After several years of building up his brand in catering and running a few local mom and pop kitchens for other people, my friend was able to set up his concept and get it up and running a little over two years ago. He now has two locations. It is going very well, but he has a business model that goes against the grain of how most places are run. (There are some similar successful chain concepts, but are not nearly as diverse in their offerings)
They don't have a menu so to speak. You walk in and decide if you want a Po Boy (Sub), Burrito/Wrap, Salad, Bowl, or Tacos. You then pick your protein (Steak, Pork, Chicken, Shrimp, Lobster, Fish, Crab, Tofu) add your toppings of which there are about 100 choices, add sauces (about 20 different kinds), and pick a side to go with it. Everything is made with top quality ingredients and cooked fresh on site.
With people today being very sensitive to what they eat, having more food allergies (real or perceived), and other dietary restrictions, It seems like a good concept to let people customize specifically to their tastes. However, The downside I have seen is that people can get very confused and overwhelmed when ordering. They might also decide on a flavor combination that does not work or forget to include a key ingredient that really makes the dish and hold it against the restaurant as bad food.
So, what say you? Is this the future of dining? or a flash in the pan fad?
They don't have a menu so to speak. You walk in and decide if you want a Po Boy (Sub), Burrito/Wrap, Salad, Bowl, or Tacos. You then pick your protein (Steak, Pork, Chicken, Shrimp, Lobster, Fish, Crab, Tofu) add your toppings of which there are about 100 choices, add sauces (about 20 different kinds), and pick a side to go with it. Everything is made with top quality ingredients and cooked fresh on site.
With people today being very sensitive to what they eat, having more food allergies (real or perceived), and other dietary restrictions, It seems like a good concept to let people customize specifically to their tastes. However, The downside I have seen is that people can get very confused and overwhelmed when ordering. They might also decide on a flavor combination that does not work or forget to include a key ingredient that really makes the dish and hold it against the restaurant as bad food.
So, what say you? Is this the future of dining? or a flash in the pan fad?