Olga's Kitchen leaves downtown Detroit

**dtowncitylover** · September-08-15, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

..or walking three blocks to the Ren Cen? I mean after eating a double quarter pounder or whopper meal, walking might be a good thing. will the Campus Martius McDs need on site parking and a drive thru too? #thestruggleisreal #sterlingheightsyes!

While I agree we all need to be walking more, lunch times are coveted and enjoyed by office professionals. Those "three blocks" can add up to 40 minutes just walking to and from. Some people don't have 40 minutes. No one who works along Griswold or around CM are gonna walk down to Wooward, across the Nile that is Jefferson, walk up to the RenCen, down into the food court and probably wait in a line filled with GM workers. It's not like the MCDo in the RenCen is right on the corner of Jefferson and Randolph it's in the belly of the beast.

A fast food chain, despite it being a fast food chain, would work well there. It could even service hotel stayers at the Book Cadillac and the David Whitney.

**Spartan** · September-08-15, 02:04 PM

This discussion of fast food might all be silly anyway. Knowing Gilbert's penchant for "unique businesses" I'm not sure a McDonald's would even be in the picture.

**1953** · September-08-15, 02:06 PM

A Wendy's in this spot would be awesome.

I don't mind going to the Ren Cen, but it does eat up a lot of time.

I don't feel like there are many quick, cheap options downtown - and, yes, I am aware of all of the restaurants and food trucks [[yuck) that are in the CBD.

1953

**hybridy** · September-08-15, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by 1953

A Wendy's in this spot would be awesome.

I don't mind going to the Ren Cen, but it does eat up a lot of time.

I don't feel like there are many quick, cheap options downtown - and, yes, I am aware of all of the restaurants and food trucks [[yuck) that are in the CBD.

1953

At a min it would have to be a fast casual chain. Any fast food place wouldn't require the amount of dining/kitchen space that currently exists. It's also too prime of a location and will be next to the new hudsons whatever that ends up being. And thankfully those realities are a good thing.

take a look at freshii and 7 greens. Those are what the millennial office crowd craves and support, including myself. I don't eat fast food and frankly it's looked down on these days. American and Lafayette are go to for down and dirty cheap lunch eats

**jmarie** · September-08-15, 08:23 PM

I've got it. A Chick-fil-A. People would drive there just to eat it. [[I know someone who drives about 45 minutes to OU a few times a year to eat at the one there.)

**1953** · September-09-15, 09:06 AM

I'm part of the millenial office crowd, and I don't want to eat at Freshii - I think on principle alone, since everyone keeps saying, "Oh, there's lots of fast casual downtown; have you tried Freshii?"

1953

PS: I know its not kosher to say this and love Detroit, but all of the Coney's downtown are gross. I want a National or a Leo's please.

**sturge** · September-09-15, 09:45 AM

My favorite places for lunch in the CBD are:

Potbelly
Which Wich
Carnival [[get the Ultimate Taco)
Bagger Daves
Bellacinos

**iheartthed** · September-09-15, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

While I agree we all need to be walking more, lunch times are coveted and enjoyed by office professionals. Those "three blocks" can add up to 40 minutes just walking to and from. Some people don't have 40 minutes. No one who works along Griswold or around CM are gonna walk down to Wooward, across the Nile that is Jefferson, walk up to the RenCen, down into the food court and probably wait in a line filled with GM workers. It's not like the MCDo in the RenCen is right on the corner of Jefferson and Randolph it's in the belly of the beast.

A fast food chain, despite it being a fast food chain, would work well there. It could even service hotel stayers at the Book Cadillac and the David Whitney.

Yeah, I guess if they are a regular connoisseur of McDonald's cuisine then it might take 20 minutes to walk 3 blocks. A normal person in good health can walk a mile in 20 minutes at a walking pace.

**dtowncitylover** · September-09-15, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Yeah, I guess if they are a regular connoisseur of McDonald's cuisine then it might take 20 minutes to walk 3 blocks. A normal person in good health can walk a mile in 20 minutes at a walking pace.

If you're walking around a track with no distractions perhaps, but in a city with blocks, lights, traffic, and Jefferson Avenue that many people do in two stops, getting to the RenCen from CM can take a bit longer. Google Maps says 11, but I'll guess 15 this time. Going to get McDo there is not worth it.

And a previous poster was right, Gilbert will not be looking for McDonald's. Chick-Fil-A would be good, but would that be controversial? How about Steak Shack? Or perhaps a Steak n Shake?

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-09-15, 10:55 AM

Walking to McDonalds at the RenCen doesn't have to be as difficult as it seems. There's this place called the Millendar Center, with an escalator that takes you up to the 2nd floor, where you'll find a pedestrian bridge that takes you over Jefferson and directly into our Car Palace. And then more escalators to take you down to the cafeteria!

Of course, I don't eat at the McD's, but there is Salsarita's down there.

**warsaw7** · September-09-15, 11:01 AM

There is a lack of sushi, in not just the CBD, but the city of Detroit as a whole. There are literally five sushi bars, not sure why I am even counting Shangri-la, Wah Hoo or Fishbones in the city, which are not traditional sushi bars.

**Hermod** · September-09-15, 11:03 AM

When I worked downtown, I brown-bagged and played Euchre with my fellow BBers.

**iheartthed** · September-09-15, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

If you're walking around a track with no distractions perhaps, but in a city with blocks, lights, traffic, and Jefferson Avenue that many people do in two stops, getting to the RenCen from CM can take a bit longer. Google Maps says 11, but I'll guess 15 this time. Going to get McDo there is not worth it.

And a previous poster was right, Gilbert will not be looking for McDonald's. Chick-Fil-A would be good, but would that be controversial? How about Steak Shack? Or perhaps a Steak n Shake?

I can walk a mile in midtown Manhattan in less than 20 minutes. In Detroit I have walked from Comerica Park to Selden Standard in 20 minutes.

Gilbert will probably want a Chipotle or something yuppie-focused for that location. The sales for McDonalds and other traditional fast food outlets have been in the crapper for the past year or so. Not sure why downtown Detroit would be chasing an outdated fad.

**dtowncitylover** · September-09-15, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I can walk a mile in midtown Manhattan in less than 20 minutes. In Detroit I have walked from Comerica Park to Selden Standard in 20 minutes.

Good for you. Some people aren't fast walkers.

**iheartthed** · September-09-15, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Good for you. Some people aren't fast walkers.

Some people aren't slow walkers, either. That has nothing to do with why it would take most people 20 minutes to walk three blocks.

**dtowncitylover** · September-09-15, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Some people aren't slow walkers, either. That has nothing to do with why it would take most people 20 minutes to walk three blocks.

CM to RenCen is not three blocks, at most it's 7-8. Congress, Larned, Jefferson, Bates, Randolph, Brush, crossing Jefferson, up to the doors, then the trek down into the food court.

**Towne Cluber** · September-09-15, 11:53 AM

I would favor additional fast food options in the CBD, but not in a prominent location like the One Campus Martius Building...unless it was a 'distinctive' fast food place such as Chick-fil-a, Shake Shack, etc.

**1953** · September-09-15, 12:15 PM

Please remember that not everyone starts their lunchtime walk at Campus Martius. I've been walking 10 minutes already when I get to Campus Martius, so the Ren Cen eats up quite a bit of my lunch - and I'm sure I walk much faster than the average person.

**401don** · September-09-15, 02:24 PM

You have to admit it's pretty ironic that the CBD has way more pedestrian traffic now than in the late 70's & early 80's when there were fast food franchises there.

**Bham1982** · September-09-15, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

You have to admit it's pretty ironic that the CBD has way more pedestrian traffic now than in the late 70's & early 80's when there were fast food franchises there.

The opposite is obviously true. There was far more pedestrian traffic in the late 70's and early 80's, when Hudson was still open, when Woodward was still a retail center, when bus ridership was twice today's number, and when the downtown streetscape was much more intact.

The blocks between Woodward and Washington Blvd. were still relatively crowded with shoppers until the early 1990's or so.

**masterblaster** · September-09-15, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by sturge

My favorite places for lunch in the CBD are:

Potbelly
Which Wich
Carnival [[get the Ultimate Taco)
Bagger Daves
Bellacinos

Mine are:

Al-Karar
Hot Taco
Bucharest Grill
WaLa
Jose's Tacos

**hybridy** · September-11-15, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

Mine are:

Al-Karar
Hot Taco
Bucharest Grill
WaLa
Jose's Tacos

i've checked out all of these, and based on the list i've come to the conclusion that you sir/m'am are a fat pig

you're basically consuming burritos, falafel and pasties

**401don** · September-12-15, 08:06 AM

If Detroit aspires to be world-class they need one of these [[just not next to any Chinese Restaurants):

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...02537793,d.aWw