Comments on: To Dirndl or Not To Dirndl?

By: Terry Charest

Terry Charest — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 07:29:00 +0000

Absolutely for the Dirndl and the guys (if they use Lederhosen) should be the long ones, not the shorts. Perhaps even some Bavarian music in the background with a live show or two. And, while I’m at it, Schweinshacksen with semmelknödel on the menu. This should be a must.

By: Scott Adams

Scott Adams — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:20:37 +0000

Yes to the Dirndl. Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant where they’re playing American music, and then you go to a Mexican restaurant where they’re playing authentic Mexican music, or better yet, they have live miriachis? People want to escape, particularly when they make the decision to go to an authentic foreign place like Schmitz. Stay true to the theme with music, bier, costumes, cuisine, and service and this will be greatly appreciated.

“If you build it, they will come!”

and, please don’t forget the Dunkel Weiss … please include a variety of tap biers and don’t forget to display the beautiful taps.

Bier Flights would be a nice idea too.

By: CWS

CWS — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:52:03 +0000

If you are reaching for authenticity, you should go for the dirndls,at least at first. If later on, after you have people waiting in line to get in, then maybe you can try phasing them out and see if it has any negative effect. Should be limited to food servers, not bartenders.
No lederhosen except, perhaps, if you have a full time head waiter (male).

By: Give me a break...

Give me a break... — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:21:46 +0000

If you judge a bar’s authenticity soley by the staff wardrobe, then you’re there for the wrong reasons….

Good food, great beer, comfortable atmosphere? These are reasons to go to a German bar on South Street Philly. Drindl’s & Lederhosen? Reasons to go to Epcot Center.

All the ‘purists’ can send me a postcard with Mickey Mouse on it. I’ll be at Brauhuas Schmitz enjoying a Kolsch.

By: Münchner Kindl

Münchner Kindl — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:19:36 +0000

If your serious about being a German restaurant and Brauhaus, the Dirdls and Lederhosen are a must.

As for Sarah, if you are not comfortable in a dress then you won’t be comfortable in a dirdl. Otherwise, a dirdl in no less comfortable than a regular skirt or dress. And, quality employees committed to providing outstanding service in a german restaurant will understand the dress code.

If you’re going to call yourself a german restaurant, do as the germans do! Otherwise, SCHMITZ’S WANNA BE BRAUHAUS would be the more appropriate name.

By: kelly

kelly — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:18:29 +0000

I would love to do it for just special occassions, but then it’s just not worth the cost. Dirndls run anywhere between $150-$200 (quality dirndls – not the chintzy halloween costume variety)
So we’re stuck with it being all or nothing – and by the looks of this survey – it looks like it might be all!

By: Doug Buroon

Doug Buroon — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:56:46 +0000

Girls only, in low,low low cut dirndls.

By: lua

lua — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:57:17 +0000

maybe just for special events!

By: Paloma

Paloma — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:41:37 +0000

Dirndls? ABSOLUTELY! It would definitely add to the atmosphere. The waitresses in Germany all wear them! Just got back from a wonderful European vacation!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:06:31 +0000

I think that for special occasions it would be fun and keep with the festive feeling — i.e. Oktoberfest; however, from a practical point of view, I think that expecting the waitresses to work a full shift regularly in a confining and would be unfair. Also, from the owner’s perspective — providing female employees with their own personal dirndl would be financially prohibitive and impractical and forget the dry-cleaning bill — do they make lace-up versions so that they can expand or contract depending on wearer for the special occasions?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:07:50 +0000

Ok, honestly…they may be “authentic” for the theme of the restaurant, BUT they are not the most comfortable thing to wear and I would definitely turn down a job if it was a requirement to wear that thing to work 6 days a week. You want your employees to be of the best quality and well I think you would lose out on some good servers/bartenders. Sorry Doug, you will lose this one eventually.

By: kelly

kelly — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:58:31 +0000

Don’t get me wrong – I am all about the dirndl for oktoberfest events, etc. But I just don’t know how I feel about wearing a dirndl while changing a keg. Sure, they’re cute, but a little impractical. I would also be interested in how this vote would break down male vs. female.

By: rory

rory — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:48:24 +0000

ahh…my comment was/is awaiting moderation. heh.

By: rory

rory — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:47:58 +0000

odd…i posted but it disappeared. It even had fun graphics of the nihilists from Big Lebowski and Dieter from Sprockets.

I’m somewhat anti-dirndl. while it may be authentic to wear one, it won’t appear that way in the US to 75% of the consumers (to pick a number randomly). To me, its weird seeing someone without a German background or even accent wearing a dirndl. A philly accent and a dirndl just seems strange.

By: Collin

Collin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:45:58 +0000

A great German restaurant about an hour from here on Route 10 called ‘The Alpenhof’ in Reading has an entire giftshop where you can buy authentic Dirndl’s and Lederhosen.

The food is quality, but not as great as it once was. The old Chef was this raging alcoholic that made amazing Weiner Schnitzel.I miss him. But the family who owns the joint, The Gauby’s, are straight from the motherland. Good people.

By: DKH

DKH — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:52:08 +0000

Heather…It would most likely be Dirndl or no Dirndl…. it is too much of an investment to have multiple uniforms…

By: Heather@theinstitute

Heather@theinstitute — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:43:16 +0000

Hey Doug its your neighbor. I agree with Kelly on this one. Its a good idea maybe for fest weeks but for everyday its just too much.

By: matt

matt — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:26:02 +0000

i’m all for the dirndls. i wanted to get one for my girl but the good ones are expensive. i think it all goes back to European vacation…

By: DKH

DKH — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:24:45 +0000

actually there is a store about 2hours from Philadelphia (Ernst Licht) that sells authentic Dirndl’s and Lederhosen. They aren’t cheap though.

By: cheesesteak the impaler

cheesesteak the impaler — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:17:15 +0000

I agree with Collin, with the additional qualifier that they should be using “dirndls” instead of the airport gift shop types you usually find in American “Germanic” beer promotion. The problem there is the cost of maintaining a uniform inventory gets prohibitive.

This would be hard to pull off with the current timeline, but maybe work out an exchange with a hospitality school in Germany where students (presumably with their own dirndl investment) could “study abroad” for exposure to the American food and drink industry. This isn’t that insane, there’s an English pub in Rochester, NY that’s been doing it with a UK school for I think a decade now. It would require a lot negotiation and Visa working so probably wouldn’t be implementable by the time the place opens though.

Maybe just “dirndls and Tyrolean hats welcome?”