FINANCIAL: Saving Thousands is Easy When You Build a Restaurant Budget [Presented by Orderly]
Your accountant shouldn't be the only one who cares about keeping your finances in order. You've tried to help manage your food costs, but you've got no idea where to start. We have a path forward - a tried and true restaurant budgeting process that will keep your restaurant raking in the customers - and the green. Don't keep spending money you don't have - take control of your restaurant's budget before it's too late.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Hard-Pressed Press
Reporters Without Borders warns that there is growing animosity towards journalists worldwide. In this year’s World Press Freedom Index, the organization sternly warns that "hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism pose a threat to democracies."
Wine-No!
You can now officially panic. Global wine production has hit a 60-year low and has decreased 8.6% from 2016. The sudden drop is due to harsh weather, including spring frosts, droughts and storms that affected top wine producers in the EU. Climate change suuuuuuucks.
NYC Bill Would Require Anti-Harassment Training
A NYC bill has been proposed that would require business with 15 or more workers to conduct annual anti-sexual harassment training for all workers, including supervisors & managers. The bill has passed and is currently awaiting the mayor’s signature. We think this is something every operator should be doing anyways, regardless of staff size or law.
WE’LL TAKE IT IN THE LIVING ROOM.
Why it matters to you: Restaurants are now allowing guests the option to finish their meals in lounge/living room spaces.
How many times have you been at a dinner that is running long but you don’t want to leave yet? An emerging trend at some restaurants is giving their guests the option to take their food, drink, dessert, or after-dinner coffee beyond the dining space and into the lounge area. Guests have an opportunity to stretch their legs after dinner, get a nice change of scenery and continue to enjoy their experience. Meanwhile the dining room can sit another cover all in one fell swoop.
The option of being able to lackadaisically choose where you want to dine on the fly is great for guests. If guests are having fun in the lounge, they can stay there. If they aren’t feeling the vibe then they can relocate to a legitimate table. It does sound like a bit of a logistical hassle for your host but it could definitely alleviate some stress on busy nights if a handful of covers decide to ditch their tables.
Do we think this is the future of restaurants? Not at all. Is this a unique option that some restaurants can take advantage of if they have the space and management skills. Guests love being given the freedom to choose, and their choices might vary depending on what they’re looking for that evening. It definitely makes your location more versatile to different energy levels. A group of friends lends itself much more naturally to a living room-esque setting than a stuffy dining room.
OATS EHH?
Why it matters to you: The next up in the ever-evolving trend of milk alternatives is oat milk.
Have you ever been sitting back drinking your almond milk cappuccino in a café on the lower east side of Manhattan and thought “Man I wish a new type of milk alternative would come out so I can change my habits again”? No? Neither have we, but at least 460 coffee shops in New York alone are having wild success with oat milk, nonetheless!
Oatly is the specific brand in question and, because of their popularity, these cafes cannot possibly keep the product in stock. One major key (other than the fact that it is vegan) is that oat milk is far more sustainable than many other milk alternatives. Another key is that the mouthfeel and taste is much closer to cow’s milk so that pleases anyone who has ditched dairy but misses aspects of it.
Should you be carrying oat milk at your café or restaurant? We think so! Anything that has gained this much steam in New York City is bound to make it elsewhere very soon trend-wise. We’re sure we’ll see it in Boston in full-swing very soon. Will it stick? Who knows, but it is certainly worth offering as an option should you be able to get your hands on it. We are surprised bartenders haven’t fully embraced the non-dairy trend yet. You could make some great twists on classically dairy based cocktails with these non-milk milks.
