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DeRusha Eats: Admission Tickets for Dinner
When we fly, we all pay different prices for our tickets based on demand. When we book a room in a hotel, the same theory applies. But when you eat at a restaurant, you pay the same for dinner whether you eat on a Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. or at the true Minneapolis dining time—a Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
One of the most acclaimed restaurants in the country, Alinea in Chicago, has come up with a very interesting new concept, which I personally would LOVE.
Next Restaurant will do four menus a year, exploring different world cuisines (Jim Ringo and his St. Louis Park restaurant should think about going to four instead of 11 menus). But here's the thing: Next is selling tickets to dinner.
According to the website, Next will do a five- to six-course meal. Depending on the menu and the time of your visit, food will range from $40 to $75. Wine + drink pairings start at $25.
This is potentially a great bargain, if you pay $65 for dinner in Chicago from the people who designed the Restaurant of the Year.
Look at how they explain it: "Instead of reservations, our bookings will be made more like a theater or a sporting event. Your tickets will be fully inclusive of all charges, including service. Ticket price will depend on which seating you buy—Saturday at 8 p.m. will be more expensive than Wednesday at 9:30 p.m." They'll also offer an annual subscription to all four menus at a discount.
Geoff Roether wrote about this idea at Shefzilla, the blog run by Stewart Woodman (formerly of Heidi's).
To me, this is not that different than the half-price wine nights some places run to try to get you in there on a Tuesday or Wednesday. (I had a fantastic meal at OM last Wednesday, with a delightful $60 bottle of 2007 Steltzner Claret that cost me $30!)
And it takes the idea executed by Ad Hoc in the Napa Valley of a fixed-price menu being the only choice (although Ad Hoc changes daily).
Two questions: Would you support the idea of a flexible pricing system for restaurants based on demand? And what do you think about buying a ticket that includes the entire cost of an evening?
Posted on Thursday, May 6, 2010 in Permalink
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Reader Comments:
Sounds similar to what Chez Pannise does, with $60 dinners on Mondays rising to $95 on weekend nights (not including drinks, tips, or tax).
http://www.chezpanisse.com/about/chez-panisse/
Locking down the meals for the night seems to offer restaurants more menu flexibility. When you know how many guests you'll have ahead of time (and that they've agreed to eat whatever you'd like to serve them) you can take risks on stuff that may or may not move as a special. At least, I think things work that way.