MARKETING: Your Restaurant’s New Marketing Motto — Smiles Don’t Lie
Smiles don’t lie. It’s been a hallmark phrase for the way that I run my business, create marketing, and interact with my customers -- and it should be for you too. What does that mean? Well, if someone is smiling, they are probably having a good time. It is then my job to make sure that people are always smiling and having a good experience with my brand, and the groups that I work with. Here’s how you can, too.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Are Sports Doomed on Traditional TV?
Sports have been a centerpiece of traditional American broadcasting. But with the birth of the Internet and online streaming, some are beginning to wonder how long before sports broadcasting are also altered by changing technology. That includes longtime Disney CEO Michael Eisner who thinks traditional sports broadcasting will be pushed aside soon in favor of online streaming. No doubt this will also change how sports bars operate, too.
People Will Eat Anything to be on TV
People will do just about anything to get on TV or on the jumbotrons at sporting events – and that includes eating (or pretending to eat) spatula full of mayo from industrial size jugs. It happened recently at a Memphis Redbirds game, but it’s not the first time fans have decided to eat jiggly white goo by the spoonful was a great idea to get attention. Yuck.
Impossible Foods vs. Beyond Meat
With the meatless “meat” industry growing at a rapid pace, two companies are currently standing taller than the rest of the pack – Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. But how well do you know the difference between the two companies? Here’s more about the two meatless meat companies.
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ON BLAST
Why it matters to you: The DOL is under fire for doing absolutely nothing toward their apprenticeship policy.
We have reported previously about the apprenticeship program being promoted by the National Restaurant Association and ACF. The concept is a brilliant way to improve the candidate stock in our industry and gives real opportunity to folks that might not have had it absent the effort. As the Trump Administration began their reign in Washington, the President’s Department of Labor announced an initiative to drive the practice of apprenticeships nationally. Whether driven by the eponymous TV show he starred in or not, the idea was a rare policy position that both sides of the aisle applauded. No matter what you think the role of government is, driving apprenticeship opportunities is a tried and true way to improve our work force skill level and give businesses the people they need to grow.
Unfortunately, the program has failed to take wing and the Department of Labor came under fire recently for, what appears to be, their utter incompetence surrounding the implementation of this policy. The White House, itself, has been critical as they were forced to admit that not one person has been given access to an apprenticeship as a result of their initiative. We truly hope this is rectified and that the DOL gets it together. For restaurant operators, the apprenticeship program has proven an invaluable way to increase the professionalism of kitchen staff and improve the quality we deliver our guests. More of that seems like a great way for all sectors of our economy to do the same.
[Source: Politico]
RATS
Why it matters to you: Rodent infestations are not a pretty sight.
If your restaurant is located in an urban setting then you know rats. They have been a real infestation problem in restaurants in big cities, the result of which are disturbing in the extreme. Rats can enter almost any building because their bodies are extremely flexible. They defecate constantly, which means rat droppings are left behind as they hang out in your restaurant when you aren’t there -- and even sometimes when you are. The droppings cause lovely problems such as spreading bacteria, contaminating food sources, and even triggering asthma and allergic reactions in people.
The good news is a little pro-activeness can help you reduce and even eliminate these free-loaders, thus making your restaurant safer and more pleasant for staff and guests. This primer published by FSR Magazine gives you several signs to look for when determining the extent of a rat problem in your restaurant. Things like chew marks, stained walls, and obvious droppings need you to actually survey your restaurant, but your efforts mean less risk. Remember, rats in your restaurant is not like a scene from Ratatouille, it’s just gross. So, read the primer, walk around your restaurant and do yourself, staff and guests the service of fighting against these squatters and their potential impact on your restaurant.
[Source: FSR Magazine]
