Post #630392 by porco on Wed, Mar 28, 2012 10:18 AM

great thread woofmut, thanks for that...hadn't come across that one.

very enlightening points from "bongo bungalow" with regards to mexican restaurants. i can't help but think that the modern mexican (tex-mex really) restaurant in some way mirrors the american tiki restaurant heyday.

both are made to mimic a culture with borrowed design elements (clay tiles vs. thatch, aztec vs. tiki gods, margaritas vs. mai tai's, cactus vs. palm trees, mariachi bands vs. fire breathers, etc...), yet one seems to have a more perceived sustainable life/business span?

is it because food is primarily the focus? is it because the food is better/more appealing? they're both (texmex/tiki) practically american inventions, but with american tiki culture being born out of primarily cocktails, does it have a disadvantage when it comes to a full fledged business? theme bars can prosper in locations with high traffic and other options, but they limit themselves from "regulars" relying on tourist traffic.

i guess my whole point is, why isn't there more prevalence of tiki rooms or patio bars in otherwise non-tiki establishments? how many people here have or would decorate their entire home in tiki? i would assume most is confined to one room, a basement, or patio. so why shouldn't this carry through on a business level?

is the idea of an all out tiki establishment too much? do you need to have a german or italian theme throughout if your place has a great selection of import beer or wine? if the focal point is the cocktails, then why not reserve a small space within your establishment dedicated to such?

[ Edited by: porco 2012-03-28 10:26 ]