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Fast food and food delivery gradually began changing that equation. 2024 was a year of experimentation with AI, with restaurants testing it on customer-facing interactions, like AI drive-thru ordering, with varying degrees of success. The restaurant experience was once solely comprised of human-to-human, in-person experiences.
Amid these potential disruptions, operators need a fresh approach to managing food costs. Extreme Weather: By 2035, experts predict that higher temperatures alone will push up worldwide food prices by between 0.9 Form Open Lines of Communication : Share your needs and challenges and be receptive to their feedback.
Assessing Communication Skills Clear, consistent communication keeps restaurants running smoothly, whether giving instructions to the kitchen staff or addressing a customer’s concerns. She felt confident enough to order and appreciated my effort to address her needs.” As the manager, I listened to his concerns.
In today’s fast-paced dining world, guest satisfaction goes beyond just great food—it’s about delivering a seamless experience. Internal communication, especially between front- and back-of-house staff, is one of the most overlooked drivers of operational efficiency and l asting loyalty. Is it during shift changes?
Minimizing Menu Price Increases : Just because diners are still eating out and ordering in, does not mean they are happy about higher menu prices. Clear communication on pricing, loyalty rewards, and personalized service will appeal to this group. Efforts here often pay dividends with increased foot traffic and takeout orders.
Successfully navigating fluctuating food costs, especially with volatile ingredients like eggs, requires a multi-faceted approach, Mike Stasko Jr., What are the best practices for dealing with food costs for recipes when necessary items are fluctuating in price? What are the best ways to ensure food safety when sourcing eggs?
Fast food and casual dining are currently seeing higher traffic. With dining out becoming more of an occasional treat, it's very important that guests have a great experience – whether that's at an upmarket restaurant or a fast food outlet. When they do eat out, they're often choosing cheaper options.
Omnichannel communications and value-oriented customer expectations are two elements challenging restaurant owners and operators, according to a survey from Klaviyo.
Over the last two decades, I’ve worked alongside operators in just about every hospitality setting—independent cafés, high-end dining rooms, food halls, and regional chains. We saw widespread adoption of mobile payments, digital ordering, and contactless dining almost overnight. Operators had to shift—fast.
For example, implementing procedures to monitor inventory closely can prevent overstocking or food spoilage, while clear cleaning and maintenance schedules ensure the proper use and consumption of supplies. Open communication, recognition for hard work, and team-building activities can improve morale and make the job feel less overwhelming.
Pre-packaged meals, made-to-order sandwiches, fresh salads, and even hot food bars are no longer afterthoughts—they're part of a growing meal strategy. Consider Buc-ee's, the Texas-based gas station chain whose food selection is so popular that it inspires resale markets and fan pages.
From smarter ordering systems to food that travels better, here’s what pizzeria owners can expect in the year ahead. AI is being used to identify potential investors, streamline communication and determine which candidates are most aligned with the brand’s goals.
At the same time, a rise in fast-food prices driven by inflation is reshaping consumer behavior, with many customers now treating fast food as a splurge rather than a convenience. For example, AI can help QSRs make smarter inventory decisions by analyzing purchasing trends and aligning ingredient orders with demand.
After all, it’s not just the quality of your food that can keep customers coming back — 73% of diners base their satisfaction on the quality of service they receive. How do you communicate restaurant policies and changes to your employees effectively? How do you maintain smooth communication between FOH and BOH staff?
There's been a notable shift in how families celebrate holidays as recent data from Sauce saw a 38-percent jump in delivery orders on Mother's Day. For many, ordering in isn’t just about convenience, it’s a lifestyle choice. Streamlining kitchen workflows to ensure efficient order fulfillment.
The challenges can be overwhelming, from managing multiple orders to coordinating staff and ensuring timely deliveries. If you’re a catering business owner juggling multiple orders in a single day. For instance, a robust catering management system can help integrate inventory tracking, staff scheduling, and order management.
When it comes to keeping a restaurant kitchen running smoothly, it’s important to have properly trained staff, reliable procedures and effective communication. That includes food prep equipment like mixers, food processors and slicers. Remember to always unplug food prep equipment prior to any care or cleaning!
Adaptability became non-negotiable as takeout, delivery, and digital ordering shifted from secondary revenue streams to essential lifelines." Self-ordering kiosks, QR codes, mobile apps and loyalty reward cards have created more personalized experiences, which increase the likelihood customers will return.
ChatGPT’s generated image capabilities are particularly concerning for the food & beverage industry because abusers may try to complain about poor service or food quality using fake receipts to get freebies, gift cards or comped meals. When it comes to fulfilling a restaurant order, time is of the essence.
How do you handle multiple tables and orders at once? What steps would you take if a customer received the wrong order? How do you maintain accuracy when taking orders for large groups? How do you handle special dietary requests or food allergies? How do you handle multiple tables and orders at once?
The tool from the East Coast vegan chain — a digital take on a split-flap mechanical display that appears on its website and in the chain’s ordering app — estimates the amounts of water, land, CO2, and oil saved by eating vegan burgers. The “ PLNT Impact Tracker ” on PLNT Burger’s website wants you to think about what you’re eating.
Lastly, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can handle customer service tasks like answering questions, taking reservations, and processing orders, ensuring faster and more efficient support. People are looking for authenticity and transparency, so highlighting where your ingredients come from or how food is made can go a long way.
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. Customer Service and Experience Great food and drink is only truly enjoyed when its coupled with a great service experience.
All that said, bringing a brand to life requires a partnership with open lines of communication. There’s also a bigger focus today on guest engagement and community than ever before. Restaurant brands are now expected to build authentic relationships with guests, which requires transparency and two-way communication.
While price may be one of the drivers of the visit, the restaurant staff must deliver on the experience expected, from taste to food variety and quality, and good service. Restaurants will need to maintain a strong innovation pipeline and focus their communications on value, taste, experience, and convenience.
“Through expansive experiences that inspire our guests paired with the ambiance of the space and the food on the plate, we’re setting new standards for the industry and creating truly spectacular moments for all who enter our restaurants and bars.” That’s where the NEXT Flavor Report comes in.
To tackle these challenges, restaurant owners are relying more on digital tools like mobile ordering, self-service kiosks, and AI-powered workforce management. Self-order and payment kiosks as well as QR code menus are streamlining front-of-house operations, improving order accuracy and speeding up service.
Front-of-house (FOH) staff, like servers and hosts, will need customer service training, upselling techniques, and communication skills. Back-of-house (BOH) staff, including chefs and kitchen assistants, will focus more on food safety, food handling, and kitchen equipment use.
Imagine a world where orders flow smoothly, inventory tracks itself, and guests feel like VIPs every time they walk in. Thats what smart communication tools bring to the table. Smart communication tools step in to lighten the load. Tie it into your POS system like Harbortouchsand orders zip straight to the kitchen, no mix-ups.
Do orders get lost in the shuffle between different platforms? If managing food delivery feels more like a headache than a revenue stream, youre not alone. With 52% of consumers saying that ordering out is essential to their lifestyle, every restaurant that wants to stay competitive must offer delivery.
Photoillustration by Lille Allen; see below for full credits Every major fast-food chain, it seems, now has its own app promising deals, discounts, and a better diner experience overall. If you respond yes to the friendly cashier, youre asked to provide a code or other signifier, like your name, to help the worker identify your order.
If youre one of the thousands of restaurants that added online food delivery in recent years, you might be wondering: is it actually helping my business grow? These metrics give you a clear picture of your delivery performancefrom order volume and customer retention to delivery speed and profitability.
In a world where third-party delivery apps dominate, securing customer loyalty through personalized rewards and direct communication is the equivalent of having the best table in a packed restaurant. Restaurants are going digital, with innovations like contactless ordering, reservation apps, and personalized marketing driven by data.
Is online ordering inefficient? Do you lose money due to food waste? Experiencing over-ordering or last-minute shortages? With a modern cloud-based POS, restaurants can streamline order taking, reduce human error, and improve the overall speed of service. Are labor costs too high? Too many missed reservations?
Every online order, email sign up, and reward program interaction generates valuable insightsbut if that data just sits there, youre missing a major opportunity. Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while? Or adjust your staffing schedule based on peak ordering times?
Diners want the convenience of ordering, booking, and engaging with their favorite restaurants straight from their phones. Beyond mobile ordering, restaurant apps support operations in ways that were never available before. Online ordering and delivery apps. Here is an example of a restaurants branded app.
Customers on average will order more menu items, resulting in a larger bill for the restaurant and a larger tip for the employee. This may seem obvious, but keeping an open communication channel between management and staff is a great way to reinforce the importance of an active staff.
Communication is hard when multiple locations can get teams and office spaces out of sync. This uncertainty makes it hard to hit organizational goals, communicate consistently, and build a company culture across multiple locations. This enables better communication mechanisms and employees can react quickly to stock or demand changes.
Each system has its own tablet, order flow, and set of requirements, making it difficult to keep up with operations smoothly. Each platformUber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDashrequires its own tablet, login, and order management system. Order management issues. Consumers report that 24.4% Staff training and inconsistent efficiency.
Have you noticed how food delivery apps are becoming essential in attracting and retaining diners? In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to create a food delivery app tailored to your restaurant’s needs, while staying competitive in a booming industry. The global online food delivery market size was valued at USD 221.65
A strong restaurant brand doesnt just sell food; it tells a story. It communicates your purposewhy your restaurant exists, what makes it unique, and what emotional connection you want to build with your customers. Establish your brands voice and personality to communicate with customers.
The magnetism of the kitchen dates to those early days of growing up in a home where food played an important role, not as much as some, but enough to leave an indelible mark on my life. At least from my own experience there is comfort and excitement every time I enter a professional kitchen. These are my memories of cooking for the soul.
Are you doing all the right thingsserving amazing food, delivering top-notch service, crafting perfectly balanced drinksbut the tables still arent filling up like they should? The problem isnt your food or serviceits visibility and customer engagementand were going to help you fix that. Upload high-quality photos.
By Indiana Lee, Contributor The rise of food delivery services has driven the restaurant industry into a new frontier. Factors such as driving conditions, mileage, and the specific demands of food delivery—such as temperature control for perishable items—can contribute to the frequency and cost of repairs.
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