Montreal eatery invites patrons to 'pay what they want'

In a bid to bring the "joie de vivre" back to Montreal, a local restaurant has taken prices off the menu and is inviting patrons to "pay what they want."

The promotion at the Taverne Crescent may seem like a risky move at a time when many restaurants are seeing their numbers decline as customers tighten their belts and eat out less.

But co-owner George Pappas said his goal is to counteract the grim financial news and help customers to once again enjoy their culinary experience.

He says there's no small print, and customers are free to pay as little, or as much, as they want.

"There's absolutely no catch. We put the sign up last week and our customers and my friends called me up and said 'What's the catch? Is there a minimum? Is there a maximum? Do you have to buy a drink, buy a beer?' ... And there's no catch, and we're not used to that."

The promotion has been in place for two days at the restaurant described on its website as a bar and restaurant with a New York flair.

"Some give more, some give less, and it's fun. The idea is fun. We want people to come with a smile and leave with a bigger smile," he said.

But Pappas admitted not all customers are immediately comfortable with the unusual billing concept, and some people get nervous when they receive a bill with no dollar figure.

"There was a table yesterday, or the day before, they weren't smiling. So I went up and said 'Girls, it's not an exam, just take the pen and write the amount you want to pay,' and they walked out smiling, and that's the idea -- bringing back the joie de vivre."

On Tuesday, lunch customers were offered a "pay what you want" menu that included an appetizer, plus either braised beef, salmon or tagliatelle Bolognese, and coffee or tea.

The idea was borrowed from a London restaurant that offers a similar incentive to get customers through the door, amid tough economic times.

The current recession has all facets of the service industry desperate to attract customers -- in Montreal and across Canada. But Pappas said his main goal is simply to make people happy.

The only condition attached to the promotion, he said, is that customers leave with a smile on their face.

"It's been a long winter and every time you watch the news or open the newspaper it's bad news or negative news. What we're trying to do is tell people to get people out of their offices, leave the sandwich at home, and come out and have a great lunch with your friends, with your co-workers, laugh and go back to your offices and enjoy the rest of your day."

What a great idea, especially in these tough economic times... If you're in the Montreal area, and you do make your way down to Taverne Cresent (and I would recommend that you should at least drop by there just for a peek at least?) come back and leave a reply posting about your experience there and your thoughts on this fabulous promotional concept.

I've also done a quick search and found the number:

Taverne Cresent
1433 rue Crescent
Montréal, QC H3G 2B2
(514) 845-1888

Get directions

Remember to come back and write about your experience there! (including any menu items you recommend!)