Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-19
COST OF A LIGHT BREAKFAST.
Prices You May Pay for Eggs, Rolls
and Coffee.

and Coffee.
From the New York SUM-
A breakfast of eggs, rolls and coffee may
be had in this town at prices ranging all
the way from 10 cents to ST. Even at the
cheapest rate 1t Is composed of materials
'hat any man Of normal appetite can con-
sumo without discomfort
Inc dollar breakfast includes a generous
UP. He that takes 1T finds that the house
supplies with the food three or four fine
napkins one for his lap. the others as rests
Tor the dishes. at least three attractive
emma plates, large butter dish with sew
eral pats of excellent butter In a nest NJ
cracked Ice, small butter plate for the
pat or butter Immediately being consumed,
silver plated pot of coffee a silver MIA ted
POT or not milk. a small silver-plated NOT of
cream several knives, forks and SPOONS a
carafe of beautifully clear ice water a
nhger powi. neat little table draped in an
ample and spotless cloth elaborate chairs
or mahogany, old oak or rosewood a hiph
~ decorated room, and the obsequious At
waiter. 'Ai'
The lucent breakfast will have fewer
rolls, and less coffee of a quality NOT outta
SO good as that served at the 81 brea kfast:
put the eggs, save perhaps In midwinter.
Will be about as palatable. The butter Will
probably be oleomargarine 1t will be
served without ceremony. but IL will not he
offensive in smell or flavor
Two ugly plates, single knife fork and
spoon thick cup and saucer, and thin
napkin will be served with the meal The
table will be coarse and covered with "a
coarse. though passably fresh CLOTH
single not too skillful and far from
quiet waiter will serve dozen guests at
once. The place will be rather noisy with
the clatter of earthenware but not neces-
sariiy offensive because of the company
In all probability the raw materials of the
dollar breakfast cost about double those OF
the 15-cent breakfast. The other elements
that justify the difference in price are
mainly service and upholstery
1t seems that the breakfaster pays a GOOD
deal for what he cannot eat or drink
Nevertheless 1t is an unassailable fact that
while the purveyor of the cheaper break,
fast may not unreasonably hope to make Q
living profit should no guest ever order q
more expensive breakfast at his restaurant,
the purveyor of the 81 breakfast would in.
evftably be bankrupt In short order IL his
guests did not average at least 30 per cent
more in the price OF their breakfasts In
other words there is clear profit on every
15-cent breakfast. and probably a consid-
cradle loss on every 81 breakfast
There are breakfasts of rolls, coffee and
eggs at all prices between Is cents and a
dollar. At any good club, where. of course
there is no tip to be considered you may
have such breakfast at somewhere be-
tween IS and IS cents, but even at tho
higher of these rates no club Of really lux
urious appointments and first-rate cuisine
and service finds much profit.
Fifty comfortable restaurants between
Union Square and Central Park will serve
you such breakfast at prices varying
from 30 to 70 cents. and with all degrees OF
excellence as to service and appointments;
and the probability is that the cheaper the
breakfast the greater the profit. The SIM
pier the meal in a richly appointed restau-
rant the larger the proportion Of cost in
service and upholstery to the cost In raw
materials. ..
It is more profitable to cater to the un-
discriminating many than to the discriml-
mating few unless you can persuade the lat
ter to order luxurtes rather than necessa-
ries: and where one fortune IL made In a
fashionable restaurant. ten are made out OF
quick lunches with half the worry and dou-
BILE the certainty.