ENTERTAINMENT: Speed Up Your Slow Nights with Trivia Night
So, you’ve got a great menu and the right atmosphere, but you’re still seeing a lull in business. This begs the question: How do I get people in my venue? One of the answers to that question is by hosting a Trivia Night. Trivia Nights are a great way to get people into your bar and keep them coming back week after week.
DID YOU KNOWS…
It’s All About the Benjamins
When U.S. rapper Puff Daddy released his hit single “It’s All About the Benjamins” in 1997, he was way ahead of his time. Back then, the $100 bill the song refers to was only the third most popular dollar note, trailing the ubiquitous $1 dollar note and the $20 dollar note in terms of circulation. Twenty years and several nicknames later, Diddy’s prophecy would eventually be fulfilled though. According to Federal Reserve data quoted by the IMF, the $100 bill became the most circulated currency in the world in 2017, overtaking the $1 bill for the first time ever.
When States Became States
Just like Rome, the United States weren’t built in a day – in fact it took 172 years for all 50 states to be added to the Union. Hawaii was the last state to join the U.S. on August 21, 1959. 13 colonies initially drafted and ratified the United States Constitution. Those turned into the first 13 states of the U.S. – Delaware Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, North and South Carolina, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. This process took from 1787 to 1790.
Trade War Casualties
While U.S. imports of goods climbed to a historical high of $1.27 trillion in the first half of 2019, the ongoing trade conflict with China did change the composition of imports to the United States. As the following chart, based on data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows, imports from China dropped by more than $30 billion in the first six months of 2019. As the following chart shows, there is no single profiteer from the U.S.-Chinese trade war, but several countries saw significant increases in exports to the United States.
HOW MUCH DO YOU PAY?
Why it matters to you: Operators don’t have to guess what the right salary is for their market.
Managing through data has always been a successful approach for any business. Industry data allows you to establish baselines to compare your own business to. This is particularly true and useful in terms of staff wages.
First, wages are the ultimate data point, as labor is among your highest line items and one that you can most control. However, too few of you actually know what the righteous number is for your market when hiring. That isn’t to say you don’t have a clue, only that you are basing your numbers on anecdotal evidence. That’s where this 2019 Restaurant Industry Salary Report comes in quite handy. Yes, these are national numbers and your market has an impact on the local number, but this is a starting point. Most of you fall around these numbers. If you need even further data, you can also visit GlassDoor to find out where your market stands.
What this report also tells us is that the number and wages of hourly managers has shot up 21% over last year. This marks an obvious shift in the face of uncertainty surrounding the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new rules for overtime eligibility. By employing qualified people to manage your business as hourly supervisors, you gain flexibility on their hours, but can also utilized folks that might also work in staff functions to deepen your management bench.
Frankly, even without the DOL’s trials and tribulations this is a pretty smart strategy. Even if your only goal is to preserve a lifestyle for your salaried managers, integrating hourly supervisors both reduces your overall management expenses, but it also improves your management’s footprint in your restaurant. Imagine a team where you reward great performers with hourly supervisory opportunities, having dedicated folks on your staff that can also lead is a winner no matter what the local management salary is in your market.
[Source: Restaurant Zone]
LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN THE TRASH
Why it matters to you: Don’t let your patio seating be impacted by pests.
Even the cleanest restaurant operators don’t like rushing to the dumpster at night. No matter how secure you think your refuse receptacles, there are pests that are hanging around in there. Many of them are harmless -- like flies just feasting on the detritus of human consumption -- but some can be dangerous like rodents and raccoons. Of course the problem is even more difficult when it’s outdoor seating whether. Animals that are brazen enough to raid your dumpsters may not see the danger signs of approaching an outdoor area that has lots of food available for their next meal. So being vigilant when it comes to cleanliness can help, but you might want to consider these additional steps during patio season to avoid pests.
Start by understanding that crumbs, sugary drinks, and other spilled foods are fair game for the pests that might visit upon your guests. Washing down your patio regularly to relieve it of the residue of these items will go a long way to avoiding cumulative problems. Don’t also forget that your landscaping can be a source of pest infestations like ants. Having them treated by your pest control service eliminate those problems before they happen. Because your dumpster is likely close to your patio, you have to be ever vigilant to provide rodents and other critters access. Again, general cleanliness and regular washing of the area will reduce the scents and keep your restaurant safer. Finally, you have to keep your employees on task here. Helping them make the connection between these efforts and enduring a gross work environment is your best bet to combat those summertime pests.
[Source: FSR Magazine]
