You might call dining retail. Except that, what we learned about the challenges and possibilities of the Cape Cod retail business in the last of this series, eating out also has all to do about the experience.
Restaurant business remains brisk at places like Baxter’s Fish n’ Chips by the Pleasant Street docks.
“Take any table,” a greeter says to a foursome walking in. They look around. “Maybe in the next room.”
The next room doesn’t have a great view to the harbor, but it has few un-filled tables.
“All restaurants with a good experience have done well,” Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross said. “If you have outside dining, you’re doing well.”
Baxter’s does not own outside dining in town. More restaurants along Main Street Hyannis have added outside dining, and that’s outside on Main Street.
A tour bus from Indiana spewed diesel exhaust on diners Friday at lunch time, no one complained. “Good news America, God loves you,” the slogan on the rear of the bus said. The diners concentrated on the wine list.
“We took the ferry from the island and we’re just walking around,” Dave Sager from Connecticut said on the sidewalk at the British Beer Company. “This is the third place we’ve had drinks and bar food. It’s great.”
Relative to retail, restaurants did well this season. Hospitality - rooms, cottages and condos - did better. More on that Monday.