July 22, 2016
Today's Special
How Hollywood Sees Us: Friends has a dour view on restaurant employees
Working in the restaurant industry is tough and is (unfairly) often looked down upon, as this scene from Friends shows. Don't let it get to you, though. You're rock stars.
SMALL PLATES: THE NEW ENTREE [Sponsored by UpServe]
Why it’s important to you: Millennials are changing the dining landscape. To stay relevant with these customers, it is absolutely imperative to adapt to the changing preferences of upcoming generations.
There is a movement happening in the restaurant industry and it’s coming in real strong. That movement is small plates and it seems it’s one that’s here to stay. So what is it that’s making diners flock to these little menu items? The answer is multifaceted — the lack of risk, allowing guests to indulge in a fun sharing experience and the ability to try several different flavors.
TABLESIDE PAYMENT JUST GOT ONE STEP CLOSER
In guest polling, the payment experience ranks as the most failed interaction we have with our customers. Whether it’s the fear of losing touch with their credit card as it’s processed or the amount of time required for a server to leave and return with a completed transaction, guests tell us how much they hate this part of going to a full service restaurant. Well, a new product just achieved the certifications necessary to deliver a completely transformed guest payment experience. TableSafe announced that they are now certified PCI PTS ready and they will being manufacturing their tableside payment device called The Rail[TM] (no relation). This innovation promises to replace the traditional payment process with a seamless, secure and flexible device that allows payments to be made at the table when guests are ready to complete their visit. We look forward to seeing the way this fixes a very broken part of our business and service.
DID YOU KNOW…
Forward brave steed!
There’s a petition going around to make jousting an Olympic sport. We’re serious. The push is being led by English Heritage, a UK charity group charged with preserving England’s historic monuments. They call jousting an incredible spectator sport (agreed!) that combines the skill of the knight and horse. And if they have it their way, jousting will be at the Tokyo 2020 games. Count us in.
It’s raining beer!
A big rig crash in Denver this week sent cases of beer spilling on the highway — 60,000 pounds of Miller Genuine Draft to be exact. The truck was hanging off a bridge, sending it’s amber contents across the freeway and to the roads below. Fortunately, no one was injured but things did get a little messy. Raining beer cans sounds a lot better in theory then in practice. Check the video of the scene here.
NOTHING CAN BE CHANGED UNTIL IT IS FACED – JAMES BALDWIN
Why it’s important to you: Domino’s success is because they changed their approach, you can too!
Domino’s pizza was in real trouble back in 2009 and they knew it. Fast forward to this week and all their troubles seem to have faded away as they report sales growth of 9.7% for the second quarter of this year. The financial experts at Nomura Securities point to four factors that have turned the company around and they are perfectly relevant to your business as well.
First and foremost they fixed their quality. Starting in 2009, they changed their pizza recipe to compete with Papa John’s fresh quality commitment. They also used brilliant marketing to poke fun at their own mistakes and get guests to give them another chance. The advent of digital ordering has been a huge change in their business, now making up almost half of their sales. And finally, they are really only focused on pizza. The clear lesson for all operators is that basics matter, the message means something, technology makes life easier and do what you do best. Simple right?
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
Why it’s important to you: Because, Twitter!
Donald Trump accepted his party’s nomination as candidate for President of the United States last night in a speech that was the longest in modern convention history. This allowed plenty of time for the Twittersphere to respond. Since Mr. Trump is such a yuuuge fan of the microblog medium, we thought we’d share our favorites.
GIRLS & BOYS - GOOD CHARLOTTE [Song]
Why it’s important to you: Will this discussion about bathrooms ever end?
NBA Commissioner David Silver announced they were pulling the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, NC because of the so called “Bathroom Bill.” You may remember, the North Carolina legislature passed HB2 in March, which requires individuals use the restroom that aligns with the gender listed on their birth certificate. Several companies threatened consequences with PayPal canceling plans to bring 300+ jobs to the state after the bill was passed and musicians like Bruce Springsteen cancelling concerts there as well.
This decision by the NBA is a potent reminder that the argument about gender identification and bathrooms isn’t over. With 22 states joining to sue the Obama Administration over their interpretation of Title IX (the law that requires equal treatment based on gender) this is likely heading for a Supreme Court showdown. Until then, you are left with the horrible irony that Charlotte’s passing of an anti-discrimination bill caused the kerfuffle in the first place. The NBA says they will consider returning the All-Star Weekend to Charlotte in 2019 if the HB2 is modified, but Governor McCrory’s response leaves little hope that will happen. For now, we will have to wait and see if SCOTUS does it for him.
#003|Delivery Boy by Terry Presley