How To & Why Market to Solo Diners — Part 1

"‘Just one?’" “The maitre’d in Miami asked almost condescendingly, as he then scanned the floor of tables for two, four and more, all mostly without customers, and spotted one in a dark corner. Surely, the deuces and four-tops would arrive later and be ‘real business.’

It was a bother to him when I said that the table area was too dark for my reading with dinner, for I would not be distracted by conversation. I was a solo traveler and diner on yet another of my 20 or more trips each year. I was a customer who would have a drink, perhaps an aperitif before dinner, two or three glasses of (high margin) wine with dinner, and would tip for service well above the house average. In this Miami restaurant, I was ‘put off’ because the maitre’d evidently did not value me as a customer. I skipped the pre-dinner drink, ordered one glass of wine, had an acceptable dinner for $30 when the restaurant would otherwise have had a $60, and high margin, customer”.

“There are millions of ‘me,’ individuals and professionals who travel alone, yes, in business, but more often for pleasure. If we like where we are we don’t have to listen to someone else about doing something different or going elsewhere. Solo travelers, unlike all other travelers, are in control of what they do and buy”.

These are the words of a man who should know. Leonard J. Hansen, (www.lenhansen.com) is the nation’s pioneer journalist writing to, for and about mature adults, having founded, edited and published the first senior newspapers in the nation in 1973. In tourism, he was Vice President, Marketing, for Sea World, Inc., radio and television promotion manger for the Seattle World’s Fair, broadcast and public relations director for the Seattle Center, adviser on tourism to the governors of Washington state and Alaska, and counsel to major attractions and hotel chains.

This fellow really gets around. He is what we call a “solo traveler.” Unlike most solo travelers, he is an expert on the marketing of hospitality and tourism, so his eye is much sharper when it comes to what we in this industry should be doing to improve our income generation.

“In Edinburgh, Scotland,” he said, “I was greeted by the manager of the restaurant. He welcomed me and, because he knew that I was an American and a solo traveler, asked if I wanted to join others at the community table. I agreed immediately and was led to a table set for eight but with five already seated, introduced to each of the others by the manager, welcomed by them. The next two hours were some of the best ever with visiting, learning from locals and from the travelers from yet other foreign countries”.

“Why don’t restaurateurs and hoteliers throw out all the old rules, and do some new thinking? Forget the "Just one?" question. Learn from the Europeans and consider a "community table." Don’t sit singles in the back, but at least one or two at tables near the front window so that other solo travelers/diners can readily see that they, too, will be welcomed”.

What do you think?  Give me your two cents' worth!  Stay tuned for Part 2 of this tomorrow….