September 7, 2016
Today's Specials:
WATCH: Are Mobile Payment Services the Future of Restaurants? [Under 60 Seconds]
We're quickly moving to a cashless society, but are mobile pay solutions just a fad or an evolution? Learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of mobile payment, and the three main mobile payment services in the market today... all in under a minute.
IS THERE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL MARKETING? [Hack #066]
It's hard to properly email marketing content to your guests if you don't have any content to promote. And while creating content off the cuff is fine, you'll get more mileage if you plan and schedule.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Five Year Blackout
Poor PAC-12. They’re entering their fifth straight year of operation and DirecTV still, hasn’t picked the station up to carry. It almost happened last season, but there was a “last-minute snag” over cost.
Do Calorie Counts Count?
Calorie counting and other menu-labeling regulations are becoming more the norm, but do menu calorie count change diner’s eating habits? Two studies say no, diners are “immune” to the calorie counts, but it has made restaurants lower the total calories of many of their food items. So the laws are working… kinda.
OLD GENIUS, NO GENIUS?
Why it’s important to you: Are you overlooking experienced potential employees?
It would appear there is no staffing pressure for the Apple store to fill the seats at the Genius Bar. That can be the only explanation why a retired Apple engineer who single-handedly got Mac OS to run on Intel processors was passed over for a position. Although Apple is now claiming they did offer him a second interview, that didn’t happen until after JK Scheinberg called to follow up a couple of weeks after he was told by interviewers, “We’ll be in touch.”
This type of ageism is common in today’s world where youth is valued over experience and the perception that older people aren’t as tuned into new technology. However, given the difficulties our industry is experiencing in finding, hiring and retaining good people, it might be time to open our minds and our staffs to some older candidates. Don’t limit your ability to recruit by an arbitrary notion of what age group will be successful and focus on what abilities ensure success. You might surprise yourself and improve your team at the same time.
GLUTEN FREE? BETTER HAVE A DOCTOR'S NOTE...
Why it matters to you: To be or not to be…gluten-free?
Paul Stenson, the owner of the White Moose Café in Dublin, Ireland has taken a controversial stance in the gluten free conversation. He has declared via Facebook that patrons must show proof of Coeliac’s disease to order gluten free items. Apparently, a patron recently asked for gluten free pancakes but didn’t even know what Coeliac’s was when questioned. To add fuel to the fire, Stenson has posted a picture of bandages on offer to “[…] anyone whose feelings have been hurt over the past day or two.”
The posts have garnered a lot of likes as well as a number of negative comments. Whether it’s a social media stunt, or an example to other owner-operators who are fed up with the gluten-free “fad”, Stenson’s statements have people talking. Since making the declaration, no one has ordered gluten-free items. In addition, the café has seen a boost in visitors both on Facebook and to the café itself following the social media post. Despite the negative responses, it would seem Stenson is getting what he wanted.
SOAPY MATTERS
Why it matters to you: Antibacterial suds are duds.
Germaphobes take heed! The FDA is banning antibacterial ingredients in soap. The decision comes after a growing body of research has shown that the active ingredients in antibacterial soap aren’t more effective than regular soap in killing germs. In addition to not being more effective, ingredients like triclosan, triclocarban, and others are known to have negative health impacts.
The ban is currently only applied to consumer products, not to antibacterial soaps used in food service settings. This is surprising, as it’s been found that unlike traditional soaps, antibacterial soap can help create drug-resistant bacteria. In other soap news: three restaurants in Greenfield, Massachusetts have participated in a grant-funded program to introduce safer soaps. These soaps are less harmful to the environment and safer for consumers. The switch could also result in lowered operation costs. Whether we like it or not, our soap choices matter and as operators it’s something to be aware of.