I thought everything about it was ridiculously stupid. The set was too small. They used several restaurant sets during the course of the show, yet the set for the Bistro was tiny and not believable.

Jack was often the only person working, as if one man can run an entire restaurant by himself. In most episodes featuring Jack's Bistro, everything seemed over-the-top...even for TC. I can remember several great episodes of TC in the last 2 seasons, but none of them featured Jack's Bistro. It did nothing for Three's A Crowd either.

Just my opinion anyway...

I agree. It was a huge let down. After all these years of Jack wanting to be THE CHEF (he loved cooking at some point); he throws it away to follow his dream of owning his own restaurant. Jack couldn't manage his own finances to pay his share of the rent for the apartment. It made little sense and this was a reason that TAC never worked for me.

He ended up serving Egg McMuffins (Eggs Benedict) as his signature dish. :lol:

Jack didn't even own a car to drive to work.

Jack didn't even own a car to drive to work.
L:D L! I just thought of that. The guy is part owner of his own restaurant and obviously saves a lot of money by not hiring any employees, yet he couldn't afford his own car? You'd think his best friend (a used car salesman) could of gotten him some financing.:lol:

In an episode of Three's A Crowd Jack is talking to Mr. Bradford tax auditor and in the conversation Jack mentions how his most expensive plate is only $15 dollars.

So that explains a lot of things, first of all for it being a French restaurant you'd expect the food to be expensive and only those that can afford it go but maybe then it was Jack's own fault for not raising up the prices.

I agree. It was a huge let down. After all these years of Jack wanting to be THE CHEF (he loved cooking at some point); he throws it away to follow his dream of owning his own restaurant. Jack couldn't manage his own finances to pay his share of the rent for the apartment. It made little sense and this was a reason that TAC never worked for me.

He ended up serving Egg McMuffins (Eggs Benedict) as his signature dish. :lol:


Yeah, I thought Jack would have wanted to travel the world to get experience or study with a lot of great chefs before settling down, but I think his experience is actually like most people's, even "promising" students---you graduate from college and then find a job, end of story.

Also, he had his chance to work his way up into being a chef (remember when he was hired as a busboy in "Room at the Bottom") but he did not want to do that, despite the fact that that is how a lot of great chefs get their start in the real world. Instead he bummed around at burger joints and finally settled for Angelino's. Owning your own restaurant is no small thing, but it was not what we think of today as "celebrity chef."

I thought everything about it was ridiculously stupid. The set was too small. They used several restaurant sets during the course of the show, yet the set for the Bistro was tiny and not believable.

Jack was often the only person working, as if one man can run an entire restaurant by himself. In most episodes featuring Jack's Bistro, everything seemed over-the-top...even for TC. I can remember several great episodes of TC in the last 2 seasons, but none of them featured Jack's Bistro. It did nothing for Three's A Crowd either.

Just my opinion anyway...


Angelino's was bigger and the restaurant when Jack, Chrissy and Lee went out to eat.

Should have been called "Jack's sandwich shop":lol:

TAC should have started in 82(season 7) of TC because Jack should not have still been sharing an apt once he became part owner of a restaurant.


And why the hell would they get an APT over his restaurant?:lol:

TAC should have started in 82(season 7) of TC because Jack should not have still been sharing an apt once he became part owner of a restaurant.


And why the hell would they get an APT over his restaurant?:lol:
Probably made going to work a lot easier I noticed in all of TAC's episodes you never hear Jack or Vicki mentioning owning a car ever, with Vicki being a flight stewardess how did she get to the airport? I mean even EZ Taylor had his junkie van parked in the back of the restaurant.

edit: just remembered the episode of TAC where Jack becomes a celebrity chef in a later scene Vicki talks about them both driving up to Big Sur but that's about it.

Probably made going to work a lot easier I noticed in all of TAC's episodes you never hear Jack or Vicki mentioning owning a car ever, with Vicki being a flight stewardess how did she get to the airport? I mean even EZ Taylor had his junkie van parked in the back of the restaurant.

edit: just remembered the episode of TAC where Jack becomes a celebrity chef in a later scene Vicki talks about them both driving up to Big Sur but that's about it.


He got the restaurant in season 7 so you would think they would have had Jack get his own HOME once the show moved to Three's a Crowd

Not another apt since he was making more money:lol:

It's a sort of sitcom disease that so few extras are ever used in successful businesses. Look at Bewitched: a renowned advertising firm, McMann & Tate, yet Darrin and Larry are practically the only ad men ever there.

I was also going to mention an earlier sitcom use of an apartment over a restaurant: on The Doris Day Show, Doris at one point takes one situated over an Italian eatery, giving an excuse to get Kaye Ballard into the series as one of the restaurant people.

I just thought of something -

since Jack had no employees, who looked after the restaurant when he wasn't there?

The first episode after the Bistro opened was about Felix's cousin Maria. Who was looking after the restaurant at that time and other times?

I just thought of something -

since Jack had no employees, who looked after the restaurant when he wasn't there?

The first episode after the Bistro opened was about Felix's cousin Maria. Who was looking after the restaurant at that time and other times?


We were led to believe that the Bistro was closed when he wasn't there

Mr. Angelino allowed Felipe to help out, so maybe Angelino shared other staff with the Bistro? I was always confused as to Angelino's involvement....sometimes he was hands-off, then other times it seemed like he was the boss and treated Jack like the manager of the Bistro instead of the owner.

And in Three's A Crowd it was even worse. Jack was never really allowed to feel or act like the owner. He was always under the thumb of someone else. Kind of frustrating, since we're supposed to root for Jack.

I just thought of something -

since Jack had no employees, who looked after the restaurant when he wasn't there?

The first episode after the Bistro opened was about Felix's cousin Maria. Who was looking after the restaurant at that time and other times?
Here's my take on the Bistro's hours:

Mon-Sat: opened from 6pm-12am (these hours make sense as families would go out to dinner in the evenings)

Sunday: opened 10am-10pm (I'm just surmising he's open for breakfast on Sundays as evidence in the episode were he a reverand stops by)

Of course these are just speculations and probably makes sense that the Bistro's hours would be in the evenings as every episode seems to take place during daytime when Jack isn't at work yet.

I just remembered something else.

Jack's lone employee didn't want to come into work. In the Grand Opening episode, just before they were to open Jack got a call that someone he hired to help out wouldn't be coming in. Furley then stepped in.

Also, Jack's Bistro looks like it could be the same set that was used when Jack worked in the Sandwich shop.

I just remembered something else.

Jack's lone employee didn't want to come into work. In the Grand Opening episode, just before they were to open Jack got a call that someone he hired to help out wouldn't be coming in. Furley then stepped in.
Ah so that proves my theory that the restuarant was open for business during the evening hours, you'll notice its already nighttime.

Also, Jack's Bistro looks like it could be the same set that was used when Jack worked in the Sandwich shop.
Maybe who knows, many TV shows recycle previous used sets.

Definitely open during evening hours. In one episode Jack is hurrying out the door and mentions that he has to get to the restaurant by 4 p.m. to open at 6. I can't recall which episode but if it comes to me I will update.