Food & FOMO

I read an article in the NYT talking about how a growing collection of restaurants (aimed at the extremely wealthy) are starting to require a membership to even acquire a reservation. Haiku, an upscale Japanese restaurant in Miami, is leading the charge. The restaurant serves one meal a night to a maximum party of 15 guests. To become a member, one must either be invited or approved after contacting the restaurant. While I’m sure the food is amazing, this restaurant is also taking advantage of “FOMO”, or the fear of missing out. Haiku has an Instagram page with dozens of posts about its patrons and food. The restaurant is marketing itself as the most elite place to eat, and I’m sure its nondisclosed pricing reflects that. The NYT article also talked about how in the past, going out to eat in public showed off your wealth in public. But now, with social media like Instagram and Twitter, people can show their wealth with posts and pictures of things not in public. Now, going out to eat in a place away from the public can still be flaunted.