The broadcast “24 Hours at the Golden Apple” is filled with interviews of all kinds of people eating at the restaurant and gives the listener an idea of the types of people who come out at certain times of the day. This Chicago diner has three owners who are very present in running their business and the waitresses have made this job their career. These two factors, coupled with the diner being open for 24 hours in a centralized city location, plays a role in the type of people who frequent the diner. It seems like many people go there to achieve some form of friendly social interaction whether it be with the waitresses or the people sitting at the nearby tables. It is a sanctuary and a place where people can feel connected to a little piece of the world around them.
Chain restaurants such as Applebees try to make community a part of their image, but in reality it is not a place to go to feel closer to your community. Although, there are pictures and memorabilia of the community hanging on every inch of the walls, all the Applebees are essentially the same wherever you go. The people who work there do not portray a sense of openness and familiarity. The chain doesn’t hire employees who plan on making this their career; therefore you get service from a part-timer who needs a job while they are going to school and could care less about getting to know their customers. It is all about getting people in and out. Maybe if they spent less money on their image(thru advertising and décor) and more money on paying full-time career waiters they could achieve a true sense of community.
No comments:
Post a Comment