"I'll have the 10W-30 burger, please" - Examining the car dealers as eatery trend
A restaurant that has a few hot cars gathered round is one thing -- but a car dealership that opens a restaurant, where does that rank on the scale of ambiance? With recent trends, you could soon get a chance to decide sooner than you thought.
As our friends at The Detroit Bureau point out, California's Bistro33 at Rocklin Mercedes will be the next dining experience in a dealership. The cars don't mingle in the restaurant -- this isn't some trendy Vegas amusement. And this isn't just about having something to do while you wait for the mechanics to finish with your car. You actually go to a dealership to have your dinner. That means you can discuss APR after appetizers and sort out your warranty with a nice Napa red.
There isn't any reason a dealership can't also make a decent dinner. Galpin's Horseless Carriage has been open for 43 years for a menu full of good reasons. And if you have an Aston Martin, the fare in Galpin's Aston Martin club is worthy of both brands. It remains to be seen this trend catches on in more than a few niche markets, but until car sales rebound. this could be a way to get more foot traffic and a bit more income. And besides, there's nothing like an aged strip steak to make you hungry for a car.
[Source: The Detroit Bureau]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Luso 6:17PM (8/31/2009)
In my opinion this concept is flawed in a few respects: first, a restaurant as a single attraction is not a plausible reason to attract the extra customers that might otherwise not walk through the door.
Why not? As a basis a restaurant is not sufficient to provide a community effect around a car brand. A step in the right direction, but for example it needs a bit more branded...:
- family day outs
- driving experiences
- car museum
- boutiques
- etc
Maybe it can expand into something like this (one step at a time):
www.mercedes-benzworld.co.uk
http://www.carnorama.com
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Clavius 6:32PM (8/31/2009)
Kinda surprised more dealers are not doing this already. Its a great idea and a good way to ensure more money is being spent in the dealership. At times one spends while waiting for their car 1 hour.. and sometimes it ends up being more (like 9 hours myself once UGH!). Be great to be able to just walk out of the "waiting hole" and grab a bite to eat without having to travel down the street or block or even a mile or so in some area's for some food. Having a resturant onsite also ensures the employee's will be less likely to leave the site to get food and if anything has their own earned income spent onsite.
Be curious if some of the bigger dealerships and chains in my area (MA) will add a resturant in their dealerships.
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Nick 6:37PM (8/31/2009)
This MB dealer is just down the street from me, I look forwd to checking it out. We have a few Bistro 33's in the Sacramento area, they are great! I some how doubt this one will stay open till 2am like the others.
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adam1drift 6:38PM (8/31/2009)
i guess we'll be seeing McDonalds in Kia stores soon...
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FThorn 7:08PM (8/31/2009)
I can see some dealerships surrounding a drive-in restaurant. Test drive a car, get a free meal there. Lots of tie-ins.
But eating IN a dealership? No thanks. Kinda like have a kids play place in a fed pen.
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ForgedInternals 7:42PM (8/31/2009)
My Lexus dealer has a internet cafe at it's service waiting building, they could probably stick a restaurant in there if they moved the offices they have there to the dealership or service buildings but I can't see people actually eating there.
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Brent Schmidt 7:50PM (8/31/2009)
Big Two Scion/Toyota out in Chandler, AZ is another crazy new dealership with a salon, cafe, pirate ship and some other things... just madness.
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The Hit 11:48PM (8/31/2009)
I just hope they don't finance my lobster dinner for 15% over MSRP...
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Jim R 11:01PM (8/31/2009)
I have certainly seen worse ideas than this. If the food is good, it's good PR for the dealer--not to mention more cash in the coffers.
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nrb 11:41PM (8/31/2009)
A dealer near me has a Barber Shop in their service isle. They even have oil change & haircut special.
*sigh*
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The Hit 11:57PM (8/31/2009)
Oh, I think I've been there. I was able to "shave" $1500 off their original offer. They "cut" me a good deal, me thinks.
YouFaceTheTick 11:57PM (8/31/2009)
The funniest part... Rocklin is a miserable sh!thole outside of Sacramento, beyond even Orange County wannabe Roseville.
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Kiiks 5:30AM (9/01/2009)
Yeah I blink and miss it every time I'm on the 80. I don't think this will change anything.
JohnAngelo 1:08AM (9/01/2009)
It's dinner time, and I wanna trade in my lunch....
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kobo1d 3:25AM (9/01/2009)
Placer county (Rocklin and Roseville are both within) has the 92nd highest median household income in the US (2000 census). So there are certainly enough people with money to justify a nice Mercedes dealership. Orange country is comparatively 83rd.
And if you figure how many dirt poor college students with crap jobs like me live here and bring down the average...
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Rick 9:50AM (9/01/2009)
So Honda and Toyota would have McDonalds in them and the domestics would have Cracker Barrel?
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Theo 2:31PM (9/01/2009)
As usual--GALPIN #1!
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