Luxury fashion house Gucci has opened a restaurant in Shanghai, the first of its kind to serve full dinners, according to Guangzhou Daily.
Gucci 1921 restaurant
Since opening on July 22, Gucci's Italian restaurant has received mixed reviews from customers. Some deem it worthy of a visit, while others say the food and service are nothing special.
"It's not a good deal. It only borrows Gucci's brand and fails to live up to its image and class," said one diner.
However, the restaurant is still drawing crowds of foodies. "Right now it's hot," said a staff member. "For lunch or dinner, you have to book at least two weeks in advance."
When asked about waiting times during the lunch-time rush, the staff member added that "You may not get a table despite waiting as there are so many people." Some customers wait more than one hour before finally grabbing a bite.
"Apart from Gucci's brand effect, many people come here just to give it a try," said the staff member. It costs approximately 300 yuan ($48.3) plus a 10 percent service fee per person to dine.
Lu Xiao, a luxury brand management lecturer from Fudan University, said Gucci's involvement in the restaurant trade can't be categorized as transboundary expansion or business transformation. Luxury brands represent a high-end lifestyle involving multiple aspects of life. The Gucci restaurant is nothing more than a promotional strategy.
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