About two years ago, a Chinese restaurant opened down the street from my house. I’d walk by on a regular basis, and it was always empty. Maybe one or two tables had diners, but no more. After a couple of months, I decided to check them out.
Maybe if they were good I’d become a regular customer and could encourage friends and neighbors to do the same. So my girlfriend and I walked in around 7pm on a weeknight, prime dining hour. We were the only ones there.
And in the time it took us to order, be served, eat, and pay (maybe 45 minutes), we watched them make at least 20 takeout orders.
Takeout is a huge part of the Chinese food market in the US. If everyone getting takeout had opted to eat there instead, the place would’ve been packed with a line out the door. Instead, we got to enjoy a quiet meal together, and the waiter/host/owner could enjoy his newspaper.
