Imagine fancy IKEA restaurant and you have Marche restaurant.
Here is how it works:
1. Enter and receive a "payment card" that tracks your transaction at each food station.
2. Eat the food there at the various sit down areas (each with their own feel and ambience) OR take it to go. Remember that if you sit down to eat, you will be charged a 12% gratuity - small notice is posted at the entrance of this gratuity.
3. Line up at the cash register/pay outs to pay.
4. Hand in your payment card which will have all your transactions and pay for them.
Overall it's a very fun and refreshing concept. The food you get is generally made to order or seems fresh since you get to see it made in front of you. Here are some pros and cons to this idea of Marche (French for market) style restaurant.
Pros:
1. Pick and choose - can be fun to walk around the venue with friends and chat while picking your food
2. Freedom to eat - no waitresses/waiters around to bother you and your party while dining
3. Seat yourself at any of the various tables for different environments
4. No tipping calculation - 12% gratuity (BEFORE TAX) which makes the dining experience a little more consolidated
5. Slow but decent WiFi
Cons:
1. Expensive for some specialty foods - be careful because some foods are disproportionately priced. Always remember to ask the chefs/cooks what the portion size is and what the food item contains.
2. No service yet a 12% gratuity - tip is essentially going towards the good service of the cooks/chefs and the table top cleaners
Very fun experience and would highly recommend any of you reading this to give it a try. Come expecting a light fun dining experience with plenty of opportunities for playful/flirty banter while picking your food and eating it.