Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 27, 2025

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features the present and future of AI use in F&B, The Splintered Path to Purchase, the Datassential 500 Awards, and where chefs are earning six figures. percent menu-price inflation rate. At the same time, U.S. chain sales grew just 3.1

Loyalty Program 371

Loyalty Program 2025 Customer Experience Customer Service 371

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 26, 2022

In the back of the house, rampant inflation and ongoing supply chain disruptions are cutting into margins. Simultaneously, staffing is an urgent and ongoing front-of-house concern. It is even more so for independent restaurants, which usually have one manager for all front- and back-of-house duties.

Front of House 520

Front of House Back of House Food Supply Supplies 520

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 22, 2025

Dark colors in back-of-house environments provide practical benefits by concealing inevitable kitchen stains, while lighter palettes in customer-facing positions create perceptions of cleanliness and approachability. In the food service industry, branded apparel is a critical extension of your business's identity.

Uniforms 221

Uniforms Loyalty Program Front of House Customer Experience 221

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 18, 2024

The quicker businesses can feed that information back into operations, the better, whether for personalized dining, staffing optimization, or advertising and marketing. So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Social Media Fast Casual 419

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

For restaurant operators, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: how to implement an online ordering system that maximizes revenue while maintaining control over their customer relationships. Whether its takeout, delivery, or even in-house orders via QR codes, customers want a seamless and convenient way to order online.

Online Ordering 195

Online Ordering Ordering Email Marketing Mobile Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 1, 2022

How value engineering can be a restaurant construction solution in the face of rising prices and unpredictable supply chains. As the prices of construction materials skyrocket due to rising inflation and supply chain woes, budgeting for commercial development has become significantly more challenging. Acceptable Alternatives.

Design 520

Design Supplies Equipment Education 520

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 21, 2021

While some brands have already begun passing costs on to consumers without too much pushback (Chipotle, McDonald’s), brands will need to closely monitor customer response, as value-oriented customers are likely to begin to be more price sensitive as they also feel pressure from inflation.

Point of Sale 491

Point of Sale Supplies Back of House Customer Experience 491

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 23, 2021

This can be direct (the menu item itself contributes working funds) or indirect (because the item is present on the menu – other items are more likely to sell). The baseline formula for determining selling price using an acceptable food cost percent of 30% would be: SELLING PRICE SP) = PLATE COST (PC)/FOOD COST %(FC%).

Point of Sale 450

Point of Sale Front of House Back of House Customer Experience 450

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 11, 2025

– Sophia Goldberg, Founder and CEO, Ansa The big lesson I learned is that I've had to continue to adapt my pricing, because people are still watching their spending. That's why we instituted lower-priced lunch specials and made other adjustments. During the shutdown I made more than 10,000 meals to give away.

Front of House 221

Front of House Loyalty Program Recruiting Customer Experience 221

ChowNow

MARCH 14, 2025

Every day, youre juggling staff, food quality, inventory, customer service, purchasing, and moreall while trying to cultivate a dining experience that wows your customers enough to keep them coming back. Its tough, and cant be done passively. What is Restaurant Operations Management? Great restaurant operations dont happen by accident.

Operations 195

Operations Management Management Front of House 195

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

11, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Huddle House will add drive-thrus as it moves into more urban and suburban markets. | Perkins, the 68-year-old chain best known for its bakery case, recently began serving boba and frozen margaritas, while its younger sibling Huddle House, 61, is rolling out smash burgers. By Joe Guszkowski on Jun.

Fast Casual 182

Fast Casual Front of House Back of House Leadership 182

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 22, 2021

How do you successfully reenter the world of service, sales, and most importantly, profitability as we bounce back from COVID-19? It’s easier for the front-of-the-house to present. Don’t rush to go back. That may mean that you need to adjust portion sizes or raise prices. Now, we turn our focus to you.

Front of House 493

Front of House Back of House Customer Service Beverage 493

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 13, 2022

Just as restaurants were on the path toward recovery after COVID-19 closures and safety restrictions, the current economic conditions continue to present challenges for the industry. Recent surveys are showing the vast majority of Americans have been cutting back on dining out.

Technology 450

Technology Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Download 450

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 4, 2020

Having detailed financials for three years prior to the year you want to sell is very helpful in determining an opinion of value of your business and what a fair market price would be. Determining Sale Price. The right sales price will ensure that your restaurant gets sold a price and in a time frame that makes you happy.

Front of House 414

Front of House Cash Management Equipment Back of House 414

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 28, 2021

This approach required fewer front-of-the-house staff to maintain a dining room, complied with government orders, and kept many brands from closing. Just as one issue seemed fixed, another presents itself. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a lot of chaos and accelerated several trends within the restaurant industry.

Franchising 492

Franchising Franchise 2022 Fast Casual 492

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

The modern restaurant ecosystem demands that businesses of all shapes and styles, from full-service fine dining to quick-serve fast-casual, incorporate third-party delivery systems into their business models, strategic planning, Front and Back of House training and physical design.

Delivery 492

Delivery Front of House Back of House Fine Dining 492

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 24, 2020

These aspects include: décor, skill level of staff, style of service, pricing, profit, type of vendors selected, kitchen layout, equipment selection, marketing and advertising, pay scales, dining room seating, type of china, glassware and flatware, even the location and color scheme for the exterior of the restaurant.

Menu 484

Menu Seasonal Menu Front of House Reference 484

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

We are witnessing the evolution of fine dining. Astonishingly veganism is a chief enabler of this culinary transformation. Starting out as a whole grain diet for radicals, vegan food culture has evolved into Michelin star worthy mega trend for future chefs and culinary experts. Being Vegan Isn’t Gastronomical Anymore. percent in 2021.

Fine Dining 554

Fine Dining Fast Casual Food Supply 2022 554

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 30, 2023

Updating packaging to account for new ways of getting food from restaurant to car to house to table can increase propensity to re-order significantly. Own Your Changes In March 2023, restaurants’ food prices were 8.8 Customer expectations are level set by their most advanced in-store and digital experiences.

Operations 449

Operations Mobile Ordering Customer Experience Online Ordering 449

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

Whether its a loyalty program, strategic promotions, or email marketing campaigns, great marketing isnt just about attracting new customersits about keeping the ones you already have coming back. 4 Reasons Why You Cant Ignore Restaurant Marketing in 2025 Restaurant marketing in 2025 isnt just a nice-to-haveits a necessity.

2025 195

2025 Marketing Email Marketing Operations 195

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 4, 2022

The greatest threat is not the labor shortage or supply chain issues, it’s not the pandemic or the price of real estate – yes, all those concerns are troubling and must be dealt with, but they are not what will bring the restaurant industry to its knees. Well then – what will? Try apathy on for size. Is it ignorance or apathy?

Front of House 432

Front of House Back of House Coaching Customer Service 432

Perfect Daily Grind

JUNE 15, 2025

High and volatile green coffee prices , along with increasing operational costs, are creating a more competitive market. In 1924, popular US brand Maxwell House spent the modern-day equivalent of US $4 million on marketing , including sponsored TV shows, which helped increase sales by 85% in just a few years.

Marketing 130

Marketing Email Marketing Social Media SEO 130

EATER

SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

Lille Allen Six chefs and restaurant owners from across the country explain why restaurants feel so expensive right now, and how they’re coping with high prices and customer complaints Dining out involves calculating the intangible: What is hospitality worth to you? Was it worth it? This isn’t a problem of one city or class or demographic.

Pricing 363

Pricing Back of House Food Order Front of House 363

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 30, 2025

In 2024, restaurants across the country saw an average five percent increase in transactions and an average eight percent increase in profits with only four percent caused by price hikes. The report analyzed data from more than 30,000 QSR restaurants that generated a total of 4.5 billion transactions and $67 billion in sales in 2024.

Fast Casual 251

Fast Casual Food Point of Sale Mobile Ordering 251

Culinary Cues

MAY 20, 2024

How is your kitchen organized, how much time are you willing to invest in training, how do you (the chef and owner) present yourself as a leader and mentor, how serious are you about the right way to cook, how open are you to sharing, and how effective are you at building a team of professionals who look and act the part?

Hotels 342

Hotels Front of House Fine Dining Back of House 342

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 23, 2023

The restaurant industry has changed significantly in recent years, not least due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, restaurants saw a notable shift in customer expectations and behavior during this time. 11% of Americans spend between $100 and $149 more each month, while 22 percent spend an additional $50 to $99, on average.

Customer Service 419

Customer Service Dietary Restrictions Delivery Online Ordering 419

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

The answer to why your restaurant needs a website is simple: if you dont have a website, you are 100%, without a doubt, missing out on hundreds, if not thousands of customers. 77% of diners look at a restaurants website before going out to eat or ordering takeout or delivery. A well-designed website does more than just make a good first impression.

Social Media 195

Social Media Online Ordering SEO Email Marketing 195

7 Shifts

AUGUST 16, 2021

But it's the good shifts, when the front of house and back of house are flowing like a symphony, when customers are delighted, and the restaurant atmosphere feels effortless—that's the best part about restaurants. The way to run great shifts is to get out ahead and schedule pre-shift meetings. What is a pre-shift meeting.

Front of House 397

Front of House Back of House Coaching Customer Service 397

Culinary Cues

MAY 15, 2021

Our business model requires too much labor: At the same time as we step back it becomes vividly apparent that our method of operation and the menus that we provide require too many hands. The restaurant industry continues to be devastated – not just as a result of the pandemic but because the pandemic brought underlying issues to the surface.

Customer Experience 449

Customer Experience Cash Management Customer Service Front of House 449

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features news of Drinksgiving and Thanksgiving trends, FSR challenges, and "out-of-the-box" dining habits. The annual report surveys 600 independent full-service restaurant (FSR) owners and operators from across the U.S.,

2025 221

2025 Loyalty Program 2024 Back of House 221

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

This is a topic I have presented numerous times and it seems as though whenever I travel it rises to the top of my thinking. Is it a case of a lack of knowledge (likely often the case), a lack of caring (I guess this is common as well), or a multitude of excuses that point everywhere except back at the person in charge?

Fine Dining 449

Fine Dining Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 449

Culinary Cues

JUNE 29, 2024

The chef invests time in building a signature menu, testing recipes, establishing plate presentations, and making sure the best ingredients are within the teams reach. Memorable food, exceptional experiences, a perfect evening…these are the types of reviews that every chef hopes for and every restaurant strives for.

Dine-in 345

Dine-in Customer Experience Back of House Customer Service 345

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 2, 2021

With the Eviction Moratorium coming to an end on July 31st, worries are escalating about the small business owners who still can’t cover monthly rent payments and/or have back rent to pay. Rent Struggle Is Real. 35 percent of ALL small businesses in the U.S. 35 percent of ALL small businesses in the U.S. TableSafe, Inc.,

2021 450

2021 Point of Sale 2019 Equipment 450

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 19, 2022

After exploring wine and home bartending during the pandemic, consumers are now more educated than ever before when it comes to ordering drinks at a restaurant. Because of this, it’s critical for operators to capitalize on “what’s next” to complement existing programs. working to help our restaurant partners.

Bar 474

Bar 2023 Back of House Coaching 474

7 Shifts

JANUARY 23, 2020

Spend time researching low rent prices with good location. Fleshing out your concept will guide everything else you decide with your restaurant, including location, prices, menu, atmosphere, staff, business hours, and so on. Congrats! ?? And good luck. It’s going to be the ride of your life. Jimmy Koklas, Mistwood Golf.

2020 335

2020 Hiring Cash Management Education 335

7 Shifts

AUGUST 12, 2020

Before you get any ideas of a cheesy radio spot, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. So far, 2020 has thrown marketing plans, advertising budgets, and restaurant growth out of the window. Whatever plans and forecasts you had for your restaurant are yesterday’s bread now. Which is where your restaurant marketing plan comes in.

Marketing 418

Marketing 2020 SEO Loyalty Program 418

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 12, 2022

This edition of MRM Research Roundup features evolving guest relationships, views on restauarant tech, employee desires and wedding trends. The Pandemic Has Permanently Altered the Consumer-Restaurant Relationships. Investment in delivery and mobile ordering pays off. 71 percent rely on delivery for 11 percent or more of sales.

2022 539

2022 Mobile Ordering Guest Recovery Point of Sale 539