Serving Up Burgers With News
While this year’s tight election race may induce a bipartisan need for bicarbonate, this week the folks at CNN have been dishing up burgers, tuna melts and more at the CNN Convention Diner, located just a few steps outside the site of the Republican National Convention.
The CNN Diner (aka The Tick Tock Diner, when the RNC isn’t in town) opened for business this past Sunday at 34th Street and 8th Avenue, adjacent to Madison Square Garden. It will serve CNN staff, affiliates, advertisers, newsmakers and other members of the media through the close of the convention tomorrow. Throughout the Republican Convention, CNN has broadcast from the diner its Crossfire, American Morning and News from CNN anchored by Wolf Blitzer.
“We wanted to create something with distinct presence on the streets of New York, which can seem cluttered even when a convention isn’t in town,” said Scot Safon, CNN senior VP-marketing and promotion. “This was unique—at one point, we had Ralph Nader in one corner and Jerry Falwell in another.”
Diners are natural gathering places for people from all social strata and interests, Safon says, noting that when CNN goes on the road from its home base in Atlanta it typically sets up in a town’s favorite diner. In New York, however, the ante is inevitably a bit higher. In addition to serving up news stories and interviews, the diner has also offered dishes by Executive Chef Kerry Heffernan and catering by Barton G.
“We measure the success of this concept just as a diner would,” Safon said, “On the amount of return traffic we get and the loyalty we build among our affiliates and advertisers. We’re delighted to give them this opportunity to get closer to what we do and who we are.”
The diner concept was developed for CNN by Civic Entertainment, New York City.
