Pop-Up Restaurants: the Food Trucks of 2013?
Pop up restaurants have been popular in the UK and Australia since the 2000s. A pop up restaurant is a restaurant that is only around for a short while, usually a handful of months. Pop up restaurants often take over a space that was formerly a restaurant (obviously they need something with seating and a working kitchen), decorate it with minimal décor to keep the cost down since they will only be tenants for a short while, and serve up tasty food to adventurous eaters.
The pop up restaurant trend should be expected to continue as it allows chefs to try new styles and techniques without the fear of a backlash from critics. Pop-ups allow chefs to flex their creative muscles while giving diners a chance to break free from the hum drum restaurant experience and try something less conventional for a night.
Why would pop up restaurants be popular?
It’s the Economy, silly!
With the sluggish economy, many restaurants cannot sustain themselves. Rather than have spaces sit empty, clever landlords may choose to rent space out for a short period of time. Better to get some money than none at all, right?
Scarcity
There’s a certain allure in knowing there is only a limited time to sample the food. Foodies flock to the shiny, new restaurants and want to experience them before others. With the advent of social media it is rather easy to have the word spread quickly about a pop up restaurant space, especially when it is started by another restaurant owner in town.
Mystery
Many pop up restaurants don’t post a regular menu as they simply buy what is available or locally produced for the most part. Adventurous patrons appreciate being able to have their dining experience a bit of mystery.
Just like the food trucks, there is bound to be some red tape associated with opening a pop up restaurant. Waiting for permits and a liquor license can take quite some time, cutting into the profitability of a pop up restaurant. In any event, hopefully the pop up restaurant trend will continue to pop up around cities, as it is a fun and exciting departure from typical restaurant dining.