Are Las Vegas Restaurants Going After a Younger Crowd?

 

 

ARE LAS VEGAS RESTAURANTS TRYING TO SKEW YOUNGER?

We enjoyed our dinner at Piero’s last night. I was joined by Nick Christenson and Paul Harris. As usual, the food was terrifically deliciously consistent. Once again, a visit to Piero’s never disappoints. Wonderful dinner and great company.

However, during our Tuesday evening dinner, I noticed something that’s changed about Piero’s — or at least that was my impression. I shared this observation with Nick and Paul, and they generally agreed with my (admittedly incomplete, and perhaps even flawed) assessment.

For those of you who don’t know *Piero’s Italian Cuisine* it’s the classic old-style Las Vegas hangout fancy dinner joint. It’s everything you think about when one reminisces about the mob-run casinos and the way things used to be. However, it’s never felt old, or stale, or dated. Since moving here 20+ years ago, I’ve probably dined at Piero’s 50-60 times. Solid. No surprises. And the staff has always skewed older — by that, I mean knowledgeable and experienced. I’d guess most of the staff was age 35-65 on my previous visits. It’s always been that way.

But something was very different last night. Everyone working was (I’m guesstimating here) under age 35. The waitstaff were more female and certainly in their 20s and early 30s. Out of a dozen people on the floor, this was a very noticeable difference. I also think the service slipped a little, and there wasn’t quite the same personal touch as on previous visits, but I admit one recent visit isn’t enough to make that final judgement.

It’s understandable that no restaurant wants to appear “old.” I’ve done articles in the past on many Las Vegas casino restaurants that intentionally repel older guests and try to be more attractive to a younger, more hip crowd. Annoying quirks like high-top tables and hard chairs (which are uncomfortable for many older people). Hipster music, that appeals to twenty-somethings. You get the picture.

I didn’t expect this “younger vibe” infusion at a classic dinner joint like Piero’s, but that might now be what’s happening. Last year, the restaurant changed ownership and altered operations and is now run by Steve Siegel. I can’t comment on Siegel’s changes or plans, other than he’s a CEO of something called “Amazing Brands.” To me, that’s a red flag screaming of corporatization and moving away from the independent family-run atmosphere that made Piero’s so famous and appealing to so many.

This isn’t a conclusion on my part. I could be wrong. Maybe we just dined on a night when all the younger staff happened to be on the floor, and had a difference experience than usual. It’s possible.

But I suspect the reality is — Piero’s is becoming like other fancy restaurants and trying to re-boot it’s image. This post isn’t a criticism of that–I can understand why a hospitality business wants to avoid the appearance of becoming a de facto nursing home. Still, I wonder if this is really a thing that’s happening not just here, but all over–and perhaps even in other cities, too.

Questions: Are restaurants consciously trying to appeal to younger hipsters, in place of older more traditional guests and their tastes? Is this intentional?

Finally, I stress once again that I could be wrong about this. One visit isn’t enough to draw any conclusions. But it does raise suspicions.

Comments welcome.