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Restaurant is all smiley faces after emoji dinnerRestaurant is all smiley faces after emoji dinner

Dallas Fish Market finds success in menu based on the tiny icons

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

October 12, 2017

2 Min Read
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Dallas Fish Market, a 10-year-old restaurant fixture in downtown Dallas, is nothing but smiley faces after the success of its first emoji dinner this summer.

The six-course, $65 dinner was a hit, especially among the diners accustomed to texting their culinary wishes and requests, said Nafees Alam, CEO of DRG Concepts, which owns Dallas Fish Market, as well as Dallas Chop House, Wild Salsa and Chop House Burger. The restaurant is already planning version 2.0 later this month.

“It sold out, so we had to ask people to buy seats at the next dinner,” Alam told Nation’s Restaurant News on Tuesday. Dallas Fish Market seats 144 customers, and 42 of those were devoted to the emoji dinner.

dallas-fish-market-nafees-alam-ceo_0.gif

Dallas Fish Market CEO Nafees Alam

Emojis, tiny digital icons used to express ideas or emotion...

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About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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