The holiday week was outstanding for Main Street restaurants, and Sundance reservations are looking strong as well.
Although many Americans say they have not yet felt an economic recovery, people in Park City were willing to spend a little more for dinner last month, restaurateurs agreed.
Michaela Kerr at Prime Steak House said their business during the holidays was double what it was the same time last year.
“We were busy every night. Tourists were in a good mood and happy to be here,” she said.
Nearly every purveyor asked reported that customers seemed to be positive.
Jean Louis Montecot, owner of Jean Louis Restaurant, said he was so busy some nights people had to wait an hour. What surprised him, however, was how amiable they were.
“People were more relaxed,” he explained. “They weren’t so stressed people had a good attitude.”
Additionally, they were willing to spend more money than last year on both food and drinks.
“For me, it was a pleasant surprise,” he added.
Jesse Schettler at No Name Saloon and Butcher’s Chop House said he experienced a higher volume at both restaurants than the last two years.
What’s even better, he said, is that summer and fall business were likewise up from 2009.
“Business was phenomenal over the holidays,” he said.
Even the first week of January has been outperforming the same time last year, he added.
Bill Hufferd, owner of The Mustang, said the size of the average check was also up. Overall, he said business improved significantly over last year and exceeded his expectations.
“People were more willing to spend money,” he said.
Steve McComb, owner of Cisero’s, Bistro 412 and Baja Cantina at Park City Mountain Resort, agreed.
“Last year they would have a glass of wine; this year a bottle,” he said.
The funny thing is, he still saw a lot of price-conscious customers. For example, people would bring in their own wine and want to know the corkage fee. Yet even these clients spent more than the averages for last year, he added.
His biggest complaint, which is telling, was people reserving tables at multiple restaurants. That is a tactic frequently employed during the Sundance Film Festival to ensure a variety of choices on a night when it is tough to find an open table. The fact that people felt the need to do that shows how busy the holidays were.
“It’s a sign we’re going to have a good winter, and the snow certainly helps,” he said. “Business is better at all my restaurants we’re definitely on the road to recovery, I hope.”
Jerry Gilomen, owner of Riverhorse on Main, described the holiday week as “absolutely amazing.”
“It was one of best holiday turnouts we’d ever had. Our New Year’s Eve sold out by Thanksgiving,” he said.
Every day has exceeded projections, he said.
“I feel much more optimistic this winter than I have the last two years,” he added.
All indicators point to increased business during the Sundance Film Festival as well. What makes those 10 days tricky, however, is the loss of interest half way through the week, Schettler explained.
The first weekend of the festival is always busy, and the second weekend is always less so, he added.
Kerr said Prime’s reservation list is shorter for those days as well, even though it is booked the first weekend.
“Ever since Obama’s inauguration, we haven’t had a Sundance to match previous years,” Schettler explained.
Even people who normally would stay the full 10 days were believed to have left early in 2008 to attend inauguration festivities. Despite a positive winter, Schettler said he isn’t sure the weak second half of the festival will improve.
Still, Gilomen said he’s sold out for seven of the 10 days. Montecot said call volume has been high and he’s booked several parties of over a dozen people.
What pleases Gilomen the most is how many corporate parties have booked. Corporate spending is a large portion of profits for businesses catering to luxury travelers.
“Many Americans were not affected by the recession. They felt guilty because they knew other people who were, so they changed their spending habits. Now they’re saying, ‘We can go skiing again and go out to nice restaurants,'” he said.
Not counting Sundance, Riverhorse has booked 40 corporate events for the winter, he said.
“It means businesses are beginning to spend money again; it’s a really important part of the economy,” he added.
McComb said he’s holding his breath until the festival is over and numbers are tallied, but he also said corporations are taking more of an interest in this year’s festival.
Last year his business was down 40 percent during the 10 days. Call volume already suggests 2011 should outshine the previous two festivals, he added.
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