Waldo Peppers
 

Is Waldo Peppers still the darling of the forum members, or has it gone downhill since relocating?

People used to gush about it, but the recent silence is deafening.

kinda' makes ya' wonder,don't it?
 

Kinda makes me wonder: where are all the F.O.W. [ friends of waldos ] now?
They used to take turns expounding on the wonderous virtues of W.P. and take turns bashing everyone else. You could actually predict who would be the next basher as they had it syncronized...my turn ,,,then its margo's turn then Al ,you say something about how wonderful their tap water is ...why the silence?
Kinda makes ya wonder,don't it ???
It actually got to the point where everyone i know would laugh at the posts..

Not what it was
 

There appears to be some significant changes in the restaurant since the relocation. They certainly have a better location from a traffic perspective. However, the quality is not what is was. The waitstaff and cooks seem completely different. We have tried them a couple of times this year and have not been particularly happy. We are going to give it a rest for a while and see what happens.

Jetskier:cool:

Your post kind of makes it sound like you have a personal axe to grind with them.

The old location, for the few times we went there, seemed to be a very nice little place to get a good take-out style lunch.

We've also been to the new location several times, and it does seem that something is missing, but at the same time I can't say that we've ever been disappointed with the quality/value ratio.

Pepper has/had a lot of friends on the forum, and I think she was also a very friendly and honest person herself. People often perceive a business, especially any sort of service/food business, in relation to the owners' outward persona, when the owner actually takes the time to communicate with the clientele.

Perhaps the previous Waldo Peppers supporters were a little too vocal, but I never really felt they were disingenuous in their comments.

It's a very different place
 

We went there last year for breakfast and it was awful. One of the worst meals I've ever had.

My guess is that the name and brand was sold and that the original Waldo Peppers people (Barbara and Bruce) have little to do with the place.

same here....
 

I loved the old spot. Great place to grab a quick/great lunch...light supper...whatever. Hot lobster roll was great...the cold perfect every time.
The new spot..sort of out of the way, as far as "hanging out at the lake" is concerned. But, I'm sure much much higher, year round car count.
Only saw Pepper twice...both at the old spot..seemed like the type of person you just can't help but like. Always a smile for everyone. Very friendly.
Never saw her at the new place.
Really have sort of taken WP off "the list". Just seems like a normal, everyday lunch spot that I can find right here in Mass.
Sorta like the old Boston Garden...to go there was treat.
The new Shawmut/Fleet/TD Bank North Center/Garden ehhhh...it's the same as any other cookie cutter arena. Nothing to set it apart from the next place.

It is my understanding that Barbara and Bruce are not involved with the business operations anymore. Barbara works for Lowes and loves her job as a department manager. I did see her recently and she looks wonderful. She is not on the computer often but tries to check on the forum and see what is going on when she can.

it's not even close
 

I've been in the new Waldo's 4 or 5 times over the past year or so. The original owners and staff are all gone. The food isn't nearly as good and the wait staff are rude at best. I was there over this past weekend at 8pm on Sat night, not a customer in the place but the 17yr old girl behind the counter acted like it was an imposition to take my order. The older woman who I believe is one of the current owners was even less pleasant. After I paid over $10.00 for a roast beef sub that was made totally wrong I vowed never to return.
The personalities, friendliness and great food of the old Waldo's at the weirs are now long gone I'm afraid
.

Barbara isn't Pepper Anymore
 

michael, did you ever get the pleasure of meeting Barbara when she worked at Weirs Beach? Judging by your comment, I would guess no.

When Barbara left Waldo Pepper's is just wasn't the same place. She made you feel as if you were family and she always sent quality food out of her kitchen. When she was there we never had a bad meal. We stopped in one time after her leaving and was very disappointed and haven't been back since.

I would imagine that it must be very difficult and emotional for Barbara and Bruce not to be the principal owners and operators of WP's. The Forum was a big part of Waldo Pepper's heyday (IMHO) and it must be hard to be reminded of what is no more. Barbara may not be Pepper any longer, but I hope that one day she will feel up to joining her family back here on the Forum. I recommend a fresh start with a new name. She has a dynamic personality and was an asset to Winnipesaukee.com. Many of us really miss her.

Great post! I am in complete agreement.

R2B

Hi Rattlersnake gal,
Yes I did try to post a message saying that I have met both Barbara and bruce on 3 different occasions but for some reason it never posted .
I went on to say that I had met them individualy and together and that they are both very nice people.

My original post was not about them at all;it was about the forum members who took turns ripping everyone else apart while expounding on the greatness of the original W.P. I have nothing but good to say about B&B and the original,,,, it was all about the forum members

Its funny you bash a place people get upset, you don't bash a place people get upset. Either way people get upset.... We all have our good day and our bad days.... I myself have done some bashing of various resturants in the area.... and said positives towards others, but just because I don't say anything don't assume something is right or wrong, it just mean I haven't decided I wanted to say something.

I enjoyed Waldo Peppers back when it was back up at the Wiers and stopped in un assumingly and had a bite a couple of times and was always pleased.... Since it moved it is no longer on my way to anywhere so I haven't had a reason to stop in, as I haven't been by.... But you know what with new ownership it may very well not be the same. But you know unless it some how personally effect me I am not going to get in an uproar over it..... when I speak up about a resturant it isn't over poor food or poor help..... it is over management issues........

As for Barbara and Bruce, I only hope there new Journey's in life treat them well.....

Confused - Who Are You Talking About?
 

You are correct Michael, Bruce and Barbara are very nice people and my heart goes out to them for the loss of their restaurant.

I'm sorry, but I do not know which Forum members you are referring to about the bashing. Nor do I know what posts you are remembering that are negative towards other restaurants for the sake of gaining Waldo's business. Was it in actual Waldo threads? You make it sound like we here at the Forum had a conspiracy going, which by the way is absolutely not true. Did Barbara have a loyal following? You bet! When you treat people right, you gain loyalty. Barbara did not just treat her Forum friends like family, I saw her act the same way with strangers on many occasions. It's just who she is.

I'm still alive and well....
 

The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. :laugh:

We tried WP last week and the food was good, but the price for subs was high, we paid almost $20 for 1 large and 1 small sub.

The issue was resolved between all parties with apologies given and accepted. Everyone learned a lesson and the issue closed.

You Can Talk About The New Waldo Peppers....
 

But, when Barbara and Bruce owned and ran it, you would be hard and pressed to find a better place in Weirs Beach for anything on their menue!

I've been stuck down here in Dallas/Fortworth for a few years now, and did not know that since the move to the new location that they were not running the place anymore. So, when the "not so good reviews, and this thread came up", the steam was coming out of my ears!!:fire:.... I knew better, and just held off with any comments!! And I do know the truth now, thanks to, the part about, "they do not run the new place"!!

I will also say here that no one could ever meet two more wonderful people, than Barbara and Bruce!!

Thank you folks, I feel better now,
T

Michael C
 

Michael C should provide disclosure of his financial interest as a direct competitor to WP's.
that said, no argument about the change in quality.

It takes more than the name to make the place great
 

For me, getting a warm smile and hug from a tough truck driving Marine always made the food taste just a bit better. Semper Fi

You know...
 

I was think that for all the disagreement that we have regarding restaurants on the forum, there is a simple truth:

Everyone wants a good quality meal with friendly service. No one is asking for fancy or foo foo...just good quality with friendly service. That simple.

Barbara and Bruce clearly understand that and that is why they built a loyal following. It amazes me how many restaurants do not understand that. How many managers come out to check that you are happy with your meal and the service is good? Barbara always did and with a pleasant conversation to boot. A simple thing...very few restaurants do it.

It is unfortunate that WP is not what it was...truly a loss all ways around.

Jetskier:cool:

We too, miss the "old" Waldo Peppers. The food, prices, cleanliness and friendly people!
We've tried the "new" Waldo Peppers on three occasions and
each time were disappointed in the service, food and indifference of the waitstaff. The icing on the cake for us was seeing two Hell's Angels walking out of the kitchen as we sat finishing our breakfast.

Thank God the diner down the street opened for breakfeast.
 

Waldo and Pepper or Bruce and Barbara
 

I have not seen anything official about WPs ownership but reading between the lines it seems that Barbara and Bruce are no longer associated with Waldo Peppers. I thought they were involved with the new location so I am surprised that posters have indicated that they sold the business. If that is the case, when did the change happen?

Last season I was among those disappointed with the service and some of the food at the new WP location. I figured it was temporary while adjusting to the new location. I thought I saw Barbara at the new place thus my surprise about ownership.

If there are new owners they bought a good reputation but seem to be losing it. Too bad :(. I hope that they can recapture what was the magic of the old Waldo Peppers.

New Owners are in Control of Waldo Peppers
 

Bruce and Barbara do not have anything to do with the new Waldo Peppers. They do have a small ownership in the business, but the Hutchinsons have taken over the daily operations.

I don't want to go all ZEN here, but "it is what it is".

We tried the new WP twice. It is flat out horrible,IMHO. Staff is disinteresd, food is bland, and the only good thing is that the have is Jordan's Ice Cream. :)

Been there twice now...My mother always said if you have nothing good to say don't say anything. Please accept this moment of silence... <____________________________________________>

New Owners of WP
 

I wonder if the new owners are aware of this Forum?

Would it matter?
 

Given the general lack of caring about their business, I doubt that it would matter. I have tried to send Barbara a private email about all this, but she has not been active on the site for over a year now.

This is kind of a classic. The business gets new ownership and they lose (or don't understand the formula). The same thing happened with the "fancy".

I know that in the beginning Barbara tried to make them understand what they needed to do to be successful. It seems as though she and Bruce have washed their hands of the whole thing. It can't be lost on their management that things are not going well when people send dishes back and orders are lost. You can run a business on a temporary basis that way, but the restaurant business depends upon repeat business in the long run. Every time we go by Waldos, my wife and daughter sigh a "yuck" and we continue on our way. I don't see Waldos long for this world...sad.

Jetskier:cool:

Sad Situation...
 

New owners take over a thriving business and think they can just sit back and rake in the dough. Reputation will carry them for a period, but the inevitable ride is down the tubes.
Some have indicated that Barbara and Bruce still have some financial interest in WP's. I wish them well as they try to recover the fruits of their hard labor in building a fantastic reputation. To do so, the new owners will definitely have to step up to the plate and make some hard changes. It doesn't seem like they have the interest or know how to do so.
Sad situation.......

Snip
 

TPG has nailed it here. If Barbara and Bruce still have an interest in the new WP they need to be sure that the new management reads this forum.

I think the Phantom, and the original poster were spot on. Once people got wind of the ownership and operating differences between the old and new WP, things changed. I've been to restaurants that friends gushed about, only to find a rather bad experience. Around here, it's called the "we've always gone there" syndrome.

Restaurants would be far better off if people spoke their minds, instead of hushing up for fear of offending. The bashers on the old thread should be ashamed, and it is Their recs that should be taken with a grain of salt. Talk about an agenda.

Care to fill us in more???

dont understan
 

i have been to waldo peppers 4 or 5 times now i have been happy every time every one was pleasant when i was there, and from breakfast, the cheesesteak was fabulous, of everything that was by far my favorite, its actually a true philly style......

I never went to the old waldo peppers, but i am completely happy with this one.

My family and I went to Waldo Peppers the other day for lunch and we were very happy with the food and the service. I think that there are some people who have an agenda to put Waldo Peppers out of business.

Interesting
 

I love it...some people complain that everyone is being too supportive of Waldo Peppers and some people complain that the comments are oriented toward putting them out of business.

Jetskier:cool:

I have been there twice in the past month,most recently this past week; both times I had seafood, fried scallop plate the first time, clam and scallop plate the second. Both times the food was plentiful and delicious, also comes with some of the best cole slaw around. The service was prompt and courteous both times. My Mom had the Lobster Roll and was extremely happy with it. I guess everyone has different tastes, I'm sorry that so many people seem to have had unpleasant experiences there, I was VERY happy with both the food and the service and plan to return many times in the future! :)

Agendas
 

While there are plenty of agendas on this forum, I think you are reaching for the sky on this one. I don't think people want to see them out of business, they just wish that the "old" WP was still there.

It is good to see some positive posts regarding WP!

Right on, VB
 

Sometimes change is hard to take. WP will never be the same without the prevoius owners. They will develop their own reputation based on their performance and consistency. Many of the original WP fans will stay away for their own reasons...many will return....and they will be able to cater to a possibly new breed of loyal customer.
I had a great cheeseburger and a really good pizza there a few weeks ago.
Good luck to tem.

Talking about WP's, were is Bruce and Barb these days. I for one miss very much Peppers wonderful words of wisdom and just plain conversation. Her new job can't be taking her away all together can it???:(

After all I have read and heard about W.P. we decided to go for ourselves. The overall experience was not the greatest. The food was luke warm, the bacon was fatty and the order was not cooked right. I think we will stick to waterfall cafe for breakfasts.

We picked up sandwiches at Waldo's a few times last week. The first time we went in and placed an order at the counter. There were only 3 tables being served and a takeout order behind us, but the guy behind the counter was very overwhelmed as we heard him tell some young kids that came in. We had to wait a bit for our order, but I thought it was worth it. We enjoyed the roast beef, cheese steak, tuna, meatball and fried fish throughout the week. Someone in our group had a chicken parm hero and didn't really care for it. The other times we went, we called the order in and had a much quicker experience. They ran out of large hero rolls the other day, but gave 2 smalls in replacement. While I think they might have a few service issues to work out, we enjoyed our food. I was surprised to learn that they deliver and look forward to taking advantage of that during our next visit.

And the once proud "airplane"...
 

is slowly becoming dust in back of the building.

Hmmm....
 

....as opposed to the progression toward dust of the business in general? :D

As sad as this is to watch, I had to find some humor in it.

Jetskier:cool:

closing??
 

I was at the Lakeside restaurant this morning having breakfast and was told they are in the works to move into Waldo Peppers over by Walmart's,the economy seems to be taking it's toll once again :(

I'm not so sure "the economy" is the root cause of this one.

I hear ya BI,I was just avoiding the specifics ;) Hopefully Lakeside will do well they have been around a long time

Waldo Peppers
 

Where is this restaurant located that you are talking about?

Waldo Peppers was on Rt 3 very near Weirs Beach until two years ago. They had an airplane on the roof. They had great food and Pepper was always there behind the counter with a big smile. This was a great place to visit and a huge loss to the Weirs when they moved.

Two years ago, the business sort of changed hands. Waldo and Pepper, husband and wife, got into a business relationship with others and the restaurant was moved to Gilford still on Rt. 3, near the new Lowe's and across from the Hannaford/Walmart strip mall. In my opinion, it did not go as well as the owners had hoped. Although the traffic was higher, the service and food just were not as good as in the old location.

R2B

I think BG Girl was referring to Lakeside............Lakeside is under the parking garage area of the condo's right next to Oriental Gardens. Food is great but it's very hard to see the place from the road. It's owned by the Cronin's who also own The Eggshell in Loudon and the Circle restauring in Epping....both successful...featuring family dining.

Confirmed
 

We had lunch at Lakeside last week and they confirmed that they are moving into the Waldo Peppers building. They said they are hoping to make the move by the end of November.

JetSkier is correct, Bruce & Barbara have washed their hands in regards to Waldo Peppers. They had initial plans that did not work out the way they all thought they would, but I don't think there are any hard feelings. However they did keep the name WP, so they are being compared to Bruce & Barbara's WP. The Hutchinsen family now owns and operates the business. Pepper is still at Lowe's in Rochester. Waldo was exploring a new career with VIP last I spoke with him, not sure if he accepted the position. I too wonder why Barbara doesn't come on the forum anymore, she was a die hard. I'll have to ask her next time I see her, and tell her how many folks are asking for her. I do think she is genuinly busy with her job, and her position is demanding and she has an hour commute to and from. I know that feeling! It can be draining for sure!