Latest News on Virtual Restaurant Consulting and Industry Trends

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

Many restaurants offer gift card purchases, but are these pocket sized gifts really beneficial for the restaurant? The answer is yes! Gift cards are an extremely effective marketing tool that can produce strong profits for the restaurant. Here is a look at just a few of the ways gift cards are beneficial to restaurants.Increase Brand AwarenessEach time a customer gives a gift card, they are essentially acting as an advertiser for the restaurant. When gift cards display the company logo, it presents a great marketing tool for the restaurant. As customers hand them out as gifts, they are dispersing the ... Read More

The dining experience is quickly changing as a result of this new generation of tech savvy consumers. Today’s consumers rely on their smartphones and mobile devices for nearly everything, so why not take that technology into the restaurant? Thanks to the many apps, tablets, and mobile services that have recently hit the market, technology is beginning to change the entire restaurant experience.With the decline of the “baby boomers,” the “millennial” generation is beginning to take over and they now make up the majority of consumers dining out. This generation is certainly fond of technology and is likely to embrace all ... Read More

It’s no secret that the millennial generation is quickly becoming the dominant customer base for dining out. As more and more “baby boomers” are reaching retirement, millennials are beginning to take over the restaurant scene. With a projected annual spending of nearly two and a half trillion dollars in 2015, the millennials are certainly a huge target for restaurant owners. So, just how do these restaurants attract this new generation? Here are a few strategies for bringing millennials into your restaurant.Personalize the ExperienceWe are talking about a generation that demands choices and the ability to customize their order. They want ... Read More