Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.life From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Big Apple's fancy bite of McDonald's Date: Sat, 14 Nov 92 16:22:11 EST Message-ID: \SE B;LIFE \SS (WS) \HD Big Apple's fancy bite of McDonald's \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT NEW YORK NEW YORK - New Yorkers like to think they're frightfully clever about their city, clued in on astonishing bargains, cutting-edge clubs and status restaurants. (Think? Heck, they're sure of it.) This does not often endear New Yorkers to the rest of the citizenry. So wait until the others hear about the place the sophisticates of New York's financial district have discovered for lunch. They may even have heard of it. McDonald's. Naturally, these being New Yorkers, it's not just any McDonald's. In this McDonald's, owner Frank Matalone's golden arches harbor lots of the things New Yorkers cherish: a doorman, an espresso bar, French pastries. Oh yeah, it serves Big Macs and fries. This McDonald's was the top restaurant in the "bang for the buck" category - food, decor and service ratings divided by cost per meal - in the 1993 Zagat Survey, being published this week. While the survey shows that New Yorkers are capable of finding cheap eats, it also shows they can spend grandly. Among 19 metropolitan areas surveyed, New York maintained its place at the top, even though average restaurant costs in the city fell by $1.25. An average meal out cost $32.48 in New York, $27.31 in San Francisco, $27.10 in Los Angeles, $26.59 in Philadelphia and $25.72 in Washington. The cheapest city surveyed was Kansas City, with an average bill of $12.64. And New Yorkers gave high ratings, No. 14 for food, to a new restaurant, Les Celebrites, where the average bill is $74. Among the 20 favorite restaurants overall, the lowest average cost per person was $48, at Union Square Cafe. Tim and Nina Zagat publish the guides based on surveys completed by volunteers. In New York, - "the best and most varied dining scene in the world," according to the Zagats - 8,300 people rated 1,248 restaurants. The New York participants ate out an average of 3.1 times a week, down from the late-'80s high of 3.6 times. Asked what they'd miss most if they left New York, participants generally passed over chic and voted for humble: the bagel and the pizza. New Yorkers have been known to suggest that no kitchen outside city limits can make truly worthwhile versions of either of these foods. Later this year, the Zagats are publishing their first nationwide guides, one on the best restaurants and one on the best-value restaurants. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM