Hey Dien,

Where I live there used to be a diner that was something like your cafe.

This place never had more than one item on the menu for each meal. Everyone ate the same thing for breakfast or lunch; they weren't open for dinner. The owner would always ask you if you had enough to eat after your plate was empty and if not he'd bring you more until you were satisfied. So in a way you did set the price.

The owner and his wife were the only staff in the diner. She cooked and he waited on tables.

I think the key to his success was his unique demeanor. He was a real character, kind of like Don Rickles, the comedian. He would insult people all the time just to get them going. He ran a very well known and popular place even though the menu was very simple and the decor was nothing special.

Prominent people would go there all the time because of the novel way this guy ran his diner. All patrons got their own beverages and that often included the mayor,the clergy,lawyers and executives. This place was a real hoot.

The owner never wrote out guest checks because he didn't need to; everyone had the same thing.

This guy retired a few years ago so the diner is under new management. It's now run in the conventional way and has lost it's charm and many of it's customers I might add.

You never know what will work until you try.

> My brother James told me an interesting
> story, about an interesting cafe he was
> in....

> A few days ago, my brother and his
> girlfriend went to a cafe to have a piece of
> cake. They ordered and ate a slice of tasty
> orange and poppyseed cake....

> When it came time to pay, they went to the
> cash register. They were ready to ask how
> much to pay, when the girl behind the cash
> register asked first, "How much?"

> James and Julie were a bit surprised (they
> were about to ask that question).... So they
> said, "We had a slice of orange and
> poppyseed cake."

> Then the girl behind the cash register
> explained. "Here, you set your own
> price. You pay what you feel you want to
> pay. So how much do you want to pay?"

> This surprised them even more! Eventually,
> they paid what the estimated it would cost
> in other cafes....

> I thought this was a very interesting
> experimental cafe! Pay what you feel!

> Personally, maybe I'm a bit skeptical, I
> think it will be hard for the cafe to
> survive this way (it's too easy for others
> to exploit), and they may have to change to
> a more conventional system.... BUT, it seems
> like an interesting experiment! James told
> me where this cafe was, and I'm going to
> check it out some time in the next few days
> myself....

> In case you're wondering, it had a
> "hippy"-type clientele....

> I just thought I'd share with you this
> interesting business model!

> (If you're in Melbourne, Australia, email me
> and I'll tell you where this cafe is, in
> case you want to check it out yourself....
> It's in St. Kilda, an area with a lot of
> unusual stores....)

> I found this very interesting. If you keep
> your eyes open, there are all sorts of very
> interesting business "experiments"
> happening all around you on a small
> scale.... Business doesn't HAVE to be
> "conventional", and it's good to
> keep your eyes open and learn from
> others.... :)

> - Dien Rice