When I see that a restaurant is having a soft opening, does that mean it’s open to the public? —Nora M., St. Louis
The term “soft opening” is a nebulous moniker that’s become even more so over the years, so the short answer to the question is “sometimes.”
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In days past, the term didn’t even exist: A restaurant would decide to open its doors, and that was it. Word of mouth, curious neighbors, a few advertisements, and eventually a critic’s reviews was the formula for success or failure.
With the onset of social media, that formula changed, quickly and drastically. Today, the biggest challenge is getting one’s restaurant open without incident, i.e. suffering negative (and irreversible) comments by trigger-happy Yelpers.
Savvy restaurateurs now schedule several invitation-only parties, for friends and family, a charity, the media, etc. (usually comped), and to make matters worse, sometimes refer to them as soft openings, and then schedule several public soft openings (where the customer may or may not pay all or a portion of the food and alcohol tab), and then comes the official opening to the public.
Unfortunately, that structure no longer exists. A restaurant will often allow random guests into the invite-only parties. Passers-by can often wander into a friends-and-family happening unscathed. If the phone is being answered, inquiring guests are often asked to stop by, especially if that night’s customer count is less than expected. The elusive soft opening can be a lunch or evening affair. It might entail one shift or several weeks of service. The menu can be complete or scaled down in some way. Some guests might receive one limited menu, for example, while other guests seated in a different time slot see a different one, so the kitchen has a chance to ease into the entirety.
So the rule is that there are no rules. Many “softies” are open to the public—and even advertised as such—while others are not. House phones are often not answered (or even operational) during this period. Its social media may or may not be active. A “grand opening” can refer to the first day of operation or be held several days, or months, after the actual opening.
Case in point is the second location of Lona’s Lil Eats, which announced to the press that the grand opening would be August 15. Invite-only soft openings were held August 7-8, with menu prices cut in half. On Tuesday of this week and feeling confident, the restaurant announced it was officially open, four days ahead of its “grand opening.” The early opening illustrates the inherent fluidity of soft openings, which can shift as a restaurant gauges its readiness.
When anxious to try a new restaurant before the announced opening, our advice is to first check its social media feeds for information, then place a phone call or wander by. You might just end up with bragging rights and that coveted first look. In any case, be prepared to pay for your meal.
This article has been updated from a previous version.
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