Is NYC going against brand? Say it ain't so.
The first rule of branding--as you smart marketers know--is to deliver on your brand promise. The second rule? Continue delivering on that promise.
Lately I'm finding a paradox brewing in my city. On the one hand we're giving out free condoms at Grand Central Terminal and on the other, we're closing up shop early. Take this weekend: I had my dear friend in town who was working a convention (Erik you rock, get a blog!). He needed to work until about 10pm. "No problem," say I, "we can grab a bite at 11p or 12a and go out after." He wondered if we could eat that late and I'm like "It's New York silly."
One of the things I fancy about this city is late-night dining. It's a great vibe and I get to eat dinner twice. And hey, it's the city that never sleeps, right?
Um, wrong. I just never got the memo.
I went to three (three!) restaurants in the busy Broadway District last night and couldn't get seated as they stopped seating at 10:45pm. I even called another restaurant in another part of town. The poor hostess at Sushi Zen got the brunt of my anger when I exclaimed, "What has happened to this city? It's a known thing that people go out to eat late. Why is everyone closing so early? My friend is in town to do the whole NYC experience and we're letting him down."
The hostess even admitted she had turned away two other parties. And you'd think in a perishable business like raw fish you'd want to serve customers until inventory is sold not spoiled. I really didn't mean to be rude; I was just astonished (and hungry). At one point during the rant I gasped..."are bars closing early too?" (all good, still open until 4am. phew).
My point is not how I was inconvenienced it was how I was under an impression--an impression formed by the experiences I've had living here for nearly ten years. And how incongruent my experience was this weekend. Yeah, I could eat at earlier hours. But I shouldn't need to. Why? Because it goes against brand.
Alas, if there's one thing we city-dwellers can count on is a slew of Irish bars that all serve food and stay true to their heritage. Those (awesome!) Irish never go dark and never go against brand ;-).
"the busy Broadway District"
You mean, you took your "friend" to the Broadway district for "food" and expected that tourist-infected slum of Manhattan to still be serving?
THAT was your mistake. Hello. Who goes to Broadway to eat except fat bastards from the suburbs looking for a little Applebees food masquerading as something else.
Ick.
You deserved to go hungry.
Posted by: confused | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 02:23 AM
Funny, I've had a lot of good (and late) dinners in the Hell's Kitchen and Broadway districts of town (Blue Fin, Hakata, a great Italian joint who's name escapes me).
I must be one of those "suburbanites" you knock. Oh, and I'm fat. Regardless, they're still going against brand.
Btw, were you too confused to leave your blog address? I guess you're just masquerading :-).
Posted by: CK | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 03:21 AM
CK - Unfortunately the only place in New York I've ever been is JFK airport. My first instinct was to consider the business issues the restaurants face. Assuming there are no laws preventing them from staying open at night, surely they would stay open if they could make money and keep their employees happy, right?
On the first point, let's assume that enough people want to eat late at night that they could keep the place packed.
What if the employees want to go out, too? Just wondering. I imagine that it can be hard to keep places like that staffed with exceptional employees when they are open around the clock -- especially when other options for employment are available that let them get home at a reasonable hour.
Around here we still have rat infested fast food joints open when we get the midnight munchies. What we sacrifice in taste and quality we make up for in convenience. ;)
Posted by: Cam Beck | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 10:22 AM
CK, of course NYC is open 24/7. Just not the Theater District anymore. Or walk a little west, as you mentioned, to Hell's Kitchen.
Better yet, go downtown -- the Lower East Side is happening all nite. Chelsea and the now-hot Meatpacking District is good. Or cross the bridge to Brooklyn -- how about Park Slope?
If you want to stay in the Theater District, check out the bar at the top of the Marriott Marquis. It's full of tourists (so what!) and it's pricey. But there's a great view as the whole place revolves in a full circle in about 30 minutes.
Or, despite what that Confused guy wrote about the suburbs, come up to Mount Vernon. There's a nice little diner in Fleetwood called Athena that's open all nite. They've even recently repaired the ripped seat cushions in the booths.
Posted by: David Reich | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Hey Cam: Next time you're in NYC you've got a pal and we'll get you out of the airport. I hear you on the employees but in taking that job type it's usually the case that they work late nights, 'til about 2a, on the weekends either one or two nights (I have a lot of friends who are actors and they work at restaurants as their 2nd job so they give up a weekend night for good tips). I just have never had a problem on a weekend and it was odd when the hostess said she has turned away diners. But yeah, we have those late-night, not-so-nice joints here, too :-).
Hiya David: I should have noted that in addition to relying on Irish Pubs I can always rely on a Diner (and have been to that very one ;-). But, being my friend was an out-of-towner, I wanted to take him to a trendier restaurant. Yep, Lower East Side and Meat-Packing District are much fun, but he was staying in midtown so I was trying to make it easier on him being he'd worked such a long day (working conventions means, more times than not, being on your feet for 12 hrs. straight). Even the Hell's Kitchen restaurant I called wasn't serving after 10:45. I can understand weekdays but not the weekend. Bad branding for our late-night city.
Posted by: CK | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 12:46 PM
CK, you definitely are NOT fat.
Posted by: David Reich | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 02:31 PM
David: I was just hitting home how judgmental of 'suburban' folks Mr. Confused is up there (as he was quick to label them fat bastards). Sorry readers, some NYers are harsh like that. Not me and certainly not the majority of us ;-).
Posted by: CK | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 03:30 PM
Who the hell was that a-hole with the first comment? Errr....
Oh, yeah, who the hell eats dinner at midnight? Jeez. You're a rock star...
Posted by: Paul McEnany | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 08:11 PM
Yeah- what Paul (!)said.
I do seem (vaguely) to remember some kind of hot ham sandwich sustenance found after a spot of market research on the lateness of bar openings in NYC with you quite recently...would have been around 4am ish.....
I have the biggest crush on your city, which holds true to the whole 'nothing is constant but change' credo.
I was incredibly surprised to see Broadway without the naked cowboy and general urban darkness, but filled with children in fairy costumes instead. The ninth Kid's Night on Broadway is a great initiative bringing the magic of the theatre to a whole new generation. The district was utterly transformed by delighted, excited first time visitors- infectious!
I think Confused is well named- sharing your metropolis is what makes a city great
and have a look at the stats of who makes up the population of Manhattan- suburbanites, small towners and foreigners from somewhere else looking for an adventure and inspiration.
Let's hope they just don't meet you.
Posted by: Katie Chatfield | Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 09:13 PM
Last time I was there, the Christmas tree at Rockfeller Center turned off at 11PM EST during the holiday season!
Posted by: Davida Dalka | Monday, February 26, 2007 at 12:52 AM
Paul: Thanks ;-).
Katie: Glad you loved NYC. It's a great fit for your energy--now I owe Sydney a visit.
David: That's just wrong...wrong! The tree should be on 24/7 during the holiday (but at least until 2am). That's against brand and holiday ;-(.
Posted by: CK | Monday, February 26, 2007 at 08:04 AM
New York, New York, surely you are not tired. CK, Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen and the Village are alive and well as David said. And, in my mind, much more authentic and fun than the Theater District.
I love you NYC Girl. Feel free to take me to the city's edgier side when we visit. I actually prefer it. And if you're concerned with calories, and one wonders why such a slender girl would, I'll eat and drink for two.
Posted by: Lewis Green | Monday, February 26, 2007 at 10:44 AM
Wow when I heard people always say 'Don't be THAT guy', I never knew who 'that guy' was.
Nice to meet you, 'confused' ;)
Posted by: Mack Collier | Monday, February 26, 2007 at 04:01 PM
2 Things:
1) We were shooting for something near where I was crashed (Millenium Broadway).
2) And you my darling are definitely NOT fat!
Posted by: Erik | Monday, February 26, 2007 at 08:24 PM
Mack: You could NEVER be "THAT" guy. You would never hastily (and wrongly) label people...that's why you've broke the Technorati 500.
Lew: It's a deal. I'm seeing you next month!
Erik: That was a knock at the rude guy. While we had a tough time finding an eatery, I thank you for enjoying the city with me ;-).
Posted by: CK | Monday, February 26, 2007 at 10:03 PM