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Account for Every Transaction, Every Shift, Every Day!

Dec 31, 2016

By George Barton, Sr. Beverage Consultant.

“No hassle, no training, no investment”

Capturing every drink transaction, every shift, every day has always been a challenge for leadership, from a small independent restaurant to large brands representing hundreds of locations.  The human factor is at play and while not labeling world class bartenders at the culprit, you should clearly understand the tools that will support a key objective   —  that EVERY transaction at the bar is accounted for through video auditing by way of small cameras which are linked to your point of sale to insure compliance.  Simply put, if you sell 100 drinks (beer, wine and cocktails) on a shift, it’s captured, reconciled and time stamped that all 100 drinks are collected or rang up, based upon your operations procedure when to capture the drink revenue.  What else could be more effective in today’s busy hospitality environment. If we believe and know that every drink during a shift is not accounted for, why not take the necessary steps to invest in a tool to accomplish this which supports revenue growth. High reward (lost revenue captured, improved margins) with low risk.

 

A few key deliverables to consider on taking on a new initiative like this:

  • Why do it: No need to invest capital to increase profits nor to accept ignored SOP’s any longer.  Actually there is no training nor maintenance required.
  • Benefits: No charge for cameras or maintenance. Every beverage and food serving from behind the bar are time stamped, while ring ups, serving etiquette  and preparation are all captured.  Captured beverage and food presentations that miss your collection standards are highlighted for your observation.
  • Problem – Solution: Failure to meet standards is a reality in hospitality due to the fast moving environment which conjures up many opportunities for operations execution to be ignored or forgotten. Why not initiate procedures that reviews this breach in standard operating procedures.  Empower management and allow enforcement or excellence in execution and collection of every transition. Product today is simply too expensive to allow not to be accounted for.
  • The How: Small cameras mounted to view all service areas and are connected to the interned. Analysts audit images to track what is served vs what is accounted for. Reports (very easy to navigate) show discrepancies from what was delivered from what was accounted for according to your SOP’

 

While this new age of mixology or the voice of the bartender is more prevalent than ever and rightly so, we also know from history and actual loss of revenue and margins that numerous factors play havoc on ensuring that EVERY beverage and food transaction from behind the bar is accounted for.

 

If you would like to learn and hear more, give Synergy a call.

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Pizza Nation, USA

Dec 28, 2016

Pizza. It’s delicious and it comes in oh-so-many variations in the U.S. and all over the world. Neapolitan, deep dish, thin crust, New York style, California style—we love them all. However, we’d be remiss if we did not share with you a guide to the different U.S. regional variations of the beloved pie. Because after all, it’s your duty as an American citizen to try them all.

 

Let’s get to it.

 

  • Chicago: Characterized by its thick crust and plentiful amount of sauce and toppings. As its name implies, this type of pie is baked in a deep, round pan. You eat this with a fork and a knife, most times.
  • New York: Think thin and foldable (and portable). This kind of pizza has a crispy, thin crust that’s been hand-tossed during preparation. It’s typically sold by the slice.
  • California: Its crust is a fusion of NY and Italian, paired with a wide array of toppings (nuts, seafood, veggies, etc.). The only limit is your imagination.
  • New Haven: Hailing out of New Haven, Connecticut, this pie’s a spin-off of Neopolitan pizza. It’s referred to as “Apizza” and is cooked in a coal-fired brick oven, lending to its charred, thin and chewy crust.

 

 

Craving more pizza? Read on here: Everything You Need to Know about Regional U.S. Pizza Styles

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Greenery Meets Restaurant

Dec 16, 2016

What color will 2017 be? Each year the Pantone Color Institute identifies what they believe to be the “Pantone Color of the Year,” with 2016 being Rose Quartz and Serenity (a dusty pink and a baby blue). They study trends in social media, fashion, consumer products and technology in order to make their annual forecasts. And this year, the color experts predict that 2017’s color will be, “greenery.” Not just any green, mind you.  Pantone Color Institute describes the color of 2017 as a “zesty yellow-green shade.”

 

What images, words, or ideas come to your mind when you think of the color, green? For us, we envision healthy food, like fresh-from-the-farm produce that’s ready to make a statement on the plate. And it’s not just the food itself either.

 

Take a look at True Food Kitchen. The restaurant’s menu is complemented by the vibrant shades of green of the interior. Zesty lime-green booths and chairs fill the space, inside as well as in the outdoor seating areas. It’s a great example of a restaurant cleverly uniting color and concept.

LYFE Kitchen herb wall
LYFE Kitchen herb wall

Lyfe Kitchen’s herb wall provides a pretty splash of green color while at the same time promoting a healthy vibe to the space.

 

We’re excited to see how “greenery” will be implemented in restaurants come 2017!