Restaurant Depot

BGnogin

I have seen a few people mention they buy their meats from Restaurant Depot.  There is one on the way to my office, but I don't not have a good related business license or non-profit tax ID. Any ideas how to get a membership or is anyone here willing to share and extra membership card?

outrageous

Any business license will do, does not have to be food related.

swordsmn

Membership in Kansas City Bbq Society comes with ability to get a day pass anytime you like..$35/yr I think

HeavyG

One way is to get a membership in the KCBS  - http://www.kcbs.us/

Membership gets you a pass to get into Restaurant Depot.

Davec433

How do the prices compare to SAMs or Costcos?

blind99

@Davec433 for stuff I buy it's not that different. Pork shoulder and packer briskets to be specific. 

Its a a cool place but I don't go regularly as I'm not feeding a restaurants worth of people. 

Its also good for stocking up on utensils, plastic cups, knives and stuff. 

And bring your coat. The meat is in one seriously cold really huge refrigerated room. 

shucker

Davec433 said:

How do the prices compare to SAMs or Costcos?

While the prices arent substantially cheaper on meats, I find that the selection of meats is WAY better at RD.  You can find pretty much anything youve ever heard of.  Makes it fun for experimenting.  Additionally, my RD stocks at least 3 different brands of fresh pork ribs at any given time which is a huge plus to me.  I can get choice beef ribs for under $3 per # from RD while they are more than $5 per # at the butcher down the street.  Sams and Costco here doesnt even keep beef ribs in stock.  

Davec433

I'll have to check it out this week. I've been meaning to but it's just a haul.

JethroVA

Their seafood dept is great.  I just got a lb of lump crab for $12.99.  Twin pack of pork butts is normally $1.39 lb.  

Shiff

Not all RDs have fresh seafood, but the ones that do, have a great selection at wonderful prices and the fish is much fresher than other stores.  Their meat selection is far better than our Costco or BJs since they have packer briskets and stock all kinds of beef ribs (Chuck, back, and Plate along with some boneless ones).

westernbbq

I joimed KCBS today in order to recieve the day passes to RD.  Cant wait to go!

blasting

Walking into the meat cooler is what I imagine heaven will be like...

Carolina Q

blasting said:

Walking into the meat cooler is what I imagine heaven will be like...

Heaven is 38°?! How unfortunate. Seriously, wear a coat, especially if it's your first visit and you want to spend time in the fridge.

Hmm, Phoenix... do you even OWN a coat?  

blasting

Carolina Q said:

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blasting said:

Walking into the meat cooler is what I imagine heaven will be like...

Heaven is 38°?! How unfortunate. Seriously, wear a coat, especially if it's your first visit and you want to spend time in the fridge.

Hmm, Phoenix... do you even OWN a coat?  

You were joking, but no, I don't own a coat.  The closest thing to a jacket I own (that isn't in storage) is a few fleecys.  You cannot even imagine how that RD cooler feels in the summer.  AMAZING

GregW

We have a RD in Birmingham AL and membership is free here and open to anyone.
From what I've seen the beef quality is not very good here. The mast majority is select grade. They have a very small glass door refrigerator by the checkout that has a few choice grade selections.

There is a small seafood display counter inside the medium temp storage area.
The produce in the medium temp cooler does look good. The meat selection is not anything that I would want to purchase for the BGE.

 

blasting

GregW said:

We have a RD in Birmingham AL and membership is free here and open to anyone.
From what I've seen the beef quality is not very good here. The mast majority is select grade. They have a very small glass door refrigerator by the checkout that has a few choice grade selections.

There is a small seafood display counter inside the medium temp storage area.
The produce in the medium temp cooler does look good. The meat selection is not anything that I would want to purchase for the BGE.

 

Wow, I believe you, but that is a night and day difference from my experience - on all counts.

Shiff

GregW said:

We have a RD in Birmingham AL and membership is free here and open to anyone.
From what I've seen the beef quality is not very good here. The mast majority is select grade. They have a very small glass door refrigerator by the checkout that has a few choice grade selections.

There is a small seafood display counter inside the medium temp storage area.
The produce in the medium temp cooler does look good. The meat selection is not anything that I would want to purchase for the BGE.

 

That is very strange.  Doesn't even sound like a Restaurant Depot since their membership policy is so different from the ones I have been to.  Nothing about your description sounds like any of the Rd locations I have been to (4 different ones all in the Northeast).  I think I'd go to the RD website and send them an email and ask why it is so different.

volfan1

Just signed up for KCBS. I'm in trouble now! If you sign up for a single membership, can you bring anyone else with you on a day pass to RD?

GregW

Shiff said:

show previous quotes

GregW said:

We have a RD in Birmingham AL and membership is free here and open to anyone.
From what I've seen the beef quality is not very good here. The mast majority is select grade. They have a very small glass door refrigerator by the checkout that has a few choice grade selections.

There is a small seafood display counter inside the medium temp storage area.
The produce in the medium temp cooler does look good. The meat selection is not anything that I would want to purchase for the BGE.

 

That is very strange.  Doesn't even sound like a Restaurant Depot since their membership policy is so different from the ones I have been to.  Nothing about your description sounds like any of the Rd locations I have been to (4 different ones all in the Northeast).  I think I'd go to the RD website and send them an email and ask why it is so different.

Yes, it is very strange. 
I've double checked, this is the website:
http://www.restaurantdepot.com/home
And they do list the location in Birmingham.

The inside of the sore doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the store on the website shows.
It is decidedly second rate to what I would expect. A little run down even. The building it is located in is a old strip mall that is suffered a little in the economic downturn. It was not originally a RD.

I guess that's why membership is free in this location. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

volfan1 said:

Just signed up for KCBS. I'm in trouble now! If you sign up for a single membership, can you bring anyone else with you on a day pass to RD?

you can bring anyone you want.

volfan1

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

show previous quotes

volfan1 said:

Just signed up for KCBS. I'm in trouble now! If you sign up for a single membership, can you bring anyone else with you on a day pass to RD?

you can bring anyone you want.

Awesome. Thanks!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

volfan1 said:

show previous quotes

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

volfan1 said:

Just signed up for KCBS. I'm in trouble now! If you sign up for a single membership, can you bring anyone else with you on a day pass to RD?

you can bring anyone you want.

Awesome. Thanks!

and at mine anyone can walk in and get a day pass any time the want. They don't advertise it but I've done it a few times when I didn't have my card. They didn't ask for my membership# or anything. 

Shiff

@GregW , I wrote to the manager at the Restaurant Depot in Birmingham and asked about his store as compared to other RD locations.  I didn't use your name - just said that a friend had gone and was surprised that it didn't look like what was described by others.  He replied

"We are definitely a little smaller than the rest of the Restaurant Depots but we still have a decent size meat department with some great variety.  As for the age of the store we have only been opened for a few years so we are still fairly new compared to some of the stores up north. "

He also said to contact him before coming again and he would show you around.  I will send you a private message with the contact information.

Thatgrimguy

The one in New Orleans is wonderful. But, it's not a place to find prime beef. Great selection of Choice beef though. Great selection of everything. It's like meat mecca.

fishepa

GregW said:

show previous quotes

Shiff said:

GregW said:

We have a RD in Birmingham AL and membership is free here and open to anyone.
From what I've seen the beef quality is not very good here. The mast majority is select grade. They have a very small glass door refrigerator by the checkout that has a few choice grade selections.

There is a small seafood display counter inside the medium temp storage area.
The produce in the medium temp cooler does look good. The meat selection is not anything that I would want to purchase for the BGE.

 

That is very strange.  Doesn't even sound like a Restaurant Depot since their membership policy is so different from the ones I have been to.  Nothing about your description sounds like any of the Rd locations I have been to (4 different ones all in the Northeast).  I think I'd go to the RD website and send them an email and ask why it is so different.

Yes, it is very strange. 
I've double checked, this is the website:
http://www.restaurantdepot.com/home
And they do list the location in Birmingham.

The inside of the sore doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the store on the website shows.
It is decidedly second rate to what I would expect. A little run down even. The building it is located in is a old strip mall that is suffered a little in the economic downturn. It was not originally a RD.

I guess that's why membership is free in this location. 

I live 10 minutes away in Bluff Park, I've never been to that RD and don't think I want to. 

nolaegghead

fishepa said:

show previous quotes

GregW said:

The inside of the sore doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the store on the website shows.

I guess that's why membership is free in this location. 

I live 10 minutes away in Bluff Park, I've never been to that RD and don't think I want to. 

Me too.

GregW

nolaegghead said:

show previous quotes

fishepa said:

GregW said:

The inside of the sore doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the store on the website shows.

I guess that's why membership is free in this location. 

I live 10 minutes away in Bluff Park, I've never been to that RD and don't think I want to. 

Me too.

I didn't catch the typo until too late to fix it. I expected to have it pointed out much sooner.LOL

GregW

show previous quotes

I live 10 minutes away in Bluff Park, I've never been to that RD and don't think I want to. 

If you have time and time and can find the courage, I wish you would go by the RD.
I would like to hear someone else's opinion of the store.
I don't want to unfairly judge them.