Instagram Restaurants. Attention arbitrage.
The best way to run a restaurant right now is to build the marketing into the meal.
THE GIST ON INSTAGRAM RESTAURANTS: "The Rise of the Instagram Restaurant"
How do people find restaurants now?
Not the old way. They pre-experience them online before they ever walk in. That's why groups like Big Mamma, who do Carlotta and Ave Maria in London, are instantly recognisable in one click.
What is the business model?
Attention arbitrage: turn customers into acquisition. If every table creates posts, it lowers the cost of filling the next table, and the popularity is proof that sells the next booking. You can scale it, and new sites have momentum built in because people already know the format.
What is the catch?
The most valuable experiences right now are the ones you can show other people. So I was there is worth more than that was delicious. That risks restaurants optimised for filming, and whole swathes of brilliant places that aren't.
Does an Instagrammable restaurant draw you in or put you off?
Your take. One tap, then see how everyone else voted.
Quick answers
What is attention arbitrage?
Turning customers into acquisition: their posts lower the cost of filling the next table.
Which groups does Huw cite?
Big Mamma, behind Carlotta and Ave Maria in London.
What is the risk?
Restaurants optimised for filming, and brilliant places that are not.
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