I never got the sliders thing anyway. If you want a hamburger, eat a friggin hamburger. Eating 4 little ones (or more) is not saving you any fat or calories!

At any rate, I give my work cafeteria 10 years before they have sliders. They are still having baked potato bars from time to time. Which is so over, it's kind of new again!

Still though, sliders are popular these days, more so than they have been in a couple of generations.

To that end, I wholeheartedly URGE anyone with a little business sense and a little coin in their pocket to think about relaunching the Little Tavern franchise. The person who currently owns the rights to it recently closed the very last Little Tavern storefront due to his ailing health. But I believe he incicated he'd be willing to negotiate a sale if an investor approached him.

The product might not be suitable anymore to occupy as many stand alone storefrnts as it once did back in the 60's and 70's, though it still could occupy some. But it would be a great addition to various mall foodcourts, shopping centers, airports and strip malls, and other places where a lot of retail commerce takes place.

Maybe they could even double with another brand, kind of how you see joint storefronts of Duncan Donuts/ Baskin Robins, and KFC/Taco Bell.

And with a good marketing campaign, they'd catch back on in a flash.

"Buy 'em by the bag!"

Who's with me?

If a restaurant were to offer their sliders as a taste of their full-size burgers with some of the different toppings, it could be interesting. Some micro-breweries will sell you a sampler of four or five small glasses of their craft-brewed beers, so why not with sliders? Getting four of the same thing gets boring fast, unless you are sharing an order.

Hmm...I could get in to the slider sampler plate, RiE. I can think of a bunch of ways to do it - different toppings on the same meat, different meats, different cheeses. Yes, that would be an interesting snack or appetizer.

It'd be really snazzy with a condiment tray. Something like 2 different mustards, 3 different ketchups, 3 mayos, etc.

Lissa, you're onto something: a flight of sliders, like flights of wine or beer. Cool!

Dottie, it is RiE's idea. I was just riffing.

I want a set, though .

I was just thinking, I'm over most of the "trendy" stuff that are sold as appetizers now. I see the same things on every menu. (Except the one that Cosmo Girls told us about). There are some really good oldies I'd like to see dusted off and rolled out again though. I'm thinking stuffed mushroom caps, small anything in puff pastries, hummus and toasted pita slices, brie and crackers, empenadas, etc. Just get rid of all these sliders, crab pretzels, nachos, buffalo wings, and loaded potato skins! It seems like these same things are on every menu everywhere now!

Lissa, you're onto something: a flight of sliders, like flights of wine or beer. Cool!

Exactly. Imagine going to, say, Abbey Burger Bistro and being able to choose four burgers from their menu and getting miniature versions.

I remember having a little slider sampler like this 2-3 years ago when Vin was still open. It was a regular burger (except really good - I couldn't figure out how they made a regular burger so tasty), a BBQ slider, and something seafood, I think (too long ago to remember exactly what). It was a very nice combination, and I'd definitely like to see more "flights" like this around!

I do like the small size of sliders - much more manageable than a big burger with the toppings sliding around - and the variety was a special treat.

Joyce, the reason you see the same things everywhere, at least at the "popular" restaurants, is that they are, or were, "trendy" and that is what The Great Unwashed Restaurant Public wants and asks for. Some are good - every once in a while I just HAVE to have a large plate of messy nachos (last night was one of them). When I go out with my DW for a nice meal at a fancier restaurant I see goat cheese salad with cranberries and frosted pecans, cheese plates, and calamari, not nachos, sliders, and potato skins. Its a matter of what you want and going where you can get it.

Just back from lunch at Bill Bateman's. As much as I complain about them you'd think I'd never go but they ARE our neighborhood place, after all. And, they're sometimes really good.

Anyway, a whole page of sliders is now in Bill's menu. Including a variety of mini sliders, buffalo wing sliders and all kinds of other slider craziness.
Yes, RiE you are right about "popular" restaurants.

BTW, Bateman's has Blue Moon on tap for those Blue Moon aficionados.