The Celebrity Chef Hustle Hiding Behind Caesars’ Sinking Empire

How Ramsay’s $49 Burger and Vanderpump’s Lavender Perfume Martini Became a Bad Debt Buffet

The Hustle Nobody Saw Coming

Caesars didn't just bet the house on slots and shows; it went all-in on Food Network faces, and now it’s paying the piper with a debt pile that'd make a mob loan shark sweat. They’ll be dropped from the S&P 500 by September 22nd, and I’m unsure that people realize the impact of that decline. I’ve been critical of Caesars ever since Covid, when at a time where customer service should have increased, theirs decreased, and I’d argue that was also about the time they seemed to stop meeting the expectations of visitors and falling short of other Vegas properties.

In my recent post on X, asking where Customer service was best, it was no surprise that Caesars and its properties were barely even mentioned. These are examples of real tests that casinos should be asking and looking for feedback; they have internal surveys for guests checking out, but that’s only a part of the story. Who isn’t staying, and why, is an even bigger test. I have always felt that their massive investment in reality TV chefs hurts more than it helps, even if they are packed. What's the aftermath? How much more did they charge, and how does the consumer perceive it?

Remember when dinner was a $15.99 prime rib special, not a $90.95 ribeye stamped with Gordon Ramsay's scowl? The suits at Caesars thought slapping TV chefs on every menu would print money, but it's turning into a bad beat. People are steadily calling it out, overpriced plates, underwhelming bites, and service that's DOA.

This paid dive exposes how Caesars’ celebrity chef con is fueling their financial freefall, with licensing deals bleeding a company already swimming upstream

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