London restaurant adopts airline strategy: off-peak pricing

Top London restaurant Bob Bob Ricard is adopting a pricing strategy that has revolutionised the travel industry - varying prices depending on the time and day of the booking.

The luxurious Soho eatery - which famously has ‘press for Champagne’ buttons at every table - is cutting à la carte menu prices by 25% at off-peak times: lunch Monday to Wednesday, and Monday nights. Customers get a 15% discount at lunch for the rest of the week, and on Tuesday and Sunday evenings, while diners pay full price in the evening from Wednesday to Saturday, Bloomberg’s Richard Vines reports.

The Daily Telegraph hails the move as a “surge-pricing revolution”.

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The change means that Bob Bob Ricard customers, who have included Prince Harry, Kylie Minogue and Tamara Ecclestone, will pay £36.75 for 20g of Russian Oscietra caviar at Monday lunch or dinner, compared £49 on a Saturday evening.

Des Gunewardena, chairman of D&D London, which owns about 35 restaurants including Chelsea’s famous Bluebird, told Bloomberg they are watching Bob Bob Ricard’s experiment closely and may also “give it a go”.