‘Pay What You Want’: Diner Owner Turns Control Over To God, Triples Revenue
Just Cookin’ in North Carolina encourages patrons to “pay what you want” as a leap of faith. Owner Dana Parris nearly tripled her revenue in the first week doing that.
While not usually a sound financial decision, the owner of Just Cookin’ adopted the idea of taking her menu prices on faith. Parris left no prices on anything, deciding she was giving control over to God.
The idea came to Parris after she had been in business for two years and struggling to make ends meet. Being the religious sort, it seemed her radical new idea was risky but it was based on faith. Giving up control of the menu prices turned out to be the very thing she needed.
Many regulars saw Parris’ leap of faith and decided to take one of their own in kind. Some were only able to pay very little, but the diner has only thrived from the new “pay what you want” policy.
Diner patron Roger Self explained to Parris how her decision affected his own, “You stepped out on faith. I’m going to step out on faith, too.”
Self admitted that the new pricing strategy for Just Cookin’ was a little crazy, but he thought her logic was ingenious.
“I thought that [letting customers choose prices] probably wouldn’t be the recommendation of a business coach, but if the Lord is the coach then how could she go wrong?”
When Self had entered the diner and ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, he was surprised when the bill didn’t have a number on it. Instead it asked him how much the food was worth to him.
Dana Parris, 52, had finally discovered what she believed God had led her to do, and it paid off. The idea of removing prices from the menu not only showed faith, but also gave her customers a chance to show theirs.
Dana Parris’ diner business was in a slump, until she made a decision to let her faith guide the way. http://t.co/6BnKttEqQh
— The Daily Meal (@thedailymeal) October 8, 2014
The “pay what you want” policy may also be putting the pressure on the cooks, who can’t afford to cut any corners on their work. If the patrons’ food isn’t up to par, it isn’t worth much. Parris isn’t worrying about that though, and instead focusing on showing the community what God can do through her.
Parris initially considered only using the new pricing policy for a week, but after the apparent results it seems she’s willing to do it indefinitely.
Do you think Dana Parris’ decision to switch to the “pay what you want” policy will continue to be a positive change?
[Image via Google Maps]
