MEAT RATIONING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 192, 12 May 1944, Page 6

MEAT RATIONING

Effect On Wellington Restaurants

SUGGESTION FOR ECONOMY

“The meat coupon system is no good,” said Mr. Girondis, a Wellington restaurant proprietor, when asked how he was managing under the coupon system. “This system is not doing what the Government expected, because it makes much waste and no economy, as far as the restaurants are concerned., It would be much -better for everyone, the Government as well, if restaurants were supplied with, say, 60 per'cent, of their average requirements before the system operated. That would mean 40 per cent, economy iu the case of every restaurant and hotel in the country. I mean 'that the authorities should allow us that 60 per cent, so .that we could sell it without coupons to our customers. “Before rationing was introduced we used to serve 250 to 260 people daily with roast beef, mutton, pork, and so on. Now coupons are required that number has gone down to 30 or 40 a day. But we have to cook meat, say, for i>o people, and when the demand goes down to 25 or 30 we have that cooked meat on our hands. We are able to mince some of it and serve it up as rissoles, but not always ; and' then we get no coupons fbr it. "We used to get through 251 b. of beet a day; that has gone down to about Sib. Perhaps we cook a leg of muton and half of it has to be thrown out, not because people do pot want it, but because they ‘will not produce coupons to get it. So you see the business is just a worry and trouble. Sometimes people give their orders, and then fail to produce the required coupon. Now my waitresses ask them for the coupon before the meal is served, and if they cannot produce one they cannot, be served; but .occasionally a person will pretend to look for a coupon in his wallet, and the waitress, busy With others, lets the matter rest for the moment. By the time she comes round again his dinner is half consumed and still the coupon is missing. In such cases what can one do? We have to let him g °Mr. Girondis said that steak had almost disappeared .from the menu, though now and again it might be asked for on Sundays. Other restaurants in the city could not be bothered at all with coupon meats, and were doing without them altogether.