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Guest Satisfaction: A Top Driver for Restaurant Growth

Oct 09, 2014

Restaurateurs will be happy to learn that American consumers are starting to eat out again.  Data from 2013 reports that American families averaged about 4 meals per week outside of the home, almost a 60% increase from the end of the recession.  With this good news comes a very important learning: consumers are now more driven by quality than price. 

 

What does this new finding mean for restaurateurs?  Guest satisfaction and providing an exceptional dining experience are now more important than ever.  Not only can differentiated service help a restaurant overcome a subpar location, but it will also drive loyalty and repeat visits for guests.  It’s the difference between a growing restaurant and a failing one.

 

Here are a few ways to improve guest satisfaction:

  • Improve order accuracy
  • Focus on the food first
  • Connect with guests on social media
  • Look beyond receipt satisfaction surveys
  • Get to know your guest and try to remember their name — personal recognition goes a long way in building guest loyalty

 

Read the entire article here and be sure to contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants for help with improving your guest satisfaction rate.

 

Refill photo credit: Rick CC by 2.0

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Big Advances in Pay-at-the-Table Technology

Oct 05, 2014

E La Carte, a pioneer in pay-at-the-table technology, has just raised $35 million in new venture capital and debt financing. The company’s flagship product, Presto Systems, allows diners to order food and pay their bills from tablets installed at the table and is currently being used at restaurant such as Applebee’s and Genghis Grill.

The benefits of pay-at-the-table technology include:

* Consumers can view menu information as soon as they are seated

* Diners can play games and access other digital entertainment while they wait for their food

* Restaurants can turn tables, on average, 7-10 minutes faster

* The average tab has increased by over 5%

* Wait staff tips have increased by an average of 16%

Given the advantages to both restaurants and consumers, we’re likely to see more of this technology soon. Read more about the new technology here.

 

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September 2014 Newsletter

Sep 30, 2014

Greetings!

The news that July restaurant sales declined and operators are feeling less-than-optimistic about the future is giving everyone a bit of pause about the “recovery.” Rising food prices and concern about new minimum wage requirements are also giving the restaurant industry a case of the jitters. Expect more coverage on these key issues in the months to come.
The bottom line? Now is the time to double down and strengthen your business. As our associate Clyde Gilfillan argues in his excellent article on strategic planning, getting the entire organization moving in the same direction is more important than ever.

Operators also need to focus on the core basics of food, service and customer engagement, using whatever tactics it takes to get patrons in the door and to build guest loyalty once they’re there. One way you can do this is by avoiding these 12 common customer turnoffs.

Let us know if Synergy Restaurant Consultants can help you in any way.

To your success, Dean Small and Danny Bendas


Time: The CEO’s Best Friend

By J. Clyde Gilfillan, Synergy Restaurant Consultants

Time—hard to hold, hard to manage, relentless, ever pressing forward, and the one item that we can never replace. To the CEO, time is not just a valuable commodity; it’s an essential element to that ever-elusive goal of “success.” Time seems to be the most attractive, most exotic leadership skill to manage, yet we often don’t treat it as such.

We have time management books, monthly/weekly/daily planners, project management software. Speakers, authors, experts, whole companies devoted to this single aspect of leadership resourcefulness, all out to teach us how to keep time from essentially slipping away. Why? What’s happening to us? What’s preventing us from “staying focused”? The basic reason lies in the lack of strategic planning skills at all levels of management—at least, effective and efficient strategic and tactical planning.

Oftentimes, middle and/or lower-level managers are given priorities and asked to get results now. They are not given measurable/actionable/specific goals or objectives with both well-thought-out and agreed-upon strategies and, perhaps most importantly, tactics. Whatever is most important now is what is most important now it seems. The issue is that priorities shift and focus changes. Unfortunately, it is at this level of management that action, results, and accountability are at a premium. In other words, this is where the stuff gets done.

So how do we manage time? How do we stay focused and put “first things first” with our team? How do we get the job done throughout the organization? The answer lies in effective planning and the working of that plan: understanding the planning process, setting of common S.M.A.R.T. objectives, successful communication of the plan throughout the organization and/or department, and reaping the rewards of mentoring/coaching the progression.
The foundations of world-class planning are laid in:

STRATEGY

• Vision – The optimal result to be achieved over time; it provides the guidance and inspiration to focus on reaching the end goal; the proverbial “North Star” for everyone to understand their work and its contribution to the end game. Vision must be first and foremost, well-thought-out and clearly communicated.

S.M.A.R.T. Objectives – Objectives are narrow, precise, concrete, and measurable. Goals are different; they are broader, more general, abstract. Leaders work with objectives while keeping end goals in mind. If the techniques of S.M.A.R.T objectives are used (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based), they work very effectively. Why make people guess? Be very clear.

Distinct Pathways – Leadership must provide the pathways to seeing the vision and its resulting rewards while shaping the course used to achieve the objectives. Pathways can include tools and techniques such as Gantt project management and time management planners as well as coaching the progress. Pathways direct where the objective lies.

Asking and answering the important questions relating to these strategic foundations is highly important to anchoring the process. The corresponding questions that must be asked and answered to effect the process and put the plan into perspective:

Vision – WHY are we doing this? You must answer this question first. Without a satisfactory and agreed-upon answer, then the plan and process is moot.

Goals/Objectives – WHAT are we trying to achieve? Defined again by the dichotomy between goals and objectives, the end game must be in view and attainable. Be general with goals, but very specific with objectives.

Pathways – WHERE are we going? Illumination of the course, the passageway to the objectives, is a vital step in getting everyone moving in the same direction.

TACTICS

Activities and Tasks: The steps necessary to move the strategy forward, often mistakenly referred to as “To-Do’s.” Outlining the tasks and activities to be taken before movement is the main ingredient in the tactical recipe. Devised in order of importance and implemented in order of dependence, tasks guide us in the minutia of the overall plan.

Resources: Personnel needed, tools provided, education necessary. Gather the resources, lay out the needs, and indicate the requirements of the tasks ahead in order to match resources to the skill sets essential to meeting targeted objectives.

Logistics: This is where we delineate the deadlines and time schedules devoted to the objectives. With the tasks defined and the resources outlined, adherence to agreed-upon time mandates becomes the linchpin in our planning process. This is the final key to achieving results and keeping time on your side instead of discouragingly watching it continue on its inexorable march.

Coming full circle, world-class results are directly tied to a CEO’s ability to relate time, process, and achievement of objectives to the vision of the organization, the department, or the field unit. Using effective planning will move the needle of your organization. It takes time, patience, and coaching/mentoring, but the alternative is time wasted. Moreover, time is the one commodity we cannot replace. Planning the work and working the plan – that is a CEO’s best friend.


 


Avoid These Guest Turnoffs

By Joan Lang

It’s official: Americans are in the midst of a full-blown food fetish. This is great news for restaurants, but it’s also true that with increasing sophistication comes an increasingly demanding diner.

If it seems like more people are complaining nowadays, they probably are. In the past, bad restaurant news came in two forms: bad print reviews, and bad word-of-mouth. The hand-in-hand rise of foodie culture and the online community have changed everything. Today’s diners—whether they are bloggers, professional food writers, or just people who like to go out to eat—have many different forums for expressing their likes and dislikes, and that represents both an opportunity and a challenge.

We’ve covered Yelp and other citizen review sites in this newsletter in the past, but no matter what you think of this growing trend to consumer empowerment, you should be reading your reviews to find out what your guests legitimately don’t like about your restaurants.

There are also some common points of dissatisfaction that are emerging about the restaurant universe in general—just take a look at this recent no-holds-barred rant from Eater San Francisco, where the reader comments are as enlightening as the writers’ list of grievances about what they think restaurants are doing wrong.

We’ve compiled a cheat sheet of some of the complaints that keep rising to the surface, from sources of all kinds. Pay attention, since many of these issues also address problems that can affect sales.

1. Obvious upselling and overselling. Guests know when they are being played for bigger checks. There are ways to build sales without putting pressure on customers or making them feel like they’re cheapskates if they say no

2. Bad service. This is a big one, time and time again, from seemingly little things like not facing a beer bottle label to the guest to major snafus such as mixing up an order. This article on “35 Things Restaurant Servers Do Wrong” should be required reading for anyone who is responsible for server training

3. On a related note, servers who don’t know the menu. Front-of-the-house staff should be familiar with every item that’s on the menu, including specials, so they can answer guests’ questions and steer them to the best possible experience. Savvy restaurateurs with ambitious beverage selections even put their servers through bartender training so they can assist guests with their wine, beer and cocktail choices

4. Taking guest favorites off the menu without thinking it through very, very carefully—and maybe making other arrangements, like offering a discontinued item as a special or letting regulars know they can still order it off-menu. After all, according to National Restaurant Association research, “favorite menu items” are a prime reason many people go out to eat at a particular restaurant

5. Using industry lingo. Discussing the “wine program” with anyone but a colleague or telling a guest that you can’t sit two people at a “four top” or that the pasta has been “86’d” is just bad manners

6. Wobbly tables and uncomfortable chairs. Enough said

7. Not making your current menu available online. Looking at the menu is one important way potential guests make their dining-out decisions. If at all possible, put the menu on your website and make sure it’s current, to avoid disappointment. If your menu changes so often that it doesn’t make sense to put it on your website, it can at least be on Facebook. And always include prices

8. Bad disability etiquette. In many locations, accessibility is the law, but there’s more to making all guests feel welcome than properly spaced tables. Accommodations like Braille menus, printed rather than verbal specials sheets, and server training also make good business sense

9. Not being prepared for a service you offer. It’s great to offer delivery, online ordering and other guest conveniences, but your infrastructure needs to be able to handle them. That means technology, staffing, staff training, operational adjustments and much, much more

10. Refusing to consider special requests. Within reason, service and kitchen staff should be willing to accommodate not only vegans, vegetarians, and customers with gluten and other food allergies, but also requests to leave out the green pepper. Yes, customers may have become hyperfussy, but we should never lose sight of the fact that these are our guests

11. Noise. There’s a difference between a lively atmosphere and a restaurant where guests can’t hear each other—and there’s a sentiment that unwanted noise is getting worse. With more casual concepts come harder surfaces—wood floors instead of carpet, bare tabletops instead of cloths—plus music, bar noise and other distractions. Use soundproofing, design and other techniques to avoid or fix the problem

12. Lack of cleanliness. Whether it’s the silverware, the tables or the bathroom, guests notice when things aren’t clean. Things may start out spic-and-span, but during the course of a busy shift the situation can degrade quickly. Make sure your dishwashing capabilities are up to snuff—including keeping your dishwasher happy —and your front-of-house staff has enough hands to bus and reset tables correctly. As for the bathrooms, they should be inspected regularly and attended to promptly. And while you’re at it, check the floors in all public areas for spills, dropped paper and linens, and other detritus

If you need help addressing any of the problems introduced in this article, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


Protein Power

Whether your guests are following the Paleo diet or just minding their nutritional P’s and Q’s, protein has become a real selling point on menus. According to data from NPD, “high-protein” is now equated with healthy. This stands to reason after decades of carb-phobia, first at the hands of Dr. Atkins, and most recently because of the gluten-free trend. The science of sports nutrition may also lie behind the demand for protein. Then, too, there’s the increasing availability of heirloom and ethically raised meats to consider.

Arby’s new Meat Mountain sandwich says it all. First conceived as a promotional stunt to herald the erstwhile roast beef chain’s new “We Have the Meats” positioning, the eight-meat (and two-cheese) fantasy sandwich got so many customer requests that the item will be actually served.

According to Packaged Facts, 62% of consumers are looking to eat more protein, a trend that promises opportunity for manufacturers and foodservice operators alike—the so-called protein craze has even hit supermarket bagged salads. And fortunately for vegetarians, the word is out that there are plenty of non-meat sources of protein, including not only eggs and cheese but also hearty and nutritious grains, seeds, nuts, beans and legumes.

Not surprisingly, high-protein foods are showing up on more restaurant menus, despite the high food costs associated with most meats, and people seem willing to pay for them. Fatburger has introduced its Double Down “protein-style” bunless burger. Taco Bell is overhauling its Cantina platform with bowls and burritos that tout 20 grams of protein in a 500-calorie-and-under package.

Roaring Bowl, in Seattle, brings the traditional protein-laden Japanese specialty shabu-shabu into the 21st century. Hitting all the contemporary high notes, Roaring Bowl offers an interactive dining experience (check) that allows guests to customize their meals (check) with a DIY menu (check) of bowls, plates and salad (check) that can be topped with such high-quality, eco-conscious ingredients (check) as Kurobuta pork belly and Painted Hills beef, plus lots and lots of fresh vegetables (ditto). Craft beers, soju and sake (check) round out the bill of sale.

Meanwhile, next-wave steakhouses like Union Common, in Nashville, are pushing the bounds of meat-centric menus with a selection that includes a variety of different signature steaks—Duck Fat Roasted Filet with black garlic butter; steak frites; an aged ribeye with citrus gremolata—as well as a full raw bar and chilled seafood. The list of appetizers is unusually complete, offering such small plates as Roasted Bone Marrow, Lobster Nuggets and several different cheeses. The pricing structure supports the notion that while food costs on aged beef and other premium meats may be well above the 30-35% target range, profit margins on a $17 appetizer or $65 steak are apt to be very good indeed.

Another theme is the roast house, specializing in the kind of “large format” roasted and rotisseried meats whose popularity may have started as a backlash to the small plates trend. In Chicago, there’s Tony Mantuano’s new River Roast, with a live-fire menu featuring roast beef (priced per 8-oz. serving), wood-smoked whole chicken, and a $42 whole fish of the day—all carved at tableside and meant for sharing. “Table Snacks,” oysters, charcuterie, and lots and lots of side dishes (including Yorkshire pudding) round out the family-style meatfest feeling.

And then there’s the new crop of restaurants whose very names hold promise of meaty pleasures. Beast & Ale, for instance, in Philadelphia, is the Feliz Mexican restaurant group’s foray into the gastropub market. The self-styled “updated greasy spoon” menu is inspired by Philadelphia’s old-school beef and ale tradition, including the namesake double-patty Beast Burger as well as Steak “Poupard” (the flatiron cut, served with caramelized onion and potato hash and a fried egg), Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and even a Fried Bologna Sandwich. Décor is by the way of both natural and gold-emblazoned taxidermy, to further drive home the beast metaphor.

Could a more gender-neutral revival of the Beefsteak Club be far behind?


Tip of the Month

For more information about what annoys restaurant guests, drill down into the “gripe-o-meter” from Consumer Reports.

 

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Tapping into Breakfast Profits

Sep 26, 2014

The word, “breakfast” often conjures up images of a large hearty meal of foods such as pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon and sausage. Comfort foods like these, and even healthier breakfast options, are embraced by many Americans, but especially Millennials, as indicated in recent research by Datassential. Not to say that people of all generations don’t love breakfast, it appears that Millennials are more likely to eat breakfast outside traditional hours, according to this new study.

Datassential provides even more interesting findings regarding breakfast trends:

 

  • Over half of consumers surveyed showed interest in elevated comfort foods, single-focus restaurants and better-for-you concepts
  • Time, convenience, ease and health were reported as important factors when choosing to eat breakfast at home
  • Lunch and dinner menu items are being seen more on breakfast menus

 

In this WSJ article, it’s noted how breakfast wars are heating up between fast-casual restaurants and cereal brands such as Kellogg Co. They are both vying for consumers in a time where many are steering away from carbs for breakfast and toward meals higher in protein. Still, companies such as McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Brands Group are still dominating breakfast sales.

 

If you need assistance analyzing your breakfast menu for efficiency and profitability, please contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.

 

Breakfast photo credit: Nana B Agyei License CC by 2.0

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Restaurants Adapt to Appeal to Millennials

Sep 21, 2014

After several years of reduced traffic, restaurant owners are searching for ways to drive Millennials back into their establishments. Millennials, those aged 18-34, represent a large market segment but have reduced their restaurant visits and spent more time eating at home in the past few years. Many restaurants recognize this problem and are adapting their strategies in order to regain the lost traffic. According to a new study from the NPD Group, the following dining elements are most important to Millennials:

 

• Unique dining experiences
• Friendly service
• Fresh ingredients

restaurant marketing to millennial audience

 

Sizzler and LYFE Kitchen are two brands that have done an exceptional job in adapting to the preferences of Millennials. Sizzler, known for its appeal to families and seniors, recognized the influential power of Millennials and revamped the menu accordingly. Not only did they conduct research studies to discover Millennial taste preferences, they also hired Millennials for top positions in their marketing and R&D departments. This resulted in the opening of a new concept, Sizzler Market Grill, which offers premium ingredients, salad ‘mixologists’, and open seating areas, all of which create the unique dining experience that Millennials crave.

 

LYFE Kitchen, the California-based ‘flexitarian’ fast-casual concept, is passionate about their appeal to Millennials. When opening new units, the chain pinpoints areas with a high density of young people and chooses their locations accordingly. Their next step in appealing to Millennials is the release of their new loyalty app, MY Life, this September.

For more information, read the entire article here.

Please contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants for help with appealing to Millennials and driving traffic to your establishments.

 

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Revitalized Focus on Service and Hospitality in Restaurants

Sep 17, 2014

Have you noticed exceptional service in restaurants lately? You’re not alone. An emerging trend is showing that restaurants are renewing their focus on service and hospitality. Instead of focusing on the chef and his/her of-the-moment food, servers are providing friendly service, helpful suggestions, and inviting the guest to relax and linger for a while. Some restaurants, such as Eleven Madison Park, go above and beyond and even research their diners before they arrive, using the information to enhance the guests visit. These restaurants are noted for their thoughtful, personal service:

 

The Restaurant at Meadowood, California – Guests can enjoy after dinner drinks and board games in the fireplace lounge

Eleven Madison Park , New York – Waiters perform card tricks in the dining room

Alinea, Chicago – The guest database includes personal photos along with dining preferences

Canlis, Seattle – Signature salads and drinks are prepared tableside

Melisse , Santa Monica – Special occasions are celebrated with unique treats from the kitcheN

Vetri, Philadelphia – Diners are offered a complementary glass of champagne before dinner and are sent home with a gift of coffee cake and chocolates for later.

How can you improve the guest experience at your restaurant? With over 30 years of experience, Synergy Restaurant Consultants can help. Contact us for professional help with improving the service and hospitality at your restaurant establishment.

Read more about the trend here and here.

 

 

 

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Menu Descriptions and Familiar Ingredients Important to Health-Conscious Consumers

Sep 07, 2014

IMG_3929
Mintel just released new consumer research with some interesting statistics on healthy eating and what drives the purchases of health-conscious consumers. Here are some facts you should know:

• 38% of adults are more likely to order a healthy menu item if it sounds delicious in the menu description
• 27% of consumers prefer to order healthy menu items with familiar ingredients (as opposed to unfamiliar superfoods)
• 9% of Americas feel that ‘gluten-free’ denotes a healthy choice
• 39% believe that entrees with more fruits and vegetables are healthier
• 37% believe that items with low calorie counts are healthy choices
• 34% believe dishes with low sodium are healthy options
• 24% of American consumers are not interested in eating healthfully at restaurants. They view eating out as a treat.
• 24% of Americans are interested in healthy choices at restaurants but usually opt for the unhealthy meals instead.

So, what does this data mean for foodservice operators? While some diners are not interested in healthy restaurant choices, there are still many who are seeking healthful options. Take time and make sure your healthy menu items are described well and sound delicious in your menu descriptions. In order to entice diners to order these options, be sure to include familiar items and fruits and vegetables in your healthy menu choices.

Read the entire article here.

For help with menu design and innovation, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.

 

 

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Convenience Drives Lunch Business

Sep 06, 2014

Lunch is the meal consumers most often eat away from home, according to a new report from Technomic, a leading market research firm.  The study found that consumers eat lunch out, on average, a couple days a week and convenience is the most important factor in determining the establishments they patronize.  Consider these facts:

 

menus53% of consumers who have increased their lunch visits to fast-casual restaurants have done so for convenience
• 41% of people who eat lunch at restaurants at least once a week do so to save time
• 51% of consumers studied chose a restaurant based on the taste of the food and beverage offerings
• 43% chose a restaurant based on the value offered
• 47% visited restaurants in a narrow radius, often repeating visits to a select few restaurants
• 18% of consumers purchased lunch from a mix of both new and familiar restaurants
• 63% of diners felt menu variety and diversity of offerings were very important
• 28% of consumers preferred frequent or new limited-time-offerings to try new foods and branch out

 

 

 

Would you like to increase your lunch business? While you can’t (easily) change your location, you can improve your speed of service and menu mix. By offering quick, efficient service and a diversified menu, you’ll have lunch consumers coming back for more. For help with menu innovation and restaurant efficiency, please contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.

Read the entire article here.

 

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August 2014 Newsletter

Aug 26, 2014

Greetings!

With all the industry talk lately about QSRs and fast casual restaurants and how they are performing respectively in the current economic climate, we couldn’t help but notice this article in Nation’s Restaurant News concerning how guests feel about these two categories.

Long story short: Consumers want quick-service restaurants to behave more like the fast casuals, offering more amenities and services like delivery, upgraded environments and better food quality. And that will continue to put more pressure on traditional QSRs, especially established brands like McDonald’s, which is already suffering weakened sales.

After all, when you’ve got Which Wich offering drive-thrus and Panera joining Chipotle in removing artificial ingredients, it’s going to take a lot for fast feeders to keep up with the twin advances in convenience and quality being rolled out by fast casual players.

You can expect to see more news on these issues in this space over the coming months. In the meantime please enjoy our articles on building employee loyalty, why the small plates trend continues to grow, and how to use spice mixtures to elevate your menu.

To your success, Dean Small and Danny Bendas


Creating Loyalty—the Employee Kind

By Joan Lang

 

Turnover is accepted as a given in fast-paced minimum-wage industries like foodservice—but it doesn’t have to be.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), turnover rose slightly in 2013, from 61.0% in 2012 to 62.6% last year. This compares to 42.2% in the private sector overall. And while this represents a significant improvement of pre-Great Recession turnover of greater than 80%, too many good employees leaving their jobs still hurts.

Experts estimate that it costs upwards of twice an employee’s salary to find and train a replacement. Turnover can leave shifts uncovered and compromise food quality and guest service—and therefore an establishment’s reputation. And excessive “churn” can also damage morale among remaining employees.

Just as it’s important to create loyalty among guests, then, you want your staff to be loyal to you as an employer.
Here’s how to do it:

1. Hire the best people for the job.

Finding and hiring the best employees is probably the single most important thing you can do to keep people in their jobs for the long run. Interview and vet candidates carefully, not just to ensure they have the right skills but also that they fit well with the company culture, managers and co-workers.

o If necessary, seek a consultant or employee placement firm for key hires.

2. Invest in training.

The second important piece in the puzzle is giving employees the skills they need to do their job. Whether it’s shadowing an experienced server, studying manuals or using online training modules, or pulling shifts in the kitchen, training procedures will pay off in job success and employee satisfaction.

o Make job procedures and company policies available to all employees when they’re hired, and keep them up-to-date.

o Use pre-shift meetings, special training sessions (such as a wine tasting hosted by a distributor-partner) and other resources to build skills and keep them current.

3. Pay attention to the basics.

Provide a fair wage and benefits (and remember that “benefits” can also mean perks like free uniforms or laundering, employee meals, educational assistance, discounts on food and paper goods, staff gatherings, car-pooling, and flexible scheduling). Show respect and fair-mindedness to everyone who works for you—you don’t have to get involved in their personal lives but you should be well aware that they have them.

o Train managers to improve communication skills and devise a practical plan for resolving conflicts among your staff to keep them happy and productive.

o Incent top performers to recruit their friends.

4. Make company expectations clear.

Communicate your goals, standards and expectations at every opportunity, both through documentation such as mission statements and through day-to-day interactions. Share your thinking behind decisions, especially when you introduce anything new, and involve them in as many strategic initiatives as possible. If your goal is to increase sales of desserts, for example, tell both your service and kitchen staff why it’s important and engage their ideas for making it happen. Provide context for everything that affects them.

5. Offer guidance—and recognition.

Let employees know how they’re doing, both informally and with formal tools such as reviews and recognition. Honest mistakes should be viewed as learning opportunities, for the employee and the entire crew, not an occasion for criticism. And give praise publicly for a job well-done, whether it’s providing great service to a customer or forecasting demand more accurately. As author Todd Patkin puts it, “catch them doing something right.”

o Recognition is one of the most important factors in ongoing job satisfaction; in fact, according to a recent GloboForce Workforce Mood Tracker, 73% of respondents credit recognition for having a positive impact on their happiness at work.

o Consider events like sales contests or cost-improvement initiatives that allow staff to excel at their jobs—and be rewarded for it in measurable ways, such as a gift certificate or prize (this is a great way to use rewards points from a purchasing program).

6. Give employees “ownership” of their jobs.

Empowering staff to do their jobs goes beyond training into everyday decision-making. Demonstrate trust and provide flexibility. Create guidelines—for instance, what kinds of substitutions can be made by servers and kitchen without seeking management approval? When can a complementary dessert be offered?—but allow for impromptu problem-solving.

o Wherever possible, do what’s necessary to make jobs easier, whether that’s streamlining cooking procedures, making sure there’s plenty of glassware, or using tablets for ordering, which will increase accuracy and give servers more time at their tables.

o Encourage employees to create their own team solutions for getting the job done.

7. Listen to their ideas.

Create an environment that encourages two-way communication. Your employees are “on the ground” every day, and are in the ideal position to share guest feedback and provide you with all kinds of ideas for doing things better. For instance, an employee may notice that doing basic maintenance on a particular machine once a week, as opposed to once a month, keeps it running more smoothly. Or servers may field lots of guest requests for items you don’t have on the menu or services you don’t offer. Get them to share that information.

o If necessary, have regular “off-the-record” discussions with employees.

o Consider conducting a periodic survey (anonymous if necessary) to ascertain how your staff feels about you, your business, and their jobs.

8. Provide for growth.

Being able to stay on a learning curve will keep your best employees happier and more productive. Cross-training not only helps fill shifts, but it gives employees an opportunity to “switch it up” and learn new skills. One company we know pays for English lessons for its non-English-speaking employees, but you could also find sources for such life-skills help as establishing a savings or investment plan.

o Try sending key employees to industry events such as a local restaurant show, wine tasting or management skills training seminar, or dine-around-town events.

o Savvy employers also factor in opportunities for staff members when making the decision to add a new service, such as catering, or open a new restaurant.

9. Be aware that the customer isn’t always right.

Employees have rights, too, and you shouldn’t hesitate to adopt policies that recognize that. A recent post in Craigslist revealed some thought-provoking evidence that guest behavior can influence service. Customers can be distracted, overly demanding, rude or even abusive, and you should let employees know, tacitly or directly, that you support your staff as well as your guests. You may have to walk an uncomfortable line—such as requesting that guests not use cell phones, or keep their children from playing in the aisles—but satisfied employees make for satisfied customers, and that builds loyalty all around.

10. Conduct exit interviews.

When longtime staff decide to leave, ask them why. Use the opportunity to find out what you could be doing differently.


 


What’s the Big Deal about Small Plates?

By Joan Lang

 

There ought to be a bumper sticker: “Honk if you’re Opening a Small Plates Restaurant.” The now-famous Eator.com parody menu (and the legions of comments it inspired) almost takes the small-plates trend to task for being predictable and derivative, but there’s no doubt that the concept is transforming the face of dining out in this country.

The words “small plates for sharing” may make some jaded restaurantgoers groan, but by and large today’s food-obsessed consumers love them. And why not? Small plates represent a chance to taste lots of different things and put together a totally bespoke dining experience, answering the call for variety and customization that are the marching orders for the industry today. It’s a formula that’s tailor-made to satisfy that all-important millennial guest, as chains like Olive Garden are beginning to discover.

That the trend shows no sign of abating, however, is also a function of how chefs and restaurateurs feel about small plates.
For one thing, small plates can lead to big checks. All those $6, $8 and $10 plates give diners a “why-not” price point that encourages them to order one or two more, especially when there’s a group of friends who are there to socialize and sample. The tempting diversity of foods on a small plates menu can lead to a kind of ordering euphoria, and if ever there were going to be a time for a creative chef to sell customers on something unusual like octopus or cauliflower, it’s with a low risk price and portion size.

Small wonder, then, that small plates appear on many of today’s most successful business plans. Between the spiced almonds and the deviled eggs ordered while the menu is first being considered to the final, multiple desserts, the average check at a small plates establishment can easily run 20-40% higher than at a comparable three-course restaurant. Small plates can also significantly reduce food costs and waste, while simplifying inventory.

For one thing, smaller portions means it’s easier to utilize trim, especially on high-ticket protein items like beef and seafood, as anyone who has put tuna poke on the menu can attest. And as far as bell-ringer specialty ingredients like bottarga or imported cheese, you don’t need much to make an impact on a 2- or 3-ounce menu item. Mise en place needs to be tight, because many small plates tend to be thoughtfully composed and high in quality, but then again it ought to be tight in a well-run kitchen. And for every elaborate plate of compressed suckling pig with microgreens and roasted cipollini onions that needs to be assembled to order, there are the warm spiced olives that are essentially ready to serve.

In many small plates restaurants, the orders aren’t coursed by the servers or timed by the kitchen; they come out when they’re ready. That means several things, including bye-bye expensive expeditor, for one. Food is delivered more quickly, so tables can theoretically turn more quickly.

And where there is food, there is also drink, in the form of high-margin cocktails, wine and beer—in fact, many of the first “small plates” establishments were sophisticated wine bars, where small tastes of things like olives, cheese, and other little tapas-like nibbles were offered in the service of by-the-glass sales. The fact that bar seating also saved a lot of the square footage required for traditional tables was just sweetening in the pot, so you could say the wine bar trend was the precursor to the efficiently spaced sea of high tops and petite tables that make small plates establishments both more convivial and more profitable on a sales-per-square-foot basis.

One of the latest wrinkles in the small plates genre is the “large format” specialty: the whole fish, the Amish chicken for two, the super-premium Porterhouse for the whole table to share. These premium items support premium pricing, and make for the kind of memorable signature dish all operators are looking for. And the fact that they are almost always served a la carte means there is opportunity for selling side dishes, either as more small plates or as a family-style portion.

Finally, small plates are fun for the staff, affording a rollicking, super-creative menumaking style where there really isn’t much to lose in trying something new. There’s tremendous versatility in utilization. Seasonality and daily specials fit right in. The servers love it because they can make more money.

What’s not to love?


Light Up Your Menu with Spice Blends and Condiments

By Joan lang

Bold flavors are the “it” ingredients for creating lively signature recipes, and almost nothing is easier to use than global spice mixtures and condiments—witness the runaway popularity of flavor builders like Cajun spice, jerk seasoning and sriracha.

Here are some ideas for seasonings that are starting to trend now, many of them virtual shorthand for the cuisine they stem from. The best part is you don’t need your own proprietary blend to take advantage of the flavor boost and marketing backstory. Many of these products are available already prepared, or you can easily make your own.

Ajvar

– A savory Serbian paste made with bright red-roasted peppers, garlic and sometimes eggplant, ajvar brings a smoky, relishy flavor to grilled meats, stews, as a spread for crostini and more. A similar product is Portuguese massa de pimentão, which is also useful in a marinade

Chermoula (or charmoula)

– Traditionally used in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria to season fish, this aromatic blend of olive oil, coriander, cumin, citrus, paprika, garlic, cilantro and chile is easy to make in-house, and can also be used to dress vegetables and roast chicken

Dukkah

– An Egyptian mixture of sesame seeds, roasted chickpeas, hazelnuts, coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper, dukkah can be used to create a flavorful crust on meats and other proteins, as a dust on vegetables, or even served simply in a bowl as a memorable addition to the bread service

Garam Masala

– You knew that there’s no such thing as curry powder in India, right? Instead cooks there and here use a bespoke blend of ground spices that might range from cardamom and turmeric to cumin and black pepper. Find one that works for you to bring Indian flavors to recipes—then try it on popcorn as a bar snack

Harissa

– Used throughout North Africa, this fiery yet versatile condiment is made with lots of dried chilies, pounded together with cumin and coriander seed, garlic, olive oil and salt. Traditional uses include as a dip for grilled meat, as a condiment for couscous, and to add a kick to soups and stews, but harissa has become very popular with heat seeking chefs and customers in all kinds of restaurants

Old Bay

– This traditional Maryland Eastern Shore spice blend, often used in seafood boils and crab cakes, is experiencing a bit of an artisanal rebirth, bringing its balanced flavors of mustard, paprika, cloves and celery salt to all kinds of food and drink, including Bloody Marys and even beer

Ras el hanout

– A versatile Moroccan spice blend that can contain as many as 30 different ingredients (the name means “top of the shop,” as in spice shop), including ground cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. It make a killer spice rub for grilled and roasted meats

Togarashi

– With interest in Japanese ingredients at an all-time high thanks to the popularity of menu items like sushi and ramen, this Japanese table condiment is picking up steam. The standard chile-based mixture can also include orange peel, seaweed, ginger, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds, adding texture as well as flavor to foods

Vadouvan

– This curry-like Indian seasoning blend shows its French colonial influences with shallot, onion, fenugreek, cumin, and curry leaf in addition to such masala ingredients as turmeric, coriander, and mustard seed. Use to make French-style curried chicken salad, as a marinade for shrimp or fish, or wherever you would use regular curry powder

Za’atar

– Also known as zahtar, this tangy, herbal Middle Eastern spice blend is predominately ground sumac, roasted sesame seeds, and green herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram. It is used to flavor meats and vegetables, or mixed with olive oil and used as a marinade or a spread for flatbread. Za’atar can also bring a lively texture to dishes like yogurt dips or scrambled eggs


Tip of the Month

More on Spices

A bit of an oversimplification perhaps, but this fun chart from Business Insider suggests how you can recreate the flavors of 36 world cuisines using only three spices/seasonings per cuisine, as in onion, lard and paprika for Hungarian food, or parsley, garlic and mint for Persian.

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‘Fast Fine’ – The Future of Casual Dining

Aug 21, 2014

Premium fast-casual players have created a new market niche called ‘fast fine.’ Restaurants such as Mendocino Farms, 800 Degrees Pizza, and LYFE Kitchen are pushing the fast-casual model and putting a greater focus on hospitality and restaurant design. While still keeping prices low, these industry players are looking to fine dining for menu and design inspiration.

Here are a few examples of what Mendocino Farms is doing to elevate the guest experience:

• Guests are greeted by a host and, while being guided through the line, are informed of daily specials and unique menu items
• A server works the floor to get guests anything they need throughout their meal
• Real flatwear, not disposable, is used
• Curated seasonal beer and wine lists are offered at each restaurant
• Each location has a unique design that reflects the neighborhood

LYFE Kitchen is known for a health-conscious menu and takes pride in serving not just food, but a complete experience. Noodles and Company has found great success with using ‘Noodle Ambassadors’ that work the floor as servers during dinner. This helps guests that may want to linger and take time to enjoy their dinner. 800 Degrees has taken their concept to the next level by incorporating high-end restaurant design from world renowned Phillipe Starck.

Read more about the ‘fast-fine’ trend here.

Premium fast-casual is being called the future of casual dining. Contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants if you would like to learn more about elevating your casual restaurant concept.