A Floating Piece of China in the Heart of Amsterdam for 40 Years: Sea Palace

For many, it's a familiar sight upon entering Amsterdam's Central Station; the floating Chinese pavilion of Sea Palace. Although the view has significantly changed over the years (due to the addition of the Amsterdam Public Library and the Nemo Museum), this, the largest floating restaurant in the Benelux, has been a defining feature of Amsterdam for decades and has now achieved protected status. Owner Kaji But says, “Fortunately, we've received permission to make the necessary modifications to the building. Especially in terms of sustainability, there are many improvements to be made, including a new roof, solar panels, and high-efficiency glazing.”

Despite the image that Chinese restaurants in the Netherlands sometimes have, Sea Palace is anything but stagnant. In fact, significant investments are being made in innovations aimed at creating an optimal balance between profitability and guest experience. During our visit, robots continuously shuttle back and forth carrying full plates and dishes, and Kaji has recently invested in a new production kitchen and is looking at new locations to expand the concept. It was from this mindset that Kaji also started Butlaroo years ago: “I noticed 15 years ago that a lot of redundant work was being done in taking and entering orders.” He also observed that errors in order entry at the cash register led to frustration in the kitchen: “I chose Butlaroo as a partner to work with, especially because I saw that they, like us, continue to innovate in new developments. That matches well, especially with our concept of shared dining.”

The shared dining concept is a hit with visitors. Sea Palace is packed from the moment it opens at noon, seven days a week. This includes day-trippers and tourists from both the Netherlands and abroad, as well as many regular customers who flock to this venue. They fill their tables with dim sum snacks (steamed wonton wrappers filled with a variety of ingredients) that are meant to be shared.

The menu at Sea Palace features more than 70 small dishes that also change frequently, making a digital menu essential. “We've invested a lot of time in showing our guests how to order easily via Butlaroo. This has been very beneficial; upon arrival, we guide our guests to their table and explain our concept. We find that more and more people are comfortable with this way of ordering, finding it not intimidating but rather convenient. Where necessary, our staff will of course assist so that guests can do it themselves in the future. We see that this way of ordering reduces errors, increases the average spend per guest, and allows our staff more time to provide additional service.”

For the near future, Sea Palace is increasingly focusing on optimizing the guest experience. In this too, they are partnering with Butlaroo. “We are always working to optimize our guest experience; knowing and recognizing our guests is central to this. How can we truly surprise our guest? We are looking for ways to make truly relevant offers to our guests, tailored to their taste profiles, preferences, and spending patterns. Only then does a loyalty program really add value. We are eager to explore with Butlaroo what the possibilities are, now and in the future.”