Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Last Year, By the Numbers Whether you're celebrating a romantic evening out or opting for a cozy night in, one thing is clear—Valentine’s Day is big business for restaurants as diners splurge on premium meals, wine and desserts. percent of all bookings for Valentine’s Day so far this year, up from 7.2 percent in 2024.

2024 221

2024 Fine Dining Book Reservations 221

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 9, 2021

The National Retail Federation estimates that 41 percent of consumers will celebrate Valentine’s day with a special dinner or celebration at home. With the Marketing Rule of 7 , it takes an average of seven interactions with a brand before a purchase takes place. Make Your Menu the Main Course.

Marketing 553

Marketing Email Marketing Website Management Social Media 553

EATER

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

We reserved Sunday nights to cook a more involved meal together. If weeknights are for riffing, Sunday nights are our time to go by the book, giving us a chance to test out our ample cookbook collection. Going out for date night costs more now, increasing the pressure to make it worth it. Do you talk about work on date night?

Back of House 231

Back of House Take-out Specials Reservations 231

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 28, 2021

Some operations are cutting out an entire service, meaning that they only do dinner whereas before they did lunch and dinner. A friend of mine recently told me that her group had reservations for a large party on a Sunday night at one of their favorite restaurants. The restaurant had reservations and did not call any of the guests.

Customer Service 465

Customer Service Reservations Specials Training 465

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 12, 2022

With deep roots in the restaurant industry, we’ve worked with our clients to test a number of strategies to take on Restaurant Week as an opportunity to attract new customers. While having a special menu for Restaurant Week is important, so is keeping your bottom line in check. Be In Charge of Your Own Marketing.

Loyalty Program 558

Loyalty Program Online Ordering Point of Sale Customer Experience 558

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 17, 2022

Nine out of 10 people who own a smartphone use it for information regarding their location, which allows vendors to access relevant and timely data in a nonintrusive way. Promote Online Ordering and Reservations. Restaurants can also offer customers a pre-order option during the reservation process.

Marketing 530

Marketing Mobile Ordering Online Ordering Customer Experience 530

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

In this guide, youll learn: Why restaurant apps matter in 2025 and how its the consumer driving the changes The different types of restaurant apps How to make the most of your own branded restaurant app and its many benefits Lets take a closer look at why every restaurant should use apps in 2025. Reservation and table management apps.

2025 195

2025 Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Online Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 21, 2020

If you don’t have a social media strategy for your restaurant , you’re missing out on potential revenue. A well-thought-out social media marketing strategy can earn you additional customers and increase your overall income. Don’t make patrons work to find out more information. But how do you get started?

Social Media 613

Social Media Marketing 2020 2019 613

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 26, 2022

On Valentine’s Day, restaurants fill up quickly with reservations from couples eager to spend a romantic night together. Holidays provide restaurants with the opportunity to capitalize on the special moment by offering specials, events, and so much more exclusive to the holiday. Upsell with Valentine’s Day Specials.

Social Media 563

Social Media Seasonal Menu Advertising Events 563

Social Hospitality: Restaurants

MARCH 27, 2020

Let’s focus on steps you can take to market your hotel or restaurant during the coronavirus crisis. There’s still an audience out there that will eventually re-engage with your brand; the key is to connect with them. This is one way to promote perks and encourage future reservations. . Consider Your Employees.

Hospitality 454

Hospitality Marketing Travel Hotels 454

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 3, 2021

Every town has different restrictions–from limited options like parking lot cabanas for outdoor-only dining to full, open indoor dining–and many people have varying degrees of comfort dining out. Use Facebook, Instagram and/or TikTok to share your unique offerings, daily specials and other events and to interact with customers.

Customer Experience 539

Customer Experience Email Marketing Social Media Online Ordering 539

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 27, 2022

Get Ready for Reservations (or Don’t). The first big decision you need to make for any major holiday is whether or not you’re going to accept reservations. For example, by accepting reservations you’ll allow a select few parties to skip the wait, ensuring that they’ll have a great spot and a great time.

Management 531

Management Management Customer Experience Reservations 531

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 3, 2024

Ensure that your site is intuitive and easy to navigate, with clear menus, contact information, and reservation options readily accessible. To cater to the growing demand for convenience, consider integrating online ordering and reservation systems into your website.

SEO 489

SEO Website Management Online Ordering Mobile Ordering 489

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

New concepts, ghost kitchens, and delivery-only brands are popping up constantly, making it harder for any single restaurant to stand out. If your restaurant isnt showing up in search results, maintaining strong reviews , or engaging on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, youre missing out on a huge segment of potential diners.

2025 195

2025 Marketing Email Marketing Operations 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 20, 2020

It should contain all the obvious items like the extra sanitary practices you're going through, your adjusted hours of operation, and an overview of any special services you're offering like curbside pickup or no-contact delivery. PDF menus run contrary to this goal, so get rid of them as quickly as possible.

Mobile Ordering 585

Mobile Ordering Email Marketing Online Ordering Point of Sale 585

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 31, 2021

Smart business owners who find inexpensive, creative ways to anticipate and fulfill customers’ needs will stand out through COVID-19 and beyond. Employees should be encouraged to take an extra minute or two to make guests feel at ease and not rushed. Safety and Normalcy.

Customer Service 474

Customer Service Customer Experience Online Ordering Hospitality 474

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 6, 2021

Customers can also be more hesitant to dine out as their everyday expenses are going up. Revisit your cost analysis : Take for example ranch dressing, is it less expensive to make your own or buy it from a larger distributor? Inflation can cause an increase in costs for those in the restaurant industry.

Loyalty Program 493

Loyalty Program Insurance Website Management Customer Experience 493

ChowNow

MARCH 28, 2025

These are tools that can help you streamline operations, easily schedule staff, and make sure you never run out of ingredients for your best-selling menu items. Understanding How AI Works in Restaurants Lets get one thing out of the way: AI for restaurants doesnt mean robots taking over your kitchen or replacing your staff with machines.

Front of House 195

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Email Marketing 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 18, 2023

In contrast, customers are entering 2023 with higher expectations for stellar experiences when they do choose to spend money on dining out. Today, more guests expect special treatment – they want to have more of their needs anticipated before they even have to ask. Personalization with Data. Doing More with Less.

2023 474

2023 Guest Recovery Email Marketing Customer Service 474

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 24, 2024

Whether it’s managing reservations, coordinating with servers, or handling situations with grace, a skilled hostess brings a mix of warmth, professionalism, and operational expertise to the table. What steps do you take to handle special seating requests, such as accessibility needs?

Hospitality 195

Hospitality Seating Customer Experience Reservations 195

ChowNow

MARCH 7, 2025

Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while? You can also use sales trends to adjust menu pricing and share customer-favorite menu items, helping you get the most out of high-demand dishes. Or adjust your staffing schedule based on peak ordering times?

Loyalty Program 195

Loyalty Program Email Marketing Online Ordering Point of Sale 195

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 9, 2022

Today’s Happy Hour Special: Paying By Text Message. Source: Sense360 ) Owners can take advantage of tools that exist at no cost to the restaurant while enabling them to bring in dollars without turning tables. Special deals : Restaurants learn so much from a customer’s order.

Loyalty Program 503

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Kitchen Safety Online Ordering 503

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 22, 2020

Restaurants can minimize close contact by texting alerts when reservations and takeout orders are available, keeping people from clustering together at entrances or pickup counters. Like any type of marketing communication where you want customers to take action, it’s a best practice to send a follow-up.

Communication 506

Communication Email Marketing Customer Service Reservations 506

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 need to take care of people. You take care of customers above all else.

Travel 500

Travel Back of House Customer Service Small Business 500

ChowNow

MARCH 7, 2025

Restaurants that rank higher in local search results get more foot traffic, online orders, and reservations. Fortunately, you can take steps to improve your ranking and that first critical step is filling out your Google Business Profile. Keep your business hours updated, especially on holidays or special occasions.

SEO 195

SEO Online Ordering Mobile Ordering Website Management 195

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 1, 2021

Henry takes his phone, scans the QR code, and indicates that he’s arrived. Speaking of the host stand, let’s take a deeper look at your guest and waitlist management technology. He wants to meet up with a group of friends for the weekend and decides to make a reservation at your restaurant.

Technology 508

Technology Front of House Back of House Point of Sale 508

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine reached out to Rick Camac, dean of restaurant and hospitality management, at Institute of Culinary Education, for his expert advice. Many sidewalks slant out toward the street. Allow employees to take water breaks. Thankfully, outdoor dining is less expensive to build out.

Outdoor 508

Outdoor Fine Dining Dine-in FOH 508

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 27, 2022

Not to be left out, Starbucks Rewards program credits members with stars – with one star per dollar redeemable for free drinks, food and more. Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast Rewards® members, for instance, get a free sub sandwich of choice on their special day – as do many other restaurants. Think creatively.

Loyalty Program 508

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Online Ordering Customer Experience 508

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 22, 2021

First of all, with so many people still working from home and taking regular video calls instead of meetings, breakfast and lunch demand has significantly dropped. Diners finally realized how much they can actually save by not eating out. Make the Most Out of Data. Basically, both sides benefit from new technology.

Allergens 520

Allergens Online Ordering Fast Casual Food Safety 520

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 19, 2020

Call out any new policy changes as necessary on your site, have you stopped taking group reservations for parties over six? Do people need to make reservations in advance? In order to ensure a safe dining environment we are requiring advance reservations. Add a simple banner to your site that explains this.

Guest Recovery 474

Guest Recovery Kitchen Safety Food Safety Email Marketing 474

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 28, 2021

On the flip side, if you spend the time to train them right with a powerful sense of responsibility and attention to detail, then they’ll take more pride and ownership in their work. The scoreboard should lay out exactly what their daily responsibilities are alongside a clear performance evaluation schedule.

Cash Management 467

Cash Management Restaurant Law Take-out Training 467

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 13, 2020

Fortunately, there are simple steps restaurants can take to prepare for a few other economic impacts to their bottom line in the weeks ahead. Since we don't know how long this crisis will last, the first thing restaurants need to do is take a 360-degree look at their cash flow.

Small Business 419

Small Business Kitchen Safety Email Marketing Consumer Goods 419

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 11, 2020

And even with stricter guidelines in place, will customers actually risk dining out in public spaces? For the most part, people don’t make the choice to dine-out because of money or practicality. Eating alone on a couch in front of the television reminds all of us how much we’d like to be out with friends.

Customer Experience 516

Customer Experience Dine-in Food Safety Kitchen Safety 516

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine surveyed marketing experts to find out the best ways restaurants can market themselves now. Extra side, desert, take-home dressing, etc. Restaurants should advertise what precautions they're taking to keep people safe. Here are their insights. Impressions are everything.

Marketing 585

Marketing Social Media Food Safety Email Marketing 585

EATER

MARCH 24, 2025

The ongoing integration of smart technology means that even affordable toaster ovens are loaded with programs that basically take all the guess work out of cooking. Its just that ovens arent always particularly good at being ovens; they can take forever to come to temperature, and then often fail to hold that temperature accurately.

Uniforms 257

Uniforms Take-out Consumer Goods Design 257

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 29, 2020

For others, shutting down and hiding out until the virus passes will be a choice. Moreover, future financial decisions must take into account these new realities knowing that there remains a substantial uncertainty over the duration of the pandemic. In an era of take-out food, did social media act as a hindrance or a benefit?

Social Media 452

Social Media Front of House Small Business Food Safety 452

ChowNow

JANUARY 23, 2025

At this point, all it takes is one lousy dining experience to sever the connection you once had with a customer who potentially spent thousands of dollars at your restaurant every year. Its significantly more cost-effective to keep your regulars walking through the door than it is to get a new customer every time you take an order.

2025 195

2025 Loyalty Program Operations Email Marketing 195