Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I am a Williams-Sonoma employee. I would first like to say don't comment on anything about a store until you have consistently witnessed any kind of atmosphere(good or bad). second, gmack, youre an idiot. We are an american-made store. No youre canneles will not taste like canneles in France that were invented in France and have been made the same way for 100 years by one family. And yes, sometimes people are abrasive when it comes to handling customers, but when it's Christmas, put your selfish needs aside. We deal with millions of people during holiday season and your lucky someone didnt go to your house and punch you. That's just the way some people respond under stress. Sorry. Yes 20% of things are over priced. But if you actually cook(and you know what youre doing. Tuna helper doesnt count) then you should know what kind of quality you need to make dishes. No WS is not selling more plastic items. That would be stupid. We are known for our hard to find utensils and quality vendors. Oh yea, that reminds me, we do not make Le Crueset, Kitchenaid, Waring, Breville, or All-Clad. We just sell it. So stop returning 5 year old broken machines that we can not handle. Go straight to the manufactuer.

We've been making pre-gym smoothies with Greek yogurt, orange juice, and berries. Yum!!

I was employed at WSC for 8.5 years - I worked at Pottery Barn. While some of you may be aghast at the idea of a 40% employee discount, that's normal for any retail store - But department stores can be anywhere from 20-30%. Some stores even offer a discount on gift certificates. (Personally, I feel like that's giving money away.) WSC is pretty strict on what you buy, who you're buying things for, etc....And seasonal employees do not have the same discount policy as regular sales associates. (No catalog purchases - you can only shop at the one store were you work - no shopping at the other Pottery Barn across town or between concepts, etc.)

Employee discounts on merchandise ARE 40%, but they only get a 20% discount on electronics/appliances. I have an ex-bf who did some seasonal work for them because his SIL was a manager - and that year, everyone in my family got WS. They were ecstatic!

I definitely agree it's more of a window-shopping store. It's where I go when I want ideas of what to buy at cheaper stores or online! I'll definitely be bummed if they go under.

@mepolo and all: that's kind of what I was trying to say earlier: I don't think they are overpriced, but I think they may need to do a little repositioning during this economy, as the customer base that values their high quality products and can still afford them is temporarily smaller.

I expect to see a number of their stores closing, but a bump up in their catalog and online marketing. When the economy improves, the stores will be back!

Just because it looks like a Le creuset does not mean it acts like one. The enamel chips easily and the heat distribution isn't as good. Quality items are investments. You can buy cheap pans and keep replacing them every year or go out and buy all clad and they'll last a life time -if you take care of them correctly- which I had to learn the hard way!

I want to stand up for Williams-Sonoma. I'm sorry they're having a hard time and hope things pick up for them quickly.

First, Chuck Williams is an amazing guy, a real hero for home cooks. Much of today's kitchen/home retailing world owes a hat-tip to Williams-Sonoma.

Also, keep in mind Williams-Sonoma sells items premium items. It might be the expectations of some shoppers, rather than Williams-Sonoma's prices, that are "totally out of line."

I appreciate them for doing what they do well: offering a carefully culled line of premium cooks tools. The people who work in their stores usually love cooking and are well trained in how the products can be used.

Their very high-quality dish towels and table runners are my hands-down favorites (and if you insist on a deal, watch the back of the store: they always go on sale at the end of the season).

I've been watching W-S carefully since the recession to see how they would respond to the changes in the economy. For those hunting for lower price points, it looks to me like they are starting to offer less expensive items, more plastic tools.

One comment I did not see is that, for a diabetic like me, regular potato fries are a no-no (what with the high glycemic index of potatos). However, sweet potato fries are actually tolerable from a blood-sugar perspective. Something to keep in mind...

People always ask me to bring spicy cheese dip, and I rarely ever bring it back home!

My New Orleans pecan pie never lasts too long once it's out of the oven...

Cornbread dressing to serve with turkey/chicken. I always have to double this recipe.

My friends and family insist I bring Broccoli Cheese Squares. I make them so often, I could do it blindfolded!