Topic for Discussion: How does this philosophy translate into a marketing strategy?

Answer: First, because he has limited seating and it is so hard to get a reservation, even more people want to come to The French Laundry. Thomas is not knocking down walls to add more dining space, he just makes people wait two months to join him for dinner.

People brag that they have a reservation. They brag that they went to The French Laundry and tell stories about the fabulous food. This creates a buzz and more demand.

Second, Thomas has figured out that people are sated by a flavor after just a few bites. Therefore, he pleases the customer by giving them a little of a lot. Thomas plans his meals based upon the law of diminishing returns: the more you have of something, the less you want of it. He says, "So we want to give you just enough to where you get to the point that you've had that last bite at the pinnacle of flavor. Your taste buds accept the flavor, realize the flavor, and then your mouth reaches the point where all of a sudden, it becomes saturated with the flavor and then your enjoyment of the flavor begins to diminish. Well, we want you to finish the dish before your enjoyment diminishes."

Again, he creates buzz. The diner is so perfectly pleased, he tells everyone they must go to The French Laundry. Many diners don't even know why they are so happy when they leave.

At MenuPages.com we read about the Keller's New York City restaurant called, Per Se, which opened in 2004. One diner said, "Heavenly. My friend and I went here with extremely high expectations and were convinced no food on earth could meet our expectations - we were wrong. EVERYTHING we ate was incredible - each course was PERFECTION - from the wonderful salmon and creme fraiche cone at the beginning to the gourmet chocolates at the end. The portions - although modest - were perfectly sized considering the large number of courses (we strongly recommend the 9 course menu). The chocolate hazelnut dessert was beyond heavenly. The only negative part of this experience was knowing that all future meals would pale in comparison to the one we experienced at Per Se. You've not lived until you've tried this."

Topic for Discussion: Can this philosophy be applied to other businesses?

Answer: Sure. A great circus has so much variety that just as you might tire of the elephants, they bring out the lions. Theater works this way as well. It is called pacing. A play or musical that stays on any one thing too long will disappoint an audience.

Thomas Keller's style may be difficult for diners, however, because we are all so conditioned to having salad, soup, main course, and then dessert. Thomas says he has no main course because every course to him is a main course. Every course is of equal value to the total experience. This offers a safety net because if you don't like one particular dish, they'll be another course along soon. What's not to like?

You think about it: How can you use this idea to raise your prices or target new customers?