While for many Americans, eating “adventurously” means putting a little extra hot sauce on their burrito or getting a third topping on their delivery pizza, there is a rising popularity among more global ethnic cuisines. This post from Nation’s Restaurant News highlights some of the results from a recent survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association that aimed to determine how aware Americans are of various ethnic cuisines from around the world, and how often they explore the adventurous side of their taste buds and actually eat said ethnic foods.

According to the survey, most Americans eat ethnic food at least once a month and have evolved their ethnic palates in recent years. While more traditional and widely accessible cuisines like Chinese, Italian and Mexican food are some of the most popular ethnic options eaten with regularity, there is a rising interest in other international offerings like sushi, Spanish tapas, Southeast Asian fare, and Belgian and French offerings. However, awareness of, and interest in, Korean food remains relatively low comparatively.

The big takeaway for restaurants? A number of survey respondents indicated that they would try an ethnic dish they were unfamiliar with at their favorite restaurant if it was on special. Time to update your menus!

Read the full article here: Report: Consumer Interest in Ethnic Cuisines Grows

Creating a sense of loyalty among your diners can be tricky in such an overcrowded dining space; why should they continue to come back to your bar or restaurant when there are so many others out there that they could try, and spend their money at? With so many options, it’s hard for customers to remain faithful to one in particular. But there are some things you can do to entice your regular customers to stick with you, and even engage new potential diners to keep coming back. This post from Buzztime explains the power of “keepsakes” when it comes to restaurant marketing, and how offering a special souvenir mug, beer glass or other item can create a feeling of sentimentality and positive emotions.

For example, if you host frequent events at your bar or restaurant, having a keepsake item like a t-shirt or cup for the first 50 diners through the door can not only make them feel as if they’re part of a community, but also entices them to continue coming back to collect even more items. It’s a small upfront cost for you, but it can payoff big in the long run. Keep reading for even more promotional ideas.

Read the full article here: Keep More Customers With Keepsakes

While you probably hope that when opening a new restaurant, the fantastic food and service will speak for themselves, it often takes more effort than that to really get a buzz going around a new place. The restaurant industry has become a crowded space, and to set your restaurant apart from the crowd you’ll likely need to engage in some marketing and advertising tactics to get the word out and get people coming through the doors. This post from FSR Magazine shares some popular and effective marketing tactics for restaurants hoping to step up their strategy.

To start, some basic PR like sending a press release about your opening to local news outlets can be a simple and inexpensive way to get some press. Additionally, using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help you to reach potential new customers and begin to build a “voice” for your restaurant. Fundraisers, community events and county fairs are also great outlets for you to spread the word and to let local residents sample your offerings before you even officially open. Once you’re ready to open your doors, having a few “soft opening” and industry events before the big night can help generate a buzz with some of the most important tastemakers in town. For more marketing ideas, keep reading.

Read the full article here: A Guide to Marketing Your Restaurant