Upscale Restaurateurs Offer Concierge-Like Services for Guests
These days it can be tough to tell the difference between a maitre d’ and a hotel concierge.
Need collar stays? Spiaggia has them. Cuff links? Seasons will get them. A spritz of Static Guard? No problem at Des Plaines’ Cafe la Cave. A size 52 long sport coat? Ambria has it.
“Places really interested in growing their business use their maitre d’s very much like you would use a concierge,” said Isidore Kharasch, who heads Deerfield-based consultancy Hospitality Works.
“I think part of what we do is attention to detail. You need to notice things,” added Chris Gerber, the dining room manager at Trio in Evanston.
That’s especially true in an industry that expects to pull in $440 billion this year and is enjoying a small jump in consumer spending for the first time in five quarters, according to a recent report by NPD Group market researchers.
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