These days, Americans want eating experiences. The US restaurant industry is on track to see $1 trillion in sales for the first time in history by 2024, according to National Restaurant Associationand the average family spends $2,375 per year on dine-in and takeout purchases.
Technology makes it more convenient than ever to order a delivery or reserve a table at the touch of a button. And although the high cost of groceries may contribute to the increased preference for eating out, gathering around a meal in a restaurant is also one of the most popular ways to socialize: It was also the No. 1 free time activity during most of the pandemic.
“Lunch will always be the focal point…how can we connect diners with restaurants?”
Pablo Rivero, CEO of lost and NW in American Express Foodshows entrepreneur that the reservations platform, which was acquired by Amex in 2019 and just celebrated its 10th anniversary, has remained steadfast in its mission to bring diners and restaurants together over the years.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Resy. Pablo Rivero.
“People are finding different ways to connect with each other, and dinner will always be the focal point of that,” says Rivero. “So how do we connect diners with restaurants? How do we help them discover that hidden gem in a neighborhood they've never visited before so they can go and share that table with friends, their families or colleagues?”
Resy helps achieve this through a number of tools. Diners should use the platform's discovery tab to find under-the-radar spots in their neighborhood, use the hit list feature to keep track of a new favorite restaurant and share it with friends, and get Consider early reservation times to get tables at some of the more popular establishments, says Rivero.
“Every night, we have people in our restaurants making their next reservation before they leave.”
Resy is also committed to supporting restaurants. Sean Feeney, co-owner of Lily, MISSION AND Misipasta with chef Missy Robbins, says great restaurant technology makes for a healthier business, more efficient operations and the happiest guests. He notes that with Resy, restaurants have access to useful data they can use to learn more about their customers.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Misipasta. Missy Robbins, left; Sean Feeney, right.
So Feeney and Robbins made an important discovery for their diners. “Every night, we have people in our restaurants making their next reservation before they leave,” Feeney says. “It's an amazing thing. We're grateful for that.”
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The secret, of course, is to create an experience that keeps people coming back for more. Nowadays, CLIENTS we increasingly appreciate what goes into cultivating it, according to Feeney. Diners want to hear the details behind the dishes and the ambiance; sometimes, they will even ask about the music being played.
Some are asking because they want to recreate the experience at home — an activity that has also gained traction during the pandemic.
“They were documenting the whole trip … they got home; they were doing the unboxing.”
The desire to replicate the restaurant experience at home helped convince Feeney and Robbins that their latest concept Misipasta, an aperitivo bar and boutique, would be a success. “We thought a lot (about) what it could look like, but also how we wanted it to feel and what its purpose was,” Robbins says. “And his goal was to get as many people as possible cooking with our ingredients and having the tools to cook like a chef.”
Moreover, as today's restaurant diners may have snap a photo of their dish To be posted on social media, diners also enjoy sharing their experience with friends and followers. In early 2020, Misipasta's “pasta spots” underscored customers' desire to put together restaurant-class experiences themselves—and record them.
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On Fridays and Saturdays, Misipasta announced the pasta shape and sauce flavor available that week. During the first offering, 250 people showed up for 75 bags, lining up for them in 16-degree temperatures, Feeney says. Then, people shared exactly what they did with the products at home.
“They were documenting the whole trip,” Feeney explains. “They were excited when they secured the bag. They got home; they were unboxing and Missy's beautiful designs were appearing on the InstagramIn the background, some customers were even playing the same Bob Marley album that had come on when they received their bag.
Feeney and Robbins, who both grew up with a deep appreciation for food, remain driven by the idea of getting people excited about their next dining experience—whether it's a curated restaurant or at home.