Wednesday April 3, 2019
MARKETING: Tips for a Killer Restaurant Blog
If you think a restaurant blog is not for you, think again. It’s a great marketing tool when wielded correctly. But ultimately, where do you want those readers to come? To your restaurant, of course. Not that your website is not important. But your restaurant blog has a bit of a different purpose than most. Here are restaurant blogging ideas and other tips to get you started.
DID YOU KNOWS…
A White Nightmare
Mistakes happen, right? But sometimes they are far more brutal in the restaurant industry than anywhere else. Take a look at this server who’s having a ROUGH week as she accidentally spills a giant tub of ranch all over, yes, ALL OVER herself.
“Was this a bad joke?”
As the NFL was rattled by Rob Gronkowski’s recent retirement, Tom Brady decided to play a frightening April Fool’s joke on Patriot fans. In these tweets, you’ll see TB's cruel but slightly hilarious statement joking about retiring. Good one Tom! *Patriots fans everywhere checking their pulse*
Was this a bad joke?
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) April 1, 2019
Money on the Mind
Yesterday was international Equal Pay Day, a day symbolizing how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, in 2018 women made roughly 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. For black and Latina women, the gap is bigger. Slow. Steps. Forward.
BRAND ROLE MODELING FROM THE BEST
Why it matters to you: What can you learn from the best up and coming restaurant brands?
What does it take to be the next big emerging chain like Sweetgreen or Shake Shack? Well, the folks at Fishbowl Analytics seem to think they know. First they qualify who is an emerging brand by looking at restaurants with 5 to 75 locations in operation. Additionally, the chain embraces progressive developments that are innovative while maintaining a broad appeal. A past example: health-focused menus. Fishbowl analyst Katharine Dalton told CNBC that health-focused menus, once a differentiator, is now the price to entry. It’s no longer something that sets a brand apart.
That peculiar qualification speaks directly to what sets Sweetgreen apart and they were just recently valuated at over $1 billion. From a best practices perspective, finding your purpose and a specific niche will ironically make you more attractive to a wider audience. Brand building is a real challenge in today’s tiny attention span world. Consequently, you have to be thoughtful about your approach, but stay true to it. This is especially important as you are introducing your concept to a wider market. Don’t be all things to all people, but instead be the best version of your own concept. Sounds like good advice for your life -- and business.
[Source: Fishbowl]
IMPOSSIBLE WHOPPER
Why it matters to you: Burger King introducing a non-meat burger is a really big deal.
There likely won’t be much hoopla when the world finally accepts lab grown meat as a normal part of American cuisine. So, Burger King announcing they will be supporting this food evolution by rolling out the Impossible Burger to their audience is a really big deal. There is no more mainstream occasion than a visit to the local fast food joint. The conscious move by Burger King is just another step towards healthier menu options by all the fast food giants. The Impossible Burger is further proof that this is no longer a trend and has now become a lifestyle.
That isn’t to say that real burgers are in any trouble losing their dominance in dining experience. However, we can’t ignore the steady march of Millennials -- and their younger counterparts Generation Zers -- towards a more sustainable and healthy way of life. We strongly encourage you to review your menu and see where you can highlight your healthy items. Put a box around your healthiest items on your menus and write great descriptions. Often times these healthy options can be charged as premium items to enhance their performance on your menu. It makes sense to leverage demand for healthy foods in a way that is also great for your bottom line.
[Source: New York Times]