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4 Tips to Bring the Millennial Generation Into Your Restaurant

Oct 21
Posted by Daniel in bar tips and advice, Restaurant, restaurant tips and advice

The technologically-savvy and sophisticated younger generation poses a new marketing challenge for restaurant owners trying to keep up with the times.

Restaurant owners are faced with the constant challenge of adjusting their menu, design and marketing strategies to bring new demographic groups in as patrons and to stay ahead of ever-evolving trends. Recognizing and attempting to characterize new demographic groups is the first step in attracting them as customers.

The latest generation which is now coming into its own and establishing itself as a market force to be reckoned with as its buying power increases is the so-called Millennial Generation.

The youngest members of this generation are still in high school, while its more senior members have just entered their 30s.

While it is impossible to generalize and expect that such a large group of people will have common characteristics, there are some indicators that restaurant owners can use to target the Millennial Generation. The following are a few tips for restaurateurs on how to get Millennials into their establishments.

1) Feature more diverse ingredients from world cuisine

As a whole, Millennials are more educated about and aware of a greater diversity of foods than previous generations. With the advent of the Internet, the world has become a much smaller place for Millennials. They grew up with more exposure to different cultures and an increased desire to try a variety of world cuisines. To target Millennials, restaurateurs should consider incorporating into their menus different flavors and exotic spices. As a group used to constant stimulation, the same old fare just won’t cut it.

2) Offer healthy, organic and environmentally-friendly choices (more…)

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How Buying Locally Keeps your Restaurant Relevant in the 21st Century

Oct 17
Posted by Daniel in bar tips and advice, Restaurant, restaurant tips and advice

Today’s generation appreciates restaurants that support the local economy; the secret is cost-effectively integrating local food products into your menu.

 

Restaurant owners seeking to attract new clientele and stay relevant as the next generation comes of age are integrating more and more food from local suppliers into their menus.

A common first reaction of restaurant owners to the prospect of local sourcing is that it will likely cost too much money. Naturally, a restaurant is a business and in order to survive its first consideration must be the bottom line.

However, in the new millennium, with a new, eco-conscious generation at the helm, the costs and benefits of buying locally have changed considerably. Getting 100 percent of food products from local outlets is probably not likely. Integrating in just the right amount of local produce, meat and seafood to make your business most profitable is what restaurateurs must explore. Those ignoring the rising trend of local sourcing altogether are likely to be left behind.

While adding local food products into the kitchens of fine-dining and casual local restaurants is a no-brainer, even quick serve restaurants which demand a mass volume of food are beginning to local source. The fact is, quick serve restaurants that can boast the use of local produce rightfully win the reputation of being fresher, healthier, more environmentally responsible and better for local communities. Local sourcing is basically a way for quick serve chains to address all of the issues that fast food restaurants have been knocked for over the years.

Customers today demand a certain ethical practice from restaurants that never entered the equation in the past. They feel much more comfortable giving their patronage to an establishment that supports local, sustainable farms. This produce is fresher with fewer preservatives and it fosters better relationships in the local community. (more…)

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3 Tips for Choosing Great Restaurant Furniture for a Small Venue

Oct 09
Posted by Daniel in Restaurant, Restaurant Furniture, restaurant tips and advice

Designing a small restaurant or pub can require creative thinking to make the most of a limited space; knowing how to select the right furniture and layout is essential.

Small restaurants can have very big advantages for entrepreneurs, but can also present them with very difficult design challenges. A smaller venue brings with it lower costs and less overhead. The price of rent, as well as utilities such as heating and cooling, can be significantly lower. A much smaller wait staff and kitchen staff is also an advantage of a small restaurant or pub, and initial design costs will often be significantly lower in a smaller space.

Choosing the right layout and restaurant furniture for a small venue is essential to a customer’s impression of the establishment. A small venue done right can come across as cozy, intimate and comfortable, whereas a badly designed small venue will seem cluttered, crowded and unpleasant. The following are three tips on how to choose the right furniture and layout to make a restaurant or pub a big hit in a small package.

1) Utilize bar and counter seating

Bar and counter seating is a great way to get a lot of people seated at your establishment, while still offering wait staff and customers ample space to move around. A bar placed on one side of the room adjacent to the kitchen with seating on high bar stools is great not only for spacing – it also can establish a venue as a place to congregate in the neighborhood. Customers who might normally just be ordering food and soft drinks are much more likely to order alcohol while eating at the bar, which will definitely boost profits.

Counter seating along the restaurant’s front windows is also a great way to save some space, and offer diners who value their privacy an appropriate seating option. Seating with a street view is pleasant for diners in your restaurant and can serve to pull foot traffic in from outside. (more…)

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Choosing the Right Dinnerware for Your Restaurant

Sep 27
Posted by Daniel in bar tips and advice, Restaurant, restaurant tips and advice

Selecting dinnerware for a restaurant is not quite the same as picking out dishes for home use. Here are some key factors to take into account when purchasing this vital component of your restaurant.

 

Successful restaurant owners agree that any establishment’s chance for success begins first and foremost with vision. A restaurant’s design, menu, branding and prices must be part of a cohesive plan. Bad planning and mismatched style will only serve to confuse patrons and chase them away. This planning includes often overlooked, but no less important components, such as restaurant  furniture and dinnerware.

A restaurant’s dinnerware is an essential part of the overall impression that a venue gives its customers. Being that dinnerware has a key role to play in both a restaurant’s style and function, there are multiple factors to take into account when choosing dinnerware for a restaurant.

For those first entering the restaurant business, a common misconception is that buying dinnerware for a restaurant is similar to buying dishes for personal use at home. This could not be further from the truth. Dishes that serve perfectly well for home use are not made to perform under the high stress conditions of everyday commercial use. Attempting to use regular dinnerware in a commercial establishment is a bit like trying to take the family station wagon to race in the Indy 500.

Dinnerware employed in a restaurant is used by dozens of people daily, banged about constantly, must withstand repeated washings in industrial strength dishwashers, and be able to withstand use in ovens, microwaves and on hot plates. Once a plate or dish is chipped, it must be removed from use in the restaurant.

For this reason, commercial dinnerware is generally more expensive than regular dishes for home use. Of course, there are a wide variety of commercial dinnerware choices, made from different materials in varying price ranges. The standard for commercial dinnerware is porcelain china, while some casual dining establishments might consider plastic dinnerware or even disposable ones. (more…)

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3 Tips to Successfully Make your Kids’ Menu Healthy

Sep 23
Posted by Daniel in Restaurant, restaurant tips and advice

Restaurants are facing the challenge of updating their kids’ menus to reflect the growing demand among parents for food that is healthier for their children.

Parents are becoming increasingly aware of the health of their children and are taking into account new factors when deciding where to take their kids out to eat. In order to stay competitive in today’s changing market, and to be more responsible in what they serve children, restaurant owners face the challenge of providing healthier menu options geared toward children.

Traditionally, whether at quick serve restaurants or traditional sit down family establishments, kids’ menus have offered simple, yet unhealthy food, loaded with sugar and salt that children have come to expect. Grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken fingers, pizza and hamburgers, served with French fries and soda, are usually on most kids’ menus, with absolutely no healthy alternatives available.

However, this lack of nutritional balance has led to growing health problems among children in North America. Unhealthy eating has led to a childhood obesity epidemic which can lead to the very early onset of diabetes. In addition, the bad eating habits and the health problems we face as children often follow us into adulthood.

Recognizing the problem of unhealthy eating among our children is the first step in resolving the issue. Child health has gotten a great deal of media exposure over the past several years, educating parents about what they should and should not be feeding their children. Fast, unhealthy food has traditionally been the cheapest and most convenient. However, as the market has begun to recognize parents’ demand for healthy food options for their children, restaurants have changed their kids’ menus accordingly.

Any restaurant owner knows that appealing to families is vital for their business. The following are some tips on how to attract families with children in these times of increased child health awareness.

1) Offer healthy options to traditional kids’ meals (more…)

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5 Tips for Picking a Restaurant Furniture Supplier You can Trust

Sep 06
Posted by Daniel in Restaurant Furniture, restaurant tips and advice

Making a big furniture purchase for a new or remodeled restaurant is an important investment; knowing what to look for is the key to finding the right vendor.

 

How can a restaurant owner seeking to buy furniture for his establishment check whether a furniture vendor can be trusted to provide high quality goods? The key to finding a good furniture vendor is asking the right questions. The following is a list of tips about asking a prospective furniture vendor the right questions to ensure you will be pleased with your restaurant furniture purchase for years to come.

1) Is your furniture made for commercial use?

Furniture that will serve you perfectly well for home use is not necessarily suited to use in a commercial environment. Furniture in a restaurant, bar or other similar establishment in the hospitality industry must be able to withstand an extremely high rate of use, well beyond the rate of use for furniture in a residential environment. In order to ensure that the furniture you are buying is built to withstand the everyday rigors of use in a restaurant, choose a vendor that specializes in making furniture for commercial use. These firms will use better materials and properly reinforce the areas of highest stress to ensure that their furniture lasts.

2) Is your furniture tested for strength and durability?

There is no better way to ensure that the furniture you are buying fits industry standards than having it tested for strength and durability. The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association (BIFMA) has a variety of tests to make sure furniture complies with industry standards. Ask your vendor if his furniture is BIFMA approved.

3) Do you provide a warranty for your furniture? (more…)

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