Page 26 - MENU Magazine - Nov/Dec 2017

It’s a very cool time to be in the business of food...
BY JOE JACKMAN
Food has always been cultural, social, nourishing, essential. Now, it’s an experience, with its own celebrity and media ecosystem and the highest level of human interest and engagement than at any other time in history. As a restaurant owner, the vital question you must answer is a ri on the Jimi Hendrix album title: “Am I an experience?”
The businesses that are winning today are the ones that have gured out either the most e cient model (and often the least expensive) or the ones delivering truly unique and dimensional experiences. The expe- rience economy. You’ve heard of it, right? It’s real, and it’s growing fast. In fact, sales of experiences—from out-of-home dining and travel to entertainment—are now growing at twice the rate of the sales of goods. That’s a big wave to ride.
So how do you ride it fully? First, as always, decide which customers you’re for, what they care deeply about and how you can o er them something meaning- fully unique. Secondly, decide what you are all about as a brand, are you di erent from everyone else? These decisions are fundamental to success, but oh so vital to make and stick with.
Next, decide how to be great in every detail. Worthy of coming back for. Worthy of telling friends about. Worthy of social media ampli cation. Worthy of yours and your customers’ time. Everything speaks, and you want it to say “I’m di erent.” Making something special and relevant is the best business plan.
I mention relevance as it is helpful to be in the mo- ment, to be a part of things people broadly care about. There are many big shifts afoot today. Here are three that I believe every food experience business should have on the radar:
26 MENU
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017