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<\/p>\nThere\u2019s a restaurant in Toronto that is accessible only through a hidden door in a comic book store. An eatery in Montr\u00e9al that seats diners around an indoor wave pool. A country market in Coombs that serves food beneath a grass roof grazed by a herd of goats.<\/p>\n
In an increasingly competitive landscape, these operators have devised creative ways to stand out. They\u2019ve gone beyond food and service to offer a unique dining experience. And they\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something of a trend,\u201d confirms Denis Bourbeau, a Quebec-based Director of Marketing and Procurement for Gordon Food Service. \u201cMuch of it is being driven by younger generations, who have a sense of adventure about dining and seek experiences that they can share with friends and through social media.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re explorers,\u201d adds Ontario-based Gordon Food Service Corporate Chef David Evans. \u201cFor them, it\u2019s about discovering something different.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the appeal isn\u2019t just restricted to millennials, says Murray Penner, a Gordon Food Service Director of Marketing and Procurement in Delta, British Columbia. \u201cBoomers have the time, money and appetite to indulge in what can be pretty elaborate experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, when it comes to creating these out-of-the-ordinary concepts, the sky\u2019s the limit\u2014just ask the company that goes around Canada serving dinners at a 22-person table hoisted by crane into the open air, 46 metres above the ground.<\/p>\n
Here are a few tips for serving up a unique dining experience.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
An unusual or unexpected site can create a sense of excitement. It doesn\u2019t have to be as extreme as sky-high dining\u2014Penner points to an Italian eatery located in a turn-of-the-century heritage home in downtown Vancouver, and Evans singles out a Toronto barbecue joint surrounded by factories and a car-wrecking yard. The fact that these spaces take some effort to find only adds to the allure.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t have the luxury of a cool location? You can make any site more fashionable by adding an outdoor patio. \u201cWe have an obsession with outdoor dining here on the West Coast,\u201d Penner says. \u201cUse heaters to keep your space open in the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n
If al fresco dining isn\u2019t feasible, consider taking your brand on the road via a food truck or pop-up restaurant.<\/p>\n
Exclusivity, secrecy, humour, nostalgia, even sensory deprivation\u2014like serving meals in a pitch-black restaurant\u2014are all worthy hooks to hang your concept on.<\/p>\n
Evans speaks fondly of a Toronto pop-up concept that requires would-be patrons to write a letter requesting an invite to one of their dinners, all held in different locations. Bourbeau hails a chef and two friends who cooked and served meals in a small place that felt like their home. It\u2019s all about having fun with the serious business of foodservice.<\/p>\n
Penner acknowledges that fun can be scary to operators. \u201cIt takes courage to create something unique,\u201d he says. \u201cThink of it as giving your guests an entertaining story to tell about your restaurant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guests will tell these stories on Facebook and other social platforms. So that\u2019s where you need to be engaging with them. \u201cYou have to generate word of mouth to get people in the door,\u201d Bourbeau says. \u201cSocial media is the best way to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keep the online conversation going by providing plenty of \u201cInstagrammable\u201d opportunities\u2014like the Pac-Man light installation on the ceiling of the aforementioned comic book-themed restaurant or the spectacular views from a rooftop patio.<\/p>\n
An effective social media program will get people into your restaurant\u2014but it\u2019s the food that will bring them back again and again. \u201cIn the final analysis, it\u2019s all about the food,\u201d Evans says. You can go wild with location, d\u00e9cor, ambiance and menu, \u201cBut you still have to deliver on the basics. Otherwise, you risk being a gimmick.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnique\u201d is a great asset for a restaurant to have\u2014but quality, consistency and attention to detail will always separate an enduring success from a flash in the pan.<\/p>\n
From pop-up eateries to private dining clubs to underground supper spots, secrecy is all the rage in foodservice these days. These venues are often a means for chefs and restaurants to explore dishes outside their usual repertoire, or to test the waters for new concepts<\/p>\n
Evans says the cutting-edge fare typically served at secret restaurants appeals to hardcore foodies. \u201cAnd discovering the secret makes them feel special.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From pop-up restaurants to secret eateries, guests are driving an increase in unique dining experiences. Follow their lead and bring a taste intrigue to your operation. There\u2019s a restaurant in Toronto that is accessible only through a hidden door in a comic book store. An eatery in Montr\u00e9al that seats diners around an indoor wave […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26941,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,68,123,112,69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-catering-small-business","category-culinary-ideas","category-hotels-hospitality","category-restaurant-bars","category-running-your-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n