I read that in 2023, the National Association of REALTORS was one of the largest lobbying spenders in the United States, second only to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Real estate is also an essential factor in restaurants, and I don’t mean rooftop sky decks with ocean views.
Have you ever had the host walk you to your table, only to be disappointed to find that your candle-lit table, for which you’ve been waiting half-an-hour, is an awkwardly crowded high-top? You also would have waited twice as long for that comfy, corner booth. So, what makes a plush corner booth worth so much more of both your time and your money?
A restaurant’s front-of-the-house layout is as much of a science as the molecular gastronomy that goes on behind the bar. Even something as the number of inches between tables can determine how comfortable guests are in a space, which in turn, is a deciding factor in how long they stay, and how much they are willing to spend.
Ever notice how some chairs have leather tufted backs or even padded arms, while many barstools lack both? Savvy restaurateurs select chairs based specifically on how quickly or luxuriantly they want you to dine. Manufacturers are often aware of the exact number of minutes a person will be comfortable in a specific chair design, and can make suggestions based on each eatery’s requirements. Luncheonettes may need to turn tables within an hour, while a high-end cocktail lounge might anticipate you nursing your craft libations for up to two hours (depending on party size). While a fine-dining meal might conclude with your server offering you coffee or tea after dessert, more informal venues often forego that final selection in lieu of the opportunity to turn the table faster.
Humans like to feel anchored in a space. This is why a corner table will always be more desirable, and therefore, more valuable, than one floating adjacent to the heavily trafficked walkway. People at a corner booth tend to spend more of both time and money than people at a less comfortable table.
It all comes down to check average (the amount per person an establishment needs you to spend in order to maximize profitability). A majority of restaurants fail within their first year, while those that succeed, operate on a razor thin margin, so it stands to reason that the higher end the venue, the higher the overhead, and thus, the higher the check average needed. A business that understands how to maximize its check average is more likely to stay in the black.
Some of my favorite regulars, for whom I would often save the best bar seats, were the ones who could read the room. They recognized the prime real estate of their seats being that they could get the fastest service, but they could also recognize when it got busy. That’s when my most longtime regular, a whiskey lover, would order his default highball, “Just a rum and diet.” You gotta love those easy highballs and the considerate patrons who order them.
Alicia Yamachika is a bartender and craft mixologist, who currently is the key account manager at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits on Oahu. Follow her on Instagram (@alicia_yamachika). Her column will appear every second Wednesday in Crave.
