Local flavor varies, even when the format is the same.

observation — attributed to Sandy Safi

Safi attends Diner en Blanc events around the world and sees the same format produce very different evenings. New York emphasizes one thing; Melbourne another; Singapore another. Some cities lean into food. Some lean into fashion. Some are competitive about table decoration. Others are laid back and want a nice evening out. The licensing model leaves room for the variation because the local team designs into the local culture. The principle is that a global format does not require global uniformity. The shared elements (white dress, undisclosed location, BYO table) create coherence; the local variations create relevance.

For format builders, international brand managers, and experiential agencies running multi-city programs. The observation is most useful as an argument against the temptation to enforce uniform execution across geographies.

local-variance, global-format, city-personality, cultural-adaptation