Pops, finally
 

after years of hearing about pops, we finally made it there for dinner the other night. i've been wanting to go for a while so it was good to finally check it off my list :D

food was great. the wife and i split a plate of whole clams and scallops with fries and a side of onion rings. the clams and scallops were very good. very crisp, crunchy batter with a good flavor and not too oily. both tasted very fresh too. the onion rings were good too, but they didn't have a whole lot of flavor to them. i liked them, but they just seemed to be missing something. the fries were really good too. my wife is picky when it comes to fries, she doesn't like typical fast food type fries. she liked these though, and so did i. all in all, great food, huge portions (we couldn't finish it all) and reasonable prices. plus sitting on the roof on a beautiful summer night overlooking alton bay.. how can ya beat that? we'll be back.

Same with me read about them all the time but haven't got there. Probably won't this summer they seem to keep limited hours.

?????????????
 

Pop's is open 6 days a week now, 11:30 - 8:00. Closed on Wednesday.

Not so limited to me :rolleye1::)

definitely worth the trip though. much much better seafood than sawyers.

My suggestion for your next visit is to get your meal and walk across the street to the picnic tables and eat your meals right on the edge of the big lake. We take the meals on their trays and return them when finished.:)

Just did the same thing on Friday night - kind of a wet night but asked if we could take the trays across the street and got an immediate "yes". Meal was wonderful.....as always

If you say "to go"...
 

...they will pack them in paper bags, and give you a cardboard box like what soda cases are made of. Don't have to come back across the street with the tray. Just a thought.:rolleye1::)

good tip about the table across the street. i'll remember that for next time. we wouldn't have been able to do that the other night, there was some concert going on at the pavilion and the area was packed.

Every Saturday night in July and August there is a concert starting at 7 PM at the bandstand. Combined with the Old Home Day activities last weekend made for a busy "table across the street"

Be prepared they don't take plastic there!
 

So we took a ride today all the way from Bear Island down to Alton just to go there only to find out they do not take plastic and we didn't have enough cash on us.. so we ended up elsewhere.

why we don't accept credit cards
 

I lose 5% right off the top plus processing fees. We have explored the idea of taking credit cards and I am not comfortable with giving them that much of my income.Infact the sales lady from the processing company was familiar with us because travles to our place as a destination on motorcycle trips. She basically talked me out of taking credit cards and told me it was not a good idea for a seasonal business. We do have an atm on sight, unfortunately it is down right now and I am in the process of getting it repaired.
Popsicle

It is pretty amazing how much the CC processing fees are, and I do appreciate why you don't take them, hard enough to have a profitable business these days without giving up that extra off the top. So with no cash on hand not much we could do, but next time we'll come prepared. Figured I'd get the word out so others don't end up like we did. Food did smell and look yummy though.

Just an FYI about ATM's..
 

Besides Pop's, there is an ATM at Amilynne's up at the corner across from the mini-golf course (affectionally still remembered as Busy Corner).

Buisness 101
 

So, let me get this straight. You let $30-$40 worth of business walk out the door and right into your competition because you don't want to pay the processing fee! How many other dollars did you let walk away that day too? How many other customers were inconvenienced too and decided to go somewhere else? People just don't carry much cash anymore.

I too run a small business and my CC process fee is 2.25% plus a $15 processing fee. I may go several months without using CC but it's a service for my customers that I just can't do without.

BTW: how much profit margin is in a roadside fast food business? Time to rethink your business strategy.

How much does that ATM of yours charge the customer?

Nothing....it doesn't work!!
There are a few other restaurants around the lake that do not take plastic. It is a business decision that an owner makes that you either agree with or not. That's your decision to make.
The fees associated with accepting plastic for seasonal businesses is exorbitant.

Not true...
 

I hope you were just kidding with that statement. You may want to research that fact a little further. They could use "Square" on their cell phone for 1.75% and cancel it anytime (I do). Look how many seasonal and short term business do use CC. With the volume they do, 36% overhead and the margin on their products the 1.5%, 2.25% or even 3.5% service fee on one out of ten sales, that excuse just doesn't hold water. There are other reasons they don't want to use it. The cost is just a convenient excuse. Perhaps, it's the fact that they like it being an all "cash" business, with no paper trails on reported income.

Whatever "excuse" they choose to make is exactly that. They choose not to accept credit cards. That's their decision. I've been caught short there myself after boating from Meredith...FORCED to go to Shibley's...but that wasn't a bad thing either! :)

It never ceases to amaze me how insulting some people can be on an anonymous forum. Is pops someone you know? Did he screw you in a business deal? I'm sure his reasons for not accepting credit cards are no business of yours.

I personally would rather see Pops tack on the extra 5% on my food bill, than be charged upwards of 10% on the money I would be getting from some of these " non-bank" owned ATMs. Plus the inconvenience caused to me by demanding cash only. Not everyone carries a lot of cash these days, and we all don't have daily access to a bank.

The value that I recieve when I eat at Pops is worth the small cost to me of bringing cash. To each his own - the decision to frequent a business based on payment methods is yours to make. Ultimately the market bears out the decisions and choices of any business.

Pops is the best in my book!!!

You have mis-read me...
 

I'm not anonymous everyone reading this knows just who I am (click on my name). In fact, I do enjoy going to Pop's and I don't mind paying his high prices, eating on dirty tables and I'd rather pay with cash. I was just trying to point out to him, he's lousing a lot of business by being so short sighted. There are other options! My daughters on the other hand never carry cash, their money is direct deposited and they live with Debit Cards, that's the way business is done today.

There was a time, I ventured down from Wolfe City by sailboat every Friday night to Alton and Pop's was my number one choice. Those days are gone for me, but I still love to go there when I can.

Check?
 

Did you ask if you could pay by personnel Check? We do that all the time with never a problem.

Pops!
:liplick::liplick::liplick::liplick::liplick::lipl ick:

I've been to a few places where no cash was accepted, like airplanes. Is that the future? Our friends at the IRS and the NSA will love that.

But my original question was not answered....how much do you charge people to take money out of your ATM?

What is this 'check' thing that you speak of?

reply from Pops
 

We do accept personal checks. Our fee on our atm is $2.50. I have considered using square with my cell phone but we have no cell service in the building. At some point in time I am sure we will have to start accepting plastic. Wouldn't think everybodys panties would get in a knot about this but sometimes "ya just don't know".
Pops

adding a feee for using plastic
 

Chaselady
It is illegal in N.H. to charge a fee for using plastic.

It amazes me when someone goes out to dinner at a takeout and needs to use their credit card. Just sayin'.

Why does that amaze you? Like many others, I rarely have more than a couple bucks in my wallet. I use my DEBIT card for everything, from Dunkins, to the gas station, to a nice restaurant.

i tend not to carry cash often either, i use my debit card 99% of the time. but when i'm going to an unfamiliar place, especially a small seasonal business, i'm bringing cash with me just in case. no big deal..

two observations
 

1. Not unusual for some businesses to not accept credit cards in this day and age. Olde Diner in Alton Bay is cash only, and Parker Marine does not take credit cards. Cash or check only.

2. I seldom use cash. I use one credit card, and it has a reward system that we use to get points for travel, shopping, and vacation lodging. One reason that I kind of hate paying my marina bill. I lose a fourth of a trip to Washington DC each year. :(

We have friends that use their credit card for everything too for the kickbacks. I guess I just feel sorry for the businesses to have to pay 3 or 4 or 5 % out of an amount less than $25. Ultimately it makes the price go up for all of us. I kind of use 25 as a rule of thumb, if I think it is over that, I use a credit card, otherwise cash.

If you travel, especially on business, you get in the habit of using a card for everything. It makes expense reports a lot easier.

Any business doing a lot of credit card transactions has already figured the cost into the price, so if you don't use a card you're paying too much. They can offer discounts for cash, but who does?

A mom and pop shop not accepting a card is still pretty common but fading fast. It's just too easy to accept them now. I've purchased a cup of coffee from a pushcart with my Amex.

I wouldn't avoid a cash only restaurant on vacation, but some will. I would avoid one on business travel, but I doubt that's big part of Pop's business.

I agree, if it was Wendy's or McDonalds prices. But according to the menu the dinners (clams, scallops etc ) run 15-22 dollars each. That's $50 or mor for a couple of people, including drinks. I know a lot of folks wouldn't agree....but personally I WOULD pay a couple of dollars extra for the privilege to eat at Pops and the convenience to use a debit card. Love the place, used to eat there years ago.

So now Ya all know Cash or Ck
 

For the best Clams Dinners in the Lake Region......:)
Its your Biz Pop's, do what Ya want......;)
Some folks just like 2 :( :eek2:

Love you Pops!
 

We've frequented your establishment for many years, traveling from Paugus Bay, to have our favorite clams and scallops plate at least a couple times a summer. Having to bring cash is no big deal. You just need to plan ahead. That being said, do what works for your business Pops. It is your business and yours alone.
Sue

Due, in part, to this thread Nera Gatta and I took the 18 mile cruise from Isola Gatto Nero down to Alton Bay to give Pops a try for dinner last night. I brought cash so no biggie there. On my brother's suggestion we split the Clam/Lobster Roll dinner and an order of the rings. We did take out and ate on the boat with a bottle of chardonnay. The clams, fries and rings were great but there was so much that the Lobster roll went uneaten. Looking forward to having it and the rest of the clams for lunch. On the boat ride home we took in the the beautiful sunset in front of us and the full moonrise behind us. All in all a great trip. Will definitely return.

hours for coming week/ closing date for season
 

First off I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and compliments. We had a great summer but it is quickly coming to an end. I would also like to publicly thank my crew for their hard work and outstanding job they did this year."you guys are the best".
Our hours for next week. We will be closed tues. The 27th, Wed.28th, Thus.29th. We will open Fri.30th @11:30 am. We close for the season labor day @4:00pm. Please do not wait untill Labor day to get some of our more popular menu items I.e. clams, scallops we are likely to sellout of those early.
Thank You
Pops

Got my fix yesterday best clams ever. Thanks pops

:D

Yup, I will be "forced" to go this weekend, and maybe next weekend too!
Thanks, Pop

You know an uneaten lobster roll in the state of NH is a crime, according to RSA 216.5 in the law book...just saying...

Guess I better get over there soon for my last fried clam fix!!

Not to worry, it was taken care of for lunch the next day as planned.

So I went to POPS on Saturday for lunch - armed with cash this time. All I can say is that the food was outstanding. Best darn clams I have had in a long, long time. Well worth the trip! ;)

To bad you don't stay open for ice fishing/snowmobile season!

I just read in another food thread that there is no outstanding food in the lakes region.:laugh:4 more days to get your fix.

Got our Grand Finale Sunday. Awesome as ever. See ya next year POPS !

Great food, great portions, great service every time!
I stopped counting how many times I've been there.
I could care less if it's cash only. It's not hard...if you think you might want to go to Pop's...bring cash.
I'll be stopping in on my way up tomorrow. Can't wait.

Last weekend... Better get your clam fix now!

Well we were at the craft fair today and Pops pulled me in for one last time. It was a bitter sweet end of another summer of the best fried clams this side of heaven !