BUSINESS: Top 4 Must-Have Restaurant and Coffee Shop Features for 2020
No industry is immune to temporary fads and ever-evolving trends, and the hospitality industry is no exception. With food-related tourism skyrocketing in popularity across the globe and a better-connected world at our disposal, restaurants and coffee shops have gone through a slew of major changes in the past decade. To help you understand what the industry holds for 2020, here are a few hand-picked features restaurants and cafes will boast as we strove through the new year.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Fox Nation Goes Fishing
Fox Nation, Fox News’ streaming service, is looking to expand it’s reach by adding hunting and fishing content to its programming lineup. Although these outdoor spots aren’t exactly news-based, the news-site does have a “Hunting” category, although those stories typically are about accidents and animal abuse. The network is also hoping to add true crime and country music to its service.
eScooter Accidents on the Rise
The age-adjusted injury rate from U.S. e-scooter accidents stood at 6 per 100,000 people back in 2014 and by 2018, that increased by 222% to 19. During the same period, hospital admissions went up by 365%. Those massive increases are probably not too much of a surprise considering the scale of the e-scooter boom, but the data does reveal something worrying - only 4.8% of people injured were wearing a helmet.
Longterm Trade with China
As controversial as Trump’s approach to trade policy is, it did manage to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China significantly. From January through November 2019, the U.S. trade deficit in goods with China amounted to $320.8 billion, down from $382.7 billion in the same period of 2018.
LOW TECH FOR THE WIN
Why it matters to you: Ease your operations using a low-tech approach.
Our industry seems to be fixated on technology as the sole method for improving operations. Implement some cool new inventory software and see your costs come under control or use this system to manage your schedule and your labor costs will fall in line. This has been the clarion calls for all of us for the past several years. But spending on expensive solutions, even if they bear fruit, it’s no substitute for a thoughtful review of your regular operating procedures.
Take what El Pollo Loco has recently done to streamline their operations. They started by reviewing their operations manual and cutting it from over 400 pages to just 77. But they didn’t stop there. With their new manual completed they proceeded to translate it into Spanish to accommodate the 80% of their staff for whom it is their native language. From there they completely overhauled how they cook their signature chicken to transform a highly technical process of cutting, grilling and constantly turning the meat into a two-step process that process that delivers and even better version.
Operations has always been about problem solving, but it’s not the obvious problems that are represent the most opportunity. El Pollo Loco avoided the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality and dug deep into their own systems to transform their business and the results are already bearing fruit. So, take a look around at the way you do business, ask your staff for their feedback, and then take the dive into your operations. You won’t regret it.
[Source: Restaurant Business Online]
RESOLVE NOT TO BE SLOW THIS JANUARY
Why it matters to you: Take action, and don’t let this month get you down.
Here we are again in the Death Valley of sales that is January. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you are creative and thoughtful. This primer from Modern Restaurant Management surveys multiple options and ideas for jump starting your most difficult months, whether it’s winter in a cold climate or your off-season in a warm one. Suggestions like adding entertainment, as a call to action, rely on giving your guests a reason to get off their couch and visit your restaurant.
Your guests are looking for their own way to avoid the gray skies of the winter, so having a slate of music or hosting karaoke will give them sufficient reason to visit when it’s cold out there. Among the other ideas offered is to leverage what your guests are already thinking about. For example, folks are all talking about their resolutions for the New Year, consequently you can tap into that by offering a new healthy menu option or connecting with a gym to cross-promote your facilities. The key is that January doesn’t have to be a disaster if you are willing to do the work that can mitigate it.
[Source: Modern Restaurant Management]
