Lessons From the Alpine Inn

Last week while in the Black Hills of South Dakota, my family decided to spend our last night dining at a local establishment. My sister-in-law received a tip from a tour guide about a restaurant all the locals frequent. It's called the Alpine Inn, and is nestled on a fun little main street drag in Hill City, population 922. From the moment we walked into this old German restaurant, I knew something different was happening. Then, in the coming hours (yes, hours), I would learn that "different" doesn't even begin to explain it.

First, we walked in at 5:20 and were immediately told there was a 2-hour wait. What!?!? We had a feeling it was worth the wait, so we decided to keep ourselves busy for the next 120 minutes. The wives took the kids to some nearby shops, while my brother-in-law and I held the fort down (tough job, I know). I did what felt natural: I walked up to the bar to order an Old Fashioned. Except they didn't have a liquor license.....beer and wine only. No problem, I think to myself. It's a German place, so I'll enjoy a nice German beer. Cash only. Cash only!?!? The bartender pointed to an ATM 10 feet away (beside the ornate phone booth). I grabbed some cash for drinks and dinner, then quickly hurried back to the bar to retrieve my beer.

While we were waiting, I asked the bartender for a food menu. He referred me to a little sign in the doorway between the bar and restaurant, indicating that was the menu. I saw the sign when we walked in, but it only had two items....I assumed those were the specials. "Yes, we only have two items on the menu. Both are very good." Ah, got it! Of course there are only two items. Why not!?!? This excited me greatly, as any restaurant in a town of 922 people with a 2-hour wait at 5:20 PM and only two items on the menu HAS to be good! Spoiler alert: it was excellent! We had a wonderful time, and my kids enjoyed their first-ever "fancy" meal. To top it off, the prices were ridiculously reasonable. All in all, it was a fun, memorable, disorienting experience. I'm grateful for the Alpine Inn and the wonderful work they're doing.

Here's the point of my restaurant rant. The Alpine Inn breaks all the rules and simply follows their path.....and they do it to great success. They know who they are, who they serve, and how they serve them. They aren't trying to be everyone else. They aren't trying to be all things to all people. They aren't trying to chase the latest test trend. They are simply trying to be the Alpine Inn.....and they're doing a wonderful job at being the Alpine Inn.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the Alpine Inn......