Monday, March 27, 2017
Today's Specials:
BUSINESS: 10 Growth Articles to Share with Your Restaurant's Staff
We find information extremely helpful here at The Rail, and we want you to benefit the same way we do. Starting today, we will be providing you with a list of articles every Monday that will hopefully start a conversation with your employees, create awareness around certain issues, and increase overall productivity of your team.
HACK: Know How to Pair Your Wings with Beer [Sponsored Hack]
The love affair between buffalo wings & sports fans is a well-established paradigm at sports bars. Make sure your sports bar knows how to pair your wings with the right beer.
DID YOU KNOWs…
I Should’ve Ordered Dominos
You may have noticed the historic run the stock market has been on since the crash in 2008. If we asked you what kinds of stocks have led the way in growth since then, you would likely think tech companies as leading the way, but there is one surprise success story that no one saw coming…Dominos. Yup, our industry boasts the most successful growth stock of major companies since 2010. Click here to see the infographic that shows who they bested on their way to the top.
Did Somebody Say Pizza?
While we fully appreciate Dominos meteoric rise from the ashes, there is one place where they aren’t dominating the industry….craveability. Turns out they aren’t even in the top 10. Data from Technomic, the industry’s metrics mavens, show that Cici’s and their mac ‘n cheese pizza is too strong. Check out who else made the top ten here.
The Imitation Game
A London pop-up bar is capitalizing on the joys of spying. No, you don’t they aren’t looking at people’s browser histories without permission. They are, however, providing ciphers for solving before you can order your favorite cocktail. They have the machines for code breaking, and the spy theme is very mid-twentieth century. But don’t go if you aren’t prepared to solve the enigma before you drink.
YOU CAN NO LONGER BE “COOL”-LATTA
Why it matters to you: Dunkin Donuts reimagining their menu items is a lesson for us all
Have you ever ordered a Coffee Coolatta at Dunks before? No? Well, you aren’t alone, and now the company is eliminating them. The reason (and you’ll love their honesty here) according to, Senior vice president of brand marketing, Chris Fuqua is, "Our Coffee Coolatta isn’t good enough." They aren’t ditching the fruit flavored version, but just reformulating and launching a new coffee formula/mix. Here’s the most ironic thing, their customers are actually freaking out. Not because they have ordered it, but because it’s such a staple that they don’t want any change.
The clear lesson here is that you have to look honestly at your menu. It’s not just about sales mix, although that’s obviously important. You also want to look objectively at the quality. We all have one item that, if we are being honest, doesn’t meet our best vision. So, take the time to review your menu, ask guests that they think (and staff too) and make a change. You can do some specials with the old item as you rebuilt it for success. Just don’t let inertia stop you from treating your menu like the success tool it should be for your business.
OBAMACARE? RYANCARE? TRUMPCARE? DO YOU CARE?
Why it matters to you: Why can’t we all just get along!
House Speaker Paul Ryan admitted defeat as he withdrew the American Healthcare Act (ACHA) on Friday. While some supported the bill because it eliminated the Employer Mandate and reduced the burden on small businesses for compliance, many said it didn’t go far enough. No doubt health insurance premiums have grown significantly during the first seven years of the current legislation (Obamacare/ACA), but the Congressional Budget Office concluded the current bill wouldn’t address that and likely make it worse.
As a result, President Trump has vowed to cripple Obamacare with further line item repeals and has stated his hope is that it will collapse. That may happen, but who will it benefit. The system is undoubtedly broken, but shouldn’t we expect our politicians to fix it, not make things worse for Americans? The Democrats are no better as they watched with glee while legislation proposed by the Republicans crashed. Couldn’t they be suggesting alternatives, finding compromise and work for all of us? These guys in Washington playing chicken with our healthcare is so insulting. The only way to stop that is to get involved, share your opinion and be open to ideas. Them maybe we can solve the complicated issues like healthcare…who knew.
