The Boston Sail Loft

Founded in 1984 and located on Atlantic Avenue in Boston's North End near Long Wharf, The Boston Sail Loft is a longtime waterfront restaurant known for its laid-back atmosphere, harbor views and classic New England seafood dishes like award-winning clam chowder, lobster rolls, fried seafood and local fish. Eric Cacciatore of the Restaurant Unstoppable podcast sits down with Meredith Tipping, general manager and head of marketing. She has helped lead the restaurant's operations, marketing and business development since 2012, bringing a hands-on perspective to hospitality, guest experience and the evolving Boston restaurant industry. Below is a snippet from the episode. 

What drives the level of service at The Boston Sail Loft?

MT: My dad is huge on service—huge on it. We’re not fine dining. We don’t try to pretend that we are. But what we have is hospitality. He wants bodies in that room. You cannot provide good service to someone when you have nine tables, you are running ragged and you are on a double. People are always shocked when I say how much staff we have for the size of our restaurant on a shift. Front of house, we will have eight servers, two runners, three bartenders and four managers. It seems like a lot. It is. It’s also why we get just shy of 10 turns a day. People aren’t waiting for the check.

How do you support employees through Boston’s seasonal swings?

MT: When we are not as busy in the wintertime, we do our best not to cut people’s hours. My father will continue to make sure people are making a living wage and not just say, “For my bottom line, I’ve got to cut this for February. We know there are highs in July and August and lows in January and February. We try to make accommodations and keep people’s money consistent as much as we can.

How do you approach marketing without losing the restaurant’s identity?

MT: The best social platform is your dining room floor. You can’t forget the customer who is in front of you. We believe people should be able to have the experience they have and be authentic about it. If we do a great job and you love our food, tell people. You can fake it for a while with an influencer plug, but people will be upset if they were sold something that is not real. Authenticity should be at the forefront.

How have you extended the business beyond the restaurant’s four walls?

MT: We started shipping our chowder nationwide, including Canada and Puerto Rico. We can’t bring in more seats—we’re at capacity most days—so we’re constantly asking, “What else can we develop and grow?” We launched shipping independently, and it was a very steep learning curve. I learned about freezing, shipping, dry ice and UPS. We were able to tighten it up and keep it going. We have now shipped to all 50 states, and during Christmas season we’re shipping 150 to 200 boxes a week.

What is the greatest benefit of shipping products nationally?

MT: Continuing the connection with our customers is number one. I love printing the labels and seeing people say, “Remember that trip we took?” or “Can’t wait to be there for our family vacation next month.” It also builds brand awareness: People remember us and think about us. When they think, “I’m going back to Boston, and I can’t wait to have it from the source,” that is the biggest thing for us.

What advice would you give other restaurant operators?

MT: Life is long. You cannot dwell on your mistakes. You have to recognize and acknowledge them. If a lot of people are coming to you with feedback, listen. It doesn’t always feel good, but you have to take it in so you can pivot if needed. If a customer has a bad experience, learn from it. You have another table right behind them that deserves a great experience and all of your attention. Learn and keep moving.

Check out the full Road Trip: Boston article featuring The Boston Sail Loft and other US Foods^® customers making it work in the Northeast. 

Listen to the full episode here.