TRAINING: Protect Your Guests & Your Restaurant with Safe Alcohol Training [Presented by 2Cool Server Training]
In the restaurant and bar industry, overserving alcohol to a guest can land you in some serious hot water. Recognizing an intoxicated guest, monitoring drinks, and carding minors are just some of the basics that any alcohol server should know to do. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
DID YOU KNOWS…
America’s Favorite Bedside Companion?
According to research conducted by Common Sense Media, 40% of teenagers and 26% of parents in the U.S. check their smartphone within five minutes of going to bed and a significant proportion of Americans even use their mobile device in the middle of the night.
Where Workplace Protections are Missing
Over half of the states in the United States -- and the LGBTQ+ people living in them -- are unprotected by the legal system from workplace discrimination. Twenty-one states prohibit discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity, while some states afford protections for public employees only. The Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue, leaving the question up to state legislators and courts.
Holidays That Are Irreplaceable
New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving were among the holidays that Americans were least likely to send to the chopping block. Overall about 50% of respondents did not think any of the holidays on the chart should be wiped from the calendar.
BEING A FRANCHISE PLAYER
Why it matters to you: Restaurants and franchising are a match made in heaven
If you own a franchised restaurant, then you already know the intricacies of borrowing someone else’s paradigm. The upside is clearly that you have far less learning required to launch and sustain your business. The downside comes with having your very own big brother directing your actions and limiting your choices. While we don’t have an opinion whether the franchise approach is better than independently creating your own restaurant theme/operations, it appears that the restaurant franchises in the market are among the most successful of all franchise concepts. A quick look at the Top 50 Franchises as determined by Entrepreneur magazine reveals 17 different restaurant operations on the list.
What that confirms is restaurant operations specifically benefit from the structure and systems already vetted by a franchisee. When deciding to enter the restaurant world, a franchisee can count on the support that an established operator provides and the demonstrated success they have already enjoyed. Equally, as you embark on the journey to franchising your restaurant concept, you can be confident that there is a market for your concept, at least as pertains to folks accessing restaurant franchises. In either scenario the role of the franchise can be a perfect entrée into an industry you aren’t experienced or a way to grow your business with other people investing in your idea. The fact that restaurants dominate the franchise scene should give you confidence and plenty of options for your restaurant dreams.
[Source: Entrepreneur]
WHY AREN’T YOU MORE SOCIAL?
Why it matters to you: Success in social marketing requires new strategies and tactics.
When social media became a ‘thing’ in the early 2000s, everybody in our industry rejoiced that they could finally speak directly to their guests. Unfortunately, we know now that is was a pipe dream that was teased and taken away by the very social platforms that promised you that unfettered communication. That is why it’s more important than ever to employ best practices to execute your social marketing. Fortunately, we have six in this great article on supercharging your social media efforts. Of the six, there are a few highlights that we want to share.
First is collaborating with other businesses to amplify your social reach. This might be a local business that aligns with your restaurant, like a memorabilia shop for a sports-themed operator. Or you could work with a local youth league and give them a code so their referrals can either get a discount or contribute to the league from their guest check spend.
Our other favorite is generating more reviews. This is as simple as asking your current audience to review your restaurant on Yelp or Google Places. Make clear that you are seeking feedback to improve your restaurant, so they are comfortable reviewing you and being honest. The more reviews you generate, the higher your restaurant will show on a Google search. So, read the other four and find a couple of great ideas to amp your social efforts and grow your business.
[Source: Modern Restaurant Management]