In San Diego, Laurel Restaurant went a step further, jettisoning the red chandelier, crystal candleholders and other elements of the French interior and formal vibe. Owner Tracy Borkum decided to make the switch when she observed bookings at the restaurant were falling off, while the bar — which featured a more affordable, lighter menu — was holding its own. She tried dropping menu prices, but it wasn't enough of a change. So she shuttered Laurel and spent $300,000 reconfiguring it into Cucina Urbana, a casual Italian place that debuted last summer.

“I wanted to create something completely different than Laurel: a warm, inviting neighborhood restaurant that offered customers good value and great comfort food,” Borkum says. Customers quickly warmed up to the eclectic, rustic-chic design and the new casual menu.

Up Your User-Friendly Score

Even if the economy hasn't trashed your bookings, it might be time to make yourself more welcoming. Union Square Hospitality Group's Tabla and Bread Bar, which have shared a space for the last decade, recently melded into a single concept with a restructured menu. Guests can try several smaller plates family style, opt for tasting menus for the entire table or order a more traditional multicourse meal.

“Tabla's new menu offers the flexibility to dine the way you want to — experiencing as many or as few dishes as our guests would like — and spending as much or as little time and money as fits the occasion,” explains Danny Meyer, USHG's c.e.o. “This is increasingly the way we've come to enjoy dining out with our family and friends.”

REINVENTED: The traditional, formal Laurel Restaurant morphed into the funky Italian Cucina Urbana; meanwhile, the new philosophy at Tabla (right) encourages sharing.

If prices are a sticking point, promos promising a clear departure from the norm might be a way to attract interest. Craft in New York City hosts Damon: Frugal Fridays featuring market-driven menus of items costing $10 or less.

Even Joël Robuchon, whose L'Atelier restaurant at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is a high-roller's heaven, has caved in slightly to the downturn with L'Unique, a pre-theater express menu that packages an appetizer, main course and dessert, bento-box style, for $39. Available until 6:45 p.m., the new offering is presented in 15 minutes or less — a taste of luxury, without the leisure.

Multipurpose Spaces

Donald Link, who carved out his reputation with a New Orleans big-ticket spot, Herbsaint, decided he wanted to let his hair down a bit with his most recent creation, Cochon Butcher. The latter is a butcher shop by day, what Link calls a “swine bar” at night. The lights are dimmed, and patrons sit at tables sipping cocktails and sharing plates of salumi and cheese sandwiches.

Daniel Boulud, one of the top French chefs working in the U.S. and known for his chic spots, last year opened a decidedly downscale concept, DBGB Kitchen and Bar, in New York's Bowery. There, he serves charcuterie and home-style dishes from his native Lyon: head cheese, pig's feet, rillette, tripe, ham hock and other delicacies, on small plates. Specialty burgers round out the menu.

Many operators are elevating bar fare to accommodate increased demand for that style of eating. At Craftsteak in New York, the bar area is called Halfsteak, and nothing on the menu tops $15. Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger near Boston has check averages of $55-$60, but a 50-seat lounge features street food and checks average about half that.

Finally, lest anyone think fine dining is dead, Danny Meyer is betting it will remains a viable niche. “Human nature doesn't change,” he told the Wall Street Journal recently. “When enough people are comfortable enough financially there is going to be human nature that wants to spend more money on better quality and to some degree status symbols as well.”

How to Rev Up Starter Orders

One way many diners have cut back on restaurant spending is by eliminating “extras” like appetizers and desserts. In a series of reports, “Left Side of the Menu,” the experts at Technomic suggest a variety of ways to encourage orders on these items. Those tips include:

• Stretch the appeal of appetizers to different mealparts and dayparts. Consider, for example, bundling appetizers, salads and soups with entrees and sometimes even desserts as combo meals.

• Bundle. Three out of five consumers polled said they would be encouraged to order soup if it were offered as an add-on to an entrée. And 52 percent said they would be more likely to order soup as part of a combo.

• Menu unique flavors, offer specials and promotions, update frequently and put new spins on traditional choices.