4 Years Later - Here I Go Again

[birchhaven]

Way to think out side the box. Do I understand correctly that we have to bid on our tables, sort of like ebay for a future dining experience?

[BroadHopper]

Looks like you could use a little help setting up the page. A little spell check and make the time current. Let me know if you want me to help or you can visit the LRCC office and find the local SCORE office. They may have a web designer willing to volunteer.

[baygo]

Originally Posted by birchhaven

Way to think out side the box. Do I understand correctly that we have to bid on our tables, sort of like ebay for a future dining experience?

You've interpreted it well. One differance is that it's not bidding to pay morefor our food, it's bidding to eat more of our food.

Originally Posted by BroadHopper;

Looks like you could use a little help setting up the page. A little spell check and make the time current. Let me know if you want me to help or you can visit the LRCC office and find the local SCORE office. They may have a web designer willing to volunteer.

The basic design is to keep it mobile platformf friendly. Please be more specific about the spelling error. We all know I can't spell.. I'l take you up on the offer to help set the time. Come on by I'll treat you to a drink.l

[brk-lnt]

There is no way in the world I'd endorse a system like this. It's a neat idea, but I'm not going to "bid" on a table, make any minimum guarantees, or otherwise get drawn into a competition for how/where to spend my money eating out.

Going in feeling like I "have" to spend some amount of pre-set money is a major mental block for me. I will order what I order. Sometimes we're in the mood for dessert, or another round of drinks, other times we're not. Dining out to me is still something I do as a form of entertainment and indulgence. Hanging a commitment on that ruins the desire.

I understand where you are coming from, and the motivation for this, but I think it's a problem to be solved with typical supply and demand economics. If you have more demand than supply, you can manage that my increasing the supply (seating area), reducing the demand (generally, raising prices), or maintain high demand/low supply, which helps create more pent-up desire (hopefully).

I'm not sure what problem this bidding system solves. You're not increasing supply, and you're not reducing demand, you're just requiring your customers to compete with each other and make decisions that might lead them to buyers remorse and longer-term bad feelings about their decision to eat there.

Or... It might work even better than anticipated and cause a whole new wave of people fighting for tables, but I won't know, because I wouldn't be there to see it.

[loony]

looks like a demand pricing model in disguise. it is rather creative though.
often times demand outstrips supply during the peak times especially during tourist season. Some restaurants raise prices and gouge the tourists while alienating local residents. Those restaurants generally have difficulty surviving the long offseason. The ones that do survive have a large local following. This model gives the opportunity for local clientele to eat there off peak without inflated pricing.

The real question is whether you can get the tourists into a bidding frenzy or not.

[ITD]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

There is no way in the world I'd endorse a system like this. It's a neat idea, but I'm not going to "bid" on a table, make any minimum guarantees, or otherwise get drawn into a competition for how/where to spend my money eating out.

Going in feeling like I "have" to spend some amount of pre-set money is a major mental block for me. I will order what I order. Sometimes we're in the mood for dessert, or another round of drinks, other times we're not. Dining out to me is still something I do as a form of entertainment and indulgence. Hanging a commitment on that ruins the desire.

I understand where you are coming from, and the motivation for this, but I think it's a problem to be solved with typical supply and demand economics. If you have more demand than supply, you can manage that my increasing the supply (seating area), reducing the demand (generally, raising prices), or maintain high demand/low supply, which helps create more pent-up desire (hopefully).

I'm not sure what problem this bidding system solves. You're not increasing supply, and you're not reducing demand, you're just requiring your customers to compete with each other and make decisions that might lead them to buyers remorse and longer-term bad feelings about their decision to eat there.

Or... It might work even better than anticipated and cause a whole new wave of people fighting for tables, but I won't know, because I wouldn't be there to see it.

I'm with brk here, first come first serve, including reservations. Part of owning and running a business is figuring out how to finance it and all but the most basic businesses need to be financed. Sounds like you have a good case for expansion. I would not bid on a seat at a restaurant, too many choices out there.....

[valhala]

I don't mind on line reservation systems, or simply calling for a reservation, however, I did try out the link and I did not like it. I would find it annoying that I had to bid, wait for a text, then possibly get out bid, try a higher bid, wait again, etc.
Sorry, if I had to do ebay type of bidding to get a table for dinner, I would go elsewhere.
I don't think pitting potential customers against one another with this type of format is the way to go. Actually, it's kind of insulting to the person who wants to enjoy dinner out, and has a set budget in mind.
Just my opinion, and thanks for asking for feedback.

[ishoot308]

Your problem is not how many people your turning away, your problem is that you can't figure out how to expand and keep the quality and charm of the place in tact and your scared to try. Instead, you want to try and make your customers bid for a seat to maximize profits from each table...?? Tacky at best!

Have faith in your business and yourself to do what is necessary to either expand and bring those extra people in or if your happy with your current profit margin, leave everything as is.

Don't turn Tavern 27 into an "auction house"...

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Dan

[jetskier]

This is the second time that Tavern 27 has tried this type of thing. In the past, they pushed for a membership model wherein you got preferential treatment for joining. I recall that for $27,000 you could get a couple of jackets and it covered one meal per month.

Frankly, this is not New York or Boston. There are going to be a few days where demand outstrips supply in terms of restaurants. For the most part, being successful is based upon getting business year round. If you don't have the capacity for some of the peak days, you are not carrying excess capacity on the slower days.

My wife and I were able to get a reservation for Lyon's Den on Valentines Day (we just had to go a little early) and the food was great.

Jetskier

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by jetskier

This is the second time that Tavern 27 has tried this type of thing. In the past, they pushed for a membership model wherein you got preferential treatment for joining. I recall that for $27,000 you could get a couple of jackets and it covered one meal per month.

Frankly, this is not New York or Boston. There are going to be a few days where demand outstrips supply in terms of restaurants. For the most part, being successful is based upon getting business year round. If you don't have the capacity for some of the peak days, you are not carrying excess capacity on the slower days.

My wife and I were able to get a reservation for Lyon's Den on Valentines Day (we just had to go a little early) and the food was great.

Jetskier

Personally, I like the idea of memberships in general, and if they want to have some $27,000 tier, that's fine too. It's a one-time, fixed/known amount. Sure, you'll offend some people, and you'll attract others. And this is partly responsible for the overall image of your business and the clientele you attract.

This bid thing would be a pain in the ass though. I don't want to spend half the day wondering if my reservation is really locked-in, or if someone is going to come along at the last minute and bid it out from under me. And, for the most part, I'd wager that I could easily out-bid most people. Other than take-out pizzas, it's rare that my wife and I have left Tavern27 spending less than $100. For me, the concept itself is horribly flawed and not in-line with the general vibe of the lakes region. When making reservations becomes a chore, and you don't know until some later point that your spot is guaranteed, you will tend to gravitate to the more traditional places that require less mental exertion and stress.

In New York, or San Francisco or Honolulu, this idea might go over very well. These are locations where the pool of premium diners typically outstrips the supply of top-end places. In this area though, every restaurant has too much competition to attempt to color THAT far outside of the lines (IMO).

I agree with what I think Dan was saying in his post. It's not Tavern27's job or responsibility to find "homes" for those lost puppies that show up without a reservation. It's a nice gesture, but if it's taking that much time, probably not worth it. If you want to be that nice, print some little 3x5" cards with the numbers of the top 5 closest recommendations, along with driving directions from Tavern27. People would love the **** out of that.

[jetskier]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Personally, I like the idea of memberships in general, and if they want to have some $27,000 tier, that's fine too. It's a one-time, fixed/known amount. Sure, you'll offend some people, and you'll attract others. And this is partly responsible for the overall image of your business and the clientele you attract.

This bid thing would be a pain in the ass though. I don't want to spend half the day wondering if my reservation is really locked-in, or if someone is going to come along at the last minute and bid it out from under me. And, for the most part, I'd wager that I could easily out-bid most people. Other than take-out pizzas, it's rare that my wife and I have left Tavern27 spending less than $100. For me, the concept itself is horribly flawed and not in-line with the general vibe of the lakes region. When making reservations becomes a chore, and you don't know until some later point that your spot is guaranteed, you will tend to gravitate to the more traditional places that require less mental exertion and stress.

In New York, or San Francisco or Honolulu, this idea might go over very well. These are locations where the pool of premium diners typically outstrips the supply of top-end places. In this area though, every restaurant has too much competition to attempt to color THAT far outside of the lines (IMO).

I agree with what I think Dan was saying in his post. It's not Tavern27's job or responsibility to find "homes" for those lost puppies that show up without a reservation. It's a nice gesture, but if it's taking that much time, probably not worth it. If you want to be that nice, print some little 3x5" cards with the numbers of the top 5 closest recommendations, along with driving directions from Tavern27. People would love the **** out of that.

Generally, I agree with you. The overtone of the message based upon either the membership model or bidding is that the food and experience is so good that you will pay a premium or fight to get it. I have not found that to be true and actually prefer the more value-oriented restaurants in the area these days. If we saw Cactus Jack propose this concept, we would simply laugh. The bidding and/or membership model is an urban exclusivity haute concept...this is New Hampshire...way outside the lines.

Just my 2 cents.

Jetskier

[Major]

In full disclosure, I generally don't like changes or new things, so I tired to keep an open mind when viewing the new "bidding" system. One flaw is being locked into a two-hour period. When my wife and I go out to eat, we generally enjoy a few cocktails, and then we think about eating. A typical meal for us usually takes about two hours, and if we are with friends, longer than two hours. The other flaw is that while our bills generally exceed $100, I would be uncomfortable with the pressure of having to spend a certain amount.

My recommendation, play it straight, first come, first served. No special treatment for "members." As stated in prior posts, there are a lot of options, and I think this type of system would aggravate me to a point where I explore those options.

[birchhaven]

I don't want to tell tavern 27 their biz, they know it better than anyone. But it would seem that possible software solution already exist, that empower the consumer. They have systems that tie the POS to the Seat Chart, that can be tied to a reservation system, that is available online and/or through an app. So the consumer can check availability and make reservations (they even have to-go solutions built in) all with there cell phone/computer. The systems also arrange the consumers in the seating chart far more efficient than any human can do. Possible increasing your total number of tickets per night rather than just trying to increase your average ticket.
Just my 2cents

[Chaselady]

I can't believe this is a serious discussion...

[magicrobotmonkey]

The other problem with this is the accounting! I have to imagine it would be a nightmare to deal with all the "legally binding contracts" you'd be setting up every time someone bids!

[Bigstan]

I like the part where it tells me I am entering into a contract.

I have never entered into a 'Legally Binding Contract' when making a reservation before....how would that be enforced? Do I end up in court because I promised to spend $100 but only spent $90

[WakeboardMom]

No, thank you. My reaction is to say "I couldn't be bothered." I'm guessing my husband would say, "Are you kidding me?!?" Is the "cash" thing for real?!? Holy smokes!! So many insults to a customer...!

I echo ChaseLady's sentiment. "I can't believe this is a serious discussion."

How much time have you spent on this? Has anyone that you told about this thought it was a good idea? Is this an early April Fool's joke?

So sorry, but I'm guessing if you wanted opinions, you are okay with honest ones.

[VitaBene]

Ray,

We will call as usual and try to get a reservation, if not we will go elsewhere as we always have!

You should not worry if we cannot get in or called too late- we know when it will be busy!

[tis]

I can't believe this is a serious discussion either. I would not ever be bothered to go to a place with this policy. It is laughable in NH.

[Lakeboater]

Baygo, if you implement this method of bidding on a table for a reservation, after reading all the posts, I doubt you will have to worry about turning people away on any night.

[Rusty]

Put this guy at the door of your restaurant and see if that works:

[blacksheep]

Have you considered going with a simple online reservation system like open table? I don't think the bidding component of the model you've tested today will work...but, with open table you can set it up so that a credit card is required to hold a reservation (common practice at many restaurants). At least that lets you know that people are serious about keeping their reservation. Keep a few tables available for walk-ins and go to a primarily reservation-only system on busy nights. Open table is cool too b/c it prompts patrons to leave reviews, but only people who've actually made and kept their reservation can review your establishment. Consider building a deck/outdoor patio area for dining this summer, maybe time to build yourself some sweet new digs out in the back 40 and expand upstairs to more dining space? I think you could keep the charm and the quality if you do things thoughfully and slowly.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Put this guy at the door of your restaurant and see if that works:

Very clever Rusty. If this restaurant hires the "auctioneer" for table management it should also sure it has an open bar available to its patrons!

All kidding aside, I will never consider your restaurant if I have to bid for a table. If demand is too strong raise prices. On the other hand, turning lots of people away creates cache as folks tend to desire something they can't get. Have you considered handing out coupons to turn aways that offer incentives to come back on slower evenings of the week?

[Tomt]

I also would not bid on a table, If I called for a reservation and there were none available I would understand and next time try to reserve a table earlier. But if I bid on a table and on my way to the restaurant got a text saying I was outbid I would never return.

[Pineedles]

Wait a minute, it's not April 1st yet. There's too much snow on the ground still. Are you seriously asking me to bid on the chance to have tea with the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter? I would be not participate in this auction. I think this is classified as a harsh comment.