It should be noted that the only reason Meze Grill is accepting bitcoins is because Bruce Wagner, host of the 24/7 Bitcoin show (http://onlyonetv.com/?page_id=178), loves the restaurant and convinced the owner to accept bitcoins. The owner himself (on Bruce's show) has admitted it's basically a cute little gimmick and doesn't actually any real volume using bitcoins at his shop.
There's an old cliché, nobody remembers the second man to walk on the moon.
So my point was, there is value in being the first restaurant in the world to accept bitcoins. And to be the first coffee shop. or the first plumber to do so, etc.
But, of course, I got schooled by lwat who poked a hole in my argument ... Buzz Aldrin is very well known.
Incidentally, the second restaurant to announce that they accept bitcoins also is in NYC ... http://twitter.com/ocrepes
Yes, the above is as ridiculous as it sounds.