I’m sitting in a booth in sunny, Baker, California at The Mad Greek Cafe. This restaurant, about 80 miles Southwest of Las Vegas, is on the way to Los Angeles, off Highway 15.

The Mad Greek promotes itself with an interminable number of billboards and roadsigns. I would guess there are 50 between Las Vegas and Baker.

I stop here but it’s convenient, different, and serves Greek food. My late mother, born in Athens, would be both amused and irritated by its lack of authenticity and presentation. It IS blue and white, throughout, symbolizing the colors of the Greek flag. It has tacky signs, celebrity signs, and chotckes, from top to bottom.

Mainly, I come here to take a break from the drive, and to enjoy the gyro and eggs. The hash browns are a rectangular slab, right out of the package. The meal is served on plastic plates with plastic knife and fork.

Yet, billboards tout gyros at The Mad Greek as The Best Gyros in the World. They’re OK. I enjoy them enough, but they might not even be the best gyros in Baker, CA.

‘Best’ is hyperbole. It’s another cliche, best left off your ads. If you won the Best of Oshkosh Award from the free weekly periodical, that’s nice, but it means zip. Your brother-in-law, and every other friend and relative could write you in for this meaningless recognition. Don’t think your prospects are that stupid.

Calling yourself ‘The Best’ is puffery and foolishness. Enter and win an industry award. Now that’s something to shout about.

… I can just hear the strains of my mother’s voice lecturing one of the authentic Hispanic wait staff in this almost authentic Greek cafe about the insufficient amount of honey on the baklava. My mom would be speaking Greek, they wouldn’t understand a thing, but would smile and nod. I would be stifling a giggle.

Best, indeed

Before you utter that 4-letter B-word, realize that, at best, it’s subjective. Just do a great job, and be distinctly different. Best is for self-delusional fools. That isn’t you, is it?

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

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written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Baker, baklava, best, better, California, gyro, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mad Greek Cafe