Restaurant Closes and Owner Says Little

Guy Fieri.JPG

Guy's American Kitchen and Bar in Times Square, NYC, will close after just five years and plenty of controversy. The owner, Guy Fieri, has a big personality and has been known to be defensive when criticized. After a scathing 2012 review of the restaurant, Fieri went on the Today show to voice his reaction:

"I thought it was ridiculous. I mean, I've read reviews —- there's good and there's bad in the restaurant business, but that to me went so overboard, it really seemed like there was another agenda."

"The tone, the sarcasm, the question style."

"To me, it's impossible to come in and have a dining experience and have every single thing is wrong, unless you come in with a different agenda and you want to sensationalize something and you want to blow it out of the water. It's a great way to make a name for yourself — go after a celebrity chef that's not a New Yorker that's doing big concept in his second month. Great way to hit it."

Now, Fieri isn't saying much about the decision to close. The restaurant website homepage, shown here, looks like business-as-usual, and Eater reports an "update" on its article:

"Update: In a statement to Eater via a spokesperson, Fieri did not shed light on the reason for the closure, but noted he is 'proud' of serving millions of people throughout the years and thanked his team."

Discussion:

  • Compare the process of closing this business with that of Book World, also recently announced. How do the companies' approaches differ? 
  • Fieri could demonstrate some humility and vulnerability, but we don't see much. How could a different reaction help him?