When is a supper club an "underground" supper club? According to the upcoming documentary 'Paladar', underground is when two disenfranchised undergraduates offer "prix fixe" in their apartment. And whether or not it is truly underground, fix menu supper clubs were early adopters of restaurant reservation ticketing software, and for good reason.
Eating Illegally
The underground supper club trend has matured to the point that one of them has been made the subject of a documentary.
Know as 'Paladar', the supper club originally began when two USC students, Alex Chang and Robert Kronfli, began offering an edgy experience in gastronomica at their on-campus apartment back in 2009. Edgy in that it is illegal to operate a restaurant without a licence (hence the "underground" moniker).
While the documentary is a look back, the most recent Paladr dining experience was just last month. The stealthy announcement beckons loyal Paladarians to make reservation by phone or email. The fixed menu priced at a very reasonable $40 per person. And holding true to the "underground" moniker the location was not disclosed until reservations were confirmed. Note that Paladar has not (yet) made full use of a proper restaurant ticketing system, but that will most likely change as fame and fortune bestow the underground supper club.
A Zagat Rated "Underground" Supper Club?
A Zagat rating is one of the most prestigious citations a restaurant can get. Once the world famous husband and wife team have given their coveted ranking to to an eatery, it instantly sees a jump in reservations. However a Zagat rating assumes that the restaurant is a fully licensed business, with all the legal obligations being met. As such, a Zagat rating is something an underground supper club could ever hope to have - or is it?
Recently Zagat featured the underground supper club in Chicago called 'Safari Supper' on its website.
The only problem is that whole secretive [supper club] thing. One must be in the know or know a guy or know a guy who knows a guy to snag seats at these elusive dinners. Fear not, four members of Chicago’s underground dining community will band together (above ground) for a one-night-only progressive dinner. Via a bus, diners will be transported from location to location across Chicago where fresh food and drinks will be waiting.
Zagat goes on to recommend 'Safari Supper', stopping just short of an official rating. Logic would dictate that once a so-called "underground" supper club is on Zagat's radar, it can no longer be considered truly underground. Semantics aside, 'Safari Supper' is making use of a restaurant ticketing system. Unlike Paladar, by using a pre-paid ticket instead of a reservation, Safari Supper won't be a victim of the dreaded no-show.
ThunderTix Restaurant Ticketing Software - Table d’hôte
As the underground supper club market becomes more mainstream, the need for proper ticketing software becomes more of a business necessity.
ThunderTix offers supper clubs, underground or not, an easy way to get up and selling tickets in advance, just like Next restaurant in Chicago. Your supper club can harness all the power of the ticketing technology that powers some of the most successful concerts in the country - but at price tailored for your intimate dining experience. And unlike other restaurant ticketing software, we do not charge you or your guests ticket fees.