Latest News on Virtual Restaurant Consulting and Industry Trends

Your restaurant should be an oasis and a breath of fresh air (with incredible food) from the usual and ordinary restaurant experience your customers are used to. That being said, the interior should be a direct reflection of your effort, hard work and dedication to make it a unique dining experience for all. This year, utilize the emerging interior design trends—sleek lines, mid-century modern influences and mixed metal motifs—all which attract the masses, and create customer loyalty.Change It Up With Mixed Metals The London based interior designer, Kelly Hoppen believes that mixed metals are all the rage, and will continue ... Read More

Vivo 53 is a modern interpretation of an upbeat, urban pizzeria that you may find in Manhattan or LA. The vibrant, warm environment gives a nod to Italian tradition wrapped in an industrial chic style. The name, Vivo 53 was inspired by the 53 times it took to get the dough recipe just right before finding the perfect combination of ingredients.The menu at Vivo 53 is focused on handcrafted, artisan pizza that is cooked in a precision-wood fired oven. Beginning with proprietary artisan crust made from high quality ingredients and exclusive baking methods, this well-structured, flavorful crust serves as the ... Read More

Over the last 10-15 years, restaurant guests have enjoyed the continuous rise of precision crafted cocktails by self-trained mixologist who have painstakingly studied the industry and morphed that knowledge into masters at their craft. As a result of this increase in expertise many restaurateurs are finding a skilled mixologist can single-handedly turn a bar business from a restaurant amenity to a strong revenue and profit center. In many cases the bar can become a bigger draw than the dining room and a preferred seating area.Early in this revolution mixologists were crafting cocktails with house made infused syrups, fresh fruits, fresh ... Read More

If you’re a vegetarian, or simply a lover of fresh vegetables, consider this the perfect time to dine out. Just as it goes with rock n’ roll – fresh, healthy vegetables are here to stay. In fact vegetables are increasingly taking center stage on menus across the country.This new trend in serving vegetables isn’t entirely motivated by sustainability and local sourcing but through Chefs desire to expand their culinary muscle and creativity. Chefs are finding it a fun challenge to present lowly vegetable in unique and flavorful side dished and entrees.The increased use of fresh vegetables is resulting in guests ... Read More

Restaurateurs are continually watching for the latest trends in the industry to stay current and attract more guests to their restaurants. As millennials and generation Z begin to dominate the restaurant scene and become the largest economic force, it is important for restaurateurs to take notice of what motivates these consumers and adjust their operating model to attract them. Thus, new dining trends begin to take hold and the smart restaurateur responds to them. The following trends are quickly making their way into restaurants across the nation and drawing greater numbers of the millennial minded audience. Photo Worthy With this ... Read More

The percentage of working age Americans in the labor pool has fallen to a 38 year low. Statistics show that less than 63% of those who are working age actually had a job or were actively looking for one. This is the lowest rate since 1977. There are a number of factors that play a part in the shrinking labor pool and this decline could potentially slow economic growth.Why the Decline?One of the main reasons for the shrinking work force is the number of baby boomers that are reaching retirement age. As the population gets older, many of these workers ... Read More

Among the many topics discussed by U. S. policymakers continues to be the topic of minimum wage. There has been a call at federal, state, and local levels to increase the minimum wage. The idea behind this movement is to improve the economic well-being of low paid workers, enabling many of them to reach above the poverty threshold. While this initiative is intended to help tackle the problem of poverty, there are other issues to consider as well. Raising the minimum wage could impact the economy, businesses, and low wage workers in various ways.Raising the minimum wage is intended to ... Read More

The notion that bigger is better is quickly beginning to diminish among restaurant owners. Many restaurants are downsizing in order to meet the demands of customers in various areas. While they may be losing space, one thing these restaurants are not losing is profits. In fact, these smaller restaurant spaces allow owners to maximize their return on investment, all while keeping customers happy. There are a number of reasons why restaurants are buying into this smaller footprint and statistics show that this idea is paying off.Reduce Operating CostsSmaller restaurants cut down on more than just square footage. They cut down ... Read More

It takes more than delicious food, beverage, and engaging service to create a great restaurant concept. Strong restaurant brands utilize appealing interior designs to influence a positive guest’s experience. Much like meeting someone for the first time, a restaurant’s design vibe creates the all important great first impression. It sets the stage for the guests experience and can affect everything from how much your guests spend to the quality of the reviews they post. There are several elements that factor into a restaurant’s design vibe and atmosphere. Specifically the seating plan, finishes, fixtures, lighting, art and décor, and music hold ... Read More