by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
Steak. Thick, juicy, tender, corn-fed midwestern steak sizzling off the grill straight to the table. When Jacksonville thinks steak — not simply utility-grade steak for stir fry, but a piece of prime-grade culinary ecstasy — the name Ruth’s Chris may top the list.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House came to town in the fall of 1997, joining traditional spots like Chart House and The Wine Cellar. While not the first upscale restaurant to come to Jacksonville, the arrival of the venerable steak house signaled a trend on the Southbank. Other higher-end eateries followed Ruth’s Chris’ lead, dotting the San Marco area. Nestled strategically in the Hilton hotel on the Southbank overlooking the rippling waters of the St. Johns River, Ruth’s Chris offers ambiance, atmosphere and a view most restaurants in the area cannot match.
“We’ve got a winning combination,” said Ruth’s Chris general manager Chad Cancelosi. “It’s floor to ceiling glass. You’ve got a view of the entire city.”
Ruth’s Chris has the notorious moniker as the best place to go if someone else is paying. But the key word is “best.” The steak house chain garnered Robb Report’s best restaurant of the year in 1997 and consistently ranks among the top eateries. Jacksonville’s profile was raised a notch the year Ruth’s Chris came to town and the public has responded despite economic gyrations.
“We’ve increased business by at least 10 percent each year,” said Cancelosi. “With the exception of last month, business has been wonderful. But you can understand that for everyone. Last month was a tough month.”
In 1999, Morton’s of Chicago opened four blocks away in direct competition with Ruth’s Chris. Cancelosi explained that while the immediate novelty of a new high-end steak house lured customers away, most stayed loyal and eventually returned.
“Morton’s is one of our biggest competitors, obviously,” said Cancelosi. “Sure there was a swing [when they opened]. The pendulum went all the way to the other side towards Morton’s. For those first 90 days that they opened, it was a buzz. Everybody wanted to go check them out and see what it’s like. I tell you, by the end of those 90 days, we saw the pendulum swing back the other way and we got it all back. Last year, I didn’t show nearly the effect that we got in 1999.”
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the nation’s economic powers quickly closed their wallets, affecting much of Ruth’s Chris’s mid-week business.
“We thrive, primarily, Monday through Thursday off expense account dining,” he said. “Major businesses and larger businesses in the area are out entertaining clients from all over the world to bring their business to Jacksonville, and this is sort of a hub from what we’ve noticed. When that tragedy, the attack, whatever you want to call what happened on Sept.11, all things came to a halt Monday through Thursday. Fridays and Saturdays are absolutely wonderful. Our core clientele, the local business trade, the smaller businessman that gets out with his wife and family on the weekend, they were all supportive. Friday and Saturday numbers didn’t change.”
Ruth’s Chris has survived the proliferation of upscale dining in the city’s core even as others fall by the wayside. Cancelosi offered his theory why restaurants like Jock’s and Jill’s and St. Johns Tavern and Grill at the Landing couldn’t survive, while more expensive and exclusive restaurants just across the river remain strong.
“That Northbank notoriously has not been a good place to set up shop for a number of reasons,” he began. “They survive, primarily as I understand it, off a lunchtime crowd. Ruby Tuesdays does a great lunch. Hooters does a great lunch. But if you visit them post-five o’clock, you’ll find that they really don’t do any business. I think it’s because of a lack of residential property. For whatever reason, people have a fear of going over that bridge. On the Southbank, you’ll find just the opposite. Just take a look of how many nighttime restaurants have opened here.”
Fine dining seems to survive on the Southbank and in nearby San Marco with names like River City Brewing Company, Chart House, The Wine Cellar, Chez Guy L’Orient, Matthew’s and Bistro Aix. The options are scant across the river with Juliette’s and Bravo Ristorante — both anchored to hotels.
Ruth’s Chris’ popularity as a dinner attraction leads to obvious questions — why not serve lunch, too or even do some catering? Cancelosi volleys a pointed counter question.
“Are we ready for a $17 hamburger?” he asked. “Do you think Jacksonville is ready? I have to think it’s a few years away. In larger cities, we’re doing just fine with them, but I don’t think we’re ready for that. Maybe in the future.We don’t do any catering. The key to our success is quality. It’s our opinion if we take that show on the road, you sort of lose some of that quality. You lose the sizzling steak. We’ve even been really cautious on our to-go items. How you cook a medium rare at the house may be a little bit different of how we cook it here. Once it leaves, I don’t have the opportunity to correct ourselves. We really want to keep all the hands and eyes on top of the product in-house.”
The next question often asked is how did Ruth’s Chris get its name? The quirky tongue twister originated out of different ownerships of the same restaurant. In 1965, Ruth Fertel bought Chris Steak House in Louisiana. A contract stipulation required her to keep the original name. But a fire burned the restaurant to the ground and she was free to find a new location and a new name. Out of the ashes arose Ruth’s Chris Steak House.