Monday, December 19, 2016
Today's Specials:
HACK: Boost Your Sports Bar's Social Media [Restaurant Hack]
Hashtags aren't just trending on twitter. They're everywhere. Use this hack to boost your social media presence and get your guests sharing about your special game promo night.
READ: Restaurants Can Go Real-Time with Instagram Live
Here's what Instagram Live means for restaurants and sports bars, and a few ideas on how restaurant operators and marketers can utilize the new feature to connect with guests.
HEY, WHEN ARE YOU OPEN?
Why it matters to you: Post your Holiday Hours and have a great Christmas Week.
The holidays invariably create challenges to managing work-family balance in our industry. You will hear some operators proclaim, “I’ll never be open on Christmas” and others who see the value in being an alternative to folks looking for a holiday meal. Either way, don’t forget to post your hours if you haven’t already. These big operators see enough reason to be open on Christmas Day.
The week between Christmas and New Year’s one of the most enjoyable ones in our industry. Your staff is happy to work for various reasons, it’s a strong steady week and the holiday brings out the merry in most people. It’s been a tough year for many folks and these upcoming few weeks are a chance for guests and staff alike to relax and enjoy the holiday spirit.
WHOLE FOODS TO THE RESCUE
Why it matters to you: How to make Whole Foods your partner
While it’s unlikely Whole Foods is looking for a partner, they are doing some really interesting things to facilitate restaurant development and food purveyor growth. This initiative sees them giving local restaurants support with their Friends of Whole Foods program. The stores develop partnerships with local chefs and other food companies to allow the outsiders to bring their unique businesses inside Whole Foods stores.
They also lend their own standards to the nurtured businesses and show them how to source and sustain an all-natural and organic approach. If you have a signature sauce or food item and ever dreamed of seeing it in a supermarket case, this is your chance.
SHIFT THIS!
Why it matters to you: A two-sided shift in consumer behavior bodes well for local operators
Hidden in the dismal Federal Retail Sales report was a bit of welcome news if you are a local restaurant competing against everyone on the planet for food sales. Turns out a little viewed metric shows that the gap between Restaurant & Bar sales is closing with Food & Beverage Stores (grocery). The gap of .87 percent is the fifth narrowest on record and the other four lower ones were in 2016. This is a trend of folks opting for prepared foods over the market experience. Busy lives demand more convenience and easier access to options.
Couple this with the fact Bank of America’s analysis that guests are forgoing the chains in favor of local eateries with smaller footprints. We have discussed this with you recently, in reference to the burgeoning consumer class that is the millennial generation. They have a soft spot for the local operator and will choose small and interesting over a chain every time. That means that chains have to fight the cookie cutter feel and small operators need to press their advantage by delivering great experiences.