WingHouse Tampa: Imagine
Imagine owning a restaurant. Imagine for one day, the cash registers scream out in mercy, "boss I'm overworked. I can't take in anymore money." Imagine for this to happen all you have to say to your employees is, "folks, we're going to honor our public and civil defenders. Lets have some fun, and oh yeah, wear a costume."
A few of us from work eat lunch a couple times a month at the WingHouse on Route 301 in Tampa. We always try to get there before noon to beat the lunch rush. We pulled into the parking lot the other day at a quarter to twelve. There were no parking spaces. Burly pick up trucks had even invented a few of their own parking spaces - off pavement. We quickly tried to figure out what was up. Was Hillary Clinton in town? Was Britney Spears in town? Paris Hilton?
We were mystified, until the young lady opened the front door for us. Costume day at the WingHouse. You'll have to use your imagination, but I can start you off with young, fit women wearing slightly less than full uniforms.
The atmosphere inside was festive and cool. Ownership was running a contest for the most favorite costumed girl. Sitting there with my colleagues, my mind began to drift (I know, I am a little sick). I thought of this one simple and brilliant decision that the owners made...to quadruple their business. And aside from promoting the event, it didn't cost them a dime. How could this work in my business?
WingHouse takes their product (wings are their other products), and basically, puts it on steroids. This takes thought and imagination but think of what kind of move you could make with your own business, using this mindset.
Speaking of thought and imagination and increasing your revenues... While dining that day, an announcement came over the loudspeaker asking people who had parked in the Red Roof Inn parking lot to move their cars or they would be towed. Now we are talking the middle of the day at a hotel. Were the cars disturbing the cleaning folks? It seems to me that for folks smart enough to whip up an event that hardly costs them a dollar and makes them thousands more, they might be able to work out an arrangement with hotel. It is also entirely possible that they have and Red Roof Inn is stonewalling. No matter which company is doing what, the Red Roof Inn came away with egg on its face and the WingHouse was short on parking spaces.
I like this WingHouse. No matter when we've been there, the staff has been friendly (in spite of the pressure to git ya out), they always demonstrate a sense of urgency - like they actually want you to be there, and the food is good. And in an attempt to demonstrate that I am not sick, the girls are pretty.
