Unreasonable Hospitality: The Book That Changed How I Think About Customer Experience

I just read Unreasonable Hospitality, and honestly, it's one of the best books I’ve ever read. Top five, easily!

It’s the story of how a Michelin-star restaurant Eleven Madison Park in NYC didn’t just aim to be great; it set out to become the best restaurant in the world. Not by hiring celebrity chefs or building flashy interiors. But by creating experiences so personal, so over-the-top thoughtful, that people couldn’t stop talking about them.

And that’s the heart of it: they made hospitality the product.

The $10 Hot Dog That Created a $1,000 Memory

One story really left an impression on me. A group of tourists dining at Eleven Madison Park casually mentioned they experienced everything in New York excpet for a New York hot dog. The restaurant manager overheard it, ran out to a street vendor, and came back with a hot dog. Not slapped on a napkin but plated with full Michelin-star presentation. That’s it. A $10 hot dog turned into a story that those tourists will tell forever.

It wasn’t about money. It was about listening, caring, and turning fleeting moments into lasting memories.

Hospitality Is the Differentiator

Most businesses today are focused on scale, automation, and squeezing out efficiency. And while I love a good automation, this book is a powerful reminder that real connection doesn't scale easily and that's exactly why it's so valuable.

Whether you're running an online casino, a SaaS product, or a small local shop, how you treat people is your edge. It’s the stuff that doesn’t show up in analytics, but shows up in loyalty, referrals, and word-of-mouth, and to be honest, it's one of my superpowers.

How This Applies Online (Yes, Even to Digital Products)

Reading this book got me thinking: hospitality isn’t just for restaurants. It absolutely translates to the online world.

In fact, the same principles that made this NYC restaurant world-class can be used to elevate websites, apps, newsletters, online businesses, anything with a user on the other side of the screen.

Here’s how I’m thinking about it now:

• Inject surprise and delight. In a digital setting, this could be a helpful bonus feature, a personal message, or even just a quick response that goes beyond what was asked. The bar is low which makes standing out easier!
• Anticipate before people ask. Great UX, straightforward navigation, smart onboarding flows, instant support, these are your online hot dogs. They're the digital touches that make users feel like someone’s really thought things through.
• Make small moments feel big. A smooth checkout. A thoughtful thank-you page. A welcome email that feels human. These details are easy to overlook but they’re exactly what people remember.

At the end of the day, your product or service might be online, but the experience is still human. And that’s where unreasonable hospitality comes in.

Let's become Unreasonable together!

This book isn’t just about restaurants. It’s a mindset shift. It shows what happens when you stop trying to be “good enough” and start aiming to be unreasonably good.

Not only did I read the book, but I now really want to experience the Eleven Madison Park restaurant as well. I know, I know, my family calls me a Marketing Victim, but honestly, I want to be part of this unreasonable hospitality and experience first-class hospitality!

Go read it! And then surprise someone in your business with a gesture that makes them smile.

That’s how you win.

Follow me

If you liked this article, Follow Me on Twitter to stay updated!