Did you know…. according to a new report by RetailMeNot, 25% of US adults have at least one restaurant app on their phone? The report analyzed data from two separate surveys. Other cool findings: 13% of respondents learn about new restaurants through dining apps, and 25% use their phone to make a reservation.
Today's Specials
IF YOU CAN’T TAKE THE HEAT
Ever wonder who’d win in a rap battle between Gordon Ramsay and Julia Child? Wonder no longer. The folks over at Epic Rap Battles of History just posted a sweet video of the two notorious chefs cranking up the heat and spitting fire at one another.
RIP OFF REPORT [Sponsored Content]
Why it’s important to you: Technology is vital for growth but you don’t want to waste your money
In order to help you navigate the sticky world of restaurant tech, GetOrdlery tackled the five most common restaurant tech rip-offs in the industry. Make sure you’re doing what’s best for your business.
TRUCK YEAH
Why it’s important to you: Food trucks are a competitor and should follow the same rules that you do
You’ve seen them in every big city, lined up waiting for YOUR customers to stop by and try their fare. From cupcakes to carnitas, food trucks deliver limited menus in a mobile format. What has been lost in the euphoria about these mobile food outlets is that they are actually restaurants on wheels.
A recent report out of Los Angeles reveals that these food darlings are more like food demons. The LA Times did an analysis that shows 27% of food trucks earned less than A grades on their health inspections and more than 4% of food trucks inspected were actually closed. Compare this to only 1% of restaurants and you see a great opportunity to convince your guests to stay safe with you.
RAIN MAKES CORN, CORN MAKES WHISKY
Why it’s important to you: It’s in the food you serve and your guests are asking about it
You have likely heard someone railing on that GMOs are destroying our food supplies and risking our health. There may be truth in some of those claims, but not as far as the National Academy of Sciences is concerned. They just released report that concludes that genetically engineered (GE) corn, maize and cotton have shown no provable impact on human health, while greatly increasing insect and drought resistance along with dramatically increasing yields. Given that corn is a staple feed for almost all forms of livestock, this conclusion is extremely important.
At this point only about 12% of the crops in service are GE based, but that allowed for a wealth of data to include in their research. The irony is that these crops need less insecticide treatment, thus making them safer than crops that require significant chemical applications to ward off insects. This doesn’t mean that Monsanto and the likes are off the hook for colony collapse disorder in bees, but it does mean that you have less to fear about GE crops than you may have believed.
The National Academy of Sciences was established by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to provide independent objective advice to our country on matters related to science and technology. Consequently, when they offer their opinion, it’s based on evidence and research and not politics and conjecture.
DA-NUH-NA, DA-NUH-NA
Why it’s important to you: ESPN/FOX proves why you need digital signage
Take a moment and look around when you are really busy and observe your guests. Are they watching a game on your TVs? Are they looking at their phone? Or maybe scoping out the next Mr./Mrs. Right? Well, ESPN and FOX think that anytime they are in your building while their programming is on, they should count as a viewer for their Nielsen ratings. In fact, ESPN points to some really compelling numbers as proof that they aren’t being correctly credited.
So, if ESPN and FOX think the eyeballs in your location have value, then why don’t you? Digital signage gives you proven method to impact guests’ buying choices and total spend, yet only a tiny fraction of operators include digital signage in their entertainment delivery. Given that these big players want to get paid for your guests’ attention, shouldn’t you cash in as well? It’s no mystery why digital signage hasn’t done well in restaurants. We simply aren’t committed to making it work. Implementing effective digital signage is a challenge, but clearly one worth accepting.
CHARTER-ING A NEW COURSE
Why it’s important to you: The landscape for TV and Internet providers are changing rapidly and will impact you in many ways
Our industry has become incredibly reliant on the Internet. When we started sending the SportsTV Guide, more than 50% of our subscribers were via fax. Today that number is less than 3% and shrinking. Now our POS, marketing, communications and administration all rely heavily on an Internet connection that is fast, reliable and, hopefully, affordable.
Charter’s purchase of Time Warner and Brighthouse means a further consolidation of power when it comes to broadband access. There is one bit of good news: the FCC wouldn’t approve the merger unless they committed to no changes in Internet usage policies for seven years. This mean no “metered” usage charges or Internet throttling. This is crucial for both your business usage, but also to insure providing reliable Internet service for guests.
New York Food Truck by Sacha Fernandez