Published January 12, 2015
Though many restaurants are focusing on how to attract millennials and the next generation, you have to make sure you don’t lose your baby boomer customers in the process.
There are things you can do to cater to your older patrons, such as offering smaller portions at reasonable prices and having an easy to read menu with a large enough font. Most older folks prefer a quiet, peaceful experience (unless you’re hosting a band that evening, of course), and quality, friendly service.
For more tips, read the full article here: Why Baby Boomers May Be the Key to Your Restaurant’s Success
[sc:mbta]
Published January 12, 2015
When you hear the words “working for tips,” what do you think of?
When you’re a server, tips are a big part of your income, but when you think about it the idea could almost be considered degrading. It’s like the guests are saying “here, have a few extra dollars, I’m sorry you’re not doing something more meaningful with your life.” What if tips were no longer in the picture? At least one restaurant in Pittsburgh is changing the game, and they’re making headlines.
Bar Marco has eliminated tips and opted instead to pay its employees a $35,000 salary, plus benefits, 10 days paid vacation, health care, and shares in the company. They’re limited to a maximum of 44 hours a week with two days and one night off.
This is huge, especially considering that PA’s minimum tipped wage is only $2.83. This might be exactly what servers need to stop those annoying people from saying serving isn’t a “real job.” A living wage, benefits, and paid vacation? Put that in your coffee and stir it!
Could this be a new era? A restaurant revolution? We can only hope the trend continues.
Read the full article here: A Restaurant Just Banned Tips, And Its Employees Are Thrilled
[sc:mbtc]
Published January 12, 2015
With 3D printing technology becoming more affordable, it’s showing up in all sorts of unexpected places. One of those is food service, where it can be used to produce unique food designs and extravagant presentation.
Engineers and chefs are coming together to do things with food that have never been done before!
Read the full article here: 3D printing could be ‘game changer’ for foodservice
[sc:mbta]
Published January 9, 2015
Themed restaurants create a unique atmosphere and become known for particular gimmicks, and there’s no end to theme possibilities if you’re looking to start up your own.
Rainforest Cafe and Hard Rock Cafe have created franchises with staying power by catering to the tourist demographic, while others like Dans Le Noir offer a more extreme experience (in this case, eating in total darkness).
More themed restaurants are popping up due to increased competition and an increase in informality. Millennials are demanding unique experiences and local flavor. Creative concepts gather a lot of attention, but keeping customers coming back is the challenge and a strong marketing plan is essential.
There’s no telling what kind of crazy restaurant idea is around the corner, and there’s no better time to get in on the action!
Read the full article here: Operators’ creativity flourishes with theme restaurants
[sc:mbtc]
Published January 9, 2015
Many consumers are moving away from traditional sodas and caffeine as they adopt healthier lifestyles. Drinks that contain fresh fruit and vegetables, especially exotic flavors, are becoming popular.
Teas are also growing in popularity. For those who haven’t kicked the soda habit, Coca Cola Freestyle machines allow customers to mix up different blends from over 100 flavors.
Read the full article here: Top 100: Menu Trends – Beverage innovation
[sc:mbta]
Published January 8, 2015
“When are you going to get a real job?”
I think every server encounters this at one point or another. Maybe you did while you were spending time with your family for the holidays as they heard you venting about a particularly bad day.
People look down on serving for a few reasons. First, it’s often an introductory position for the younger generation just entering the work force. The jobs also often pay minimum wage, and don’t require experience or education to get started.
However, those things do not mean serving isn’t a real job. While many people use it as an introductory position or a side job, many others make it their career and develop more skills, get raises and pay the bills like everyone else.
Just because you work in food service doesn’t mean you’re uneducated or that you should be pursuing something else or doing something different with your life – it just means you work in food service, and your job is as real as the money you make.
Read the full article here: Why Do People Think Waiting Tables Isn’t a Real Job?
[sc:mbtc]
Published January 8, 2015
When you need cucumbers julienned quickly and perfectly, you need Vollrath’s Redco Instacut Cucumber Slicer.
While this tool is limited in its use, it’s a rock star in any sushi kitchen where uniformly sliced cucumbers are a main ingredient. The slicer is ten times faster than traditional cutting methods, and saving time means saving money.
Read the full article here: How Sushi Restaurants Cut Cucumbers Fast
[sc:mbta]
Published January 7, 2015
With the restaurant landscape always changing, ergonomics remains an important consideration in the design and engineering of foodservice facilities.
Ergonomics is the directive concerned with the interaction between people and objects in their environment, and is usually applied to the workplace. Things like the height of counters or prep tables need to be comfortable to work at so employees avoid injury, such as back problems, which can severely affect work performance.
Items need to be easily accessible by all employees, so having commonly used items on a top shelf when staff of a shorter stature need to access them creates a hassle, and the time used to pull out and climb a stepladder is time lost.
Aisle width is another consideration, since frequent movement from one location to another adds up quickly.
Having adjustable work tables and shelving can make a big difference in both productivity and employee comfort. All of these ergonomic considerations should be paramount when remodeling or building a foodservice facility.
Read the full article here: Improved ergonomics address human factor
[sc:mbtc]
Published January 7, 2015
Business may not be booming, but restaurants are seeing an improvement as the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) has maintained a level over 100 for September through November.
Most restaurant operators are expecting sales to continue to increase into the new year, and many are planning capital expenditures for equipment, expansion or remodeling.
Read the full article here: Restaurant sales, traffic remain positive as year winds down
[sc:mbta]
Published January 6, 2015
Finding a table empty of people and payment is almost enough to give a server nightmares. Why? Because in many locations that tab has to come out of your earnings, and if it happens repeatedly you could lose your job.
It doesn’t seem fair to me. I think there needs to be some research done into why people dine and dash, because if servers are the ones getting penalized for it, then they are supposedly the ones at fault.
If a server is very busy and doesn’t check up on tables in a timely fashion resulting in the customer leaving without paying, that’s an issue and definitely (at least partially) the server’s fault. But how often is that the case? My guess is not very often.
I think the best thing a restaurant can do is comp or void the tab and write the incident down, just to make sure it’s not a trend with a particular server. It’s ridiculous that the server should be expected to pay for every hungry thief he/she encounters.
I wonder if dine-and-dashers know how much they’re hurting both their server and the restaurants they steal from.
Read the Facebook post that spurred this commentary here: What happens when people skip out on their tab at your restaurant?
[sc:mbtc]
Comments closed