8March2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
Restaurant owners who understand differences in attitudes and preferences among various dining demographic groups have an advantage by being able to connect with customers better. Different age groups of diners respond differently to marketing campaigns and dining incentives. Here are some highlights about three major demographic groups in the US: young diners, families with kids, and boomers and mature consumers.
Young Diners. This group of diners (ages 18 to 28) is considered to be a major market segment: young diners tend to eat out more often than any other age group, even though young diners generally prefer fast-food restaurants. Lower price point is the strongest draw for young diners, and majority of people in this group look for restaurants based on that sole factor. According to R&I’s New American Diner Study, this group of diners buys more than three meals away from home each week, they look for speed and convenience (fast food or fast casual), and they often check online resources for places to eat out. This age group is more likely than any other age group to use restaurant’s online ordering service. This age group is also willing to share entrees as a way to reduce their check size. In addition to price, young diners pay attention to healthy ingredients. Therefore, emphasizing that your restaurant makes healthy food at affordable prices would increase your sales to young diners.
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5March2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
All of our modern-day activities usually have environmental costs, especially in the food service operations. It takes energy and resources to produce food and food-related services and to deal with the disposal of such products. This includes air or water pollution, energy-related waste, or solid waste disposal. However, with the right approach, it is possible to not only reduce waste, but at the same time increase your energy efficiencies, become environmentally friendly and reduce costs.
Purchasing. Initial investment in more environmentally sound choices will pay for itself pretty quickly through efficient energy use and reduced disposal costs. This includes purchasing energy efficient equipment, as well as making different purchasing choices on a smaller scale. For instance, start serving carbonated beverages from a beverage dispenser rather than from a bottle or a can. Buy bar mixes, drink mixes, juices, iced tea and other products in concentrated form: they are cheaper and do not use cans or bottles. Also, consider using refillable condiment containers and purchase condiments in bulk as well. This includes ketchup, sugar, cream, etc.
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4March2010
Posted by Crystal under: News.
Hiring staff is one of the most difficult tasks for the restaurant owner/operator. Turnover in the restaurant industry is notoriously high, and the process of hiring, keeping and motivating staff takes a tremendous amount of effort and time investment. The ultimate goal in the hiring process is to reduce your turnover while increasing the productivity. Here are some tips on how to do it:
Advertising. Advertise in regular media outlets, such as in the classified section of the local newspapers or in the online classifieds. Contact the local employment office and see if they have a job service section, so that you can add your job offer to their computer database. Visit local colleges and universities that usually have bulletin boards where you can post your job opening. For more important positions, such as chefs and cooks, recruit at local culinary colleges. Of course, place an ad in the window of your own restaurant.
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1March2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
The Food Channel’s list of top food trends for 2010 is based on the research performed by the Food Channel, together with CulturalWaves, a marketing research company that captures evidence of people’s behavior, identifies the underlying patterns and drivers of people’s behavior and translates them into definable and innovative ideas. Here are some of the top trends to be expected in the food industry in 2010:
Keeping It Real. It is predicted that people will return to basic ingredients, pure, simple and clean. There will be an even bigger shift from convenience foods to scratch cooking. Some of it partially comes from the fact that there are more celebrity chefs now sharing how they eat at home, there are more cooking shows, and new foodie blogs appear every day. There will also be more education focusing on what food and ingredients people should have in their refrigerator and pantry.
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27February2010
Posted by Crystal under: News.
We’re continuing to write about the multitude of websites that review local businesses across the country. If you are in a consumer oriented business, chances are a few of your customers will be posting their opinions on such sites. Most of these sites let businesses monitor their company profiles and respond directly to reviewers. Because millions of people view these listings every month, it is highly recommended you ensure your business is properly listed. Studies have shown that many diners consider online reviews “influential” in their purchase decision process, and that diners look at online reviews before making offline service purchases.
Metromix.com. This site is a relatively new city guide on a national level, having started in Chicago. It is growing at a fast rate, adding new markets every day. It boasts to be “Your one-stop local entertainment guide on where to go and what to do, from the hottest restaurants and bars, to the latest in music, movies, and entertainment”.
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26February2010
Posted by Crystal under: News.
Business Week, one of the leading online business journals, has recently come up with a list of those American restaurants that have been in business the longest, surviving through economic downturns, location changes, fires, and culinary trends. Most of these restaurants have existed for over 150 years, have kept their original names, and, in most cases, have kept the ownership in the family:
Fraunces Tavern, NYC. Founded in 1762, this restaurant quickly became a well-known gathering place, often frequented by the leaders of a revolution; it was a center of community activity of the 18th Century, as important as the local church or Town Hall. It was in Fraunces Tavern that the first New York Chamber of Commerce was born, the tavern was also the host to the Sons of Liberty and other local revolutionaries, and it was frequented by George Washington. Located in Manhattan’s Financial District, the restaurant offers dinners and lunches, and hosts colonial style weddings.
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22February2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
The slumping economy has had a negative effect on many industries, including restaurants. Consumers’ attitudes toward eating out have changed, and people now carefully budget for meals at restaurants. With this new attention paid to prices, many restaurant patrons across the country are switching to cheaper restaurants or thinking twice before going out to eat at all. Here are some tips that many restaurants are successfully applying now in order to boost their bottom line and attract customers during an economic downturn:
Prix Fixe Lunches and Dinners. These days, money-conscious diners are cutting out alcohol drinks, appetizers, expensive main entrees, and desserts. Many restaurants, especially higher-end ones, respond to this trend by offering irresistible prix fixe full-dinner menus and prix fixe lunches, at reduced prices. While prix-fixe dinner can still be perceived as expensive, such menu provides an excellent value to diners for an elegant meal and is an excellent solution for a restaurant to consistently bring in the revenue despite the economic challenges. Read the rest of this entry »
19February2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
Within the last two years, the restaurant industry has experienced consistent sales declines, as the US consumers are continuously pressured by job losses, reduced income and fears of long way to economic recovery. Consumers have started to cut back on dining out as far back as in 2007, and this trend continues into 2010. Yet, according to the recently released 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast by the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry will show gradual improvement in 2010 vs. 2009. For instance, 2010 industry sales are forecast to increase 2.5% over 2009 sales to reach $580 billion. The report also shows that restaurants remain strong contributors to the economy, and play in important role in creating work places for the US workforce.
Quick Service Restaurant Segment. Quick Service Segment in 2010 is expected to do better than higher-end restaurants, as diners focus more on value and specials. Catering business is also expected to show strong growth in 2010 by increasing 4.5% over 2009. Read the rest of this entry »
18February2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
As more people use internet to search for places to eat out, it is critical that your restaurant be found on-line and on those sites and search engines where the customers are likely to look for restaurants. There are many restaurant-oriented and general local search sites that allow you to enter and frequently update your business profile information, in most cases, for free. Read on to find out how to list your dining establishment in major search engines:
Google. More people search locally on Google than anywhere else, so it is important to list your restaurant there. Under Google Local Business Center www.google.com/local/add, you can add, edit, or delete your local business information. This is a free service from Google, and Google also provides you with premium listings. Once you’ve added or edited your restaurant info, your business will show up on Google Maps, and also in Google search results, sometimes in the main results. You can also show your customers coupons, add videos and photos, and post real-time updates.
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15February2010
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks.
Many consumers with kids love to dine out or pick up food from restaurants because it is faster and more convenient than cooking at home. Because parents with kids can potentially generate substantial revenue for your establishment, make sure your restaurant is family-friendly. Cater to families and children, and provide them with everything from special menus to fun activities. Here are some tips on how restaurant operators can easily attract more families to their restaurants:
Deliver Package Deals. Surveys show that consumers with kids are more likely to order package meal deals. Common package deals for kids include main meal, soft drink and dessert – all for a fixed price. Provide incentives for kids, and parents will be only happy to choose your restaurant.
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