This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Special events have become a big reason for going out, making unique dining experiences more important than ever. Special events have become a big reason for going out, making unique dining experiences more important than ever. For us, it's all about menu optionality and community connection.
Dead times are a hit to your wallet as a business owner as empty seats represent wasted capital investment. Seeing empty seats in your restaurant is disheartening, but the impact goes beyond just losing money. For example, you can offer incentives to customers who usually come on weekends, urging them to visit during weekdays.
Menu pricing isnt just about covering costsits about finding that sweet spot where profitability, customer perception, and operational reality meet. Understanding the Key Factors in Menu Pricing Before you develop your menu pricing strategies, its important to ground your decisions in the numbers.
However, getting more guests in seats through outdoor dining can also come at a cost, both in time and money. Having managed a restaurant with an extremely popular patio and brunch menu, I know this firsthand. Add high tops to vary up seating. Put weatherproof seat cushions on chairs to make them more comfortable for guests.
Efficient Seating and Ordering Process Minimize wait times and ensure smooth transitions from arrival to seating. Provide digital menus or physical copies that are clear and well-designed. Personalization, such as remembering a regulars favorite dish or celebrating special occasions, can leave a lasting impression.
Get ahead of it with our 12 favorite restaurant lunch special ideas for you to feature. Why you should invest in restaurant lunch specials Increasing lunch sales is a no-brainer in the restaurant business. Lunch special ideas for restaurants As promised, here are 12 ways to get diners through your doors over the noon hour: 1.
Running a successful restaurant isn’t measured solely by what’s on the menu anymore. Running a successful restaurant isn’t measured solely by what’s on the menu anymore. We engineered an alternate traffic barrier system that takes up less space than water barrier systems, meaning more space for seats.
Your Response Menu. Today’s Pandemic Special. According to a local NBC affiliate, a group of tourists were filmed attacking a Carmine’s hostess after she allegedly informed the group COVID-19 vaccine cards were required for any indoor seating. The hostess was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Photos of your menu items, ambiance, and even happy customers will give potential guests a glimpse of the dining experience you offer. Use it to share updates, special events, or new menu items. For example, you can promote your seasonal dishes or happy hour specials. It's an active marketing tool.
Additionally, POS insights can help restaurant owners identify their top-selling seasonal items based on customer data and adjust the menu accordingly. For example, while summer specials may lean heavily on refreshing spritzes, oyster specials and light salads, cold weather patio specials should emphasize warming cocktails and hearty soups.
This year, Del Taco is offering three seafood specials through April 23, which Del Taco president Tom Rose calls the perfect combo for Lent season. Arbys has a limited time menu of crispy fish sandwiches. You also dont have to grow up with fried fish Fridays to enjoy the fast-food specials this time of year. Moka & Co.,
That’s not necessarily a bad thing—when you have enough staff to handle the crowd and an efficient plan to get those waiting customers seated and served in a reasonable amount of time, you can call it a successful day. Managing a crowded lobby of customers waiting to be seated requires plenty of effort from your staff.
While your restaurant may feature a diverse menu, delicious food, a great ambiance, and excellent customer service, you will still struggle to build a customer base without promoting it. Others tend to emphasize their cheaper menu options. A quick look at your POS data will identify the top three selling items on your menu.
From salted egg yolks and chili crunch fusions to mushroom-infused teas and freeze-dried fruit powder garnishes, Kimpton’s in-house experts share the standout ingredients, menu items and techniques that will come to the table in 2025. Move over “swicy.” ” “Swalty” has entered the chat.
Two weeks later, Stieber was spending the $2,000 Little Bear had earned in profit on takeout boxes and disposable cutlery, trying to figure out if menu items like beet egg drop soup or catfish okonomiyaki would travel well. How many of those restaurants pivoted to takeout or created outdoor seating? That was February 26, 2020.
When using biophilic design it is important to use natural tones for tables, bar fronts and seating to replicate tones found in nature. Work with the interior designer when creating your menu. Tying in the menu with the overall design will create an immersive experience that guests will remember. Design Development from COVID.
The partnership resulted in a 116-seat signature restaurant directly inspired by the chef’s menu. Why is design so crucial for creating the right look and atmosphere to complement a menu? Conceived as a destination, The Desmond is tucked away in a slightly hidden location and an elevator ride is required.
1) Pop-Up Collaborations Partner with other local businesses, like a bakery, brewery, coffee shop, roastery, or food truck, for exclusive menu items or drinks. This can be as big or small as youd likefor example, you could connect with a local distillery and use their spirits for one cocktail or develop an entire menu around it.
Depending on a guest’s allergies or dietary preferences, AI can suggest personal picks from a restaurant’s menu, for example. Restaurants are responding with creative menu innovations, offering smaller portions, bundled meal deals, and "value bites" menus to provide premium experiences at reasonable prices.
Think cost-efficient signage options like easy-care acrylic sign holders or DIY signage such as acrylic sheets with removable – hence changeable for specials – chalk markers. Or consider switching to higher seat backs to create more defined space between tables. Walk-up Windows. Room for Technology.
For this, flexible seating arrangements are the key – from cozy booths to communal tables and counter seating, offering options that cater to individual preferences ensures that solo diners feel comfortable and valued. First impressions matter. Creating an inviting ambiance is critical for attracting (and retaining) solo diners.
We all had contests for our staff where the goal is to sell the most specials/most wine/most desserts, etc. One of the fine dining operations that I consult with had a contest for selling the most chef specials, with the prize being that the chef would personally make the winner any item on the menu for dinner. Lesson Learned.
While having to reduce the number of seats is never ideal for a restaurant, many states are requiring it. The best option is to remove some tables and chairs from your dining room altogether in order not to have a bunch of empty seats as reminders of restrictions. Give your outdoor seating the same importance you give indoor.
Regardless of whether this is proper dinnertime etiquette, the truth is that most people can pull out their smartphone to read through your menu just as easily as perusing a physical menu. Here are five reasons why you should stick with QR code menus instead of pulling those plastic menus out of storage.
With outdoor dining occupying the foreground, and bars and indoor dining taking a back seat to consumer preferences, it begs the question: what happens when it gets cold? Menu Features – We’ve seen many of our restaurant partners implement menu features with great success.
Due to many factors including inflation and supply chain challenges, restaurant owners and operators have been faced with tough choice about raising menu prices. To do this, restaurants will either need to use lower cost food items or raise menu prices. Another way to introduce price increases is to introduce new elements to the menu.
This edition of MRM's "Ask the Expert” features advice from Buyers Edge Platform on the topic of menu engineering. Need to make menu changes? The best results right now can be discovered through the alteration of menus based on what consumers need now, and on what sells best. Keep in mind to keep the menu simple.
From creating a welcoming ambiance to offering unique menu items, let’s explore the ways you can refine your restaurant's customer experience in 2024. Menu and food choices Your restaurant’s menu and food choices can entice or put off customers. Moreover, the menu sets expectations for the dining experience.
To keep up with the rush, you may want to add extra seating outside or split apart tables when possible. To ensure that takeout feels just as special as the alternative, allow customers to place orders in advance, so they don’t have to worry about waiting too long to pick up the day of. Choose a Minimal Menu for the Day.
"Restaurant revenue management is defined as selling the right seat to the right customer at the right price and for the right duration."— From there, you can make vital decisions about price, service capacity, table turnover, and your menu to boost revenue and profits. Engineer your menu for sales and profits. The result?
If you’re already open : Update your website, social media, online listings and answering machine with your new hours and details such as seating capacity. Food photos have a special place in the heart of consumers on social media—and Instagram is the perfect place to share and connect over cuisine.
Stay tuned for a few special tips from Melissa Bensky, one of Toronto’s most prolific foodgrammers with her account, @tastethesix. Set a goal for your restaurant’s grand opening—whether it’s seating capacity, an order volume, or revenue for your first day back in business. 1 Set goals for the event ?? Plan your staffing ?????
But if you’re in control of making changes such as updating your specials for the week, promotions for new customers, and meal deals for a unique holiday, you’ll save time. As the operator, you should be in the driver’s seat of your online ordering experience to make updates anytime and anywhere.
From the app, customers can browse the menu, place orders, and learn about the restaurant more easily than third-party apps, giving operators a stronger connection with their guests and making them more likely to become repeat customers. With a dedicated app, restaurants can control pricing, menu updates, and promotions without restrictions.
Can they view your menu online? Can they read about weekly specials or see photos of your most popular dishes? Customers want the ability to order online, set up delivery, view seating, and book tables through the convenience of a mobile phone.
Wow visuals on the plate and in the dining room, wow views from every seat, wow service, and of course – wow flavors on the plate. If you recognize the farmer, the rancher, and the fisherman, then they might be so inclined to set aside those extra special ingredients for your kitchen. They can’t sell a product that they don’t know.
How do you prepare your team for special events or holiday rushes? Can you give an example of how you’ve managed a large event or special occasion at a restaurant? As a restaurant manager, how do you prepare your team for special events or holiday rushes? How do you handle situations where an employee is underperforming?
David Portalatin, NPD Food Industry Advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America, said there are three ways consumers are responding higher menu prices: they trade down to lower-priced items; cut back on the number of items ordered; or reduce restaurant visits altogether. Increase in specials and promos. ”
Prior to the challenging environment we currently find ourselves in, the significant availability of capital led to more of a “growth at all costs” mentality for businesses where profitability took a back seat. Are there organic social media posts about your hero menu item? Has your product developed a cult-like following?
Entertainment is also an effective way to make any meal special – can you provide games for guests at their table? Provide various seating options, such as indoor vs. outdoor, larger and smaller tables, and ensure that all patrons are abiding by your business’ protocol as much as possible. Live music?
Give them a week of shadowing seasoned staff, clear checklists like Greet tables in 2 minutes or Check orders before they leave the pass, and a full menu rundownspecials included. Free meals after long shifts or a staff pick on the menu build camaraderie. If shrimp sits unused, swap it for wings or a seasonal special.
Some have been giving a special, one-off payment to new recruits, while others have provided free starters or drinks to those who sign up for interviews. If patrons are dining in, they can simply include a table number when they place their order so that the food can be brought to where they are seated.
Phone orders are prone to human errormisheard items, incorrect addresses, and unclear special requests are all common issues with manual order taking. With your own online ordering system, you can collect emails, send promotions , and encourage repeat business with reward programs or special discounts.
Creating and optimizing the menu based on US Foods’ exclusive food-costing tools, industry analysis and recipes designed by in-house chefs that focus on both profitability and diner trends. Seated Acquires VenueBook. Seated acquired digital event booking platform VenueBook. ” DoorDash Partners with NBA. .”
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 49,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content