Man bites dog, sets own price

It's now a yawner for restaurants to flycast for customers by letting them pay whatever they decide a meal is worth. But you're definitely in man-bites-dog territory when the place resorting to that ploy is Le Bec Fin, the old Brahmin of Philadelphia's fine-dining scene.

Yet, for the next two months, patrons can visit the landmark on any Monday through Thursday nights, dine on a special menu created by chef George Perrier, and pay what they deem to be appropriate.

Of course, as always with deals too good to be true, there is some fine print. The offer is only available to the first 20 people who reserve a seat. They'll be served in a group, as if they were attending a banquet, and in family style (i.e., from big platters).

Still, it says a lot about the state of fine-dining that a place as renowned as Le Bec Fin has to resort to such a ploy.

Okay, time to go jockey for position. There's a rumor that Tavern on the Green is staging a flag-pole sitting stunt.