The emergence of experience dining

Many say this is an era dominated by experiences but are we also seeing industry disciplines now collaborate as rarely before?

This year has seen the emergence of experience dinning, an interactive and theatrical change to the more traditional style of eating out. We are seeing consumers wanting diningexperience which focus not only on food but stories behind it and engagement which ensures memorable eating moments.

There is a whole trend whereby the consumer and guest is seeking that much more in terms of service and offer. The questions which linger is where will this road lead to in terms of evolution in experience? And what impact are new experiences having on margin and spend?

This month, Hilton Lake Como, the new-generation hotel on the shores of Italy’s most famous lake, is unveilling a new interactive culinary offering in partnership with globally renowned ‘dinner theatre’ Le Petit Chef.

A theatrical dining experience for adults and children aged six and up, diners will enjoy sophisticated 3D cinema on their dining-table-turned-screen, combined with outstanding gastronomy using the freshest, local ingredients.

It is one of those simple yet logical ideas which in theory should lead to longer dwell times, increased bookings and greater spend and is yet another example of how different industries are today coming together in a way which was not the case even 4 years ago.

One of the constant discussion themes, across all industries, is how can different offers collaborate and partner better to create new experiences and higher spend. This in turn can lay the land for an exciting and innovative new era where traditional boundaries are taken away and new alliances will emerge.

At Le Petit Chef, every guest can look forward to a show on their own plate. Between courses, the table is unobtrusively transformed into a screen, whereupon the little chef entertains with various performances and recordings, because his attempts to prepare culinary masterpieces almost always end in disaster. Luckily, the kitchen crew of Hilton Lake Como always help the virtual star out! When the food is on the table, the show moves into the background and the curtain goes up for regional and international delicacies.

This is an innovative way to rejuvenate traditionally stuffy and unexciting dining experiences, transforming food into interactive and unforgettable experiences. This introduces the idea that consumers are invested in making dining into larger moments to spend with family and friends. Will we see more companies focusing on inventive ways to encourage eating out? Are consumers now more interested in making an event out of food and Is this a possible trend will be seeing more of in the future?