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September 2012 Newsletter

Sep 24, 2012

 

As the date for the November elections circle inexorably closer there seems to be a palpable sense of uncertainty about the future of the business world in general and the foodservice industry in particular. It’s important to remember, however, that this is no reason to stop, “wait and see” which party takes the election-we must keep moving forward.

Your competitors aren’t. In fact, recent data from the NPD Group revealed that 1,000 new independent restaurants opened over the past year (versus nearly 2,000 chain locations), a sure sign of optimism no matter who is going to be the next tenant in the White House.

This month, we have an article on a subject that’s always important: the “mathematical” formulas that make any single restaurant a success or failure. Our new associate J. Clyde Gilfillan of JCG3 Development Inc. takes us through the equations that add up to success.

We’re also taking a look at where the concept of sustainability is netting out, at a time when local sourcing and environmental responsibility have already become givens for many operators, with the move toward transparency, animal welfare and more.

And for a food trend piece, check out the carnivorous pleasures of salumi and charcuterie-these delicious cured-meat products are showing up on more and more menus all over the country.

To your success,

Dean and Danny


The Mathematics of Restaurants

by J. Clyde Gilfillan, JCG3 Development Inc.

The “mathematics” of the restaurant business is really not about math per se: It’s about putting the business into equations (simple terms) that get to the core of what successful companies are doing in this challenging and wonderful world of hospitality. Perhaps these “equations” will ring a bell within yourself and/or your organization.

FOOD + SERVICE + DÉCOR = SYSTEMS

Food, service, and décor are the pillars of our business. In order to achieve the entry price of business in today’s industry, they all must match the concept and brand. This is the culture you want to operate in. Systems—the way to operate within the culture—allow people to execute within a clear and understood environment. Keep systems simple, and your chances of success are on the plus side. Established systems come from a united culture and a united management team. Without systems in place, you are asking your management team to guess what is expected, and chaos could reign.

HIRING + TRAINING + CLARITY + FOLLOW UP = RESULTS-ORIENTED PEOPLE

Results-Oriented People are produced through:

a. Diligent hiring (hire tough) – Find the right fit before the hire and not afterward; don’t hire out of desperation.

b. Uncompromised and thorough training – Don’t bypass this crucial step to rush people through? You will regret it later. Training should be thorough and complete.

c. Clarity of standards, expectations, and performance levels communicated to ALL staff – This step is essential. Clarity is the leader’s #1 job.

d. Follow-up through one-on-ones, meetings, and evaluation sessions – Feedback is crucial in garnering top performance from people. Your staff needs a safe environment to hear and react to constructive feedback on performance—the good parts and the challenges.

e. Culling nonperformers from the team – They will bring down the superstars you have on your team, poisoning the well and causing your best employees to seek a better environment elsewhere. Be diligent in targeting “good” turnover and honor those top performers on your team.

SYSTEMS + RESULTS-ORIENTED PEOPLE = OPERATIONAL CONSISTENCY

Once systems are in place and you have, for the most part, results-oriented people on your team, consistency is only achieved through motivated people who will enthusiastically execute systems with precision. You must provide the environment that engenders this enthusiasm. Constant and/or reactive change endangers the existence of consistency—for your associates and your guests.

OPERATIONAL CONSISTENCY + MARKETING = SALES

Sales are simply a function of the above equations and how you market to promote increased frequency, new trial, and increased party size. Marketing can only provide customers; consistent operations drive sales—always. When you bring customers into your business via marketing, it is the job of Operations to execute so that your patrons will realize the value, goodness, and uniqueness of your product.

SALES + COST CONTROL = PROFIT

Profit is easier to attain if you have managed the above equations and have installed cost control, including but not limited to food and labor costs. This is not a business in which we can prosper by cutting costs—this will eventually catch up to us. However, effective cost controls are a must to maximize profits and ROI. Be “greedy” so to speak: Drive sales and keep costs in line.

As simple as these equations sound, they are not easy to execute. Compromise on one of these areas, and the equations break down. The Mathematics of Restaurants is simply a way to look at a complicated business in a new light—to break it down to manageable aspects at all levels.

For help with the “math” of your business, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


The New Meaning of “Sustainability” Today

Image credit: Flickr by traveling.lunas

This year’s What’s Hot chef survey (in which the National Restaurant Association surveyed more than 1,800 chefs affiliated with the American Culinary Federation about trends in food, beverages, cuisines and culinary themes) put sustainability at position #5 on the list of the Top 10 trends for 2012.

But what does that mean? At a time when initiatives like recycling and local sourcing go almost without saying for many restaurants—and in fact, locally sourced meats and seafood and locally grown produce commanded the #1 and #2 spots, respectively—how exactly does the concept of sustainability play out today in the restaurant industry?

Certainly, it’s a moving target. In 2009, organic produce was #3 on the list; the following year it had fallen off entirely, victim perhaps of loosening regulations, and a mounting body of evidence that organics may not be any healthier than conventional fruits and vegetables anyway. Meanwhile, some three-quarters of respondents in a SmartBrief poll reveal that they source local or sustainable ingredients most or all of the time, and 86% reported that their operations feature “sustainable measures.”

In announcing its 2012 Power Ranking for the 10 most sustainable restaurants in the United States, Food Republic defined the goal as “designing an efficient, eco-friendly environment, reducing waste, recycling, composting, using biodegradable products when possible, conserving water and generally paying more attention to one’s impact on the environment.” Ingredient sourcing, it seems, is a given.

Transparency

Expressions such as “Big Food” and “Big Agriculture” (like Big Pharma and Big Tobacco) say it all: Between foodborne-illness outbreaks, questions about the food supply, concern for the environment, package and menu labeling controversies, and more, consumers seem to be losing faith in the global food system

This October, in fact, the subject of the James Beard Foundation’s third annual National Food Conference will be trust, and how the food and restaurant industries can establish and maintain it. For the post-Facebook generation, in particular, where everything is shareds, nothing must be hidden.

Plenty of organizations are already trying. A recent article in Time magazine credited the open kitchen phenomenon, particularly in such mainstream venues as Chipotle and Domino’s, as being driven by consumer demand for transparency—full disclosure about what’s going on with the food in the kitchen. When you can see it being prepared, goes the thinking, the stuff must be okay.

Other players are getting out ahead of the game on menu labeling; Ruby Tuesday, for instance, has an extremely comprehensive yet easy-to-understand 24-page Menu Guide that breaks out the menu by potential allergern (i.e., eggs and gluten/wheat).

And McDonald’s, which has lately been promoting many sustainability initiatives, has released Best of Green and Best of Sustainable Supply reports that exhaustively detail its worldwide best practices in these areas. The Best of Green report even highlights “Planet Champions” in each of eight areas, ranging from energy conservation to packaging.

Animal Welfare

The humane treatment of animals has become an increasing concern for consumers in recent years, and recently Jack-in-the-Box became just one of the latest in a string of major food companies that have committed to eliminating gestation crates from its pork supply chain.

And this is just the latest in a series of developments that have led to the rising popularity of free-range chicken, cage-free eggs, pasture-raised beef and other examples of animal protein from so-called higher welfare systems.

Restaurants can reap a whole lot of cred from promoting their use of humanely raised meats. Chipotle has raised tremendous awareness and respect for its programs—as this groundbreaking ad confirms. Pambiche, a Cuban restaurant in Portland, OR, features its efforts prominently on its blog and shouts out the local farms whence its meat is sourced on the menu. Businesses that pass muster with an organization like Certified Humane reap numerous PR benefits, not to mention listing on the site. And of course many chefs and customers like the taste and presumed health benefits of meats and fowl that have been raised using more natural practices.

Many observers believe that this issue will have a growing impact on restaurant operations in the future—the only limiting factor at this point for many larger foodservice organizations, like Bon Appetit Management, is not enough supply.

While it’s commendable that so many companies are taking up the cause of animal welfare, the solutions are just not that simple. There’s no denying that the conditions endured by most animals raised for meat are appalling, but factory farming methods were developed to meet the American consumer’s demand for food that is both plentiful and cheap. In the case of gestation crates, the National Pork Producers Council—hardly an unbiased source, admittedly—has warned that eliminating them will raise prices for producers and consumers across the board. Factory farming was created to drive as much cost out of the system as possible, and in order to avoid it consumers and companies both must be willing to put their money where their mouths are.

Greener Practices

From building design to operational practices, some of the most exciting sustainability initiatives being undertaken by the restaurant industry have almost nothing to do with food:

• The city of Tempe, AZ, has partnered with area restaurants to explore uses for spent cooking oil that will keep it out of the waste stream and convert it to an energy source

• Houlihan’s Restaurants has participated in a wine cork recycling pilot program called ReCork

• A Starbucks unit in Tukwila, WA, is made from recycled shipping containers

• Sauce Restaurants, part of Fox Restaurant Concepts in Phoenix, has introduced “green” takeout packaging made from recycled ingredients

• The Four Seasons hotel in Philadelphia saves all of is compostable kitchen scraps, which are then used in its gardens and landscaping

Social Responsibility

We’ll cover the subject in more depth in a subsequent issue of this newsletter, but ethical issues ranging from having a code of conduct for safe working conditions and fair wages, to community involvement and charitable giving have also become an important part of today’s sustainability equation.



Crazy for Cured Meats

By Joan Lang

Five years ago, most restaurant patrons would have thought salumi was a misspelling—today, chefs and customers can’t get enough of sausages, pates, charcuterie, artisan hams and all the other examples of cured-meat artistry. (Salumi refers to the Italian form of sausages and hams, which arrived on the trend scene first; charcuterie is its French counterpart, and includes pates as well cured meats.)

“Meat plates” are everywhere, it seems, thanks to the rising interest in heirloom pork, nose-to-tail cooking and handcrafted foods. Whether housemade or purchased—or a combination of both—hams, sausages and other cured meat creations are the ultimate shareable starter or gastropub lunch. Along with them go cheeses, nice breads, jams and pickles, spiced nuts, dried fruits and all kinds of other artisanal ingredients.

At The Salty Pig in Boston, customers can build their own bespoke plates from an a la carte list that includes such “Salty Pig Parts” as Prosciutto di Parma, housemade pate and chicken liver mousse, and handcrafted sausages from such well-known producers as Zoe’s and Fra’ Mani. A companion selection of domestic and imported “Stinky Cheeses” and such additions as olives, fig jam and pickled Basque peppers round out the plate makings. Many of these ingredients are also cross- utilized in pre-selected luncheon assortments, sandwiches, pizza and more.

Aldea,  in New York City, offers three different artisanal hams—classic Spanish Serrano; a domestic version from Surry, VA, called Surryano; and the newly iconic Benton’s Country Ham from Tennessee—among its snacks.

Beast and the Hare , in San Francisco, is locally beloved for its small plates and housemade charcuterie, which at any given time might include Italian lardo (cured pork fat), Spanish chorizo, the spicy Calabrian-style meat paste known as nduja, and classic French pate de Campagne—a happy mix of cured meat cultures that goes perfectly with robust selection of beers and wine by the glass.

Meanwhile, Fatted Calf Charcuterie in Napa is running classes in such topics as Whole Hog Butchery and Blood & Guts to sell-out crowds of chefs and citizens alike.

Here are several easy ways to capture the trend:

  • Start slow with housemade. Rillettes are one of the easiest charcuterie products to produce in-house—a kind of spread, usually made with finely chopped or ground pork and its fat, but easily also adaptable to duck, salmon and other proteins, which can be served in individually portioned jars along with hunks of baguette and some cornichon pickles

 

Other relatively easy products to make in-house include the aforementioned lardo as well as pancetta and simple pates.

 

  • Experiment with hams. The world is full of beautiful hams , including Italian prosciutto and culatello, Spanish Serrano and Iberico, and more recently fine artisanal products from the United States, including Benton’s country hams and prosciutto from La Quercia in Iowa. A tasting plate or a la carte selection of hams and other smoked and dried meats (like speck and coppa) makes an excellent menu offering that can even be assembled at the bar.

 

  • Buy artisanal. From a small group of producers and importers that could barely keep up with demand a few years ago to a booming cottage industry, cured-meat producers have thrived. Many cities have great purveyors, and such products are increasingly being carried by specialty distributors and can even be mail-ordered. Various types of salami, smoked meats, pates and terrines, dried and fresh sausages, specialty bacon and more can be sold individually or assembled into plates.

 

  • Pay attention to accessories. Bread, cheese and crackers or toasts are a given, but there are also mustards, olives, nuts, relishes and pickles, and fresh and dried fruits to consider. I recently had an excellent plate at Earth restaurant in Kennebunk, ME, that included oven-dried grapes on the branch, more juicy and dramatic than raisins could ever be.

 


Tip of the Month

Being More Humane

There are numerous organizations, including the Humane Society, that can help operators define and source products that take animal welfare into account.

Though intended for a retail audience, this article from The Lempert Report provides a good overview.

Here is another great document to read on being green and sustainable: Greening Fast Food Packaging: A Roadmap to Best Practices

 

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Customer is King! It’s all about the service

Sep 20, 2012

A new season of Food Network’s Restaurant Stakeout, the reality show that centers on “tough love to help restaurateurs save their businesses” recently premiered on August 30. The premise — successful restaurateur Willie Degel uses hidden cameras to investigate and discover bad restaurant practices; he uncovers these to the owners in an efforts to help them turn things around. What’s mostly uncovered during the surveillance is unacceptable employee behavior (or lack thereof).

 

In the various episodes, Willie unearths a variety of restaurant no-no’s such as employees eating off prep tables in the kitchen, texting while at work, staff fights, health violations, wait staff chewing gum in front of guests, drinking on the job, and a slew of other cringe-worthy acts.

 

Restaurant customer service training
Customer service training is crucial

 

As a restaurant owner, it is not always easy to keep an eye on your employees but keep in mind these tips to help keep guest satisfaction and employee productivity up!

 

  • Front of House – are you ensuring there is always a host or hostess present at the FOH? If not, you are sure to have annoyed customers waiting to be seated.
  • Employee handbook  do you have an employee handbook in place? The handbook outlines the restaurant procedures and rules and must be read by all employees and strictly enforced.
  • Guest satisfaction – is your wait staff accommodating to guests’ requests? Are they respectful and polite to them? Do they know how to properly speak with a disgruntled guest? The key is friendliness and showing care and concern.
  • Leadership where is the leadership in your restaurant? Are you or the restaurant manager actively involved with your employees to correct bad behavior, praise good behavior and set standards?
  • Going above and beyond – don’t think your customers won’t notice all those little details that actually really matter. Remembering their names, making sure their drinks are always full, saying goodnight and thank you when they leave, preparing a beautiful-looking dish; a little can go a long way.

 

Do you know your restaurant can improve but not sure where to start? Contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants for an initial consultation; we can help properly evaluate areas of improvement that can help your guest satisfaction and bottom line.

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5 Great Fall Recipes Using Seasonal Ingredients

Sep 19, 2012

It’s almost that time of year where we say goodbye to Summer and prepare ourselves for crisp and cool Fall days. And when it comes to cooking, some of the best dishes are created when chefs utilize fresh, seasonal ingredients. Because we are passionate for great food, we’ve compiled a list of Fall fruits and vegetables and great recipes that will surely spur some inspiration in the kitchen.

 

 

Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza with Arugula, recipe by Cucina in Woodstock, NY. Figs are not the necessarily considered the popular fruits on the block but this soft, sweet fruit is plentiful and delicious in the fall season. Have fun contrasting savory and sweet flavors in this pizza recipe that is fully vegetarian.

Quinoa, herb & pomegranate salad, recipe by Olive Magazine. Light and nutritious, this recipe features the fall ingredient, pomegranate. Known for its tartness and intense flavors, pomegranate delivers even more with its natural antioxidant fighting powers. This is a great salad for the healthy crowd.

Sausage, Kale, and Lentil Soup, recipe by Rachael Ray. For those chilly days, what’s better than warming up to a hearty, wholesome soup? Incorporating kale into this dish adds loads of nutrition and flavor. Kale is hailed as one of the healthiest greens to eat since it naturally contains many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.

Broiled Persimmons with Mascarpone, recipe by Martha Stewart. Ready for a unique dessert? Choose some bright, soft, ripe persimmons and get started on this recipe.

 

Fennel & Fig Infused Vodka, recipe by Cocktails 2006. Fennel has an interesting flavor that tastes similar to anise or black licorice. This vegetable is used like an herb in various dishes. In this recipe there is the element of savory and sweet (from the figs). This cocktail may prove to be a hit with guests looking for a little something unique.
Fall produce (source: about.com)

  • Apples
  • Artichokes
  • Arugula
  • Beets
  • Belgian Endive
  • Broccoli and Broccoli raabe, rapini
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac, celery root
  • Celery
  • Chard
  • Chicories
  • Chilies
  • Cranberries
  • Curly Endive
  • Edamame
  • Eggplant
  • Escarole
  • Fennel
  • Figs
  • Garlic
  • Grapes
  • Green beans
  • Green onions
  • Herbs
  • Horseradish
  • Jerusalem artichokes
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Leeks
  • Lemongrass
  • Lettuce
  • Limes
  • Mushrooms
  • Okra
  • Onions
  • Parsnips
  • Pears
  • Peppers
  • Persimmons
  • Pomegranates
  • Potatoes
  • Pumpkins
  • Radicchio
  • Radishes
  • Rutabagas
  • Shallots
  • Shelling beans
  • Spinach
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Tomatillos
  • Turnips
  • Winter squash
  • Zuchinni
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Will your restaurant be featured on ‘Real Actors Read Read Yelp™?’

Sep 09, 2012

The power of word of mouth and customer referrals is extremely important in the restaurant industry. This “power” from the customer has become increasingly stronger with presence and popularity of online review outlets such as Yelp! Not too long ago, we wrote about how you can take advantage of finding areas of improvements by reading the online reviews of your restaurant. We hope your reviews are mostly glowing because they might end up being featured as a video online for the whole world to see.

 

Gotta Kid to Feed Productions has created a series of videos entitled, “Real Actors Read Read Yelp™” where real actors are filmed reading selected real Yelp reviews. The result is a hilarious real account read by incredible actors in a comical and often melodramatic, satirical fashion.

 

 

If you go on to watch even more of these videos (7 episodes so far), you’ll notice as funny as they are, the reviewers almost always mention the service, not just the taste of the food. Whether or not a waiter smiled at them or a manager acknowledge a guest’s praise — how you treat the customer could be all that it takes to have them return and tell their friends to try out your restaurant, or the exact opposite!  It’s all about guest service.

 

Watch these videos, get a good laugh and then go read your own reviews- you might learn a thing or two!

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Bacon coffee and other strange coffees around the world

Sep 07, 2012

So you thought bacon cupcakes were a bit odd? How about some bacon coffee? If you are thinking that this must be the creation of some small mom and pop shop, then you are (mostly) wrong. Actually, Seattle’s Best (you know, that really big and popular coffee chain?) launched a contest in hopes that entrants could create a great new coffee menu item. The winning new coffee drink chosen was bacon coffee! Get ready to grab a bacon coffee at your nearest Seattle’s Best at U.S. location near you.

 

This got us thinking: “What other crazy coffee flavors are out there?” We did our homework and came up with a list of some coffee drink flavors that piqued our interest from the use of very unique or unusual ingredients.

 

Durian Cappuccino at Blugre, Davao City, Philippines: If you are not familiar with this intensely aromatic fruit, understand that durian will wake up your tastebuds. This creamy, custardy fruit is notorious for its unique scent and texture and is normally enjoyed as a dessert in many parts of Asia. But at Blugre, they’ve integrated it into their coffee menu.

 

Durian fruit

 

Jalapeno Coconut Coffee sold at CoffeAM.com: Yeah, we’re scratching our heads too. But this unlikely combination has garnered a lot of positive reviews; it appears as if the contrasting flavors of creamy and spicy are very appealing when combined.

 

Coffee Jelly Frappuccino sold at Starbucks Japan and Thailand: Well, given the popularity of boba (tapioca) milk tea drinks, we are not too surprised to find coffee-flavored jelly in these Japanese ice blended coffee drinks. For most Westerners, this might be a strange textural combination but you might just have to give it a try (if you’re in the area)!

 

Kopi Luwak (civet coffee) sold at Cafe Kopi Luwak Indonesia and around various shops around the world: Want to drink the Rolls Royce of coffee? Kopi Luwak is known as the most expensive cup of joe you’ll ever taste with prices ranging anywhere from $100 + a pound . Why so? Kopi Luwak is actually the name of a famous Indonesian brand of coffee beans that have been specifically eaten, digested and excreted by an Asian Palm civet — a cute, furry animal that sort of looks like a ferret. The end product (no pun intended) is a coffee that is thought to be highly aromatic, smooth and without any bitter aftertaste.

 

What are some crazy coffees you tried or would like to see on the market?

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Adding Ambiance to your Restaurant Tip #2: Sound

Sep 03, 2012

Earlier, we wrote about how to add ambiance to your restaurant using lighting. As you know, lighting is just one piece of the ambiance puzzle. In this post, we explore the aspect of sound.

 

You will notice we used the word “sound,” not “music” (although we will get to that soon). Let’s explore the primary sounds that can be heard at any restaurant:

 

1) Kitchen noise: blenders, pots and pans and dishes

2) Clamor: this is mostly from the voices of guests

3) Music: either live or recorded

 

These three sound elements often compete with one another and therefore can potentially produce poor ambience. If there is too much kitchen noise, guests may have a hard time hearing their friends and may have to feel like they need to shout in order to communicate; the same goes for music that is too loud. Suddenly, your restaurant may not be so “socializing-friendly” and some guests may simply be turned off.

 

But before we give any recommendations on how to adjust accordingly, you have to understand your target audience. What kind of restaurant do you operate? Is it an upscale restaurant? Is it fast-casual and family friendly? Do you run a cafe where your patrons are primarily college students? What kind of mood do you think is appropriate to convey to your guests (and not scare them away)?

 

Live Music
Live music at Fort Walton Beach, Florida. “Fish Lipz” restaurant. Photo Credit: Infrogmation on Flickr

Suppose you operate a cafe situated in a busy college town. It has an ample area of booths and tables, plus you offer free wi-fi so students love to come to the cafe to study. What kind of sounds do you think would fit this establishment? More than likely, you want to keep kitchen clamor to a minimum and play calm or neutral music at a soft sound level.

 

If you have any questions about building appropriate restaurant ambiance or how to transform your restaurant business, contact Synergy Restaurant consultants for a complimentary evaluation.

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Fatz Restaurants Gets a Makeover

Aug 29, 2012

Fatz Restaurants, the 48 location chain serving up delicious American food across the nation, is preparing to get an interior makeover in all of their locations. According the the Restaurant Management article, Facelift For Fatz, the goal of the redesign is to bring a modern flair to attract the Millennial audience. New features include new colors, carpeting, tables, enhanced bar area and more open space.

 

Synergy Restaurant Consultants has worked with Fatz previously on their menu development where we presented over 40 menu concepts before the final successful menu roll out. We also assisted Fatz with their restaurant operationswhich helped with their preparation and execution. We are happy to see Fatz’s expansion and growth andwant to congratulate them on their success!

Fatz Cafe – The Best Ribs in Town from Corra Films on Vimeo.

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August 2012 Newsletter

Aug 28, 2012

 

Greetings!

The completion of Synergy’s project to redesign the kitchen and bar of a T.G.I. Friday’s in Nashville has the whole team celebrating-and thinking about how important it is for any operation to keep things fresh for long-term success.

The switch to an open kitchen and a bar designed for socializing will help launch the 47-year-old chain into its next era, with new cooking platforms-pizza and combi ovens, a plancha grill, wood-enhanced broiler and a high-speed panini machine-that can support a variety of contemporary new menu items.

Speaking of menus, our senior operations associate Mark Ladisky reminds everyone this month about how important it is to keep the offerings moving forward. As he points out in his article, even operations that are only a year old can start boring their customers if they’re not in constant menu-development mode.

We also take a look at some new, visually oriented social media platforms you should consider embracing, and -last but not least-examine the all-important industry trend toward menu customization.
To your success,

Dean and Danny


Menu Development—The Elephant in the Room

By Mark Ladisky, Senior Operations Associate

One theme that we see consistently while working with clients is the desire to save, save, save on costs, and to float those savings to the bottom line. While we always support those interests, there can be an elephant in the room. When operators spend all their time worrying about saving money by installing motion-sensor lighting or buying cheaper hand soap, they may lose sight of more impactful and longer-term financial results. Yes, these changes will bring a few dollars to the bottom line, but if your menu isn’t changing fast enough to keep your customers interested—if even your fans are getting bored—then you’ve got yourself an elephant that needs to be addressed.

 

“There’s a way to do it better—find it.” -Thomas Edison”

 

In this constantly growing and increasingly competitive dining landscape, we are often so preoccupied with trying to reduce operating expenses that we can lose focus on growing our sales to ease the financial stress. This problem is found in concepts of all shapes and sizes, and can happen as early as one year into operation depending on how frequently your guests use you for their dining needs.

The solution to this issue is easy to explain but the execution can be a bit trickier without the proper research. There are restaurants and brands in the market that have a mechanism in place for constant menu innovation and ongoing new product development. As industry consultants, we are often part of that effort by bringing new ideas to teams that may operate in a vacuum where ideas aren’t allowed to develop.

Innovative companies have one ear listening to consumer feedback and the other ear listening to trend reports and other industry metrics, all the time. This constant supply of new ideas is the easiest way to bring new attention to your brand, while keeping your current user base at the same or better frequency of use. Your market may be competitive on pricing, your market may be competitive on speed of service, but while the demands on those factors are dynamic and changing, the public’s desire for new items is always growing.

“Burger King and its franchisees have introduced a vastly changed menu with a record 10 new items in 2012, and according to Steve Wiborg, executive vice president and president of North American operations: “It’s the chain’s largest investment ($750 million) in a one-year time frame… This is the biggest change in scope in the history of the brand.” USA TODAY

In today’s landscape, menu innovation isn’t just limited to new ingredients. Starbucks has launched a cold-pressed juice bar concept called Evolution Fresh and Popeyes rolled out a co-branded Zatarain’s butterfly shrimp item, while Whataburger introduced a low-calorie menu this summer which includes new menu categories as well as new items under 550 calories.

If you want to think outside of the four walls for innovation, then look at Chipotle’s new food truck to see how they define innovation. Burger King and McDonald’s have invested major resources in recent years to enter meal periods that they had only lightly treaded on in the past. They now sell plenty of smoothies, frappes, coffees and other snacks during what was once a slow time of day for their offerings.

Concepts like Dunkin’ Donuts are continuing to innovate their menus so much that the donuts are no longer the first thing people think of when visiting the brand—by introducing a line of breakfast sandwiches and all-day snack items like tuna salad on a croissant. When did DD become a place to go for anything after breakfast, you may ask? When they had to.

For help with menu innovation when you need it most, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


New Tools for Your Social Media Arsenal

Talk about game changers: Social media and interactive websites mean consumers are using the internet—increasingly through their smartphones and other mobile devices—to do everything from choosing a restaurant and making reservations to ordering and paying for their meals ahead of time.

Facebook and Twitter are pretty much household names at this point, with their number of worldwide users tracking toward 1 billion and 500 million, respectively, in 2012, according to the latest data. Fast food chains, in particular, have been particularly adept at marketing themselves via these well-established social media venues, especially when it comes to promotions.

The real news however, is that the visual side of social media is growing by leaps and bounds—photos and videos are the engagement tool of 2012, through established sites like Facebook as well as newcomers like Pinterest and Instagram. Consider adding any or all of the following to your arsenal.

Pinterest

This new online “pinboard” has seemingly come out of nowhere, and may actually be growing in influence, to the detriment of other platforms.

Designed to share passions and ideas in a fun, rapid-fire, highly visual way, Pinterest offers a number of avenues for marketing businesses, including restaurants.

Pinterest can be used both as an internal research tool by management (for instance, to “collect” images of interiors in anticipation of a planned redesign and share them with other stakeholders), and to engage customers on various subjects such as menu categories, recipes, favorite foods and more. Chicago’s Chopping Block, for instance, promotes its cooking classes, retail offerings and other activities through a variety of different Pinterest boards, while A&W Restaurants’ Pinterest account prominently features its Facebook and Twitter links, as well as establishing an emotional connection with historical shots and other memorabilia.

As with any form of social media, robust use of Pinterest can also enhance your SEO status, making it easier for internet users to find you.

Instagram

Launched in late 2010—and purchased by Facebook for a cool billion dollars in April 2012)—Instagram is a free photo-sharing program that allows users to take a photo with their mobile phone, apply a digital filter to it, and then share it on a variety of social networking services, including Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. The photo can also be used to check in on Foursquare.

In addition to turning mediocre cell-phone-quality pix into higher-quality images, Instagram converts photos to a square shape (similar to Kodak Instamatic and Polaroid images), instead of the 4:3 aspect ratio typically used by mobile device cameras.
Instagram makes uploading and sharing photos easier and more attractive on other social media sites, but it’s also becoming more popular as an engagement tool in its own right, particularly when synched with other sites. Many chefs and restaurants use Instagram to make their food look more appetizing or “artsy,” or to promote a special event space—anywhere a picture is worth 1,000 words. And because it’s based on visual images (their or yours), connecting with customers via Instagram is one of the most emotionally engaging things you can do.

Foodspotting

This fast-growing new food-specific site allows prospective customers to find you by your food, not just your restaurant listing. Foodspotting users snap pictures of food and menu items they’re enjoying, and then post them to their account with a brief description of what and where they’ve “spotted” it. Other users can follow, comment, and share their findings.

For restaurants, Foodspotting acts like a database for menu items that people in the area might want. Anyone with a craving for, say, chicken and waffles in Chicago can search the Explore section of the site and find places near them where they can indulge. And Foodspotting represents a great way for operators to see what competitors in their marketplace are doing with presentation and other areas that aren’t immediately apparent from looking at a website or menu.

Foodspotting is also a great vehicle for “spot-to-win” contests, where players compete to spot the most meals and dishes—a kind of internet-age scavenger hunt, if you will.

One of the most intriguing features of Foodspotting is the special guides, which might cover anything from best starter salads to the gustatory wanderings of such heavy users as Anthony Bourdain.



The Custom Connection

 

The average American may not be able to afford bespoke suits and custom-made furniture, but one area where they can have it their way is food.

In fact, menu customization has emerged as one of the top overarching trends of the year, according to research firm Mintel, along with local food and healthful menu items.

The NPD Group, moreover, posits that consumer desire for customized experiences is behind the recent decrease in the sale of combo meals in QSR restaurants.

Here are a few examples of restaurants that are doing the customization thing right:

• At Old Point Tavern in Indianapolis, customers can choose an item called Stuffed Stuff that consists of their choice of a tomato, cantaloupe or pineapple stuffed with a choice of tuna or chicken salad—standard fare to be sure, but the mix-and-match format makes it special

• The new three-unit Stacked full-service restaurant in Southern California touts “food well-built” by the customer, who chooses from a list of different ingredients from which to design a completely unique salad, burger, pizza, mac-and-cheese and more. The selection of sauce options alone numbers more than a dozen, from Dijon Horseradish Dill to Creamy Barbecue?

• How does it work at Roti Mediterranean Grill? Pick your base (sandwich, salad or plate), “meat” (chicken kebab or roti, steak, falafel, roasted veggies), and toppings and sauces (including everything from olives and hummus to Red Pepper Aioli), or choose one of three popular combinations proposed by this now-15-unit fast casual chainlet

• At chef Waldy Malouf’s new High Heat Pizza Burgers & Tap in New York City, you can order from the standard menu or build your own burger or thin-crust pie with various cheeses, vegetables and proteins (including such unusual options as roasted lemon and handmade pepperoni, respectively), and enjoy custom Tossed Fries seasoned with the likes of cheddar-and-bacon mayo, 13 spices, Parmesan & Tomato Oil)

4 Food, also located in New York, has created an entire interactive world where customers can develop their own salads, rice bowls, and burgers (which feature donut-shaped patties into which fans can stuff a “scoop” of their chosen ingredient—such as carrot slaw or mofongo). Patrons then promote their “builds” through social media in order to appear on 4 Food’s Build board Charts and qualify for 4food$ off future purchases

• The premise of the menu at The Salty Pig, in Boston, is a build-your-own board of cured meats and charcuterie, artisanal cheeses, and items like Marconi almonds and Fig Jam to round out the experience. Each component is priced a la carte, and customers can and do order as few or as many items as they want for sharing or a light meal to accompany drinks. At lunch, there’s also a Pick Your Pig concept that provides a well-rounded tasting of Osaka, Tamworth, or assorted salumi specialties

Granted, each of these restaurants feature suggested menu items for those customers who don’t want to experiment, but the basic premise is all about the DIY menu.

For help with making your menu more customizable, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


Tip of the Month

If you’re considering getting involved with Pinterest or Instagram, be sure to read these articles from Nation’s Restaurant News, wherein users share ideas and tips for maximizing intriguing new social media platforms.
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Sandwich Showdown! What’s Your Fave?

Aug 20, 2012

Starting Sunday, August 19, the Cooking Channel celebrates one of the world’s most beloved foods — sandwiches!

We wanted to take this opportunity to commemorate famous sandwiches and the restaurants where they are made. Have you tried any of these sandwiches? Better yet, if it was your last meal on earth, which sandwich would you choose?

– Muffuletta at the Central Market, New Orleans: Amazing spicy olive relish with shaved Italian meats and provolone cheese on soft Italian bread. Share the goodness with your friends as this is one heckuva large sandwich!

– Pastrami sandwich at Katz Deli, New York: it doesn’t get any more New York than this! Smoked to juicy perfection and hand carved to your specifications.

– Cubana torta sandwich at Tortas Fronteras, Chicago:  smoked pork loin, nueske’s bacon, black bean, Chihuaua cheese, cilantro crema, chipotle mustard and avocado.

– Philly cheese steak sandwich at Pat’s King of Steaks, Philadelphia: this restaurant is a legend. Founded in 1930, Pat’s King of Steaks is the originator and inventor of the steak & cheese steak sandwiches.

– Ferdi special po’ boy sandwich at Mother’s Restaurant in New Orleans: a po’ boy packed with baked ham, roast beef, debris ( roast beef that falls into the gravy while baking in the oven)  and gravy, served dressed.

– BBQ Broham® (Pulled Pork) sandwich at Phil’s BBQ in San Diego: Seasoned and char-grilled, on a bed of Cole Slaw topped with BBQ sauce.

 

Famous muffulettas at Central Grocery in the French Quarter
Famous muffulettas at Central Grocery in the French Quarter by chick_pea_pie
Pastrami on Rye at Katz's Deli
Pastrami on Rye at Katz’s Deli by B*2, on Flickr
Pat's - King of Steaks!
Pat’s – King of Steaks! by lmnop88a, on Flickr
cubana torta at Tortas Fronteras

So what’s your pick? We want to know what’s the best tasting sandwich you ever eaten and where! Send is your drool-worthy picks!

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Congratulations IHOP, Marie Callendar’s, and Olive Garden!

Aug 19, 2012

Congratulations IHOP, Marie Callendar’s, and Olive Garden!The voice of the consumer truly says it all! If you think about it, what the people say really means a lot; we as consumers constantly rely (and value) our peer’s opinions when we are faced with a buying decision. When it comes with dining out, this notion rings even truer.

Nation’s Restaurant News, the food industry’s premier news source for all things restaurant, has named its Top 5 casual-dining restaurant chains and Top 5 family-dining restaurant chains as a part of their 2012 Consumer Picks special report.

We are proud to find Olive Garden listed as one of the top 5 casual-dining restaurant chains as well as Marie Callendar’s and IHOP who have been listed on the top 5 family-dining restaurant chains. Our past involvement with these restaurants include Operations Optimization and development of new operating efficiencies that enabled a reduction of overall operating expenses at Marie Callendar’s and menu development and innovation for IHOP and Olive Garden.

We celebrate their success and congratulate them as being picked by consumers as their favorite restaurants!