The use of loyalty programs for consumers is hardly a new concept for businesses. That said, the push to mobile and app based loyalty programs is. Offering unique perks for those mobile based users, offer greater flexibility and even partnering with similar and connected brands all offer unique ways for the customer to interact and make use of the mobile loyalty program. The goal is no to replace the loyalty program but to make it more customizable and more specific to the customer and their unique needs.

Key Takeaways:

• Make sure your guests’ transition from their physical loyalty card to their digital loyalty card and your app is seamless, along with their web and in-store transactions.
• If you think you offer some of the best food in town, try backing up that belief with a money-back guarantee.
• The approach has worked for Hampton Inn, the hotel chain, which has offered the guarantee for decades and claims that less than one-half of 1 percent of their guests requests a refund for an unsatisfactory stay.

“If you think you offer some of the best food in town, try backing up that belief with a money-back guarantee. Restaurant Owner says many top marketing experts recommend it because it lowers the perceived risk of doing business with a company.”

http://www.foodservice.com/blogs/show.cfm?contentid=103586

One of the most important things to a restaurant is the ingredients that it uses to prepare their dishes with. Therefore, keeping a careful eye on inventory makes perfect sense for a savvy restaurant manager. Having what you need on hand when you need it eases everything from everyday operations to customer satisfaction.

Key Takeaways:

• The goal of the inventory game is to maximize profits by having the optimal amount of inventory at any given time.
• Set Par Levels
• too little inventory can create lost sales due to unavailable items, which leads to disappointed guests and stressed servers and managers

“The point behind putting the effort into tracking inventory is to make it so that you have to invest less money for “supplies” while getting the same return for your “products”.”

http://nrn.com/back-office-solutions/tracking-food-inventory-counting-cards

In food service director’s article relating to safety, they speak on some of food safety hazards in the kitchen and how to prevent any cooking disasters. They speak on the importance of the safety and having customers trust you with heir meals as well as being able to provide prompt and good food service. They explain that it is essential to have fresh foods running through an establishment that has precooked meals as it stays safe and makes a good customer impression.

Key Takeaways:

• Food safety is critical to how guests view a dining establishment. If they can trust that their meals will be fresh, delicious and safe, they’ll return—ultimately contributing to the business’ bottom line.
• For example, with pre-prepared meals, it’s essential to ensure the food stays fresh throughout distribution until the moment the meal hits the patron’s table.
• By addressing food safety risks throughout the entire process, increasing shelf life and reducing cross-contamination, foodservice operators can lead the charge when it comes to safely accommodating the growing number of Americans dining out each week. Adopting innovative food packaging solutions helps provide guests with a positive experience, reinforcing brand reputation and improving a business’ overall bottom line.

“By addressing food safety risks throughout the entire process, increasing shelf life and reducing cross-contamination, foodservice operators can lead the charge when it comes to safely accommodating the growing number of Americans dining out each week. Adopting innovative food packaging solutions helps provide guests with a positive experience, reinforcing brand reputation and improving a business’ overall bottom line.”

http://www.foodservicedirector.com/sponsored-content/featured-content/articles/addressing-food-safety-in-kitchen

In John Pare’s article relating to restaurants, he speaks on some ways that one’s restaurant can take over the competition and ways it becomes unique in the market by using what he calls a competitive advantage. He speaks of survival among other restaurants and how some make it due to edge. He then explains what exactly is what he calls competitive advantage. In addition he also speaks on having the correct and sustainable competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways:

• Your target guest wants to know why they should consider your restaurant above the existing alternatives. All the work that you’ve done in advance enables them to make a decision that works in your favor.
• Undoubtedly, the quality and caliber of the people you employ, will determine the sustainability of your competitive advantage. Sustainable competitive advantages don’t create themselves, people do. – See more at: http://www.foodservice.com/articles/show.cfm?contentid=103596#sthash.fOWJ0rDd.dpuf
• True sustainable competitive advantage is cultivated in a restaurant environment capable of creating multiple competitive advantages. The goal is to focus on the restaurant; your brand, the culture and purpose components of your existence, rather than the singular outcomes.

“True sustainable competitive advantage is cultivated in a restaurant environment capable of creating multiple competitive advantages. The goal is to focus on the restaurant; your brand, the culture and purpose components of your existence, rather than the singular outcomes.”

http://www.foodservice.com/articles/show.cfm?contentid=103596

In restaurant hospitality’s article relating to gift cards, they speak on some of new found effects that having a gift card can cause when hosting customers. According to their study, they have found that if a customer has a gift card, they often end up spending more than what they normally would at the restaurant and this additional profit flow is good for you and therefore you should find a way to increase your gift card sales.

Key Takeaways:

• When visiting full-service restaurants, patrons with gift cards spend 72 percent more. Guests with gift cards tend to spend much more on the check, especially at full-service restaurants.
• Wednesday is the best day to sell gift cards. One might assume that gift card sales peak on weekends, when traffic peaks. But data showed that Wednesday and Thursday were the top days.
• Almost half of gift card users spend more than the gift card value. When using gift cards, 45 percent of guests spend more than the card’s face value

“Guests with gift cards tend to spend much more on the check, especially at full-service restaurants.”

http://restaurant-hospitality.com/consumer-trends/gift-cards-spur-higher-full-service-check-averages

The needs within the hospitality sector are always evolving. Specifically speaking the roles of leaders within the restaurant industry are beginning to change as well. One notable editor Michael Sanson caught up with the American Express Restaurant Trade Program to highlight the importance and value that mentorship has on the restaurant industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Mentorship has played a big part in the restaurant industry.
• I am annoyingly curious. My parents encouraged me to be curious. That is a good thing and a part of learning.
• Our industry is about culinary education all the time. There is no single person responsible for all the creativity.

“For a mentor/mentee relationship, you have to have passion in common. There’s an old adage that a teacher is only as good as the student. If a student doesn’t have anything going on, what’s a teacher going to do? In our world, it’s a chef’s role to elicit whatever passion you have inside yourself.”

http://restaurant-hospitality.com/hrlegal/why-mentoring-crucial-hospitality-industry

The release of the super popular game application Pokémon Go has proven a success for many businesses that are involved. The app gained ten million users just two weeks after its release. Surveys show that more time has been spent on the game than all other social media platforms combined. Restaurants all over are incorporating the game as a way to build revenue.

Key Takeaways:

• “As a marketer, it’s great, but how can I apply it, how can I do something with it?” says Adam Terranova, marketing manager of Philly Pretzel Factory. “As I explored the app, I was able to draw people into the stores.”
• “I think it’s an invaluable piece of social media strategy,” Terranova says. “Usually social media is the interaction, how many [consumers] see it.”
• As of July 19, Philly Pretzel had 1,107 shares on Facebook related to its Pokémon Go without using the Boost feature. And while Terranova does not expect that kind of momentum to continue forever, he does see the game evolving and has even read on blogs that new versions of the app will come out with more Pokémon critters—and more financial opportunities.

“Just as restaurants designated as Pokéstops or Gyms enjoy an organic boost in customer volumes, so too do concepts in areas with high foot traffic.”

https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/restaurants-catch-pok-mon-profits?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+QSRmagazine+%28QSR+magazine%29

In Restaurant Hospitality’s article relating to generations, they speak on the lack of similarities with the old and new generations and how one can form a tie among the two to engage both age groups in your restaurant. They present some data which states that the two generations are some of the largest spenders in restaurants and the one similarity they surely share is their love of food. In addition, they also emphasize that although they do like food they also have different tastes.

Key Takeaways:

• Millennials prefer trendy cuisines. They are drawn to the latest tableside and social-media technologies for communicating with restaurants and receiving marketing messages.
• Millennials are also twice as likely as their older counterparts to join a rewards program based on recommendations from family or friends, according to Excentus-Ipsos survey data, even though both groups—40 percent of millennials and 49 percent of boomers—are motivated to join loyalty groups primarily to save money.
• Delivering on these fundamentals will attract new diners, keep existing diners satisfied and support long-term engagement and advocacy from both groups. According to the NRA, great food that they can’t make at home easily is appealing to both groups (67 percent of millennials, 51 percent of boomers).

“Everyone, regardless of age, appreciates great food, great service and a sense that every restaurant employee—front or back of house—is dedicated to a singularly satisfying dining experience. Delivering on these fundamentals will attract new diners, keep existing diners satisfied and support long-term engagement and advocacy from both groups.”

http://restaurant-hospitality.com/marketing/how-engage-both-millennials-and-boomers

In Restaurant Hospitality’s article regarding the restaurant industry, they address an upcoming trend among many restaurants that has been succeeding very well. In the article the speak of the success of the delivery industry and how there has been a movement for its innovation as people desire it to become faster and more efficient and with this longing for improvements many companies have begun to develop robots to deliver the food.

Key Takeaways:

• One notable trend is giving full-service restaurants an edge over their quick-service rivals: Delivery orders are up, while drive-through traffic is declining, according to research firm The NPD Group.
• The growth in foodservice delivery is even greater when you remove pizza delivery from the equation. Pizza orders still comprise over 60 percent of foodservice delivery visits, but traffic has declined by double digits over the last four years.
• What’s behind the switch? Delivery options are especially important to Gen Z and millennials. Together, these two groups represent half of the U.S. population, a large target group who will drive the growth in delivery far into the future.

““If delivery fits a restaurant operator’s business model and is operationally feasible, now is the time to consider adding it as an option for customers””

http://restaurant-hospitality.com/trendinista/trendinista-delivery-overtaking-drive-through-business