Thursday, December 1, 2016
Today's Specials:
DIGITAL MARKETING: Google’s ‘Rich Cards’ Now Cover Local Restaurants
Google has expanded its 'rich cards' program to include local restaurant searches, creating for a more visual and interactive experience. It's not all sunshine & rainbows, however...
STAFF: Five Signs You Need to Can Your Cook
Staff turnover is a serious issue, but hiring and keeping the right staff is integral to providing your guests with the best experience possible. Back of house is just as important as guest-facing staff, and as such, here are a few warning signs it's time to show a cook the door.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Fun Ad Vids
Got a couple of amusing restaurant ad videos to share, starting with BK getting Napoleon Dynamite out of “retirement” to sell tater tots in a scene reminiscent of the movie 12 years ago.
Then there’s Pie Five and their video on “pie-racy” – which is what happens when someone hijacks your pizza order. It’s like identity theft for your taste palette. It’s an amusing little ad.
Cruel & Unusual
Canadian cops in Kensington have started playing Nickelback as part of the punishment for being arrested for drunk driving. Even more amusing, apparently their copy of Silver Side Up is on cassette. Do cruisers even have cassette players still?
RIP Michael Delligatti
Ever heard the name? Maybe not, but you sure have heard of his greatest invention – the Big Mac. Delligatti was one of McDonald’s first franchisees and invented the Big Mac as a way to spice up the company’s otherwise simple menu. Delligatti was 98.
$2 FROSTY – THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
Why it matters to you: Wendy’s commits to a cause and you can too.
If you love a Wendy’s Frosty, then you need to get to your nearest location and bad this year’s $2 key tag. That purchase will guarantee you a free Frosty with any meal purchase during the upcoming year. The best news is that Wendy’s is giving 90 cents on the dollar collected in this promo to the Dave Thomas Foundation. The founder’s charity helps children in foster care find forever homes. This is a great example of the purpose economy at play. Wendy’s shows us that profit alone shouldn’t be what we promote to our guests. Pick a cause and find a way to benefit their efforts. You’ll feel better, your community will be served and you might even see stronger customer loyalty. That’s the way to start your holiday season.
FAIR AND BALANCED
Why it matters to you: Does what we show for news influence guest’s politics?
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, President Barak Obama was asked what he thought was the root cause of the Democrats loss on in November. Among other things, the President commented that the Dems completely missed connecting with middle-American white working people who came out strong for Donald Trump. He also said, “Part of it is Fox News in Every Bar and Restaurant”. The clear implication is that Fox News’ right-leaning slant influenced voting decisions especially in places where these working whites gather to socialize. Do you think that your news choice influenced your guests’ voting choice? Click your answer below and let us know what you think.
We will let you know what you guys said tomorrow.
A DATE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE
Why it matters to you: Smartphones are changing the way guests socialize in bars.
Our friends over at VinePair published a great article describing how smartphones have destroyed the bar wager. The piece is told through the lens of a local bartender who laments the smartphone’s deleterious effect on human interactions in bars and restaurants.
The lost art of the bar wager is an allegory for technology’s role in diminishing the need for making real world, personal connections across our society. Now, we love technology. But, even we can recognize the number of people with their faces glued to their phones at bars and restaurants. A 2015 study by Deloitte found that 81 percent of smartphone owners look at their devices while dining out. We don’t begrudge anyone from glancing at their phone while at a bar (how else are you going to swipe right on Tinder or check your fantasy football score?). It shouldn’t, however, become a wall that blocks you from experiencing the world and interacting with people around you.