Restaurant Grand Openings

by Michael L. Atkinson Chairman Fohboh.com
I’ve been to a few restaurant openings over the years. Some of them were for my own restaurants. While openings are an interesting tradition, I wonder if they are valuable. Who really benefits? Who is the party for? The customers? Your friends? Your ego?

I just attended a gala event at the new chic Urban Tavern at the San Francisco Hilton. The new restaurant seats about 200, but there were more than 600 movers and shakers, foodies, critics and future customers all drinking, dancing and promising to return. It was a party, to be sure. However, ten reservations were made, and the new restaurant served 92 dinners opening night following the party. Are these future Yelp reviewers ready-to-dine? Is there a ROI for all this effort? Or, is launching a restaurant just synonymous with having a party?

In this case, it just may have worked. There are already reviews on Yelp and CitySearch. Google “Urban Tavern San Francisco” and amazingly, there are many, many things already to read about the place. Interview requests are coming in by the dozens and reservations are piling up. Maybe it’s because of Chef Laurent Manrique’s reputation as an award-wining two star Michelin Chef. Maybe it’s because the restaurant is located in the Hilton in downtown San Francisco. Or maybe it’s because 600 foodies showed up, had a grand time and are already socializing the event online. Maybe it’s happening so fast because of the Internet and crowd-sharing. This is a brave new Internet world and social media is the mover and shaker.