Thank You For Coming, (3416 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, 90039) is a spot, that serves food, gives thanks to anyone that pays, and inspires people to participate. They want to help people engage in meals differently (by cooking themselves, bartering a skill for it, harvesting and foraging their own ingredients, or eating with new tools). They want to teach how the restaurant operates, including where the food comes from, how much it costs, how it is made, and who prepares it.
This performance space/restaurant/hang-out spot, had its first artist on December 5. Thank You For Coming will never be a traditional restaurant because they’re trying out a pay-what-you-want lunch program called “Snak-Stop” where a menu lists suggested meal prices but you decide how much to actually leave. Service runs Wednesday-Sunday from 11 am-3 pm.
During evening hours, Wednesday-Saturday from 6 pm-10 pm, (family-style dinner is served on Sundays), Thank You For Coming takes on “residencies.” For example, the inaugural month-long residency called L.A. Novela Special is a “performance piece” by Cristina Victor as her alter-ego Miami. The entire restaurant has morphed to fit “Miami” and Victor is serving “Miami’s interpretation of the Cuban Frita,” yuca fries with cilantro aioli, a watercress salad, and flan. The menu changes regularly and there’s no alcohol at the moment. Next month the spot will take on a new personality and menu. And alcohol might finally be served.
