3 types

I changed the title to protect the innocent (me) from being prosecuted for revisiting an idea that was written while employed by a different company that may or may not have intellectual property rights on thoughts that were shared at the time of employment.
I am a numbers guy. If you think math is not important, I would say you don't fully appreciate math and definitely don't understand what the numbers say when you listen. I have always claimed that I am no different than Neo as I see the code in front of me and can decipher the language.
That being said, let's dive in to the 3 types of restaurants.

I worked for a chain from the late 90's to early 00's, a franchise. I was told, by a company franchise consultant, that our brand would never be a destination restaurant. I accepted that fact to her face and left the conversation alone. I never enjoy having an intellectual battle against a less than adequate foe.
This was the same person that recommended my termination as a GM but I didn't hold that against her, I used it as motivation but we can visit that story some other time.


Overflow, Multiple Choice and Destination

Watching hourly numbers, I was able to see that I had an overflow restaurant.
Odd term but true. We didn't get busy at noon or 6pm, our rush started at 12:40 or 7 pm. Why? Everyone else was busy and we had an empty parking lot and no wait at the door. I hated understanding that we executed so badly that no would trust us during a busy time. I had just got there, been told by the powers that be not to expect anymore than that and the sales level was largely unchanged in the 3 years before my arrival. 1.6 million/year. How do you combat the mentality of a guest that doesn't trust you but has no other choice? Put staff and managers on for when the push starts. Blow them away when they walk in the door. You should have an extra 30 minutes to prepare and then be ready for it. But mostly, accept where you are in the grand scheme of things and change it.
What happens to a guest when they drive through 2 different parking lots and decide they have to settle for you AND you are ready for them? We move to the 2nd type of restaurant.
Multiple Choice
"Hey Honey! Where do you want to eat tonight? Restaurant A, B or C?" Now we've moved from the random chance of visitation to one of the top 3 picks. Most would be happy with that. Big time.
No, not really.
Same restaurant. Florida. Late November, early December. Just before season. For those who have lived through the experience, you have sympathy for what we  is about to happen to us.
You don't see the numbers, though. You don't listen to the guest. Many of them begin to say good-bye as season approaches and they will not return with their wallets until after Easter. "We don't want to wait in line as the snowbirds arrive and take our spot that we have enjoyed for the last 8-9 months. We won't fight the crowds." Why? Because as a multiple choice restaurant our machine that is service doesn't always hit all 8 cylinders. Long waits, long tickets and minimal guest interaction. the real question is Why Bother? It's the tipping point when you understand it.
Destination.
My conversation about never being a destination restaurant dealt with a finer dining experience than what I could provide to the guest on a daily basis. She meant 3, 4 or 5 stars. No, I will never be that type of establishment. Remy from "Ratatouille" pulled off what I could never do. A list of names 6 months in advance that anxiously awaited their turn to dine with one of the finest chefs in all of France. I was never fooled by her statement.
To move to a destination is not about being so much better that there is a book with names who choose the times they want to come, that's actually a multiple choice. April with Remy at 7:30.
No, destination is simply "Hey Honey, are we going to Restaurant A tonight?" Of course the answer is yes.( And here is the tricky part for my Southern Friends). "Let's go at 4:30 or 5, before the rush starts and watch the tourist stand in line, sound good? I mean, it is our restaurant, why do we have to wait?"
It all starts with knowing you place and be willing to change your lot. This is a true story of a business that more than doubled its sales in 6 years and I was able to listen to the numbers.