Thursday, March 16, 2017
Today's Specials:
INFOGRAPHIC: 3 Ways Restaurants Are Blowing It with Email Marketing
Are bars & restaurants using email marketing efficiently? According to a recent poll -- not even close. Here are three ways you're failing to take advantage of your email list.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Restaurant Social Media Marketing Calendar: April 2017
It’s hard to stay ahead of the curb when it comes to social media marketing. Most of the time when fun occasions arise that could make for some great content, it’s already too late. We created a couple of social media content tips for April holidays that could really set you apart from your competitors.
DID YOU KNOWS…
We Know You Want It -- Sake Now in a Can
Bushido is releasing “Way of the Warrior” premium ginjo genshu-grade sake -- in a can. Why in a can and not the traditional glass bottle? Beer is in a can. So is wine. Why not sake? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Manny Being Manny
Former MLB All-Star Manny Ramirez is just living it up in Japan. His new baseball contract allows him to skip practices and gives him unlimited sushi. Teach us your ways, Manny!
Mommy, Where Does Caviar Come From?
Here’s a cool video from Seeker showing how caviar is harvested from caviar farms. It’s like the Miracle of Life but with fish. Bon appetite!
TAKING LOCAL TO A NEW LEVEL
Why it matters to you: This is a pretty cool quid pro quo.
When you think “local” usually you imagine farmland just outside the city, but two Detroit woman are destroying that cliché. Detroit resident Emily Staugaitis partnered with Bangladeshi immigrant, Minara Begum has created Bandhu Gardens which is solving some local problems. Begum has a huge backyard garden growing far more produce than her family can eat. Staugaitis was able to connect her to restaurants looking for more local produce.
Bandhu Gardens does more than just sell locally grown produce; it’s also a community builder. There’s a huge Bangladeshi immigrant population in Michigan. Through local networks, men in the family have been able to find work, but not many opportunities exist for the women in the community. That’s where Bandhu Gardens comes in. They put on pop-ups featuring food cooked by Bangladeshi women who share their culture and heritage through their meals. The pop-ups aren’t providing full-time work yet, but operations do help participants by earning a little extra. It’s still in its infancy, but the idea is promising.
SANCTUARY CAMPAIGN
Why it matters to you: how are you preventing discrimination at your establishment?
We’ve discussed the rise of the Sanctuary Restaurants trend before, and the movement is gaining more traction in the current political climate. A new campaign is looking to reward restaurants in the Bay Area that take a stand on moral issues via a partnership with the platform Spendrise. On Spendrise, people can buy gift cards or pledge to spend at restaurants that have joined the Sanctuary Restaurant movement. The campaign hopes to prevent discrimination against people based on immigrant or refugee status, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Now more than ever people’s rights are extremely important as well as in the restaurant industry. It is our job to make sure our employees feel safe regarding their work environment. In addition, the Sanctuary Restaurant movement has shown remarkable advancement the industry has with supporting one another.
ALL IS FAIR IN POLITICAL FARE
Why it matters to you: Politics and the restaurant industry, a love-hate relationship
It sure feels like everything in our world has become overly politicized in the past year or so. The most recent election cycle has stung for many and brought hope to others whose interests align differently. The truth of our industry is that we seem to work well together no matter what the politics of the individuals. Chef Jose Andres does a great job of explaining that in this short video. His contention politicians could never succeed in the restaurant industry. He might be right, but can politics?
That’s an age old question. The truth is that for centuries the public house has been the exclusive place where politics were explored and opinions expressed. However, now it seems that many are eschewing the topics of the day because it makes many folks uncomfortable. Whether you run a rough and tumble dive or a white table clothed joint, your guests have opinions they are going to share. Our role is to attempt to moderate all things so no guest has their experience ruined by it. So, have at any conversation, but beware that you recognize the line that is crossed before it gets there or you could just drive your guests away.
