DC Restaurant Owners Shift to Counter Service for Sustainability
6 reported
Co-owners Jill Tyler and Jon Sybert closed their acclaimed fine dining restaurant Tail Up Goat in Washington, D.C., and reopened the same Adams Morgan space as a counter-service concept called Rye Bunny. Tyler explained in an interview that the decision came after nearly a decade of operating Tail Up Goat, which had earned a Michelin star and James Beard Award nominations. She said the post-pandemic period made running the full-service restaurant increasingly difficult due to rising costs and changing dining habits. Tyler credited a friend who owns a restaurant in Austin, Texas, with convincing her to try a counter-service model after she staged at his establishment. Rye Bunny uses a hybrid model where guests order at the counter and then receive table service. Tyler stated the new model allows the restaurant to operate with fewer staff members while still providing competitive wages, paid time off, and healthcare. The restaurant also offers limited paid reservations for $25, with the fee donated to two local nonprofit organizations.
What’s reported
Tail Up Goat opened in 2016 and earned a Michelin star and James Beard Award nominations.
The restaurant’s 10-year lease was coming up, prompting the owners to reconsider the concept.
Tyler said the restaurant was running a $100,000 payroll every two weeks, which she called unsustainable.
The new model reduces back-of-house staff by one person in the morning and one in the evening, and eliminates hosts, one manager, and two servers.
Rye Bunny offers limited $25 reservations that skip the line, with fees donated to Dreaming Out Loud and Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.
The restaurant added a sixth day of operation in June and plans to add a seventh in July.
Key figures
Jill Tyler, co-owner of Tail Up Goat and Rye Bunny
Jon Sybert, co-owner of Tail Up Goat and Rye Bunny
Arjav, friend and owner of Birdie’s restaurant in Austin, Texas
Liz Provencher, interviewer
Sources: eater.com
