From GQ's July 2015 Issue, this article looks at a ticketing system called 'Tock' where users pre-pay for tickets to dine out at the hottest new restaurants. An interesting quote form the article states that 'for a long time now food culture has been culture' - in other words, dining out isn't just a facet of the evening's events, it is the event itself. This is something we've understood for a while, maybe just because we love dining out so much. The article also talks about other platforms within the restaurant reservations space including one that users 'bid' on hard-to-get seats by promising to pay a certain percentage over the menu price. Much of the impetus for the depth of this market is 'no-show' diners who make reservations and then simply don't show up (or call to cancel). 

Following our blog post about national trends in restaurant growth last week, a story in today's Arizona Republic talks about the growth of Arizona's restaurant industry. Sales from 2013 to 2014 increased $500 Million, and are expected to do the same in 2015. Overall, valley restaurant growth is up 55% since 2005, and a 23.8% growth in restaurant jobs is expected by 2025 - the highest growth in the nation. Check out some of the restaurants mentioned in the article that are also Brick & West projects like SkySong Restaurants Building, Joyride Taco House, Old School and Taco Guild, and Annex. 

According to Mintel's report  'American Lifestyles 2015', per capita restaurant visits may increase by as much as 27% over the next five years. Taking advantage of this trend, according to NPD restaurant analyst Bonnie Riggs, will depend on restauranteurs understanding and meeting consumer expectations.

See the full article on 'Eat Beat' here

An article from 'Eat Beat' on what drives top chefs when making decisions on which restaurant deals to take and which to pass on. Not surprisingly a common thread throughout the interview is embeddedness in the local culture. Developing restaurants (and all of our projects) to become a part of the community they're in is something we believe very strongly in.

http://m.restaurant-hospitality.com/chef-interviews/meet-masters-america-s-top-kitchens

We are in the process of finishing up our project at The Crown on seventh Street in central Phoenix.

Here are some photos! Come August the first tenants should be opening to the public!!