Latest News on Virtual Restaurant Consulting and Industry Trends

In today’s busy world, many of us don’t have the time to shop, prepare, and cook meals for our families every day. More and more of us are taking advantage of food delivery services from our local grocery store, fast food, subscription services, and our favorite restaurants. Does your food and beverage business offer a delivery service? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of adding delivery to your restaurant. Pros: Targeting a new customer base. By offering a delivery service, potential customers can discover your restaurant. Connecting to new customers is one of the biggest benefits when ... Read More

In today's world, it is not only important but essential for any restaurant to have good online reviews. That isn't only on your own website or Facebook page but through review impact sites including Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Zomato. There have been many studies performed on this, all with similar results. According to Modern Restaurant Management, negative review impact affects the restaurant business more than any other industry including hotels. Negative reviews can kill a restaurant; positive reviews coupled with high star values (fives and fours) will fill up the tables. How to Get Positive Reviews First off, claim all of ... Read More

Welcome 2020! It is time to think about those New Year resolutions, not just for yourself, but for your foodservice business! Whether you have one restaurant or a couple, a food truck, or a catering business there are doable resolutions to help your bottom line as we enter into a new decade. Here are a few as “food for thought.”Increase and Improve Upon Your Online PersonaFreshen-up your website and your Facebook page for the New Year. While good reviews are always key to increasing your business, enticing potential customers with mouthwatering photos and videos can help, too.Choose some of your ... Read More

When a storm first hits, it can catch people off guard, and they may flock to nearby eateries for a warm meal before heading home. But, once they’re home, it is difficult to get them out again. After an initial surge, patronage may slow down to a crawl, and it can last for days and weeks. Don’t miss the opportunity to take advantage of those rushes.There are ways to make the most of the weather and keep your profit-margin green. Sometimes, you just have to be creative.Drawing the Patrons InYour regulars may come by in the spring, summer, and fall ... Read More

When it gets cold outside, people start looking for warm comfort foods to ward off the chill. Now is the time to update your restaurant menu with some traditional favorites along with seasonal surprises to keep your customers coming back to warm up this winter.SoupsEveryone loves a warm savory soup this time of year including potato leek, seafood chowder, and roasted tomato to name a few. Offer soup by the cup or the bowl, as an appetizer, or meal, and, don't forget fresh baked cheddar chive biscuits on the side. Offer chili with cornbread too.Comfort FoodsIf you are open for ... Read More

In the colder climates, not only will the mailman deliver in the rain, sleet, and snow, so should the food truck. Winter can be difficult. People don't want to come out and stand in line at the truck. But, there are ways to lure them out and additional methods to increase your food truck income. Taking Advantage of Your Mobility Your regulars probably still want to see you, and so do others, who without a food truck, may have to travel even further for their meal. Sure, people can bring lunch from home, but honestly, who wants to stay in ... Read More

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam WaltonQualities of an Effective LeaderTo build an effective team, you need an effective leader. Anyone can perform managerial or supervisory duties, but not everyone has leadership qualities. An ineffective leader can make or break any work culture and ultimately ruin a business, while an effective leader can build a strong team that can turn a failing business around and transform a fledgling business into a force to be reckoned with. There are several ... Read More

The fight for increased minimum wage has been raging across the country for quite a while, and doesn’t appear to be stopping any time soon. Led by fast food workers demanding $15 per hour as a minimum wage, the fight focuses on the rising cost of living across the country. Supporters of increasing the minimum wage argue that it can stimulate the economy, decrease taxpayer dependence on government assistance programs, and reduce income inequality. However, opponents of increasing the minimum wage say that it eliminates jobs and hurts small businesses.Although food and beverage businesses are strongly affected by higher minimum ... Read More

The restaurant industry is comprised of mostly millennial workers. In fact, about 50% of all restaurant industry employees fall into the ‘millennial’ category. When it comes to retaining your employees and keeping your workers happy, this is important to keep in mind when developing employee retention plans and initiatives. Millennials are a lot different than older generations. They value and desire different things in their lives, which is why it’s important to understand the behaviors and needs of that generation.How to Adapt to the Millennial WorkforceMillennials expect to be fired or let go regularly, so they want work that is ... Read More