An article in Food Republic, an online industry publication founded by chef Marcus Samuelsson, offered this advice: “It’s a general rule of thumb that diners should leave a restaurant within 15 minutes of getting the check, otherwise, it’s considered a form of overstaying your welcome.”
For decades, most restaurant owners have seen profit in turnover, seating as many guests as possible — packing their spaces to keep kitchens busy and servers earning tips. Too many people hanging out at tables for too long cuts into the bottom line in an industry where profits are measured in pennies.
In Sonoma County, however, other restaurant owners play the long game. Instead of rushing guests out the door, they’re building community, embracing a philosophy that advocates for the need for “third places.” The term, coined by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his 1989 book, “The Great Good Place,” refers to places other than home and work where people go to gather and socialize with others.
Allowing guests to linger is likely driven by economic concerns, says California Restaurant Association President and CEO Jot Condie. He says that restaurants face more competition than ever as customers tighten their wallets. As the competitive landscape tightens, restaurant owners look for ways to stand out from the crowd.
“As customers are dialing back at table-service restaurants, building an experience is critical,” Condie says. “The restaurants are investing more into differentiating themselves, in hopes that people maybe stick around longer, but certainly come back again.”
Sonoma County diners can witness a range of responses to this trend, from displays of board games and books to borrow, to seating guests at long community tables, to trivia nights, live music and dance parties. At Altamont General Store in Occidental, co-owners Jenay and Andzia Hofftin offer a mix of experiences.
“Our motto is ‘eat, shop, gather,’” Jenay says. “That was our business model before the pandemic, and when we finally were able to reopen, the ‘gather’ became even more important, since we felt there was really no place to hang out in Occidental and meet a friend and chat over good food and fun.”
Altamont General Store guests can spin vintage vinyl on an antique turntable, browse culinary and art books while lounging on a sofa, take a craft workshop, or kick back with live music on Friday nights in summer in the Yard, a family-friendly outdoor lounge. Some Saturday nights, even bigger bands tour through.
As parents of young children, the Hofftins also focus on creating community for younger guests. The Yard has fun toys plus an oversized Connect Four to play and a boulder to climb on. “That allows parents to have a whole cappuccino or a whole glass of wine or at least five bites of food without having to worry,” says Andzia. “I’m from Hawaii, and we do long, extended family gatherings, so it feels really natural to extend that into our space.”
At Little Saint in Healdsburg, guests relax in comfy wicker chairs on the front patio, leisurely sipping pour-over coffees, and sharing little bits of tofu scramble tacos with their canine companions. The adjacent two-story barn-style building is designed with lots of nooks and corner retreats for guests to hang out.
“We like to call ourselves Healdsburg’s living room,” says director of events and marketing Sara Beckstead. “It’s just a natural setting to sit and connect.”
On Thursday nights, free live music shows take over the restaurant’s upper level, and there are also ticketed events, like a recent screening of a Wendell Berry documentary, along with a panel discussion with the film’s producers about the life of the legendary author and farmer.
“We’re trying to do as much programming as we can that’s relevant to our farming and lifestyle mission and what Sonoma County stands for,” says Little Saint executive director Jenny Hess. “Diverse programming also brings in new audiences… Maybe they come because their favorite band is playing, but once they’re here, they experience our food, enjoy a cocktail, and suddenly, we have a new regular in our world.”
That’s an understandable strategy, says the CRA’s Jot Condie. “You want a line of customers out the door — that helps the environment and sense of community that you get with that dull roar of a conversation in the background and clinking glasses.”
New ideas are constantly being hatched. Successful restaurant owners observe their guests’ habits and cultivate new programming with new ways to connect. Valley Swim Club in Sonoma hosts popular movie nights, queer-friendly line-dancing and a holiday market. Twin Oaks Roadhouse in Penngrove has a raucous trivia night, as does the Goose & Fern in Santa Rosa. Brigitte Bistro in Petaluma invites guests to play for the room on their baby grand piano. And casual roadhouses like Brewster’s Beer Garden in Petaluma and HopMonk Tavern in Sonoma and Sebastopol, have built their reputations on live music along with great pub food.
“Of course, it’s an investment to offer all these things,” says Jenny Hess. “Sure, we would love for people to be eating and drinking the whole time they’re sitting around, but we can’t expect that, and we’re OK with it. This is a deliberate investment — an investment in community goodwill. The more positive experiences that people feel at Little Saint, the more likely they are to return.”
“We want it to be a great place for people to hang out with friends, and then they all want to come back again and again. They do come back, so it works well for us.”
Little Saint: 25 North St., Healdsburg. 707-433-8207, littlesainthealdsburg.com
Altamont General Store: 3703 Main St., Occidental. 707-874-6053, altamontgeneral.com