Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/family-style-dining-focusing-on-the-importance-of-rituals-in-building-relationships/5014553/
Location, location, and location. It's the restauranteur's doctrine of success, the genesis of multi-million dollar research projects to identify prime real estate, the reason our towns have become blighted by strips of franchises and chains. But it would appear that location is not quite enough; anyone, frequent traveler, family newly relocated to a different town, or someone just looking for something different, anyone who has occasion to let their fingers stroll the Yellow Pages or do a restaurant search on the web will see far fewer references to where a restaurant is located than they will large font enticements of "Family Style Dining." Advertisements abound for family style dining. From the local diner to five-star "fine dining," the ads entreat us to "come and enjoy some down home, just-like-mother family dining." The ads dare us to turn away from a meal served just like mom was going to be there. And, contrary to the location issue, they dare us not to care how far out of the way we need to go to get there!What is it about Family Style Dining that holds such power over our decision-making? Simple nostalgia? Hope for a flashback experience to the good old days? Guilt ...