Are great food and excellent service enough if you want your restaurant to stand out from the crowd in a competitive industry?
Diners today are often looking for new experiences, something a bit different from the norm. If you can offer that, you should see a boost in bookings, revenue and interest, just like Tequila Jack’s in Cork has after installing three beautiful dining domes.
Keep reading to learn exactly what this restaurant has done to entice more people through its doors but first, here’s the lowdown on Tequila Jack’s…
About Tequila Jack’s in Cork, Ireland
Tequila Jack’s in Cork is a restaurant and bar specialising in authentic Mexican food like sizzling fajitas, enchiladas, chimichangas, seafood, tacos and tortilla chips. The bar serves a range of craft beers, cocktails and, of course, tequila.
The restaurant is located on Lapps Quay in the centre of Cork city, overlooking the River Lee. The surrounding area is newly developed and vibrant, showcasing scenic docklands.
Tequila Jack’s already ticks all the right boxes for location and delicious food. However, the owners have upped their game with the introduction of ‘dining in a dome’ to help deliver a memorable dining experience.
Dining Domes at Tequila Jack’s
The dining in a dome experience came about initially due to Covid to help people dine in their own groups. Two and a half years later, the dining pods are still very popular, especially with guests wanting a private space to celebrate with close friends and family.
Situated outside the front of the restaurant, the domes provide a unique and memorable setting and a one-of-a-kind experience. As they’re completely clear, guests can see spectacular views of the River Lee and the skyline of the docklands while they’re eating and drinking.
Guests pay a fee of €50 to book the dining in the dome experience. This is on top of the food and drink spend, so it’s a nice extra revenue stream for the restaurant owners.
Dining in a dome has been a win-win for the restaurant owners and its guests, bringing in extra income and thrilling diners. Here’s what the experience entails.
About Tequila Jack’s Dining in a Dome Experience
Tequila Jack’s has three outdoor dining domes in operation (Clear Hypedome S). Each can host up to six guests at a large round table.
The domes are used for all sorts of celebrations – engagement parties, anniversaries, hen parties and stag dos, graduation bashes and birthdays – and they help create wonderful moments:
“The dome was such a lovely treat, and we celebrated my boyfriend’s birthday in such a lovely setting. Was served by the most lovely waitress.”
As well as celebrations, the domes are a hit with groups of friends wanting to catch up with each other and make new memories:
“We were a group of six ladies visiting a friend. We really enjoyed the Dome experience. Lovely as a group. The staff were so lovely and the service was fantastic. Food was delish, can’t wait to go back. Dome experience was excellent! Will definitely book again!”
And they’re very easy to decorate and make magical for seasonal festivities, especially at Christmastime (think igloos and snowglobes):
“We had a wonderful eve in ‘The Dome’ – the ambience was magical, particularly for Christmas. The staff were extremely nice and cheery, and the food was scrumptious. I would highly recommend the Domes as we felt warm, comfortable and at ease.”
The dining pods are fully enclosed, providing an intimate and private setting. Guests in a particularly celebratory mood don’t need to worry about being overly loud – they can enjoy themselves freely without disturbing other diners. The domes are also heated to help create a cosy atmosphere and keep guests comfortable. And aesthetic lighting is installed, which adds to the relaxed ambience inside.
More than 4,200 guests have taken part in dome dining at Tequila Jack’s since the experience was launched. The overall rating of the experience currently scores 9.2 out of 10 and the ambience inside the domes is rated at 9.4 out of 10.
A Talking Point for Both Diners and the General Public
The restaurant owners have received great feedback about the dome dining experience, not just from guests but also from passersby, who’ve been intrigued and awed by the domes in front of the building.
Better still, the dining pods have led to a significant uptick in bookings which has amazed and delighted the owners. Bubble dome dining has a unique appeal – and these domes were the first to be installed in Ireland, making them something of a local attraction in the aftermath of their launch.
“The feedback from people who have been dining in, as well as people just walking past, has been good. We have done no advertising as we wanted to do a soft opening first. People seem to want a different dining experience. They are the first in Ireland, so that’s nice to have as well.” ~ Owner, Tequila Jack’s, Cork.
In addition to the public interest, the dining pods attracted attention of journalists, generating organic brand promotion.
Tequila Jack’s Dining Domes in the Press
Local media were quick to report on the launch of the domes, with the Irish Examiner mentioning that it was a first-of-its-kind venture for Ireland and likening the experience to being able to sit like ‘peas in a pod’.
And the Irish Mirror reported that Tequila Jack’s was ‘changing the game’ and explained how customers can enjoy margaritas right on top of the river, no matter the weather.
Dome dining is a fascinating concept, making it a newsworthy topic and a sought-after experience for diners.
Give Diners an Experience They’ll Remember for Years to Come
The secret to success in the restaurant industry in 2023 and beyond is ‘experiential’ dining, which is all about breaking away from traditional restaurant concepts and creating unique experiences.
Dining pods can help by providing an unforgettable setting and relaxed ambience, as Tequila Jack’s has found. And this isn’t the only restaurant that’s using domes and achieving remarkable results in the process. Read The Willow Tree’s story to discover how they achieved 3,700 extra covers in just 12 weeks with outdoor dining domes.
If you have outdoor space available, offering dining in a dome will give your restaurant a competitive edge, not to mention a boost in bookings, revenue and brand awareness. You’ll find guests snapping selfies inside the domes and posting on social media. Isn’t this the kind of buzz you could use?