Have any of you ever heard of a "pop-up restaurant?" We had dinner tonight at a lovely restaurant in Evanston, and they said they were starting a pop-up restaurant in Chicago. Apparently it is a restaurant in a temporary space to see if it will make it. It's new to me.
It's the same concept as a "pop-up shop" - a hastily (though not necessarily badly) assembled business that is in a temporary space and will last for just as long as the space is available.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
I am wondering if the term came from England (or Europe) then because many here in the U.S. had not heard the term when I asked about it - young and old. Geoff, Proof, Bethree - have you heard the term?
The phrase isn't that old, perhaps five years. There have been similar shop openings in the past, with shops taking on short leases; however, they just haven't been named in that way.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Haven't heard the term before, though we've often had such stores in town, usually thrift shops, without calling them anything in particular. I would think a pop-up restaurant would be difficult to do unless the kitchen equipment actually belonged to the owner. And you'd still have to get health inspection et al.
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According to the restaurant owner we talked to, it is done all the time, Bethree, though I had some of the same concerns you did. They said it runs for about 2 weeks, only taking reservations.
