I read these encouraging words from Danny Meyer and wanted to share them with you all. For those not familiar, Danny Meyers is the owner of Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City which has a number of restaurants under its umbrella (Union Square Café, Grammercy Tavern, Tabla, Eleven Madison Avenue, The Modern, just to name a few, ….).
According to my friend Leann Vessels: " Danny is Hospitality with a capital "H"- he “gets it” in regards to the importance of customer service, of nurturing people with good food, of taking care of your employees, of the importance of being around the table with the people in your life, and you experience this in every one of his restaurants. "
Particularly in light of the current economic times, I thought those of us who love food, and those of you in the industry would find these points meaningful:
(from the Union Square Café Spring/Summer Newsletter)
Dear Friend of Union Square Cafe,
We’re enormously grateful to be embarking on our 24th spring season, and we know full well that it will in many respects beunlike any of the 23 that preceded it. It is likely that we will cook and serve somewhat fewer meals than we did a year ago. All that being the case, Union Square Cafe remains a very busy place – a privilege for which we pinch ourselves daily. Having experienced recessions in 1987, 1991, 1997, 2001, and now, this one……here are a few things we’ve learned:
Hospitality =
Hope, which is, of course, the antidote to fear.Recessions thrive on fear, glumness, and “dismality.” In contrast, the goods we sell and the value we offer are often felt by ourguests as hope. Our idea of an effective “stimulus package” is simply to send people back into the world feeling better when they leave us than when they first arrived. Serving dependably delicious food and drink are key ways to accomplish that, but so too are the hug that comes with eye contact, a smile, and the knowledge that someone is happy to see you. You could always stay home, do your own cooking, and wash your own dishes……But then you’d be missing out on the comfort of being in a restaurant dining room – brimming with other people happy to be connecting with people. We’re all part of a special herd, and more than anything else, it’s the social aspect of dining out that people most crave – especially during otherwise challenging times. It’s amazingly reassuring to be reminded that life goes on during recessions.
Recessions allow for spontaneity and getting your first choice.It’s not easy planning a meal three or four weeks in advance. It’s nearly impossible to know what your body is going to feel like eating that far into the future. Making extemporaneous plans with friends and loved ones is immensely satisfying and promotes serendipity. While it’s always valuable, spontaneity is the surprise gift you can especially give yourself now. Reservations are simply easier to come by just about everywhere in today’s environment. What a novel idea it is to enjoy the pleasure of dining at your favorite restaurant, right when you want to eat there!
The seasons don’t read the business section.Those pea shoots, spinach leaves, strawberries, and rhubarb stalks have no idea what’s going on in the economic world aroundthem. They taste just as good when the stock market is down as when it’s up. They grow in response to the revolution of the earth,not the evolution of the news cycle. It’s an act of faith in the power of seasons to pull us forward, up and out of our economic doldrums to enjoy the delicious bounty of the earth. And the farmer who grew them will feel better too if you do!
Life is short. No recession warrants wasting precious time.We only get one crack at 2009 – in fact only one crack at the day on which you are reading this. No pundit has yet said we should stop living. It’s more important than ever to spend your time and money doing the things you most enjoy – and with people you genuinely care about. Anything that makes you feel good to be alive is a good value. Just ask your loved ones and your colleagues!
While the rest of the world is retrenching, it’s an especially good time to play offense.Unless you believe that this recession – unlike all that preceded it – will be interminable; then now is the time to look for those opportunities that a recession uniquely presents. Become a regular at your favorite restaurant. Renew your lease – on your terms. See a play and buy really good orchestra seats – perhaps at a discount. Renegotiate your monthly parking fee. Give yourself the gift of a day at a museum you’ve been wanting to visit. Drink a special bottle of wine from your own cellar. What were you waiting for anyway? One thing we’ve never learned is how to be soothsayers. We don’t know any better than anyone else when today’s recession will end or what twists and turns it will take on the way to its ultimate conclusion. But there are some really important things that are within our capacity – even when there is so much beyond our control.
In addition to cooking and serving really satisfying food and wine at Union Square Cafe, we pledge to use the recession as a time to reaffirm our faith in the power of hospitality.We know that helping people feel good has more value than ever. And we commit to further growing our ability to make our guests feel seen, recognized, and heard – three things that feel good at any time – and in any economy.
Here’s to the warmth, hope, and comfort that comes with the changing of the seasons. When you’re craving any of these good feelings, please come see us and let us feed you at Union Square Cafe.
With Gratitude, Danny Meyer and the Staff of
Union Square Cafe