Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Danny Meyer Talks About The End Of Luxury Restaurants
By
Hugh Merwin
Published May 26, 2009
Modified May 26, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Hugh Merwin
Published May 26, 2009
Modified May 26, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Restaurateur Danny Meyer sat down with the Wall Street Journal to talk about the future of the restaurant industry. A number of Meyer’s competitors have gone out of business this year because of the recession, and while the USHG boss has been asked about cost-cutting maneuvers before, here Meyer specifically addresses the future of high-end dining in New York:
“I don’t think there’s going to be sustainable demand for restaurants that force you to spend hours there. Long tasting menus will continue to be elected by some but cannot be legislated by the restaurant. We’re going to have more bistros and trattorias. People will have luxury items—caviar, foie gras, truffles—less frequently, having done without them for a year and a half, but they will come to appreciate them more because it won’t be at every bar and grill in the city.”
Elsewhere, Meyer told the WSJ that “there is an enormous amount of discounting going on,” on restaurant menus all around town, partly because of a recent 10% drop in the cost of provisions. Meyer said the extreme price cutting amounts to survival tactic but is not really a “sustainable business model,” explaining that restaurants will ultimately have to drop their overall number of seats to correspond more realistically the number of dinner guests, instead of attempting to fill dining rooms with over-the-top promotional deals that aren't providing real value. “This has to happen,” Meyer said. “There will come a point when there are the right number of seats.”
So, does this also mean more Shake Shacks? Looks like the answer is 'yes' in Central Park this summer!
Tagged
danny meyer
foie gras
recesson restaurants
truffles
union square hospitality group
Hugh Merwin
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .