MARKETING: Market Research Tips for Restaurant Owners
With hundreds of thousands of restaurants currently operating in the United States, you must find a way for your restaurant to stand out. One way to do this is to conduct effective market research to determine where your efforts and resources should go. But how do you figure that out? The answer is relatively easy. Here’s how.
DID YOU KNOWS…
KFC Plant-Based Chicken?
Non-meat options are popping up all over the place recently in fast food restaurants. The latest is KFC is in the “exploration phase” of introducing plant-based chicken items. They join McD’s and Chick-fil-A as fast-food restaurants looking into plant-based options. Meanwhile, Burger King and Del Taco have already plunged into those waters. KFC says it’s waiting to learn about the long-term benefits of adding a vegan entrée.
Prison for Cereal Urinator
A Tennessee man has been sentenced 10 months in prison for urinating on a Kellogg’s cereal conveyor belt in a Memphis facility. The indictment said the contract worker video recorded himself peeing into a bucket and then dumping the contents into the Raisin Bran production line. He did similar a month later. Groooooossss…
The Effects of Quitting Smoking
Just 20 minutes after smoking the last cigarette, the first health improvements begin, with a drop in heart rate and blood pressure. Within 12 hours carbon monoxide levels return to normal and after a few weeks lung function increases and circulation improves. Even the heightened risk of stroke or coronary heart disease is gone within 15 years. Lung cancer also becomes a much less significant threat after about ten years.
YAY FOR DADS
Why it matters to you: Make Father’s Day great again.
Every year, there is a demonstrable effect in the restaurant industry from Mother’s Day. Unfortunately, Father’s Day (June 16th this year) seems to be about grilling and backyard parties. That’s why this suggested list of 12 Father’s Day promotional ideas is something we want you to consider. Sure, some of them are as simple as Dad’s eat free, but you can go further and make it waaaaayyy more fun.
Take the Rec Bar in Louisville, KY. They are hosting two contests for the best jokes -- one for kids and one for dads. Full disclosure, we at The Daily Rail LOVE dad jokes and think every restaurant in America should host this little competition. Here’s our favorite Dad joke: What does a nosey pepper do? Gets jalapeño business.
However, if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, then why not make your Father’s Day efforts social? Melting Pot is asking their guests to share how they will celebrate Father’s Day on Facebook. Last year they generated 1500 comments on Facebook, which makes their likelihood of appearing in follower’s streams much higher. Either way, using any of these ideas to improve the Father’s Day experience in your restaurant makes sense. Since sports-themed restaurants are particular favorites for dads (cliché but true), don’t waste this opportunity to make it fun and special for those families.
[Source: Toast POS]
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
Why it matters to you: Google Lens allows guests to see reviews by just pointing their camera at your menu.
Google has been revolutionizing the mobile experience since they followed Apple into the pool more than 10 years ago. Their latest edition to the amazing world of mobile is pointed directly at the restaurant industry. Google Lens allows mobile phone users to just point their camera at your menu and see reviews of your restaurant in general, but specific menu item reviews, too. This is the result of improve machine learning that can read thousands of reviews and pick out items that receive specific mention in the online content. Yelp also has a similar feature that they added last year, but it doesn’t employ the cool feature of looking at the menu.
While there are clear challenges for Google -- such as menus changing and machines making mis-identifications of dish reviews -- the concept should be both exhilarating and terrifying to operators. The excitement comes from a new way to drive engagement with your most successful (and presumably profitable) items. The terror is for the exact same reason. If there was ever a reason to take better care of your quality control on turnout, we can’t identify one. The fact that your items can be individually reviewed means that at the most granular level, you can be deemed worthy -- or not.
[Source: The Verge]
