Spoiled by lack of choice: the restaurant tasting menu takes off post-COVID
David Matthews
Photo: Joe Armao
Neil Perry called it first. And if not first, at least loudest, stating with the closure of his original Rockpool in Sydney five years ago that hours-long, course-by-course tasting menus were done.
A la carte dining was where it was at, he said, opening Eleven Bridge with a menu where (gasp) guests got to choose what they ate, then pay for it. Eleven Bridge didn t last, but where Perry led others followed.
Take a spin around the country s biggest restaurant openings of the past 18 months, and a la carte is the name of the game: Woodcut at the Crown; Gimlet at Cavendish House; Mimi s by Merivale; the upcoming Society by the Lucas Group.
New data reveals which Australian capitals have the best (and worst) restaurant tippers
Callan Boys
Photo: Simon Schluter
Like it or loathe it, tipping has been a part of Australian restaurant culture for decades. Traditionally reserved for service at finer-dining establishments, a gratuity is now being left at more casual eateries, largely thanks to the growth of in-venue ordering technology.
Developers for web-based platform Me&u – which works by diners scanning a QR code with their phone to order and pay with an interactive menu – have reported an eightfold increase in gratuity nationwide after enhancing tipping capability in June.
Meanwhile, HungryHungry online ordering platform – used by food and drink vendors at outdoor events and large venues such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground – has seen the value of tips increase by 13 per cent since June.