Pay-what-you-want dining: Priceless

By mia stainsby, VANCOUVER SUN
Published on: May 15, 2009

It's right out of the idiot's guide to running a business, but by gosh, if it doesn't turn out to be a lesson for cynics like me.

This isn't a world full of greed, scams, fraud and Bernie Madoffs after all. There isn't a shark at every turn and people can be trusted to behave with a certain amount of grace.

Take the public response to a get-greedy-quick opportunity for the restaurant-goers. Some in the restaurant industry in North America are relying on the honour system - the pay-what-you-want (or in some cases, what-you-can) model of payment to lure customers or in some cases, trusting in a "pay it forward" kind of karma. Predictably, this model is based on honour. Well, it seems honour exists.

In Whistler, Joe Facciolo and partner Skai Dalziel started the Whistler Tasting Tours last December just as the floor gave way in the economy. The tour takes guests to five Whistler restaurants with a dish and a wine at each. On one of the tours, there's a champagne sabreing lesson included. The regular price is $149 (tip and taxes included) and TripAdvisor rates it the No. 1 attraction out of 42 in its popularity index. Since December, about 600 people have done the tour.

Read the rest of this interested concept and story at Vancouver Sun.