As the industry adapts its operations to the pandemic era, restaurants have experimented with new dining formats.A membership-based model that repositions the restaurant as an exclusive community center is the latest trend to take the stage.Quince, a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, is a pioneer of the new model, along with its sister restaurants Cotogna, Verjus, and Fresh Run Farm, as well as its affiliated farm.Quince & Co. is a membership that offers a brand-new format to the food and beverage industry. It elevates restaurants as cultural centers, offering education, engagement with the community, and exclusive access.Quince & Co., a $5,000 membership, includes a $1,000 credit for dining, quarterly boxes of seasonal produce, pantry items “only available to chefs in restaurant kitchens,” exclusive reservations, and a series of educational workshops, such as olive oil pressing, beekeeping and how to pickle or preserve.Perhaps most notable?The 80 spots were all sold out within a few weeks of the launch earlier in the year. Lindsay Tusk and her husband, Michael, own the restaurant group. According to Lindsay, the idea was born after the pandemic, which made it clear that restaurants needed to find new ways of operating that would diversify and multiply their revenue streams.Tusk told Wunderman Thompson Intelligence that she intended to find a revenue stream that would be recurring and paid in advance to create stability.In a volatile economic environment, the current model of restaurant operations — which is almost exclusively dependent on cash flow — cannot be sustained.She says that the money [restaurants] make in one week is enough to pay the bills of the previous three weeks, which puts them always in a precarious financial position.For restaurants to survive, “we need to look at other models.”Tusk says that a membership model made sense, as subscription models are well-established and have proven to be successful.“Subscriptions and loyalty programs play a major role in many aspects of consumer behavior and life, whether it’s Netflix or your yoga studio.She says that the real appeal is for regulars to be able to strengthen their relationship with a restaurant.I think the pandemic brought about a realization among many people of how well-known restaurants are to their quality of life and community.This time has brought to light the emotional connection that people have with restaurants.“[Quince & Co] allows you to take those feelings and create a more structured relationship. You can make your clients or regulars into actual stakeholders and codify that relationship.” She explains.“We have created a community. This is our way to take it to the next step.”Quince & Co. is a great example of a business initiative that will help to enrich the “heart and spirit” of New York City.
