QUALITALY_127

Februar y/March 202 2 VII MAGAZINE invention, has managed to overcome other difficult periods by always getting back on its feet and proving to be a fixed point in the daily lives of consumers. Take away and open air: the osteria della posta Before Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau opened the first modern restaurant with separate tables and menus in the Louvre district of Paris in 1765, eateries existed, but they were taverns and takeaways born out of the need to feed travellers, who ate the dish of the day at communal tables alongside strangers. In Pompeii in 2020 archaeologists uncovered an intact thermopolis, a kind of delicatessen or period fast-food restaurant: there were 158 in the city. In London in 1200 there were already public places serving food and drink. For many centuries the lower classes ate out. Not being able to afford the cost of wood or coal for cooking, they used communal ovens or kitchens: places where people met to cook food and share it on the spot. A tip for our times: the indoor garden, the dehors, have made it possible in the past two years to continue to meet in the open air. In our cities, the pavements have been filled with tables and pots of plants and flowers. And they have been very popular. Customers continue to appreciate green, relaxing spaces, and they will continue to take advantage of parks and green spaces by eating take-away, a channel that needs to be manned, thinking about food that is easy to transport, from finger food to street food, even adapting “great classics” of the restaurant, in single portions. EXCLUSIVE LUXURY: THE RESTAURANT AT HOME AND THE CLUB So, eating out has been a necessity rather than a luxury for centuries. The wealthy class has always preferred to eat at home, enjoying their servants and the comfort of their beloved walls. In the last century, the offer has multiplied, even incorporating luxury, with all its rituals of service. The Michelin Guide was born in 1900 as a “travellers’ guide” but evolved in a gourmet sense with the awarding of the legendary “stars”, attracting a high-end clientele and distancing it from domestic consumption. But the search for confidentiality, privacy and exclusivity remain basic points for capturing the attention of this consumer group. A tip for our times: The pandemic has widened the economic gap between classes and created new modes of consumption. Reversing the flow between home and restaurant. Not only have star chefs reinvented themselves as home cooks (even virtually, to explain in streaming how to cook the contents of a box): the most advanced have thought of bringing not only the cuisine but also the indispensable service - a fundamental part of the experience - to the (high- ranking) home, with a host of waiters and dishwashers. And for the lazy ones, even Hollywood-style table settings. In search of exclusivity, the restaurant is rented in part or in full to high-end clients who want to be on the safe side. These are all opportunities to consider carefully. A CORNER FOR INSTAGRAM A recent custom, linked to the advent of social media, is to publicise one’s outings away from home by immortalising dishes and locations. But is this really the case? In fact, it was also done in 19th-century Paris, where flâneurs - the most famous being the poet Baudelaire - frequented restaurants as a place to see and be seen. Today, as then, eating when seen by other people feeds the ego of a certain group of diners. A tip for our times: it is time to renovate your restaurant. A redesign with strong colours, coloured lighting and beautiful views of the outside - if available - still provides the wow effect that attracts younger customers. Communicating to the customer that you have redesigned - with a sustainable menu tweak and a new colour scheme - will give them the feeling that these two years have not been in vain and will freshen up your offering. LESS IS MORE In recent years, eating out has become a habit we can hardly do without. But it is also an increasingly expensive luxury. In the United States in 1930, a hot meal out cost 25 per cent more than at home; by 2021, the gap has risen to 320 per cent. And increases in ingredients and energy costs have already prompted many restaurateurs to raise prices. A tip for our times: people will eat out less often but there will be more awareness and a search for the right restaurant. It is even more important to raise the bar on quality