thinking out loud....

[lagilman]

Y'know what could make a big city restaurant/cafe kick over from "doing ok" to wildly profitable? Add a glassed-in area off the dining area, with a separate entrance from outside, where people can bring their dogs to hang out while they have brunch/drinks with friends.

Seriously, the number of folk around here who take their dogs with them for brunch in the warmer weather, when you can sit outside? High. What do they do in the colder temps? What if they're worried about not being able to get one of the patio tables? This way, year-round availability.

Probably only room for one such place per city, and you'd have to offer decent food/libations, too. But it would work.


(yes, am puppy-sitting today, how could you tell?)

Comments

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't even need to be glassed in, could be done with air curtains with minor changes in the health codes in NYC. There are tons of pet friendly restaurants in other areas.

[lagilman]

I was thinking glassed-in because that way you could see what your dogs were doing,without hassle or bursts of cold air interrupting your dinner.

And it's not just the health code that's a problem: you also have to consider potential customer allergies...

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

Ah, I was thinking dine with animals, more than a doggie park option. The air curtains are to help with the allergies by trapping dander before it hits the main venue (much like is done with smoking areas in some states)

[lagilman]

Animals not allowed inside restaurants/places serving food, as per health code, only in open-air/sidewalk cafes.

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

That's where the health code change comes in, to allow it in a properly constructed area..

[kradical.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a dog owner in your neighborhood, I like this plan........

[lagilman]

Um. Yeah. Assuming quite logically that's not going to happen....

(I love my pets, but I am not going to demand that health codes be changed to allow them to enter places where food is commercially prepared. There's a reason for those codes, however often they're bent.)

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

I think they'd have to be changed (or at least a clarification issued) anyway, even for the glassed in areas. Assuming they are written to standard, they cover all parts of a continguous establishment.

It's conceivable that if the door to the pet area opened directly to outside and it was on a separate climate control system it could be considered a separate structure.

[lagilman]

Yes, that's why I originally specified a glassed-in area with a separate entrance from the outside.

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

Sorry, missed that.

I actually looked it up, it would be doable ONLY if everything except maybe electrical was separate and there was a full physical separation between the two areas under the current code (I don't think a glass wall would do it).

The easiest way to execute would be to purchase or rent an adjoining property, set up restrooms and seating, but have diners carry their own food into it. If they have waitress service, could be considered same establishment.

Or, set the doggy play area in the adjoining facility and monitor via CCTV

[lagilman]

You have spent >way more time/energy on this than I have/intended!

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

Heh. Doesn't take too long with a searchable legal index I have access to, and I actually know a few establishment owners in NYC I might have suggested this to if it was a little more cost-feasible. I think you are right, there is a market for it.

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

Should you ever make it to the Central California Coast, you really want to eat with your dogs at these two dog-friendly places, where the food is good, plentiful, and people watching is good, too.
•Phil's Seafood Market, http://www.philsfishmarket.com/ Moss Landing CA (in the mddle of the bay coastline between Monterey Bay Aquarium and the varied fun in Santa Cruz)
•Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria, http://www.gaylesbakery.com/ Capitola CA, just off the fwy on your way to or from Phil's & the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Each of them have heated enclosed patios where dogs are welcome.

Alas, I don't think the Aquarium allows pets.