Around the fifth year of so of FatLand's existence, the Board held a meeting with FatLand restauranteurs. There were bar owners, restaurant owners, bistro owners, pastry shop owners. What there weren't : owners of diners and family restaurants.
The FatLand Board Chair said: We asked all of you to be present today because we felt that we needed to address a scarcity or void in the FatLand restaurant scene. Today there exist many gorgeous high end and chic restaurants and bars and bistros. And yes, pastry shops. What we don't have are more casual alternatives. We also don't have fast food chains, but that is partly by choice. However, at least half of the time, when someone wishes to have a meal, she may not always wish to take genteel forkfuls of almond brioche with kumquat marmalade, or spear fried eel from on top of peppercorn-grilled and marinated tuna. She may simply wish to order fish and chips, or a bagel with cream cheese. That is where we lack. Of course she can get these things or at least their raw ingredients in a market. But what if she wants to sit down after a day's work and relax in a peaceful, casual atmosphere in not-super-fashionable clothes? And perhaps she wants franks and beans, or pizza, or corn fritters, or vanilla pudding. Right now we don't have one restaurant that serves these things.
We are offering you a chance to buy and start casual dining venues. We have a list of locations and suggested food offerings. You can of course change the offerings any time you wish. We just want you to get an idea of the probable clientele in each one.
Most of the restauranteurs made polite murmuring noises, but showed little to no inclination to look at the packet given out by the Board. Two, however, did show interest and started to ask questions about financing and location.
In the next six months, FatLand received a casual South Asian restaurant and a diner.
Both restaurants were standing room only for their openings and on subsequent weekend nights.
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