Progressive dinner idea in Charleston

[Robin Garr]

Here's an innovative idea in Charleston, S.C., where several restaurants are working together to promote a "progressive dinner" experience that diners can tailor to their preference, choosing a three-course dinner with wine, each course with wine at a different destination during the same evening.

Would this work here? Could folks put competition aside to work on something like this, and would it pay off? What do you think?

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/may/16/16retailcolumn05/

Want to dine at three different restaurants and get three courses, all with wine pairings?

Charleston Dine Around is a new venture offering just that. How does it work? Participants taste three different restaurants starting with an appetizer and toast at the first location, entree and wine pairing at the second, and dessert with an aperitif at the third for an all inclusive price, ranging from $79 to $120.

Dinner guests are educated on the food and wine at the restaurants and given a mini-history tour along the way.

Some restaurant partners include Charleston Grill, McCrady's, Circa 1886, 82 Queen, Amen St, Fish, Carolinas, and O-Ku.

The two-and-a-half-hour dining excursions operate seven days a week, and guests meet in Washington Square Park and Marion Square at 4:30 p.m. or 5 p.m.

The service also offers dessert and speak-easy pub crawl at 7:15 p.m. For tickets, call 1-800-838-3006 or online at www.charlestondinearound.com.

Sounds like a really neat concept and I certainly don't see why it wouldn't work here. Many of our independent restaurants already work together in one way or another so I don't even think the competition factor would be a major problem. Might be kind of fun to do it one time per month kind of like the Trolley Hop if it shows initial success.

Friends and I have done this unofficially along Frankfort Avenue. The street just begs for people to rove up and down the sidewalks, ducking into restaurants for different courses along the way. Frankfort would be the perfect street to try this one - seems like something walkable would be ideal for convenience and safety's sake.

[Robin Garr]

Friends and I have done this unofficially along Frankfort Avenue. The street just begs for people to rove up and down the sidewalks, ducking into restaurants for different courses along the way. Frankfort would be the perfect street to try this one - seems like something walkable would be ideal for convenience and safety's sake.

Yeah, I love the idea and would certainly be glad to lend our resources to help promote it if someone decided to give it a try.

I like the instant-progressive-dinner idea too, Antonia, but I think a lot of people are reluctant, fearing that the individual restaurants along the way might not be excited about having people drop in for one course. That's not my experience, but I guess a major benefit of institutionalizing the concept would be to make it more like an invitation and encouragement.

I like the instant-progressive-dinner idea too, Antonia, but I think a lot of people are reluctant, fearing that the individual restaurants along the way might not be excited about having people drop in for one course. That's not my experience, but I guess a major benefit of institutionalizing the concept would be to make it more like an invitation and encouragement.

You have a point - I'd never thought of that. In my experience, restaurants are happy to have my business no matter how much or how little I eat or drink. Drinks and appetizers for a group of 6-8 people is nothing to sneeze at. A dollar's a dollar, and as long as I'm well-behaved, don't hog a table by lingering over a salad for 3 hours, and tip well, places are very accommodating. But I can see how the more, I don't know, "cautious" types might feel awkward about it.

Given the number of progressives in South Carolina, I simply can't see them making a profit.

For a minute there I was thinking Indiana !

For a minute there I was thinking Indiana !

Two words for you: Mitch, Rand