Addendum to the Restaurant Cut Post

I was just reminded of the "7-bone steak" by Alinna. When Safeway debuted the Restaurant Cut last summer, I think they started off with the 7-bone steak. There it was, on the weeklies for Safeway, the "7-bone steak" and sure enough, it looked like there were seven bone pieces on one cut of steak. I didn't really check. I'm not sure if it was because I was too lazy to make sure that there were indeed 7 bones or because I didn't think it was worthwhile... but at a glance all I could think was, "Whoa that's a whole lotta bone."

Anyway, why would you advertise that? 7-bone steak? What's next? Lots-of-gristle steak? Super tough steak? I just don't understand why having lots of bone would be considered a good thing or something to highlight when trying to sell it.

I haven't seen the 7-bone steak make a comeback over the last 10 months though so either they've taken it off the market because despite Safeway's best advertising efforts it didn't sell well, or somebody in the marketing department got fired and now the "7-bone steak" is guised as something else in the Restaurant Cut line.

Safeway and the "Restaurant Cut"

Completely innane post today, but I've been wondering about it for a little while now. For the last couple of months, Safeway, the supermarket has been putting out a new line of meat (only beef I think) with the label "Restaurant Cut."

I don't know what to make of it. What does "Restaurant Cut" mean? I grew increasingly suspicious when I saw that their "Restaurant Cut" line costs less than their regular "Ranchers Reserve" line.

Example: The Restaurant Cut Top Sirloin steaks are often on sale for $5/lb.. Meanwhile, the Ranchers Reserve Top Sirloin steaks are rarely on sale for $5/lb. and are more often on sale for $6 or $7/lb..

Does the Restaurant Cut come from a different place? Is it one or several USDA grades lower than the Ranchers Reserve?

Now that Alinna and I have been getting almost all of our produce from either the food box or from Frederico's market down the street (support local businesses!), meat is one of the few things we get from Safeway... well, that and Captain Crunch.

Any help on the Restaurant Cut? I've been too chicken to go and try it out.