greatest pet peeves... "no free refills". I just do not get it. You sucker me into paying a buck and a half for a cup of soda that costs you 10 cents, and then you have the audacity to not even give me one free refill. Throw a guy a bone here, and at least give one free refill, or refrain from putting the iceburg that sunk the Titanic in my cup so I get more than a table spoon of soda. (Sorry for ranting, no this is not the only restaurant that does this, but we are coming out of a long winter so you must forgive me).
While we were eating we had noticed that on the menu they also had fried oreos, twinkies and Snickers. I never turn down a snickers and when you throw it on a stick and deep fat fry it, it can only get better. I was quite pleased when I received my fried Snickers and couldn't wait to dig in. But, I quickly learned that a fat fried Snickers is about 200 degrees hotter than molten lava. Having now melted the entirety of my mouth, I was glad that I had allowed them to sucker me into buying a refill of Diet Pepsi off of them for a buck.
Overall the food was mediocre, the atmosphere was loud and sticky, and the service could use some courtousy training. The only thing that saved the trip was going to see the Q-Mart's diamond in the rough, Wally the alligator.
FINAL RATING: 2/5 Stars
PRICE: $
Quakertown Farmer's Market
201 Station Rd, Quakertown, PA 18951
Phone: 215-538-1255
-Ryan & Derek
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