Culinary Cues

JULY 23, 2023

Most restaurant owners, managers, family members of cooks, friends of cooks and chefs, those in other professions, service staff, and restaurant patrons, don’t get it. It is a close-knit industry of wannabe perfectionists who feel every ounce of pressure that looming failure can present. Most people don’t get it.

Guest Recovery 411

Guest Recovery Seasonal Menu Presentation Customer Experience 411

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 21, 2021

Restaurant concepts define the overall theme or idea behind a restaurant, including cuisine, service style, music, and menu design. Restaurant concept inspiration comes from a variety of places, like heritage, family background, a far-off place, or personal experience. The way your menu is presented should also reflect your concept.

Fast Casual 370

Fast Casual Food Truck Casual Customer Service 370

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 23, 2023

Globally, restaurants saw a notable shift in customer expectations and behavior during this time. As a result, restaurants had to quickly adapt by offering takeout and delivery options to cater to their customers' changing needs. In addition, many restaurants are now using digital menus in-house.

Customer Service 167

Customer Service Dietary Restrictions Delivery Online Ordering 167

7 Shifts

JUNE 20, 2022

We chatted with some of those most experienced in the ghost kitchen game to find out some myths, best practices, and tips for success in this food service style. Without a physical restaurant that diners can experience, it can be hard to show it. When you don't have a brand that people already know about, finding customers isn't easy.

Front of House 435

Front of House Food Truck Back of House Social Media 435

Restaurant Business

OCTOBER 23, 2024

A recent eBook by Softarex Technologies highlights all the main aspects of AI usage in restaurant operations, from customer service to back-of-house management. This transformation is not just about automation; it's about creating smarter, more efficient, and more personalized dining experiences.

Customer Experience 122

Customer Experience Operations Back of House Customer Service 122

Culinary Cues

APRIL 9, 2020

It is the experience of dining that is most important and it is this experience that allows a restaurant, or for that matter – the restaurant industry to flourish. When restaurants return they must understand that service and food are equal in importance to the guest.

Customer Experience 501

Customer Experience Customer Service Dine-in Sports 501

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

The stores were empty, and restaurant service staff were staring out windows from the vantage of unfilled seats. The community needs to create multiple reasons to be present. One of the most difficult tasks that any restaurateur or chef faces is convincing a customer to walk through the door for the first or twentieth time.

Customer Experience 376

Customer Experience Customer Service Food Safety Hospitality 376

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

So, here is what we know and what we must learn to work with: [] COVID PROTOCOLS WILL LIKELY BE WITH US FOR SOME TIME: You’re tired of it, your employees are tired of it, and your customers are tired of, but it is the second-best tool in your toy chest (next to the vaccine) to help keep this pandemic under control and keep everyone safe.

Food Supply 429

Food Supply Employee Relations Kitchen Safety Social Media 429

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 31, 2024

Every marketer insists that a company have a clear mission statement that is designed to give direction to a company and clearly articulate to the customer and employee, what the company stands for. Promote your differentiated product or service without making it a competitive statement but note that you intend to own a position.

Customer Service 326

Customer Service Social Media Customer Experience Reference 326

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 3, 2023

How we greet and welcome people into our fold does have an impact on the quality of the product and experience we offer. Customers would like up, sometimes around the block, hoping for a seat in her rather small restaurant where she featured, what we called – blue plate specials. This love is what we call “hospitality”.

Hospitality 388

Hospitality Customer Experience Customer Service Small Business 388

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 28, 2020

Remember all of those exciting things that you did to draw customers in when business was great? It seems that far too many restaurants when faced with the extraordinary challenges of the day are relegating their operations to utilitarian delivery of product and service. FIND WAYS TO MAINTAIN THE EXPERIENCE. BE PRESENT.

Social Media 442

Social Media Communication Loyalty Program Training 442

7 Shifts

AUGUST 12, 2020

We’ve also included a restaurant marketing plan PDF with all the questions you need to ask (and answer) to get into the minds of your customers and create a marketing recipe for success. But would a first-time customer know what your restaurant is made of by sitting at a table? Which is where your restaurant marketing plan comes in.

Marketing 418

Marketing 2020 SEO Loyalty Program 418

Culinary Cues

MAY 15, 2021

Even through the most challenging and tragic experiences, when the lessons are quite vivid – we quickly push aside the need to change in favor of a return to what is considered “normal”. Our menus are too large: The days when the way to customer satisfaction was through extensive variety are probably gone.

Customer Experience 400

Customer Experience Cash Management Customer Service Front of House 400

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

Push it out, how many covers, lock, and load, finish strong, over the hump, wrap it up: this the language of the kitchen during service, these are the timestamps like the number of quarters in a football game or innings in baseball. Can they meet the crowds and even exceed budgeted customer counts on a given day? Mission accomplished.

Customer Service 357

Customer Service Customer Experience Point of Sale Presentation 357

7 Shifts

JANUARY 31, 2024

A better description might be a balancing act that presents new and unique challenges every day. This includes greeting guests and thanking them for their patronage, conducting tableside checks, and resolving any customer complaints quickly, effectively, and empathetically. This part of the job is arguably the most multi-faceted.

Management 397

Management Management Kitchen Safety Front of House 397

Culinary Cues

APRIL 8, 2020

As a professional cook you have learned how important your role is in the process of preparing and presenting food. You refer to it as mise en place and experience has shown you that if you are organized and prepared then you are capable of achieving success in any moment. THIS IS HIGHLY MARKETABLE IN ANY INDUSTRY. [] SERVICE.

Communication 471

Communication Food Supply Customer Service Small Business 471

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

We can all choose to be great at what we do; choose to master our craft and create outstanding experiences for guests and co-workers alike, or we can choose to shrug our shoulders and surrender to mediocrity. This is a topic I have presented numerous times and it seems as though whenever I travel it rises to the top of my thinking.

Fine Dining 405

Fine Dining Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 405

Culinary Cues

APRIL 6, 2020

Dating back to Medieval times when cooking was reserved for nobility and later during the Renaissance when merchant travelers relied on local taverns for respite and a chance to break bread – restaurants and restaurant life has always been present. You take care of customers above all else. Customers are your lifeblood.”.

Travel 451

Travel Back of House Customer Service Small Business 451

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 26, 2020

At the same time it is worth noting that restaurants cannot survive at 50% capacity or worse, lockdowns that prevent any inside dining, take out or delivery only, or an environment that limits the “experience of dining out”. It has always been about hospitality and will always be so.

Fine Dining 482

Fine Dining 2008 Kitchen Safety Customer Experience 482

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

We know them by name, we oftentimes buy their products and services, we read about their success, and we aspire to be like them in some small way. Now here is the kicker – excellence has very little to do with the price you charge or the type of product or service you provide. The big misconception is: “You get what you pay for”.

Uniforms 450

Uniforms Fine Dining Small Business Customer Service 450

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 24, 2020

These aspects include: décor, skill level of staff, style of service, pricing, profit, type of vendors selected, kitchen layout, equipment selection, marketing and advertising, pay scales, dining room seating, type of china, glassware and flatware, even the location and color scheme for the exterior of the restaurant.

Menu 401

Menu Seasonal Menu Front of House Reference 401

7 Shifts

DECEMBER 27, 2019

The turnover rate for quick service restaurants is 123% , which means that the number of team members who leave in one year outnumbers the average number of staff in the entire restaurant. Team culture and customer service also suffer. When there’s a shortage of servers at a restaurant, service suffers. Here’s how.

Hiring 360

Hiring Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 360

Culinary Cues

JUNE 29, 2024

Memorable food, exceptional experiences, a perfect evening…these are the types of reviews that every chef hopes for and every restaurant strives for. The chef invests time in building a signature menu, testing recipes, establishing plate presentations, and making sure the best ingredients are within the teams reach.

Dine-in 304

Dine-in Customer Experience Back of House Customer Service 304

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

If you're new to the industry and are wondering what experience you'll acquire in a restaurant job, or if you're an industry vet looking to clearly communicate your abilities and skills on a restaurant resume, read on for 20 distinct skills learned while working in a restaurant. Food Service Skills For Your Resume. Taste Profiling.

Front of House 370

Front of House Back of House Kitchen Safety Food Safety 370

Culinary Cues

APRIL 30, 2020

Whichever side of the question you find yourself on – there is no denying that the constraints will be significant, customers will be very leery about entering a restaurant, and initial sales will never be enough to keep a restaurant solvent. This is absolutely essential if you want your customers to return.

Point of Sale 315

Point of Sale Customer Service Customer Experience Cash Management 315

Culinary Cues

JUNE 14, 2022

64% of those independent restaurants were “full-service”. Everywhere you look, people are beginning to line up for a return to the good old days of restaurant service. Passion, interest in learning, service orientation, personality, and drive will, as always, set the stage for a dynamic team and a successful restaurant.

Fine Dining 471

Fine Dining Food Supply Customer Service Presentation 471

Culinary Cues

APRIL 25, 2021

I find it very interesting how diverse the food experience is. Just as all cars can move a person from one geographic point to another yet the experience that takes place in between can be totally different – so too is this true with food. QUICK SERVICE: This is the food noise experience for both the customer and the employee.

Food 428

Food Fine Dining Café Customer Experience 428

7 Shifts

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

A full 55% of consumers consider takeout and delivery essential to their restaurant experience. ChowNow ChowNow is a customized online ordering app for restaurants. OpenTable As diners’ habits and preferences evolve, reservations are more important than ever for many full-service restaurants. Apple | Android 4.

Management 367

Management Management Operations Mobile Ordering 367

Sling

DECEMBER 21, 2022

The cornerstone of every great business is customer service. By extension, then, success in business relies on your, and your employee’s, customer service skills. But those things are worth much less without the ability to make your customers happy. Dismiss the customer and move on? No, of course not.

Customer Service 167

Customer Service Employee Relations Customer Experience Communication 167

7 Shifts

AUGUST 12, 2021

Is your website optimized, and does it provide a good user experience? Assume a customer discovers your website but cannot identify where you are located or how to contact you. Suppose a customer goes to a search engine like Google or Google News API and types in 'Find local restaurants near me.' Optimization of NAPs.

Marketing 397

Marketing Email Marketing Loyalty Program Social Media 397

7 Shifts

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

A full 55% of consumers consider takeout and delivery essential to their restaurant experience. ChowNow ChowNow is a customized online ordering app for restaurants. OpenTable As diners’ habits and preferences evolve, reservations are more important than ever for many full-service restaurants. Apple | Android 4.

Management 352

Management Management Operations Mobile Ordering 352

7 Shifts

APRIL 7, 2021

New CDC restrictions not only hindered capacity percentages but changed the way employees interacted with customers daily. During the orientation process, experienced workers or trainers will present key knowledge about your business, practices, and other relevant information about your staff's basic performance.

Training 370

Training Food Safety Customer Experience Insurance 370

Culinary Cues

JULY 12, 2020

Sure, the restaurant has been offering take-out options for the past six weeks, but it’s not the same experience for the cook. The service staff is even more on edge than the cooks. Reservations are sparse since the restaurant is limited to 50% occupancy, tables 6 feet apart, and wider common isles for people movement.

Front of House 417

Front of House Back of House Dine-in Food Truck 417

Culinary Cues

APRIL 26, 2020

What will our restaurants physically look like with social distancing, how will we be able to interact with guests at service, how will our kitchen teams function as a unit, what changes will be necessary for our menus to be effective, and what role will take out and delivery play in every restaurant concept? Everything helps.

Guest Recovery 319

Guest Recovery Kitchen Safety Customer Service Food Safety 319

7 Shifts

JANUARY 23, 2020

Focus on your service concept! Create an experience. When building out your restaurant concept, try to answer these key questions: What will your level of service be? What will your atmosphere and experience be? As a manager, work for your staff and your staff will work for your customer. Katy, Cartago.

2020 335

2020 Hiring Cash Management Education 335

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 21, 2023

It was interesting, somewhat absurd, but life changing for those in the profession and for the way people viewed the restaurant experience. The entire experience was elevated and so were prices. People traveled cross country to experience these chef extravaganzas. Restaurants were full and hundreds of new ones opened every day.

Back of House 400

Back of House Food Supply Government Dine-in 400

Culinary Cues

MAY 8, 2023

It is very rare that any owner/operator demands a chef work that much, we just feel responsible and hate to ask our staff to work as hard as they do and not find the chef present to help, encourage, critique, and celebrate. Even though he or she may not actually cook each dish, it is the chef’s reputation that is presented to each guest.

Kitchen Safety 441

Kitchen Safety Food Safety Coaching Training 441