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App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

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Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#111

Post by yoz-y »

mherdeg wrote: post #93

The logical next step here is to write an app that lets you sell your place in line at a trendy restaurant. Take 50%. There is a natural base of sellers (the people who are waiting in line) and buyers (assuming that paying people to wait in line actually works at creating demand). Something like this business has been manually tested -- see https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creativityrulz/200908/t... : > One group…

This is actually common practice in China. You pay people to wait for you in queues. However, there is a more sinister side to that as well. Highly demanded and free spots are grabbed early and then ransomed for money. This happens for example in Apple store Genius Bar appointments. Basically the same problem as with concert tickets.

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#112

Post by herpdorplarp »

rjeli wrote: post #71
throwaway91111 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mostly backpacks full of phones likely cost more than each phone could net you.

Most bitcoin mining rig costs more than it mines (per day? week?)

You should probably count your blessings if the asymptotic behaviour is better than break-even.

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#113

Post by austinjp »

cm2187 wrote: post #95

What I don't get is that there is nothing that puts me off going to a bar or restaurant more than a long queue. And if I know of a place that systematically has a line in front, that's the one place I won't even consider.

Years ago I remember walking past a club in a very busy party of town at like 10pm. There was a huge queue of people. My friend said, "Let's go there!" Surprised, I asked why. "It must be really good, look at that queue!"

It really does happen.

But yep, like yourself, if there's a queue I have zero interest. I put it down to impatience and disliking noisy crowds in general.

Maybe extroverts are drawn to queues?? Too simplistic, I'm sure.

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#114

Post by g09980 »

mherdeg wrote: post #93

The logical next step here is to write an app that lets you sell your place in line at a trendy restaurant. Take 50%. There is a natural base of sellers (the people who are waiting in line) and buyers (assuming that paying people to wait in line actually works at creating demand). Something like this business has been manually tested -- see https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creativityrulz/200908/t... : > One group…

This quote is part of a book [1] that has more stories. IIRC the author teaches entrepreneurship at Stanford.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/What-Wish-Knew-When-Was/dp/0061735191

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#115

Post by cm2187 »

austinjp wrote: post #113
cm2187 wrote: post #95

What I don't get is that there is nothing that puts me off going to a bar or restaurant more than a long queue. And if I know of a place that systematically has a line in front, that's the one place I won't even consider.

Years ago I remember walking past a club in a very busy party of town at like 10pm. There was a huge queue of people. My friend said, "Let's go there!" Surprised, I asked why. "It must be really good, look at that queue!" It really does happen. But yep, like yourself, if there's a queue I have zero interest. I put it down to impatience and disliking noisy crowds in general. Maybe extroverts are drawn to queues?? Too…

My dislike of queues has to do with my own comfort. I can queue to receive money. But I am not going to queue to spend money somewhere!

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#116

Post by empath75 »

cm2187 wrote: post #95

What I don't get is that there is nothing that puts me off going to a bar or restaurant more than a long queue. And if I know of a place that systematically has a line in front, that's the one place I won't even consider.

I used to work as a DJ and club promoter and we worked our asses off to make sure there was a line when we opened. Whatever we could do to get people to show up, which was mostly free admission and free drinks. If you don't have a line when you open, people will just walk in, hang out for a few minutes and leave. And your whole party is dead. Clubs don't give you a second chance if that happens.

When you're throwing a party, the product is not the music or the drink specials, it's the crowd. If the crowd isn't there, you have nothing to sell.

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#118

Post by FooHentai »

mherdeg wrote: post #92
FooHentai wrote: post #4

>They’ve even been hand-picked by a casting agent of sorts, an algorithmic one that selects each person according to age, location, style and Facebook “likes.” >They may look excited, but that could also be part of the production. Acting disengaged while they idle in line could tarnish their “reputation score,” an identifier that influences whether they’ll be “cast” again. Oh boy, it's happening! https://en.wikipedia…

If you liked that story, you might also like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_and_Out_in_the_Magic_King... , which explored some of the same themes.

It's one of those stories where I'm glad I saw it, but the experience was pretty uncomfortable. I've seen a few of the other Black Mirror episodes but not all of them yet, because I've got to be in that right state of mind to steel myself against it.

Kinda masochistic!

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll try and remember that one next time I've got the groove.

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#119

Post by Simon_says »

cm2187 wrote: post #95

What I don't get is that there is nothing that puts me off going to a bar or restaurant more than a long queue. And if I know of a place that systematically has a line in front, that's the one place I won't even consider.

I travel internationally a lot, and the best single indicator of a quality restaurant is a packed house.

Re: App pays users to line up outside new restaurants

#120

Post by swrobel »

nkrisc wrote: post #11

I think the last point about a comedian using it fill an audience is very interesting. Even though they are paid to be there, comedy and humor is a very natural response and not all that easy to fake or disguise. It's like focus group testing for standup comedy.

It's quite expensive for a comedian to do this on a regular basis though.
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