September 16, 2016
Today's Special:
WATCH: The Power of a Positive Restaurant Review [How Hollywood Sees Us]
Customer reviews are just part of being a restaurant operator, but few things can help a staff bond and boost morale than a well written superb restaurant review.
LEARN: Why Your Social Media Images Are Driving People Crazy
If you don't know what you're doing, there's a good chance your restaurant is annoying guests with poorly created social media content. Have no fear! Here are three easy steps to make sure your social media is primed for action.
DID YOU KNOWS...
Is This Like eSports for NASCAR Fans?
ESPN is partnering up with the Drone Racing League (DRL) to broadcast a 10-episode season on ESPN and ESPN2. Competition starts on Oct. 23 on ESPN2. Learn more about drone racing in this video. Spoiler: it looks a lot like Tron!
The Guest Bartender of Your Dreams
If you’re in Brooklyn this weekend, swing by 21 Greenpoint to see none other than Bill Murray play the role of bartender. Murray’s son, Homer, co-owns the restaurant. We’re expecting long lines.
Twitch Eating
File under: Whaaaaa!? But “Social Eating” is the hot new trend on Internet broadcast/streaming service, TwitchTV. Twitch, known for eSports streams, now allows users to broadcast themselves munching on some grub. It’s big in South Korea. The Internet is a weird place.
No More ‘Gag Clauses’ For Restaurants:
Why it matters to you: Protect yourself with good service, not tricky clauses.
Sorry folks, there’s now even less you can do about a bad review. The federal government has officially outlawed clauses in contracts that would prevent customers from posting a bad review. The bill was designed to of course to protect freedom of speech, this is The United States after all, but also protects consumers who want to provide honest feedback. Of course, there isn’t anything prohibiting consumers from posting a fake review.
Our recommendation is the best defense is a great offense. Since you can’t delete a bad, or fake review, do whatever you can to avoid one in the first place. Make sure your front of house staff is well trained and experienced in handling the full spectrum of the types of people to enter your establishment. It's nearly impossible to please everyone, so if all else fails, do what this restaurant in Nebraska did and up the drama!
CLOTHES MAKETH THE MAN – POLONIUS IN HAMLET
Why it’s important to you: You too may be faced with a difficult standard enforcement issue.
As if running a busy restaurant isn’t hard enough, one German restaurant manager is now embroiled in a controversy surrounding a request he made that a Muslim woman show her face (by removing her niqab) while visiting his restaurant. Now Christian Schultz is having to defend his decision in the face while people call him a racist and bigot on social media. For Schultz’s part, his own Facebook page shows him with a Nigerian chef from his restaurant and he claims to have an extremely diverse staff. He also points out that he has equally banned Thor Steinar clothing which is popular with neo-Nazis.
Living in North America, we simply aren’t exposed to the basic elements of this controversy. However, with the influx of refugees to Europe, it’s a very hot issue there. The recent flare up on French beaches is proof that this issue is complicated and frustrating for everyone involved. Germany has been embarking on an assimilation push with their newly arrived residents to ensure they are integrating into the society in general. Here in the US, that is less of a challenge because we have always expected are immigrants to become like us. We just don’t see this problem, but there are examples of dress codes in our society that have stirred up controversy. Whether it’s banning saggy jeans or not allowing hoodies, do we have the right to tell guests what will tolerate for attire? Give us your opinion below in the comments and we’ll publish them in a later blog.
JANIE’S GOT A GUN [Song]
Why it’s important to you: Concealed carry laws make it more difficult to enforce no gun zones in restaurants
Is there anything more terrifying than intoxicated people mixed with readily accessible handguns? If you don’t think that’s a problem, then stop reading now as we tell you about Missouri overriding a gubernatorial veto to pass a no restrictions concealed carry law. The law will let citizens carry concealed weapons in public without a state gun permit, criminal background check, or firearms training. What’s worse is Missouri joins 10 other states that have enacted similar legislation (Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming) while 18 others are considering the same legislation.
Politics aside, bars and guns don’t mix, as those of us in the business know all too well. With this legislation, there will literally be no way for you to determine if a guest is entering with a weapon. No matter how many signs you post banning handguns in your establishment a determined diner will enter with one and you simply won’t know. How long until these laws lead to a tragedy at one of our establishments?