History Has No Place in the Modern

¶ … History has no place in the modern hospitality industry

Anachronistic Approaches to Modern Hospitality

The hospitality industry is a constantly growing and evolving trade. From one day to the next, minute changes to suit the needs of the patrons add up to become huge leaps and bounds from year to year. What was once commonplace may today be rare; what was once custom may now seem politically incorrect. The needs of the consumer change from day-to-day to reflect the fast-paced world, and if an establishment is to be successful it is vital that it grows and changes at the same pace as everyone else, if not one step ahead of the others. However, the question must be raised, does history have a place in the modern hospitality industry? Do the practices of days past have anything to offer today's managerial teams? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question.

There are many reasons why the hospitality industry may want to completely do away with the "good old days." Today we live in a politically correct and open-minded civilization, or at least any business that wishes to succeed must put on a facade that makes this seem as true as possible. Decades and centuries past have offered many prejudiced and unabashedly biased practices. Imagine for a moment a hotel which kept the dining room segregated between blacks and whites, or one that would not allow a woman to sit at the bar without her husband or father present, or even one where a homosexual couple was not allowed to rent a room with a single bed. This would not only put the hotel out of business quickly, but would also make it the subject of many lawsuits! Obviously, these are not parts of history that should be relived in any establishment. Another factor to consider is the business that is trapped in the past in other ways, such as not having a website, or not being able to accept credit cards. Patrons that have come to expect modern services will take their business elsewhere when they run into the inconveniences of an establishment that is trapped in the past. In staying with political correctness, of course, it is also important to offer such things as vegan or vegetarian meal options and no-smoking sections, to meet the health requirements of patrons which, in the past, were simply not considered.

However, there is another side to this issue. There is a great deal that can be learned and enjoyed from our history. Certainly, many mistakes were made by our ancestors and parents that can be learned from by being avoided, but there were also many things that were done correctly and could be adapted to suit today's modern hospitality industry. Take, for example, the customs of holding doors for and taking coats from patrons when they enter an establishment. Certainly, this is not the norm today when people expect a far less formal environment even from respectable establishments. However, there is a certain charm that may be quite appealing to customers upon receiving that service. Also, businesses often have a great deal of luck in sporting a "retro" atmosphere, whether that be an Old West theme for a steakhouse, a 1960's Psychedelic appearance for a college-town coffee shop, or a 1950's makeover for a previously struggling diner. Take, for example, the custom today for many bars and clubs to offer a "Goth Night" where patrons are welcome to wear anachronistic clothing from the Medieval, Victorian, Classical, and even 1980's time periods. This has been a remarkable way for many establishments that were previously struggling to make ends meet to bring in a whole new style of business. History is something that cannot be returned to, but reminiscing about it can be quite enjoyable. Basking in the styles of decades and centuries past may be just the thing that customers are looking for, and could be the solution for a business that is looking for a way to stand out.