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We recently posted an article on our blog, How Pop Ups Become Permanent Restaurants, and discussed how creative chefs can gain some brand exposure that can lead to a standalone restaurant by hosting fun pop up events. Event ticketing website Eventbrite has analyzed data from their events, and found that pop up restaurant events have surged in popularity over the last year. An analysis of 40,000 events showed that pop-up restaurants are the fastest growing trend on the site, with 82% growth over the last year. According to the Huffington Post, the term "Pop Up" did not start appearing in Google searches until 2009, and the frequency of those appearances shot up in 2014. It is hard to pinpoint where the trend began, but it looks to be picking up even more steam as we continue through 2015. On top of pop up events becoming more popular, which itself good news for chefs, Eventbrite also surveyed 2,000 of their users, and pulled some surprising data. Of those surveyed, 75% believe that their higher cost of attendance for pop up events is worth it for the unique experience, and 50% said they would pay more money for the same food if given the opportunity to interact with the chef. That is pretty promising for chefs and pop up organizers like Melissa King, who really want to make a personal impression on diners with their food. Chefs do not have to worry about finding a restaurant to borrow either, as 83% of those surveyed said they would rather attend a pop up event in a unique location, rather than at a traditional restaurant venue. Regardless, it's still better to sell tickets in advance, and let diners forget about paying the bill at the event, as 80% of those surveyed by Eventbrite said they would rather buy their ticket ahead of time like a concert, vs paying the bill after the meal like in a typical restaurant. Now, it is worth noting that while Eventbrite's anlysis is comprehensive, their sample set is probably skewed towards consumers who are already adventurous and attend events regularly, as they have an account with a ticketing system. Still, the fact that pop up events have experienced such a sharp increase in popularity bodes well for the trend when it comes to the general public getting involved. What do you think, have you attended or are planning to attend a pop up event? What was your experience like, and what made you decide to go? Let us know what you think via Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Source: Eventbrite, Huffington Post Image Credit (Flickr)