Restaurant Marketing: One Restaurant Says It Really Does Work

From Frank’s Chophouse Restaurant: “I could not agree more on your recent ‘Back to Basics’ for restaurants message. I did the Groupon thing at both restaurants, sold 1,400 for each restaurant, but when it was all said and done, I had a lot of new customers and I will admit some have become customers.  However for the most part it was not that great a promotion.”

“I listened to your advice in your WOW newsletter that I subscribe to, and realized that we ARE creating a “coupon only clientele”.  So, I decided that this year I would not do any Couponing, Grouponing, or anything else where you have to PAY people to come dine in your restaurant.”  “I also took your advice from an earlier WOW newsletter about spending my promotion dollars on MY customers and that is what I have done also.”

“Guess What? It is WORKING….. I am here, I meet and visit with my customers and WOW them with, a free app., a free glass of wine, a story even if I embellish a little.  I also have a great menu, great food, great service, and my business at both restaurants was up 30% in January, 18% in February, and I am up 12% so far in March.”

“When people come in with a coupon, they redeem it and for the most part do not return.  They are only interested in getting something for nothing and they go to the next “couponer” restaurant and there is very little loyalty there.”

“I want people to come to my restaurants because they get great food, great service, ME, and all at a reasonable price.  Feel free to pass this along.  I think at the end of the year the sales that we do have in our restaurants will be because people want to come and we did not have to pay them to come in.”

Restaurant Marketing: One Restaurant Says It Really Does Work

Restaurant Social Media Marketing: Who Wants A Conversation With A Dorito?

I can’t imagine marketers really believe someone wants to have a conversation on Facebook with a Dorito? I’ll bet that the majority of people who are following brands, companies and restaurants are looking for a coupon. And when they don’t get what they want, they’ll have a conversation with a potato, hoping to get a free potato. Be clear: social media is phenomenally popular because people like to connect with each other, yes that’s “with each other.”

What all this means is there’s a difference between social media and social media marketing. The challenge for marketers to make this work effectively is still a work in progress. But here’s the warning: once you’ve sent out the first coupon, you’ve trained your fans to want more … and more.

~Joel Cohen, Wizard of Wow; RestaurantMarketing.com

jcohen@RestaurantMarketing.com

How to Reach Your Restaurant’s Target Prime Cost

In this post I explained what makes up your prime cost and why it’s so important. I also revealed to you that your restaurant’s target prime cost should be 55 percent, in most styles of restaurants. There are exceptions and it will be harder in some restaurant styles, but these days, your best bet for survival is to aim as close as you can for this 55 percent.

But how do you get to it? Let me tell you.

No matter how impossible you think it is, there is a way, and I have members achieving it over and over again.

Menu
Budget Purchasing: Using our purchase allotment system, every member I have talked to — and I mean every member — has reduced their food purchase and their inventory almost overnight. A side effect is a reduction in food cost because cooks are taking better care of what is on the shelf because there is less to grab from on the shelves and because you are just simply paying attention.

Prime Vendor Agreement: Promising to purchase 90 percent of your products from one distributor will almost always save you 3, 5, even 7 percent. Many of my members use a distribution consultant to aid in getting them the best deal. (If you want the phone number for my guy, just pick up the phone and call me. I will be more than happy to help.)

Analysis: Using our Menu Profit Generator Software, restaurants have been seeing a minimum of a 3 percent reduction in food cost. It has allowed them to strategize what prices they raise, what products they need to purchase smarter, what items to drop and most importantly, helped them engineer their menus for profitability.

Labor
Budget Labor: Using our labor allotment system, members have seen a minimum reduction in labor cost of at least 1 percent and many as high as 10 percent. It’s much easier to hit a target when you have one, and it’s that much easier when you’ve spelled out for your managers how much money they have to spend, how many FTEs (full-time equivalents) and how many hours they have to schedule each and every schedule in order to stay within your budgeted targets.

Tracking: Tracking labor on a daily basis enables management to make small changes on a daily basis to stay on budget.

Training: Implementing one or both of our training systems, Full Service- or Quick Service Restaurant Training Templates and SMART Restaurant Operations Manual and Management Training Program, our members see reduced labor costs due to lower turnover and increased sales due to happy guests.

While the list goes on, these are actionable systems you can implement today and will be on your way to a 55 percent prime cost. What is really incredible is they work for any restaurant, no matter what kind of service or food you serve.

What are you waiting for?  TAKE ACTION! And get your prime cost to 55 percent.

David Scott Peters is a restaurant expert, coach, trainer and speaker, specializing in teaching independent restaurant owners how to use systems for increased sales and increased profits. He is the nationally acclaimed restaurant coach whose unique “SMART Systems” approach to boosting profits has earned him the title of, “The man who can walk into any restaurant in America and find $10,000 in undiscovered cash before he hits the back door – Guaranteed!” Visit www.TheRestaurantExpert.com for more. Learn more tips, tricks and secrets in David’s free five-part e-course, “How to Explode Your Restaurant Profits NOW!” Simply sign up to receive the e-course at TheRestaurantExpert.com.

The Best Restaurant Server In The World

I found the best restaurant server in the world at the Four Diamond Award winning Venetian Room inside the Caribe Royale in Orlando. Immediately the gentleman asked for our attention and delectably described the entrees.

He did them in such a manner that he had us under his control. In one of his descriptions, he said the bison short ribs were the best he ever tasted in his “lengthy career in the restaurant business.”

A server can make or break the dining experience and take it up to the next level, where guests will talk about it and share the story with others.

A server is not an order taker but an orchestra leader, controlling and coordinating the events at the table to ensure a Wow dining experience is had by all. What are your waiters saying and doing?

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Joel Cohen, Wizard of Wow; RestaurantMarketing.com

email:  jcohen@RestaurantMarketing.com

Welcome to The Food Show’s Blog: Fresh Perspectives

Welcome and thank you for reading the first edition of Fresh Perspectives, the official blog of the food shows (International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York, Western Foodservice and Hospitality Expo and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Show) media center. The blog and the media center were created as a central source offering easy-to-find and valuable information and content on what’s happening in the food industry today. Much like our shows are designed for finding new ideas, new product resources, new contacts and platforms to improve your business — the media center and blog is an on-line vehicle created to deliver valuable insights for YOU and luckily it compliments our live events. While no on-line vehicle can replace the opportunity to meet with peers and other industry professionals face-to-face, experience, touch, feel and taste new things to boost a foodservice professionals business revenues, satisfaction levels and loyalty; what it can do is compliment the live face-to-face positive effects of visiting one of our events whenever you view the media center. Now of course I am biased considering my team runs the shows (and created the media center); however, I think I am more biased in a positive manor on how important it is to get outside the four walls of your establishment and search for new opportunities to explore with an opportunistic pair of glasses on.

What if Ray Kroc only saw the McDonald Brothers as another prospect for milkshake machines — would there be a restaurant as legendary as McDonalds? What if Ferdinand Metz’s parents were in the shoe business instead of the hotel and restaurant business — would there now be a Master Shoe maker designation (vs. Master Chef)? Would the reality show of the day be called Master Shoe Maker and have Gordon Ramsey like moderator yelling about leather textures and the art of shoe displays? I know these are funny thoughts, however, much of my day is spent trying to find out who the next McDonalds will be and who the next Ferdinand Metz will be and who the next Danny Meyer will be … so these ideas do cross my mind (and add fun to the day).

This blog, with several upcoming guest bloggers who are experts on topics like restaurant marketing and cost control, will add value — not only as current or past speaking faculty at our co-located seminars in the Ferdinand Mets Foodservice Forum — but they will provide you value now with tips and ideas that are immediately applicable to your business. From our videos, picture albums, webinars, and new product reviews, the media center and its supporting blog will help you improve your business. Notice I said help YOU improve YOUR business. The reason I point that out is in today’s fast paced world and ever changing and constantly challenging restaurant and foodservice world, it’s up to YOU to adapt, resolve, innovate, explore and find ways to build a better business. I don’t think many of us entered into the restaurant and foodservice business because we love working 100’s hours a week and appreciate the challenge of personnel problems, and rising food costs; but we stay in it because it’s so damn fulfilling (it’s addictive and I love it!). Well my fellow restaurant and foodservice professionals – regardless if you’re an Owner, Chef, F&B Director, Asst Manager, Independent, QSR, FSR, B&I, Caterer, Master Chef, Family Restaurant, Food Truck Operator, or any other of the many business types and titles that exist (the list as you know goes on forever)- I salute YOU because your reading this looking to improve your business and yourself!! So, please let us know if there is a topic you want to hear about, product you want to know about, ideas you want opinions on, or someone you want simply meet while at one of our events and we will do our best to fulfill your request. Until then, please take it all in and always have this question ready when you read our blog or view our content: How could I apply that if I really wanted to?

Thanks!!

Ron Mathews