The Tech Revolution — Is Your Restaurant Ready?
Technology is becoming a mainstay in restaurants. You don’t have to look far to see how the automation of tasks is changing the way customers dine and restaurants do business. But how can you make sure introducing new technologies is right for your restaurant?
Based on a report from the National Restaurant Association, four in five restaurant operators agree that restaurant technology increases sales, makes their restaurant more productive and provides a competitive advantage — and that number will only keep growing.
Check out three ways the automation revolution promises to enhance your restaurant.
Simple and streamlined delivery. More restaurant owners are turning to outsourced delivery apps to handle the nitty-gritty details of the delivery process and allow their front- and back-of-house staff to get back to what’s most important — improving the customer experience.
Speedier seating. Mobile apps can now send customers a text or call when their table is ready, eliminating the need to dish out pagers and allowing customers to more convenience while they wait.
Tabletop touchscreens. These tablets, and other guest-facing restaurant technology, can speed up the ordering and bill-pay process, giving customers the ability to dine and dash — legally.
A report from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration found that nearly 80% of consumers cite the benefits of guest-facing technology and applications. Restaurants that have implemented such tech saw customers spend an average of $3.61 more and get out the door almost 20 minutes faster.
Now’s the right time to explore how automation can help boost your business.
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How to Master Food And Beverage Pairings
Wine has been paired with food for centuries, but the rising popularity of craft beer may change the way you think about pairings.
Since 2009, the number of craft brewer barrels produced has nearly tripled — from 9 million in 2009 to nearly 25 million in 2016¹. And that growth shows no sign of slowing down.
Use food and beverage pairings as a way to surprise and delight your customers — whether they dine in, or order for delivery or takeout. Here’s how to get started.
Focus on flavor and intensity
There are five basic taste elements — salty, sweet, bitter, acidic and umami (aka savory).
A contrasting pairing can actually be complementary, like how chocolate-covered pretzels balance the sweet-to-salty ratio. Consider pairing a hoppy India pale ale (IPA) with a sweet carrot cake, or a sour Lambic with salty french fries to bring together contrasting tastes.
Looking for similarities in flavor? Try pairing a rich stout or porter with chocolate ice cream or a brownie, and an IPA and bitter vinaigrette salad to make the perfect match.
Get to know the intensity of flavors you’re using to avoid one taste overpowering the other. Think of stouts, brown ales and red wines as “heavier” drinks, to be paired with red meat and rich desserts. While pale ales, lagers and white wines are better paired with vinaigrette salads, shellfish and chicken dishes.
Start with the classics
Need some inspiration? Begin with these common pairings, then experiment with new offerings.
- An amber ale paired with aged cheese
- An American pale ale paired with pizza
- An IPA paired with a burger
- A cabernet sauvignon paired with red meat
- A pinot grigio paired with roasted veggies
- A pinot noir paired with a caramel-chocolate dessert
Get creative with marketing
Once you have the right pairings for your menu, promote them using your delivery and takeout offerings. Consider giving discounts on new pairings when they are ordered for delivery or takeout, or provide a promo code for online orders when customers try a food and beverage pairing for the first time.
Remember — there’s no right or wrong way to pair food and alcohol. It’s all about experimenting. The more you try new pairings, the closer you’ll be to mastering what food and beverage pairings work best for your menu.
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3 Ways to Gain Traction on Instagram
Today, foodies are everywhere — especially on Instagram. From picking the right filter to coming up with the perfect caption, they have this particular social media channel down to a science.
And they know an Instagram-worthy dish when they see one.
Restaurants are changing everything from their lighting to the color of their plates to accommodate the new wave of foodies on Instagram. But the value of gaining traction with social media aficionados, otherwise known as “Instagram Influencers,” doesn’t end in the dining room. Repurpose photos used for Instagram in your delivery and takeout menus, website or even within a delivery platform you work with.
Wondering how to help your restaurant stand out on Instagram? The three tips outlined below can help.
Do your research. Decide where you want to be featured by looking up food bloggers or influencers who are relevant to your business — if you specialize in Asian cuisine, search for accounts with that focus. These accounts are often classified by type of food or location, like @eatseattle or @burgerweekly.
Get your restaurant’s Instagram up to par. If you want people to post appetizing photos of your food, share some examples on your restaurant’s account as well. Don’t forget to create a hashtag with the name of your restaurant and tag your photos with it. Encourage your customers to use the hashtag and check-in to your establishment when they post a picture of their meal. It’s also helpful to geotag all posts to the location of your restaurant. This helps you to monitor posts and interact with people who are interested in what you bring to the table.
Engage with food ‘grammers. While you can offer a meal on the house in exchange for a foodie’s flattering photo of one of your dishes, you may also come across more organic opportunities to stand out online. Follow different foodie accounts, and then follow their followers. Engage with other restaurateurs as well and leave encouraging comments when appropriate. If your food looks good, you’ll likely start getting tagged in more posts.
Instagram has made leaps in harnessing restaurants’ abilities to make the most out of social. Foodies often have thousands of followers, and if their posts are shared by aggregate accounts it can give your restaurant even more exposure. This means one of your mouthwatering dishes could end up on an Instagram account that reaches millions. It’s a de facto marketing opportunity you don’t want to miss.
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5 Questions to Ask About Your Restaurant’s Loyalty Program
Attracting new customers is important, but establishing a loyal customer base brings about lasting benefits. Just a small increase in recurring customers can significantly grow your business.
Today, loyalty is about more than just a punch card. Restaurant owners who rely on digitally-driven, personalized loyalty programs tend to reap the reward — a dedicated, returning customer. Want to know if your loyalty program is effective?
Here are five questions to ask.
1. Does it promote your offerings?
Don’t let new menu items or delivery services go unnoticed. Use your loyalty program to push new dishes as well as your delivery and takeout offerings. Reward loyal customers with free delivery or online order discounts to keep your offerings top of mind.
2. Is it digital?
Cater to tech-savvy customers by integrating mobile platforms with your loyalty program. Baby boomers may still prefer loyalty cards, but many millennials are opting for digital. In fact, 33% of millennials’ say their top complaint about rewards programs is having too many cards to carry¹.
3. Is it personalized?
Effective loyalty programs send customized birthday wishes or loyalty benchmark notifications. Don’t be afraid to get creative with notifications like, “You’re only 10 points away from free drinks on us,” as well as alerts on a diner’s favorite menu item.
4. Is it simple?
Sometimes less is more. In fact, 49% of baby boomers would opt out of a loyalty program if it was too complicated². Instead of adding new features to your loyalty program, keep things as simple as possible. Allow customers to access their loyalty points or rewards balance with just a few clicks or swipes, and you may gain a leg up on the competition.
5. Are there freebies?
Some say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but offering one to loyal customers may help boost business. A Nielsen report found 33% of global loyalty program participants rank free products among their three most-valued benefits. Consider dishing out a free appetizer or branded promotional item to show how much you value your repeat customers.
The right loyalty program can leave a lasting impression. To get there, collect feedback from your customers to identify which rewards are popular — and which aren’t. By using data to tailor offers and open up cross-channel platforms, you can keep loyal customers coming back for more.
Want more information about what Grubhub can do for your restaurant? Subscribe to The Tip Jar today.
Enabling Delivery – One Restaurant Owner’s Story
Meet Letizia Sorano, chef and owner of Enoteca Roma Ristorante. As her business grew over the years, so did Letizia’s desire to bring Enoteca Roma’s authentic Italian cuisine to more customers across Chicago. Here’s how Grubhub made delivery a reality.
Though it started as a bakery and coffee shop, Enoteca Roma transformed into the restaurant it is today when hungry diners began requesting dinner options. Along with more food offerings, Letizia also wanted to share Enoteca Roma with customers throughout Chicago.
But Letizia admits offering delivery – and dealing with the complexities that came with it – wasn’t easy. She needed a delivery solution that was reliable and efficient, and also helped expand her delivery capabilities.
About five years ago, Letizia joined Grubhub.
Grubhub takes away the hassle associated with delivery, giving Letizia more time to do what she loves the most – cooking Italian food, sharing it with Chicago and interacting with customers. By handling the entire delivery process, Grubhub helps restaurant owners like Letizia reach even more customers.
To learn more about Letizia’s story, check out this video.