Why Doesn’t Your Social Media Bring In Customers?

Meet Bob. Bob might be considered equivalent to the strategic design behind, and the effective level of marketing across your social media profiles. Let’s take Bob off the internet and put him in your dining room to see how accurately he reflects your online presence and your overall performance. You don’t view social media as an extension of your customer service; instead you look at it simply as medium for advertising. *...

Crocs Work Shoes: Same Function, More Style

Finding a good pair of comfortable black shoes for restaurant workers who are on their feet all day can be a challenge.  Crocs shoes are known for their durability, comfort, and great traction on even the greasiest kitchen floor.  And when Crocs came out with some stylish interpretations of their classic shoe, the food service...

Table Turnover: The Tradeoff Between Experience And Business

Every server hates “campers” – those diners who stay firmly parked in your section for hours on end, taking up a table that could have been given to another party ready to order (and tip) all over again. For restaurant owners, table turnover can be a tricky balance.  On the one hand, you want customers to enjoy a great atmosphere while they dine.  It goes without saying that an enjoyable experience is more likely to bring...

Restaurants Use Nutrition Info To Add Value For Customers

Added value – in a world of discounts, something besides price has to get your customers in the door.  It’s the new reality facing the food service industry these days, and many restaurants have already started devising ways to go the extra mile for customers. Soon enough restaurants will be required to post...

Food Safety: Controlling Insects And Pests

The primary focus of any food safety program, and rightly so, is on the temperature of your food product.  Heating food to the proper temperature and storing it at the proper cold temperature are vital to preventing contamination.  But allowing foreign objects like hair, metal, and insects or pests to contaminate food can be just as much of a food safety headache for your restaurant and making somebody sick. Pest mitigation...

Restaurants Report Customers Coming Back

Some of the largest players in the food service industry, including Brinker International, McDonald’s, Chipotle, and The Cheesecake Factory are reporting sales and guest traffic up for the first quarter of 2010.  That meant good news for the rest of the sector, which had been hurting particularly badly after consumers went into recession mode last year. The news brought back to the forefront a trend that has been observed...

Who Are Your Restaurant’s Best Friends?

Have you taken a good look at your customers lately? Look around your restaurant’s dining room and take out counter tonight. How many people do you recognize? Are there many new faces? Do you know how many have been here once before, twice before, or are old friends who come back again and again? Knowing how many of your guests are frequent, occasional or first timers is important. Why? Because this knowledge can...

Becoming A “Zero Landfill Company” Is A Journey

Being completely trash-free is a daunting task.  Even a company in the business of “green” with highly educated Eco Patriots is challenged by this.  Last week, Eco-Products reviewed our waste diversion results from 2009.  We strive to divert 100% of our waste from landfills – everything is either composted or recycled. Last year,...

Ten Cheap Ways To Boost Efficiency (AND Profits!)

1. Start-up, Shutdown Schedules Not everything needs to be turned on right away when the first cook arrives. Equipment start-up schedules similar to just-in-time ordering saves energy with no investment. 2. Low flow aerators These are potentially one of the lowest priced efficiency measures a restaurant can buy. Aerators range from .50 to a several dollars and return the investment almost instantly. 3. ...

The Age of the Groupon: Does It Make Sense For Restaurants?

Groupon.com, along with BlackBoardEats.com (which I covered in an earlier blog post) and a whole array of other discount coupon websites have proliferated in the last year as restaurants struggle to get customers through their doors.  These sites operate by getting...