By 12:30, I was so hungry ("How hungry were you!"), that I ate our own concessions! It was not a fantastic experience. Not horrific, mind you, but if I found myself at a crossroad with a signpost, saying "Zoo Concessions, 5 Miles West" and "McDonald's, 15 Miles East," then East I would go...
I remember once reading a letter from a European zoo director who had relocated to America. One of the biggest cultural shocks he had to come to terms with was the difference in zoo cuisine. In Europe, he had been accustomed to not eating at zoos, but dining - as in strudel and wienerschnitzel and what-not. In the US, he found nachos and hot dogs... and he was careful not to ask what part of the dog they came from.
I can't say that I'd be a huge fan of a sit-down dinner at the zoo. When I'm visiting a zoo, especially for the first time, I'm a keeper on a mission, trying to cram in as much as I can. On the rare occasions that I do eat, I get something fast and it goes down my gullet with a speed and determination that would make a monitor lizard gasp. Then, I can get back to the work of seeing the zoo. Of course, not everyone is me, who feels a need to see every exhibit four times before I leave. Maybe some families would stay longer if they felt that they had the option to sit, rest, and have a wholesome meal before they get back to the zoo.
I'm not saying that we should have a Michelin rated restaurant in every zoo. Still, we should try to have healthy, filling meals that are in keeping with the zoo's mission. To whit - it should be sustainable (especially in terms of seafood), there should be an emphasis on composting and a de-emphasis on single-use plastic waste, and having a few vegetarian or vegan options would be nice. The recent spread of the so-called Impossible Burger, which is a very acceptable vegan substitute for a hamburger, should be a welcome addition to every zoo menu in the future.
Meals at the zoo can also be used to tie-in local flavor (pun intended), or to tie into the exhibit. One of my favorite zoo dining experiences was at the Audubon Zoo's Louisiana Swamp exhibit. We dined on catfish and alligator, with pecan pie for desert, while sitting on a balcony overlooking the alligator swamp. I wondered how often visitors defied zoo rules and tossed tidbits to the gators below... including alligator nuggets. Cannibals!
A zoo dining experience can further be improved by providing a nice view. Some zoos incorporate spectacular views from their dining areas. Sometimes, the view can incorporate zoo animals and exhibits. At the Downtown Aquarium, diners at the restaurant can eat alongside an enormous tank, watching various fish glide silently alongside them as they eat. In other cases, it utilizes natural beauty and landscapes. At the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you can eat lunch in a mountainside chalet with a sweeping, panoramic view of Colorado Springs below. A cafe at the National Aquarium in Baltimore offers a pleasant view of the city's Inner Harbor. In the Toledo Zoo, you can eat your meal inside the zoo's old Carnivora House, repurposed as a food-court.
Besides restaurants, be sure to include nice picnic areas, either in the zoo or aquarium or right outside the gates. Visitors may opt to bring their own food instead of buying your concessions - but the pleasant time and memories may translate into more support for the zoo in other ways.
It is said that man (including zoo guests) cannot live on bread alone. Zoo visitors are people, with all of the needs of people - including hunger, thirst, and a place to rest their feet for a few minutes. If these needs aren't met, it's doubtful how much of the magic and mystery of the zoo they will absorb, or how receptive they will be to conservation messaging.
If you want to change the way the visitor sees your facility, you need more than a third-rate burger and fries.
No comments:
Post a Comment