Restaurant Identity Shifts: Politics, Labor, and Ambiance Drive Business

Key Quotes

"And so in DC the version of that now that sort of politics or pop culture is like what politicians are eating at these restaurants and that sort of becomes what you're known for and so early on we were on the hill and so we developed a following among the new administration that came in like two months after we opened and so now it is a maga restaurant because that's like an interesting way to talk about the restaurant because they're there and so it's this like your notability is like who's in the dining room and so early on we had a lot of customers from the administration from like scott besson to mark rubio steve bannon whatever it may be and so as that sort of developed it became the maga restaurant but like if we did what we did at butterworth's well in new york it would be like the i don't know if if we did it somewhere near wall street it would be like the wall street restaurant"

Bart Hutchins explains that Butterworth's became known as a "MAGA restaurant" not by design, but because politicians from that administration frequented it shortly after its opening. Hutchins clarifies that in Washington D.C., a restaurant's notability is often tied to its clientele, and this association with political figures shaped its public perception, similar to how a restaurant near Wall Street might be known as "the Wall Street restaurant."

"The problem with the burger is not that it's it's bad economics or that it's a bad dish i i love burgers as much as anyone the problem is if you do it well it's the only thing you become capable of selling because it's so self explanatory and it's so desirable um and so if you want to sort of work with all these products if you want to be able to like sort of sell bone marrow or you want to be able to sell these game birds or you want to be able to sell this weird vegetable you can't have a burger because it just dominates the entire menu"

Bart Hutchins articulates the "curse of the burger" phenomenon, explaining that while a well-executed burger is desirable, its popularity can overshadow other, more unique dishes. Hutchins argues that if a restaurant becomes known solely for its burger, it limits the ability to showcase a wider range of ingredients and culinary creations, such as bone marrow or game birds.

"So number one if you came to the restaurant tonight and you went into the kitchen it's the exact same people that worked with me the day covid started wow and so i've kept them in various ways through multiple restaurants because i watched all my other friends sort of lose cooks and and dishwashers and and whatever during that time and not be able to get them back and so a chef designs a dish and and maybe even does a bunch of the prep but at the end of the day you're still putting it in the hands of your staff to do it right when an order comes in and i saw the wholesale quality of their food plummet because they all of a sudden were handing it to people they didn't train"

Bart Hutchins emphasizes the importance of retaining staff, noting that the kitchen team at Butterworth's has remained consistent since the start of COVID-19. Hutchins explains that he has prioritized keeping his core staff to maintain food quality, as he observed other restaurants suffer a decline in their culinary standards when they had to hire and train new, less experienced employees.

"And so if you go down to city hall and you pull the records for the building this basement doesn't even exist -- and this was like less than 12 years ago and so that obviously doesn't seem like an ideal system but to do that same thing at the restaurant and we have now took us almost eight months to get the single permit for that and so there's sometimes where you're like was it better when we just put some cash in a briefcase like i'm not really sure what we're doing here because you're paying rent that entire eight months and at that point you know 10 000 is a lot cheaper than whatever your rent is times eight months"

Bart Hutchins describes the arduous and lengthy permitting process in Washington D.C., contrasting it with a past scenario where a bribe might have expedited the process. Hutchins highlights that obtaining a single permit can take up to eight months, during which the restaurant accrues rent costs, making the current system potentially more expensive and inefficient than past, less formal methods.

"And so your oh we have the best food in town like doesn't work anymore right so like you have to combine the best food with a comfortable place to hang out or with a specific social scene or with a whatever it may be you mentioned lighting when you think about lighting how much is it about the experience of the diners that night versus lighting for instagrammability or tiktok or whatever it is and how do you think about the fact that part of eating is creating social content and how does that factor into your strategy and thinking about the overall vibe"

Bart Hutchins explains that in today's competitive restaurant landscape, having excellent food alone is insufficient for success. Hutchins states that restaurants must now offer a compelling overall experience, which includes ambiance, social scene, and even considerations for how the environment photographs for social media. He notes that while he aims for a timeless aesthetic, he acknowledges the influence of social media on dining and design choices.