Union Square Café's success revitalized a run-down area of New York City.

Life Lessons From the Dining Room

The creator of Union Square Café believes in the healing power of hospitality.

In 1985 Danny Meyer opened the Union Square Café in an unlikely location, steps from a New York City park popular with drug addicts. He was 27, a St. Louis native and a graduate of Trinity College. His belief in hospitality was almost as vast as his naiveté. He thought that good, friendly service and generosity were so powerful they could help change a neighborhood.

He was right.

Today, Union Square is a garden spot, and the shops and homes that surround it are some of the most sought-after real estate in New York City. And Meyer, who now owns nine food establishments, a blues club and a catering company, is one of the nation's top restaurateurs. In the rare year that Zagat doesn't name his flagship restaurant the most popular place in the city, it's because another of his dining rooms has moved into first place.

In his new book, Setting the Table, Meyer describes the power of hospitality. "The first time we experience it is at birth, when we are seen for who we are, held and fed," he says. "Hospitality helps people return to that perfect moment." Meyer, who has practiced his principles for two decades, says making people feel good is good business, and makes for a better life.

Meyer's Rules for Life

1. You get what you give (and you get more by giving more).
   
   
2. It's more important for people to feel heard than to be agreed with.
   
   
3. If you're going to give a gift, give it graciously.
   
   
4. Customers come second. Family comes first.
   
   
5. The world's greatest luxury is time.
   
   
6. The road to success is paved with mistakes well-handled. Overcoming adversity with imagination, courage, good humor and confidence is a crucial skill.