Trendy restaurants are generally considered to be those establishments in which 
These are the places frequented by the so-called fashionable crowd: those who represent the fashion trends and attributes of a particular city, the heroes of the society columns. To paraphrase Leo Tolstoy, one could say that all fashionable establishments are fashionable in the same way, and all unfashionable ones are unfashionable in their own way. The attention paid to fashionable establishments and their success stories stems from the fact that the restaurant and, especially, club audience is rapidly getting younger, and fashion in our country is a privilege reserved for the youth.
However, all fashionable establishments can be classified according to several criteria.
First, a trendy kitchen or bar. In Kyiv, cuisine trends change roughly every four to five years. Mexican cuisine was once fashionable, then Japanese, Moroccan, and then fusion entered the scene . Often, cuisine trends are associated not so much with the dishes themselves as with the unique presentation, the rituals of service, and the dining experience. After all, true connoisseurs of, say, Japanese cuisine are few and far between; patrons are drawn to the unusual and the new. Trendy bar trends vary from the type of bartender and their style (the more relaxed and outgoing, the better), and the emergence of the sommelier position, to the variety of cocktails and their preparation methods. They have become firmly established and never gone out of fashion. hookah and cigars.
Secondly, a trendy interior. In the last two years, for example, eclecticism has become fashionable in restaurant design, mixing materials with different textures: glass and brick, wood and metal, and so on. With the start of the war in Iraq, interiors in oriental (Arabic, Moroccan) styles have become fashionable.
Third, a trendy atmosphere. This primarily applies to the party program. In this case, the leaders are clubs or art restaurants that can afford to organize a full-fledged entertainment event with all its trappings. Often, the "fashionability" of the musicians (DJs, presenters, actors) entertaining the public is projected onto the establishment itself, based on the principle "Vasya was here" (that is, a certain celebrity performed).
There's another type of trendy establishment, where trendiness is artificially declared. For example, a restaurant (or club, or café) claims to be "the trendiest." If the establishment's management chooses the right direction and nails the performers, interior, cuisine, and bar selection, and develops a program to attract a trendy clientele, such an establishment can truly become trendy. However, if you analyze the reasons for such a trendy establishment, it becomes clear that there's nothing particularly trendy about it other than the clientele itself, which, for certain reasons, has chosen it as their entertainment venue for this particular season.
How long does fashion last?
Essentially, what makes a place fashionable is the feedback from its patrons, especially those most active—the innovators in spirit who create that very same trendy crowd. It's their feedback that the rest of the public listens to, and it's this feedback that management must rely on if they want to make it truly fashionable.
However, unlike traditionalists, who take a long time to get used to an establishment and then continue to frequent it, innovators tend to quickly lose interest and shift their focus to something new. Therefore, the life cycle of a trendy establishment, in the true sense of the word, cannot be long – a maximum of 1.5 to 2 years. After that, it ceases to be trendy (after all, every fashion passes) and requires either a reorientation or a complete modernization. It is within this period that a trendy establishment must pay for itself. Therefore, if planning to open a trendy establishment and there is every chance of achieving this status, future owners should avoid significant capital expenditures. As is well known, in the restaurant business, the most expensive parts are renovations and construction work and the purchase of technological equipment. Therefore, the interior of a trendy establishment should not be expensive (it will not have time to pay for itself anyway), although it is better not to skimp on kitchen and bar equipment, otherwise achieving trendy status will be more difficult. In this case, the interior's fashionability will lie not in the high cost of finishing and decor, but in fun interior "tricks" that, with a little imagination, are inexpensive and look stylish.
If management expects a longer-term presence in its chosen niche, it should consider attracting a more conservative clientele. In this case, it's important to focus not on trendiness but on popularity, which will eventually build a loyal following. It's worth noting that fashion and popularity are two completely different things, especially in the restaurant business. For example, a restaurant serving classic Ukrainian or home-style cuisine isn't exactly trendy, but they can be very popular among certain segments of the population.
What is the advantage of a trendy establishment?
Such an establishment can quickly pay for itself, and here's why. A trendy establishment can't be cheap. - its audience is either the "golden" youth or representatives of the city's elite, - Well-off people willing to spend money if such an establishment meets their expectations. But high prices alone, naturally, won't attract a solvent audience. A very common mistake on the part of restaurateurs is An attempt to secure a fashionable status for one's establishment solely through high prices. Furthermore, a fashionable establishment goes through the growth phase and reaches peak sales faster than a more conservative one.
How to make an establishment fashionable?
Fashionable audiences are less inclined to trust direct advertising; they trust the opinions of their peers more. Therefore, direct advertising should only be planned for the first few months of operation, to inform potential customers. A smart move when opening a fashionable establishment is to engage someone familiar to the establishment to work with this audience. This person should ensure the establishment attracts innovative customers who will generate favorable reviews among their peers. This could be an art director, a bartender, or an advertising manager. Sometimes the director or owner of the establishment plays the role of the main "attractor," but this requires strong charisma and communication skills, not just desire.
It's also important to conduct effective PR promotion for a fashionable establishment—it should be aimed at affirming the values inherent to the fashionable audience. Inviting certain celebrities and well-known party-goers has a very positive effect on creating a fashionable image among the hip crowd. Hosting various events (themed, musical, and gaming) is an essential attribute of a fashionable establishment. A well-planned and expertly executed event will make a splash.
The party crowd actively uses the Internet as a source of information, so using this channel should not be ignored when promoting a trendy establishment.
The so-called "silibritis" method, borrowed from beauty salons, is also used quite successfully to attract a crowd to a trendy establishment. The method consists of Fashionable figures are served at significant discounts or even for free, but in return, they are asked to recommend the establishment to their friends and acquaintances. For restaurants, hiring female models from renowned modeling agencies is particularly effective in this role—they don't eat much themselves, much less drink, but they can attract a fashionable crowd and create the appropriate atmosphere.
Favorable reviews from journalists are also crucial for promoting a trendy establishment. Such reviews shape the reputation of the establishment, so it's advisable to attract and encourage journalists at all costs. Photo reports of the establishment's parties are especially beneficial for promoting its fashionable image.
In fact, both the owners of fashionable establishments and their patrons should know the bitter truth about fashion: it doesn't come from nowhere, but is artificially created. As Coco Chanel said, "What's fashionable is what I wear." Somewhere, there are certain people who create a certain product and announce it to everyone as fashionable. The same thing happens in the restaurant business. Becoming a trendsetter in your city is very easy; sometimes it's enough to observe fashion trends in cities and countries that have a strong cultural influence on the "locals." All fashion trends in the Ukrainian restaurant business are borrowed (mainly from Russia and Europe). After all, aside from the "Orange Revolution," Ukraine has yet to create a fashion trend that has been adopted worldwide. Therefore, in the restaurant business, it's easier not to reinvent the wheel, but to copy it in whole or in part, having first determined whether the fashionable audience can or will ride it and whether it will suit their tastes.
