Weekly Wrap April 28: D.C.'s Cheap Martinis, Consumer Restaurant Spending, and More
The most important hospitality industry news right now
Dave Foss
April 28, 2025
In this Weekly Wrap, we’re taking a look at Martini deals in Washington, D.C., a new (awful) trend in restaurant chairs, and more.
Martini Madness
The Headline: “Dirt Cheap Martinis Are DC’s Best New Trend”
The Source: Washingtonian
What You Need to Know:
When Cucina Morini opened just over a year ago, it made headlines for its $7 martinis offered all night, every night in the lounge. At a time when cocktail prices are creeping closer to $20 or more, the deal was practically unheard of. Since then, the southern Italian destination in Mount Vernon Triangle has sold around 50,000 of the $7 martinis—which come in dirty, Sicilian mandarin, and other variations. It’s also kicked off a dirt-cheap martini arms race among other bars and restaurants eager to boost their happy hour crowds.
Cucina Morini chef-partner Matt Adler says the restaurant’s management was initially nervous about offering such a cheap deal for such extended hours. But it turned out to be a huge draw: “People were lining up for it when we opened,” Adler says. “Wednesday, it really starts ramping up… Fridays, oh my God. Packed to the gills all night long.”
Martinis—which have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years—at rock bottom prices have since shown up all around town, from upscale Queen’s English in Columbia Heights to All-Purpose pizzeria in Shaw.
At Shilling Canning Company in Navy Yard, $5 gin or vodka martinis and $7 dirty martinis are available all night, every night at the bar. After beginning the deal at the end of January, chef-owner Reid Shilling says bar sales for February were double what they were over the same period the year before. “The guests’ focus right now is on value. It’s all uncertain. And so people are just being a little bit more careful about how they spend their money,” he says.
Our Take:
I absolutely love this. Last week we discussed the challenging restaurant landscape in D.C. It was a brutal, harsh reality. But those who are able to innovate and think outside the box will thrive. People are looking for value. In tough times consumers still go out, they still want to be around other people. And people still drink, they just drink differently. They may still go out for that $20 cocktail and $40 entree, but chances are they are going to do it a lot less. What they will do much more is frequent establishments that offer a better value proposition. And an $8 Martini is a better value proposition. Offer something people want at a cheaper price, and if it’s good quality, well that’s even better.
Your margins may take a hit, but as evidenced by the establishments in this article, this tactic can be very effective at getting butts in seats and spending. Enough volume can cover the loss of margin, but you still need to be thoughtful about what product you’re putting in those Martinis because if that aspect isn't managed properly, it can defeat the entire purpose.
Consumer Belt Tightening
The Headline: “Consumers plan to tighten their restaurant spending this summer”
The Source: Nation’s Restaurant News
What You Need to Know:
There are several consumer signals flashing red right now, indicating that Americans are feeling pessimistic about the current (and future) state of the economy. Perhaps the most urgent signal is the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment survey, which tumbled by more than 10% month-over-month in April and is nearly 35% lower than it was a year ago. April marked the second lowest reading in the survey’s history dating back to 1952.
…
Of course, nobody has a true crystal ball, but future indicators are also concerning. Consider that the United States is expected to lose about $90 billion from a reduction in foreign tourism in 2025, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The National Restaurant Association finds that tourists spend anywhere from 25% to 35% of their money in restaurants.
Restaurants won’t just get hit from fewer travelers. A new survey released today from global accounting firm KPMG finds that American consumers are expected to spend 7% less each month at restaurants compared to last summer.
Respondents said they are more likely to cook breakfast at home compared to lunch or dinner, but the percentage is high across dayparts: 75% plan to cook breakfast at home this summer, while 67% and 68% plan to do the same for lunch and dinner, respectively. Nearly 50% of consumers said they are eating at home far more often, while 20% said they are eating at home slightly more often. Just 3% are dining out slightly more often and 1% are dining out far more often.
Our Take:
Tell us something we don't know. The economy is retracting, costs are going up, and the tourism hit is one that’s going to hurt, but it’s going to hurt different places differently.
Popular spots and parts of the country that tend to see more internal tourism (from U.S. citizens) will likely continue on with minimal effect (the assumption being that when people are on vacation they’re not “cooking at home,” and they are generally dining out). But areas that see a large influx of foreign tourists will definitely feel the pinch. I’m sure operators will figure out different strategies for coping with the losses, but it might be a pretty difficult spring and summer before we see how things shake out.
Terrible Restaurant Chairs
The Headline: “Meet the New Candidate for the Absolute Worst Restaurant Chair”
The Source: Eater
What You Need to Know:
A new insult to chairs just landed. I was scrolling through my TikTok FYP when I found this viral video of a woman at a restaurant in Paris, France, struggling to understand how to sit — Lean on? Hunch over? — one of its counter chairs. In the words of someone in the comments, “Why they got you sitting on a tootsie roll?”
…
The leaning chair isn’t confined to charming French restaurants either. For example, there are a handful of viral TikTok videos of its contemporary cousin at Kentucky Fried Chicken locations; in one video, a man languidly slides down its sides like a forlorn Everest hiker; in another, a woman approaches it in vain like a gymnast to a pommel horse. One comment on the latter video reads, “they had something like that at Costco inside by the hot dogs,” while another person writes, “fast food of the future… they don’t want you to stay.” Do these chairs transcend poor design and veer into hostile architecture territory? Beyond Parisian cafés and KFCs, I almost exclusively found them in public transport zones. For example, the NYC Street Design Manual has a page dedicated to its LeaningBar, which it says it has implemented because “Leaning can be especially appealing to people for whom sitting requires greater effort.” As true as this may be, it also feels like a great way to make life more uncomfortable for people without housing. Why not a bar — and a bench?
Our Take:
When I first read the article, I thought it was one of the most moronic pieces I’d come across in a while. Then I walked into a place that actually had one of these chairs and I witnessed their idiocy firsthand. I understand some operators might think they look cool or “on brand,” but seriously, please for the love of god, don’t. Stop and think about your life decisions customers.
Maybe that’s the whole point: they’re so uncomfortable you want to finish your meal and get out, or skip sitting down altogether. I get it. But if you’re just trying to fill space, there are so many better options. You can find something that adds to the vibe without making people feel like they’re sitting on a medieval torture device.
People remember uncomfortable, awkward seating. And there is no way these fixtures encourage repeat business, never mind hospitality for people of all shapes and sizes. (Though maybe that’s less of a concern in a high-traffic, chain concept like KFC, where this trend cropped up.)
Still, this isn’t just about this one awful, terrible chair — plenty of restaurants make the same mistake with their seating choices. If you want people to stick around, be thoughtful. Prioritize comfort as well as aesthetic. Design for actual human beings. Unless, of course, you don’t want them to come back.
Chipotle Gameplan
The Headline: “Chipotle’s plan to recover from a tough Q1: More marketing, hospitality”
The Source: Nation’s Restaurant News
What You Need to Know:
Chipotle’s plan to recover from a rare quarter of sales and traffic declines includes its typical focus on operational improvements, culinary innovation, and back-of-house efficiencies, but there are also some new bells and whistles that could be thrown into the mix.
Scott Boatwright, who took over as permanent chief executive officer in November, said a top priority is being “guest obsessed,” or “making the experience in our restaurants better every day” and earning every transaction.
This is more important than ever as consumers tighten up their spending, he said. Chipotle began formalizing this objective following an impact study last year.
…
Marketing in the summer months will also be a bigger priority for the brand, and Chipotle will “meaningfully ramp up” its investments to better compete with peers who tend to spend at higher levels during that season. Chief financial officer Adam Rymer expects marketing costs to be in the mid-2% range in the second quarter, with the full-year in the high-2% range from incremental spend in the summer.
This extended budget will include a potential new limited-time offer, as well as digital and social channels. Chipotle will also leverage its rewards program to target specific consumer cohorts.
Our Take:
“Guest obsessed” is one of the key takeaways from this article. Yes, tightening up operational efficiencies and pushing innovation is important — that should always be the case for any restaurant. But the fact that the CEO is specifically calling out being “guest obsessed” is what really matters.
Everyone is trying to figure out how to be more efficient as guest counts decline, but the real focus needs to stay on the guest experience. The majority of recent studies and industry data point to the same trend: guest traffic is dropping. People are dining out less. Being “guest obsessed,” paired with delivering real value, is what's going to keep people coming through the doors.
It doesn’t matter if you’re running a quick-service burger shop or a full-service family restaurant — today’s consumer is looking for both value in the product and to feel valued as a customer. The brands that figure this out are the ones that will thrive.