Give Them Free Rum

My wife and I just returned from St Martin in the Caribbean.  We were staying on the French side (there's also a Dutch side to the island) in the town of Grand Case.  Yes, it was a vacation, but I'm always on the lookout for new and unique marketing ideas.  Sometimes, like on this trip, I get whacked over the head with how effective "the basics" are, and how time-tested techniques can – and should – be used.

Grand Case is the culinary capitol of the Caribbean.  I don't know who first bestowed that sobriquet, but I'd say it fits.  The Boulevard is narrow, with cars parked haphazardly on either side of the street, tourists walking along it and other cars and motorbikes zipping between them.  The Boulevard, at less than a mile long, is also home to 20 or more restaurants.  While some of these are barbecue joints, serving things like pork ribs, chicken and other "home cooked" specialties, most of the restaurants serve fancy French cuisine, mostly in open-air establishments.  Half of these. the ones on the north side of the Boulevard, are right on the beach, and offer spectacular views.

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