Keeping a restaurant in top gear

[Wilfrid]

One thing often remarked on around these parts is that restaurants which get off to a great launch, with exciting menus, and high standards, a year or so later seem to be a little out of steam, coasting on their reputations. Maybe the menu has got a little predictable, maybe business is steady and the pressure is off.

Is this a phenomenon you recognize? Do you take specific, periodic steps to keep your restaurants in top gear?

[Danny Meyer]

No, if anything, my restaurants have always reflected the opposite experience. We typically take a long time to reach our potential, and then work hard to improve every year thereafter. Since we've never had the experience of doing the same restaurant twice, each one has been a steep learning curve. We'll hire the human being before the professional, and so sometimes our staffs take a while to jell. I usually hold my nose for the first 6 months of a new restaurant, and don't begin to feel truly proud until the first or second birthday. From that point on, we work to constantly fine tune -- usually in response to constructive comments from the people who enjoy using the restaurant. That's when they get really good, and that's when I have a lot more fun with them.

[Hotfoodie]

I was in just last week and have been to Blue Smoke on six separate occasions. As we sat at the bar waiting for our table, the staff was bustling around, all very happy and full of energy. Steely Dan and Dave Matthews were on the sound system, and the spectacular smell of my years in Charleston was wafting through the restaurant. The lengths that Mr. Meyer goes to to ensure a transporting experience in every visit is obvious and and deliberate, ensuring an amazing dining adventure time and time again. Thanks Danny- I am a huge fan of Tabla and Eleven Madison Park as well...

[Danny Meyer]

Thank you for all that praise. I'm glad you've enjoyed our restaurants and appreciate your loyalty!