Had to pick between two beef suppliers and the losing one showed up at my shop

Watched this same thing play out with a roofer buddy of mine. He swapped his shingle guy for a cheaper crew, saved a few grand, then spent the next two springs going back to fix leaks on the same houses. The old supplier never said a word, just kept sending Christmas cards. That smile you got from the ranch owner says it all. Cheaper almost always means something got cut, you just don't see where until later. And the guy who lost your business knows exactly where it got cut, that's why he smiled.