What makes a restaurant deserve mention on a creativity blog?

Among all entrepreneurship ventures, restaurants have the highest rate of failure. Much of this is due to their high labor costs--but there's also the challenge of distinguishing themselves in a very crowded market.

It's rare to see a restaurant that is new and unique without also sporting a hefty price tag.  But it is possible.

Last week, my father and I traveled to Berlin and came across a new restaurant chain that not only thrilled us so much that we went back two more times, but also impressed me with their creative take on the dining experience.

The restaurant, Pasta Vapiano, bills itself as the future of "fresh casual dining". 

The food certainly is fresh--in fact, some of the herbs are picked off the plants as you watch--but that isn't the part that impressed me.

Vapiano is interesting because they have completely streamlined the dining experience.  There are no waitresses, reasonably-priced food is made to order as you watch, you can sit anywhere you find a space, and you carry around a little card that keeps track of your purchases.

Vapiano's innovative style gives them more of an advantage that you would think.  They've eliminated more than the cost of employing servers, they've also taken away most of the dining elements that annoy customers. Guests don't have to wait for their server, they aren't waiting for their food and they can see that it's fresh off the stove.  Plus, they don't have to sit in a "bad" location just because that's how the restaurant is seating.

What particularly impresses me, however, is that Vapiano has managed to use those characteristics to create a quality restaurant that doesn't feel like a cafeteria.  Its atmosphere attracts young people, businesspeople and shoppers, quite a different demographic from most self-serve restaurants.

One of my favorite parts of traveling is discovering new ideas and concepts, and it never hurts when that fresh idea is accompanied by great food.  It's very rare to encounter unique dining experiences at a price point that's affordable on a regular basis.