Do you yearn for your operation to join the ranks of the nation’s foodservice leaders? Or maybe you just want to take a small step in the right direction? Try these seven strategies to bring the restaurateur mindset to your business.
New York City restaurateur and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group Danny Meyer has proven you can build a business based on people and still bring in the big bucks. Meyer’s influence is reflected in the number of restaurateurs who buy his book “Setting the Table” for their entire staff; in the response the industry has to his management moves, such as the current plan to eliminate tipping in all of his locations; and in the profound success of his burger chain Shake Shack.
There’s a reason restaurateurs have been so fixated on delivery, catering and mobile ordering: All have the potential to generate incremental sales and increased throughput. You may not have the out-the-door traffic counts of Chipotle or Panera, but that doesn’t mean such technologies should be off your radar—especially online ordering, which is proven to generate higher check averages.
There was a time when the chef stayed in the kitchen and was rarely seen or heard from. Now Americans love to see a man or woman in finely starched whites, rounding a restaurant with pride. Show your chef off in your operation and on signage and social media. Have him or her spend time chatting with employees and answering customers’ questions.
When Nando’s opened in Chicago, the South Africa-based chain invited potential customers living and working nearby to try its signature peri-peri chicken before anyone else. And while traditional soft openings typically mean comped meals, Nando’s made it more meaningful by running as a pay-what-you-want operation, with all of the money going to a local nonprofit.
A beloved nonprofit in the restaurant industry is Share Our Strength; its No Kid Hungry campaign is aimed at ending childhood hunger with the fundraising help of restaurants. Dine Out for No Kid Hungry lets operators create a promotion that fits their own style, such as designated menu items that trigger donations. It’s a way to give back while having your foodservice operation mentioned alongside big-name restaurants.
Just as operators are bombarded with demands for customization, a seemingly opposite trend has emerged: the simplification of menus. Fewer choices allow for faster ingredient turnover for operators and easier decision making for guests. Just look at Chipotle—thousands of combinations, but a relatively sparse menu. And the proof is in the numbers: Chains simpifying their menus are seeing higher customer satisfaction scores, according to research from Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics program.
Among other things (co-worker bonding, post-deadline decompression), happy hour was a brilliant idea for filling a restaurant during the otherwise quiet time before the dinner rush. Sonic Drive-In steals the happy hour concept with its half-price drinks and slushes from 2 to 4 p.m., and late-night happy hour with half-price shakes. Starbucks regularly attempts to boost its own midday sales with bounce-back coupons on morning receipts for discounted pastry items after 2 p.m.
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