Farm vs. Bar Food: Which Restaurant Divided Concept Did You Like Better?
After years of unprofitability and a staggering debt of almost $50,000, the three co-owners of Maggie's Farm in Baltimore faced a crucial crossroads that would ultimately determine if and how the eatery would ever see future success. One owner, Laura Merino, was adamant in her belief that her restaurant needed to stick to its farm-to-table concept to have any chance at future success, while her partners — the chef, Andrew Weinzirl, who's also her fiancé, and the general manager, Matthew Weaver — maintained that an all-new Southern-skewed concept would be most beneficial in relaunching Maggie's. Before he could help the owners come together in agreement, Rocco DiSpirito had to first divide them further, and the only way to do so was to begin a Restaurant Divided takeover.
Working with his design team, Rocco split the space at Maggie's into two eateries and let diners and restaurant critics speak to which restaurant they'd most want to return. Laura ran the made-over, garden-inspired Maggie's Farm that featured its signature fresh cuisine; Andrew and Matthew opened the speakeasy-bar hybrid Speakgreazy, a red-walled space with plush seating serving Southern favorites. While both concepts proved able to attract guests and dish out quality plates, 25 percent more customers were more willing to return to Laura's restaurant, Maggie's, than they were to the guys' Speakgreazy. Knowing this and having dined at both establishments, Rocco ultimately revealed that the original business, Maggie's, would afford the group the best chance at lasting viability.
Which restaurant concept did you like better? Do you think Rocco made the right decision in reopening Maggie's, or should the eatery have tried a new approach in the form of Speakgreazy? Tell FN Dish by voting in the poll below and leaving a comment.
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