Experience The Future - Experiential Dining

Over the years, dining and the food industry have continued to evolve to give customers the next great unforgettable experience.

Although the majority of customers enjoy going to restaurants, eating delicious food and appreciate the excellent customer service, some clients prefer to take the next step: experiential dining.

Experiential dining is a restaurant experience that exceeds the "normal" hospitality, and meals. It creates a unique experience whether it be ambiance or shows for customers. Lacey Outten, a writer for O'dwyer's, states,

"Experiential dining is about transcending beyond the traditional hallmarks of what makes a restaurant great. Today’s restaurant patron expects more than just quality food, friendly service and an authentic sense of place. The next generation is looking for a truly unique experience when going out to eat."

Experiential dining is still a growing event and it is something that future restaurant owners should consider because of the different kinds of atmospheres and the opportunities it brings.

Creating An Aura 

Experiential dining is bringing the "norm" of eating out and bringing into a whole new level by changing the atmosphere.

Depending on the theme of the experiential restaurant, clients will develop multiple moods and have different experiences.

One popular theme is a rotating restaurant; as the name suggests, a rotating restaurant is an establishment that slowly spins as clients eat.

There are numerous rotating restaurants throughout the world and there is one here in Las Vegas. The Strat's Top of the World restaurant is one of the more bigger rotating restaurants made.

According to Brandie, a writer for the website Home Cooking Memories, "the restaurant continued to slowly rotate and, eventually, we were looking south and able to see the majority of the Las Vegas Strip."

Las Vegas' main tourist point is the Las Vegas Strip; thanks to the restaurant's rotation Brandie and other people have been able to enjoy a luxurious dinner while watching the sunset and observing the Las Vegas strip.

Another example of experiential dining is a restaurant called Blackout: Dining in the Dark.

Even though eating in the dark sounds a bit too much, it actually adds a more suspenseful mood.

The idea of not knowing what you're eating is beneficial since you're not going to be confined by your tastes.

Blackout serves you 3 to 5 course meals and they reveal what you ate at the end. It is critical that you let them know or in any "dining in the dark," if you're allergic to anything so they can prepare your food ahead of time. 

Rotating and dining in the dark are just the tip of the iceberg for experiential dining. The key for a good atmosphere is having a unique theme that gives the client a 4D experience: eating, but also experiencing the restaurant's bonuses.

New Generations Love Experiences

Experiential dining targets food goers of all ages, but mostly targets millennials, generation X and generation Z. Mel Kershaw, an Eventbrite Blogger, states, 

"Three in four (75%) pop-up event attendees believe it’s worth paying more money for a unique dining experience. In fact, 50% of respondents say that even with the exact same menu, they’d be willing to pay more for a meal at a pop-up event with a chef interaction than for a meal at a regular restaurant."

Thanks to this study done, restaurant owners now have an idea of how many more people would be willing to pay more money to have a more unique eatery experience.

With this in mind, the restaurant will earn more money and potentially beat their competitors. I believe speaking with the chef creates a beautiful mood because by sharing their experiences and personalities, the food will taste better. She further states, 

"Diners are more likely to share posts on social media about a pop-up dining experience than about a night out at a restaurant (75% versus 51%) and are nearly three times more likely to follow or communicate with a chef or restaurant after a pop-up event compared to a regular meal (95% vs. 33%)."

Social media is one of the best ways to connect clients and restaurant owners; as a result, this will bring in more customers.

Furthermore, if the customers are able to socialize with the chef and even take pictures with them, they would be able to inform others through social media. These are just one of the many benefits about experiential dining.

Create an experiential experience not a normal experience

Experiential dining continues to spread throughout the world and in the states.

Experiential dining empowers clients through 4D experiences through themes, not just by eating, but experiencing something more such as eating at a rotating restaurant, in the dark or with the chef.

It allows opportunities for the restaurant to grow and earn more income through customer experiences and social media.

If restaurant owners want to reform their restaurant, then they should consider experiential dining. They should create a theme unique from their passion and their food.

Written by Anthony Ruiseco