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How to Choose the Right Music for Your Restaurant

Jan 29
Posted by Daniel in Commercial Seating, fun, Restaurant

Noise pollution is one of the top customer complaints that restaurants receive and understandably so. Blaring music in particular (and rambunctious diners) can create a very unpleasant dining experience and destroy the romantic mood you want to feel with your significant other on your date night.  However, studies have proven that the right music for restaurants and bars can induce positive emotions among customers resulting in an increase of sales.

 

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Effectiveness of Restaurant Background Music

Imagine walking into a posh steakhouse only to be greeted with hip hop music upon arrival. The juxtaposition would seem indecorous to you as a guest. On the flip side, however, a pleasing fitting sound of soft country music would be more compatible with the steakhouse’s ambience. Granted, some guests may be more perceptive to music than others. The restaurant background music may seem distractingly loud and unseemly to some of them. In this guide, we further elaborate on what kind of music to play at a restaurant, how to curate the ideal restaurant music playlist, and steps to procure a music license for your restaurant.

Choosing the Right Restaurant Music

Music evokes a range of emotions. Hence, emotions are one of the most vital components of customer dining experiences. Restaurant background music can excite us or repel us depending on the volume and genre. It can maximally set the mood. From heavy-metal rock, to slow jazz, indie-pop and rap music, there are many options to choose from. However, most restaurant background music services provide a very limited catalog with little or no customization whatsoever. Fortunately with emerging advanced technologies, newer companies are able to offer larger music libraries and apps to restaurants, enabling easy access, customization, and control. Unlike the archaic systems of yesteryear, the current digital solutions that we’ve become familiar with over the years are equipped to handle multiple locations and take minutes to set up.

Jazzing Up your Restaurant Décor

Music background can not only set the mood but also highlight your design. Ambiance can make your restaurant more memorable and enjoyable for your customers. The overall atmosphere is indicated by the way each restaurant arouses senses and emotions. Therefore, a great music playlist is considered to be another integral factor of your restaurant’s design and layout which requires strong detail orientation and attentiveness. The style of your restaurant furniture should coordinate with your restaurant music and interior design. In addition to the right music, comfort level and durability of restaurant chairs and restaurant booths can have a notable impact on customer experience.  Ultimately, the quality of food, service, and the restaurant’s aesthetics marked by the furniture and color scheme combined together should create a cohesive brand.

Tuning into Sales and Customer Satisfaction

Playing the right background music has the potential to increase patrons’ satisfaction and has also shown to increase profits. Research shown by Soundtrack Your Band confirms that. The study analyzed approximately 2 million transactions and 16 restaurants. Subsequently, results showed that restaurants that played background music that fit their brand’s personality have piqued positive emotions among customers and increased revenue.

You can enlist the help of music services to search for a pre-made playlist or create your very own. If you decide to use them, it’s important to have a legitimate business account with them. Spotify features a range of restaurant specific music playlists.  you can alternatively play a song, artist, or album from a Spotify radio that expresses your brand the best. Pandora radio, another music service, enables you to play songs from artists that communicate with your ambiance.

Soundtracks for Every Environment and Time of Day

As previously mentioned in this article, matching your background music and design with your brand is the most important aspect of creating an effective playlist. Your music playlist should either contain a wide selection or be updated frequently. Patrons and staff members alike will appreciate the variety. Keeping your playlist dynamic can go a long way too. The songs you select intended for your ambiance don’t collectively need to sound the same. You can switch up the band, tempo, and genre every so often. You can alter your background music based on the time of day by dividing your playlist into different energy levels or creating a new playlist altogether. For instance, the music played at restaurants during the morning should be calm and uplifting. Slightly more energetic songs and beats are recommended during brunch or lunchtime. Music should be livelier during happy hour. Dinner invites a more dynamic mix. Upbeat background music should be played around late evening.

Playing the right music for the time of day is important. Likewise, selecting the music for your atmosphere is a necessity. Many restaurants tend to mix and match the type of background music they play as the environment changes. Awareness of these changes is crucial for determining the appropriate music for your environment. If you run a family-friendly restaurant, songs with explicit lyrics are not recommended.  In fine dining establishments, music’s role can enhance the quality of food and service. Music typically played at an upscale dining setting resides at a lower energy level, generating a more relaxing feel to the ambiance. If your bar and grill is separated from your dining area (assuming you even have one), you may want different streams of music for your restaurant so you can distinctly define your vibe in each area. Music needs to match with the fun but relaxed vibe at a lounge. Music in such circumstances will actually help define the lounge so carefully sorting through a specific genre and vibe of music can establish the mood at your venue.

Music License for Restaurants and Bars

The overall customer experience is heavily affected by the ambiance at your restaurant. Playing live or recorded music is a critical part of the atmosphere you want to achieve. However, playing music requires you to be conversant with copyright infringement laws and licensing restrictions. Unfortunately, owners who neglect to research the laws pertaining to playing music at restaurants may open them up to expensive lawsuits filed by music rights holders such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. A music license allows you to play music that is licensed by another person or organization. Users must obtain permission from songwriters and composers who may charge a fee for permitting you to play their music at your venue. Costs for obtaining a music license may vary based on the capacity of your business, number of times the music is played, whether the music is recorded or live, audio, video, and the measurements of your space.

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Top 4 Reasons Why Your Restaurant Needs an App

Dec 17
Posted by Daniel in fun, Restaurant, restaurant tips and advice

The food sector has appeared to be one of the most profitable industries, even during economic trying times. Because of its broad potential and growing popular demands for different food motifs in various cities, the restaurant business is competitive by nature. In recent times the massive development of innovative technology has affected the restaurant business as well as quality of service.

 

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Over the years, the food sector has proven to be highly profitable primarily due to its broad potential. When matters took a digital turn, restaurant mobile apps began trending. Technology has since played a vital role in redefining the food service industry. Every establishment aspires to provide their customers with a convenient and satisfying dining experience. Benefits of mobile apps for restaurants can help owners and managers achieve this goal.

In recent times, restaurants have explored and utilized information technology solutions to boost sales and improve performances, quality and efficiency. Technological integration has been a success and apps for restaurant owners have not only helped them improve the quality of customer service but have also enabled them to reach beyond their limitations in remodeling their overall business structure. Customers also enjoy the convenience these apps provide with menu viewing and ordering activities.

The most substantial KPIs (key performance indicators) for any restaurant is to have more visitors each day. Whether it is in a form of reserving a table or for a fast food chain, the quantity of customers you attract per day determine your KPI.  Not only does this KPI indicate the popularity of your restaurant, it is also used to predict sales. Though reserving a table comes with several risks: mismanagement, seating people at the wrong table, uneven ratio of people per table, and the uncertainty of no shows. Reservations have been and are still made over the phone. However, reservations can be made online and through an app which customers are increasingly using. Known as a push notification, this app serves as a reminder to the customers of the reservations they made which you can notify them about. The app also allows customers to select the table they want to book along with the number of seats they need. They can also make cancellations which alerts the manager.

Regardless of which industrial sector your business belongs to, having an active online presence on social media sites is more critical than ever. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can inform you of the latest trends. These channels can also draw large numbers of viewers in a short span of time with effective online marketing. Available with apps, they also enhance the value of your brand and its image. Furthermore, these platforms notify people of new eateries thus validating them. You can also use these social media apps to interact with customers and respond to their feedback.

Loyalty programs help retain existing customers and attract new ones. In fact, customers are more likely to download a restaurant app you created if it provides them with exclusive offers. Such offers should include discounts. Loyalty programs incorporated in mobile apps are thought to be more effective than the traditional versions as customers can be updated with your offers with just a few swipes and taps on their phones. You can also provide a substantial output of your customers with this app.

To reach its maximum capacity, your restaurant mobile app should include an online payment system. This feature not only eliminates the hassle of handling cash between clients to your restaurant but also reduces clutter at the front desk which can delay payments. In a nutshell, an in-app payment method not only provides a secure option for payment processes but keeps record of orders customers made.

You may have used a couple of mobile ordering apps in your lifetime. Designing and personalizing your restaurant mobile apps may seem easy to do. Converting your physical menu into a mobile app that allows customers to place their orders is largely a simple matter. However, there are several design elements and techniques to consider when designing your restaurant app. Knowing how to design an app and how to use it will potentially set you apart from  competition and help you accomplish your business objectives successfully.

 

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Rocco Restaurant & Bar Opens its Patio

Jul 18
Posted by Daniel in Patio Furniture, Press Release, Restaurant

Italian restaurant in Etobicoke seeks the expertise of Seating Masters to configure a patio design for its venue.

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Leading commercial grade furniture distributor helps Rocco with its outdoor seating needs prior to announcing the grand opening of its patio.

Situated in a trendy lakeshore neighborhood area in Etobicoke, Rocco Restaurant & Bar offers a casual ambiance featuring a completely inspired Italian menu, delivery, social events, family dining and more. Patrons especially enjoy the cozy yet classy mahogany filled interior of the restaurant along with affordably priced yet exquisite dishes enabling them to dine in full comfort. Rocco’s 7-ounce burger customized with avocado, bacon, mushrooms, cheese, and caramelized onions was voted as a lunch favorite among most diners. Dinner at Rocco’s is just as exciting with an array of mouthwatering appetizers, flatbreads, pasta, and a variety of entrees to choose from. Most diners swear by the wild mushroom and truffle risotto and the restaurant’s signature dish – pomegranate glazed rack of lamb.

Having recently undergone a complete renovation under new management, the owners have blasted the Wow factor with their latest patio design. When the weather allows, diners particularly enjoy eating outdoors. The owners were looking to give the patio design for their outdoor seating a contemporary flare. But most importantly, they needed patio furniture made of premium construction to resist against the harsh weather elements. With over a decade of experience working in the food industry, they contacted Seating Masters who was more than happy to assist them with their project with the hope to strengthen loyal patronage among the community of Etobicoke.

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The only thing that separates longer lasting rattan from the look and feel of this material is durability. This Aluminum Patio Arm Chair with Black Faux Rattan guarantees just that. The patio chair’s back and seat is woven with synthetic rattan that requires very little maintenance. Supported by a tough yet lightweight aluminum frame, this chair is ideal for indoor and outdoor commercial use.  This weatherproof chair is designed to last many years of services which were important to Rocco’s owners. For only $61.00, this chair offers the best worlds of comfort, style and resilience which is why the owners order 32 sets.

A weather resistant table for a patio is just as important at a chair. Priced as the same as regular teak, this Plastic Teak Table Top is made from material that protects against water and UV damages. Starting at $80.00, this table top is available in a range of dimensions, shapes and colors. The X prong table base seemed like a practical assemblage that compliments most table tops. This cast iron base includes all the necessary hardware to create a long lasting robust patio table which is what the owners needed.

Learn more about Seating Masters’ wide selection of commercial chairs, bar stools, booths, table tops, table bases and patio furniture here: http://www.seatingmasters.com/ or contact a customer service operator at (888) 941-6888.

If you are looking for a fine dining experience in the Toronto area, swing by Rocco Restaurant & Bar located at 2083 Lake Shore Boulevard, Etobicoke M8V 1A1. Or dial (416) 251-5100 to inquire about the restaurant’s menu, services and hours of operation.

 

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Canada’s Leading Furniture Supplier Organizes the Seating Layout for Matsuya Japanese House

Dec 12
Posted by Daniel in Booths, Press Release, Restaurant, Restaurant Chairs, Restaurant Furniture, restaurant layout, Table Bases, Table Tops

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Restaurant Furniture Canada supplies Japanese steakhouse with new restaurant booths, tables and chairs in time for their grand opening.

A Canada’s prime leader in manufacturing and importing restaurant furniture, Restaurant Furniture Canada has lately offered their services to reorganize the layout and design of Matsuya Japanese House with a brand new set of restaurant furniture.

Located in Cochrane, a quiet town northeastern Ontario, Canada, is the home of word-class Japanese hibachi steaks, sworn by customers at Matsuya Japanese House. With the largest selection of dishes made from the freshest ingredients, Matsuya Japanese House welcomes diners from afar and within the community to experience their sushi creations and theatrics from their talented chefs. They invite you to try their signature special rolls, fresh sashimi, and their delectable succulent seared steaks. Their well-stocked cocktail bar offers customers a full selection of drinks they can enjoy. They even include an exquisitely designed banquet facility for customers to hold private events for special occasions upon making reservations.

While reorganizing their layout, managing staff at Matsuya Japanese House contacted Restaurant Furniture Canada for their expertise and guidance in selecting restaurant furniture that would complement their interior design.  “Our V-Shape back booths were their first choice” explained Restaurant Furniture Canada’s salesman Dan.  “Like most of our custom made booths, these restaurant booths can be made according to the customer’s specifications which are primarily the reason why the restaurant’s manager at Matsuya Japanese House selected them”. Starting from only $270.00, this restaurant booth can be customized in shape, length, or height.  Customers are offered a large selection of fabrics and vinyls to match the décor of their dining venue.

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“From our selection of restaurant wood chairs, the manager ordered a set of 30 from our Premium Wood Ladder Back chairs”, commented Dan. Manufactured and assembled in the US, these restaurant chairs are available in 5 standard finishes. At $95.00 a piece with free shipping on ordering a set of 24 chairs or more, this chair is constructed of a 1 inch seat made of solid wood or a 2.5 inch thick high density foam padded seat. A matching bar stool and arm chair is available.

“The manager purchased our Resin Table Tops together with our Round Table Bases to complete his dining room” Dan further stated. Resin table tops fit perfectly in any restaurant, bar, hotel or lounge. With $50.00, each of these table tops ensures durability with their scratch and water resistant surfaces.  Made from cast iron, the round table bases come in a range of sizes. For $42.00, each round table base are designed to support Restaurant Furniture Canada’s collection of table tops.

To browse Restaurant Furniture Canada’s full selection of chairs, bar stools, table tops, table bases, booths and patio furniture visit http://www.restaurant-furniture.ca/ or talk to a customer service representative at (888) 998-4222 for answers to all your questions on restaurant furniture.

Matsuya Japanese House is currently located at 214 Grande Blvd, Cochrane, AB T4C. For information about their business hours and services, they can be reached at (403) 932-0012.

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How to Make a Restaurant Seating Plan

Aug 31
Posted by Daniel in Restaurant, Restaurant Chairs, Restaurant Furniture, restaurant layout, restaurant seating, Restaurant Seating Design, restaurant tips and advice, Table Tops

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Creating a restaurant seating plan is one of the crucial steps of the planning stage in opening a restaurant. The seating plan you design depends on several factors. One of the main factors is the type of restaurant you plan to open. Will it be a quick service restaurant, a family-style restaurant such as a diner, a fast casual restaurant, a café or an upscale bistro? Each of type of restaurants will have different layouts. A quick service restaurant will typically feature tables and chairs with easy to clean, fixed vinyl booths along the walls. Family-style restaurants or diners will typically have more booth with comfortable, fabric or vinyl upholstery. bistros will usually have a mixture of chairs, booths and bar stools. Making a seating plan will help you experiment with various seating layouts and find one that meets your needs.

The next important factor is the number of guests you plan to serve. To determine this you will have to take into account space requirements for the dining room and the maximum safe occupancy of your establishment as determined by the local fire department or county planning zone commission.

One of the first steps in drawing up your seating plan is measuring the interior space of your restaurant and its areas such as the dining room, the kitchen, storage, restrooms, server station waiting area and any other area that takes up floor space. The floor area of your dining room and patio if you have one will help determine your seating capacity and your seating layout.

The next step should include a detailed layout of your restaurant’s floor plan. The sketch should make note of windows and doors and include your measurements. The cashier counter and other stations should be included as well as anything else that will take up floor space. (more…)

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Teach Your Servers to Increase Sales

Apr 01
Posted by Daniel in bar tips and advice, Restaurant, restaurant tips and advice

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By investing the time to properly teach you servers how to sell better, you can significantly increase your profits. Waiters and waitresses should be more than just people who take orders and bring the food to the table. They are the restaurant’s sales agents. Training your servers to become sales agents can add to your bottom line and is more important than ever in this sluggish economy when fewer people are dining out. In order to turn your servers in a strong sales force, they will need the proper training.

First of all, servers should be using the menu as a sales brochure. They should not only know everything that is on the menu, they should also know the ingredients of each one. This is all the more important if one of your diners has an allergy which they mentioned and your server suggested a dish that causes a severe allergic reaction. Servers should also know the features and benefits of each dish so they can promote them with confidence.

Suggestive selling is very important when it comes to increasing profits. This is also known in the industry as “padding the bill”. Traditionally this used to refer to servers suggesting an appetizer, dessert or an alcoholic drink. This can also include suggesting a combination appetizers and an entrée to give the diner more of a selection. Servers should also suggest adding meat, poultry or seafood to a salad. Also have serves suggest sides to entrees such as mushrooms or cheese on steak or charging extra for including a small soup, salad, fries or other extra.

The profit margins on alcoholic drinks such as cocktails, wine and beer are big and these drinks can add a lot of dollars and cents to the bill. Servers should be suggesting drinks that quench thirst on hot summer days such as daiquiris, pina coladas or wine coolers on hot days. On cold days, suggest drinks that will warm up chilly customers such as brandy, whiskey, Irish coffee or hot buttered rum. Your servers should also be suggesting a wine to complement the meal, and they should have the proper training to know which wine to suggest. For example, bold red wine such as cabernet should be paired with red meat, cured meats and hard cheese. Rich white wine such as a Chardonnay should be paired with soft cheeses, seafood, starches and white meat. Beer is always popular and you can increase sales by suggesting the table share a pitcher or a carafe of wine. When ordering dessert suggest a night cap, but be sure your staff can tell the signs of intoxication and overselling alcohol. If they see guests are intoxicated,  try to prevent customers from driving home drunk because as the owner of the restaurant, you  could be liable if there is an accident. Suggest a taxi if your guests are intoxicated.

Keep an open eye and an open ear for special customers celebrating special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations or other special occasions. Also they should be looking out for special phrases such as “I’m starving” or “what do you suggest”. For someone who indicates they are very hungry, servers should suggest the chef’s platter and a more expensive menu item such a prime rib for a diner that is looking for suggestions. If you have a dessert cart, have serves bring it by because most people eat with their eyes.

Selling may not come natural for all of your servers, so provide training sessions. The more enthusiastic the servers are about the menu items they are selling the more customers will buy. A smile also goes along way and friendly servers will increase profits, as will prompt service. A larger bill means a larger tip, so encourage your servers to sell as this will increase their income as well.

 

 

 

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