Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 24, 2025

Mother’s Day reigns queen as the largest dining-out holiday of the year, with Americans projected to spend around $35.7 Music Drives Dining Performance Music is the invisible host. Yet, many restaurants either throw on a random playlist or forget music altogether, missing a crucial opportunity to elevate the dining experience.

License

Goliath Consulting

MARCH 26, 2025

Why Spring HVAC Maintenance Matters Unlike residential systems, restaurant HVAC units work overtimehandling kitchen heat, crowded dining rooms, and frequent door openings. Adjust thermostat settings, test system responsiveness, and ensure fans and vents are properly balanced to maintain consistent airflow throughout the dining space.

Allergens

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 25, 2025

If you are a caterer, you’ll face traditional restaurant risks like equipment breakdown and damage to your property; however, you may have a greater interest in coverage such as hired and non-owned vehicle insurance. Some other coverages that would be beneficial are spoilage coverage, outdoor property, and contamination coverage.

Insurance

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 17, 2025

"Pre-pandemic, only fine dining establishments typically used tools like prepayments or deposits. ." Nick Kokonas was trying to solve Alinea's costly no-show problem and the resistance they faced when introducing prepaid reservations. Tock's origin story is all about problem solving.

Reservations

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 22, 2024

Local SEO strategies, like targeting location-specific searches, will help your site show up when people look for nearby dining options on search engines. Local SEO strategies, like targeting location-specific searches, will help your site show up when people look for nearby dining options on search engines.

Book

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 30, 2025

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features delivery data, tariff troubles, summer dining trends, and Beer Serves America. Additional findings indicate that 44 percent favor a balance of human staff and some technology, while 41 percent prefer no AI use at all in their dining experience.

Fast Casual

Lavu

JUNE 6, 2025

Increasing restaurant profits allows you to invest in upgrades, like better equipment or a nicer place for customers to eat. Running a successful restaurant in 2025 means more than just great food—it requires smart financial decisions. Let’s dive into what really works in today’s competitive landscape.

Loyalty Program

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 11, 2025

Delivery/Takeout : COVID created a shift from in-person dining to takeout and delivery options, increasing reliance on third party delivery services, and on attractive takeout options. Many restaurant owners had believed they would be covered in the event of something like the pandemic, and found themselves without a safety net.

Mobile Ordering

Lavu

AUGUST 1, 2025

With technology playing a bigger role in dining, your POS system needs to handle payments, manage orders, track inventory, and even help with staff scheduling. Mobile POS Systems Mobile POS systems transform smartphones and tablets into powerful tools for managing orders and payments directly from the dining area.

POS

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 25, 2021

If one thing is clear, it’s that outdoor dining is here to stay. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants have had to rethink their spaces in order to accommodate additional outdoor dining capacity. It makes sense that customers are wary of the indoor dining experience right now.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 7, 2022

A busy restaurant requires industrial-grade equipment. Our checklist has the essential equipment for an efficient kitchen, in addition to a list of tips for running your kitchen safely and profitably. Your restaurant's range is often its most important piece of equipment. Equipment for Restaurant Kitchens: Considerations.

Equipment

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 18, 2022

In the restaurant industry, spring means the beginning of outdoor dining. The outdoor dining season is much anticipated not only because it is enjoyable for diners, but it also benefits restaurant owners and employees by vastly expanding the amount of dining space available to customers. Prioritizing Staffing.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

While each restaurant has its own unique needs based on the existing HVAC system, size, layout and construction of the indoor dining and kitchen area, there are a range of solutions and measures to improve indoor air quality for every indoor environment. Air Filtration. High Ventilation. Air Ionization.

Dine-in

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 11, 2020

Now that states are beginning to loosen their lockdown restrictions and reopen small businesses like restaurants, it’s fair to wonder how drastically the dine-in experience will have to change to accommodate the new safety requirements. And even with stricter guidelines in place, will customers actually risk dining out in public spaces?

Customer Experience

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 20, 2021

Offering a safe and enjoyable outdoor dining experience requires careful planning. Here are a few outdoor dining tips to ensure that you are providing the best experience possible to your patrons. How to Reduce Outdoor Slip, Trip and Falls. Using Temporary Outdoor Structures Safely. Outdoor Heating Safety.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants everywhere are working to safely serve customers, while also creating an atmosphere that leaves patrons with a positive and memorable dining experience. As restaurants continue to navigate limited indoor dining capacity and customers wary to dine indoors, some are expanding into outdoor spaces.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 20, 2020

After months-long dining room closures prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants gained new life in the summer when most government jurisdictions allowed outdoor patio dining. ” Digital workplace tools can help restaurant owners prepare employees to remain agile this winter as they adapt to modified dining protocols.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 19, 2020

The biggest challenge will be on-premise dining and the shift from outdoors to indoors as temperatures decrease in many regions. The biggest challenge will be on-premise dining and the shift from outdoors to indoors as temperatures decrease in many regions.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

With some outdoor dining pilot programs coming to an end as we head into the winter months, tens of thousands of restaurants across the country will be forced to operate at a fraction of typical capacity without added outdoor seating to supplement the loss. Does your dining room layout need a social distance inspired layout?

Cash Management

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 28, 2020

It’s no secret that the dining scene has changed drastically in the wake of COVID-19. As states across the country have lifted and eased restrictions, more and more restaurants have been able to open up — but how are they adapting, especially if they don’t have proper outdoor patios? Give Your Outdoor Space a Refresh.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

To reduce the risk of virus transmission, restaurants can implement solutions like contactless order and payment technologies in the dining room. A transparent coating, it can be used on indoor and outdoor devices, and will not degrade due to the exposure to environmental elements, like rain or increased temperatures. How It Works.

Dine-in

EATER

FEBRUARY 24, 2021

In a time when outdoor heating can be the difference between a restaurant surviving the winter or shuttering for good, these lamps, as the thief likely knew, were more valuable than cash. But the financial burden extends beyond just the cost of the equipment itself. It was after 1 a.m. and a cold, snowy night; the street was empty.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 8, 2020

Enforce social distancing and require appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the guidelines for your jurisdiction. This may include line cooks standing six feet away from each other, tables moved to proper social distances, diners sitting outdoors only, use of disposable menus and placemats, and/or servers wearing masks.

Food Safety

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 7, 2020

They must also have ventilation protocols, such as increased outdoor air, reduced re-circulation, longer system run times and frequent filter checks.” ” New York has just recently reopened restaurants for outdoor dining only. ” The short answer is – it depends.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 12, 2021

As people begin venturing out to eat again after a year of lockdowns and restrictions, 75 percent say they are not comfortable with dining indoors. Ensuring adherence to city and state regulations, keeping parking lots and sidewalks safe and obtaining the necessary city permits are keys to a successful outdoor dining season.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 6, 2021

With strict government health lockdowns in place, dining out became a thing of the past. Restaurants lucky enough to have access to outdoor dining space had to balance the needs of the business with the safety of customers and employees. Dining shifted outdoors, inside tents or into bubbles. Mom and Pop Remodeling.

Kitchen Safety

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

As restaurants have been gradually permitted to reopen, they have new regulations to follow, including restricted onsite capacity, strict cleaning and disinfecting protocols, social distancing rules, and mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Communicate with Customers and Employees. Update Your Crisis Plan.

Food Safety

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 13, 2020

Particularly as they’re learning how to best operate amidst new outbreaks to create the dining experiences patrons expect. Here are three new things consumers expect: Consumers Expect to Dine in the Way They’re Most Comfortable. However, a surge in hot spots means the dining experience will continually evolve.

Food Safety

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Off-Premises Dining Enhanced by Improved Technology. The past year has also continued to drive consumer demand for alcohol to-go and outdoor dining with nearly four in 10 consumers saying the availability of outdoor seating would make them more likely to choose one restaurant over another similar one.

2022

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 16, 2021

What issues have affected the industry over the last five years in the topics of marketing, design, operations, law, finance, technology and equipment? environments and are now seen everywhere from fine dining to counter service and everywhere in between. Mark Hoefer, General Manager, Le Bilboquet Atlanta.

Fast Casual

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 2, 2021

The edition of MRM Research Roundup features restaurant payment transaction data, foodservice equipment purchasing and the lasting appeal of chicken sandwiches. “Our customers are getting back on their feet, and we’re proud to be playing a role by helping them provide a superior dining experience that brings people back.”

2021

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 26, 2021

Dining rooms are open, and tables are at 100 percent capacity in most states. These conditions present an evolving challenge for restaurants when it comes to providing a safe dining experience for customers and employees, especially when it’s often unknown whether patrons are vaccinated or not. An Uncomfortable Position.

Technology

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 31, 2022

This was particularly true for restaurants as dining preferences shifted dramatically throughout these last two years. Get any snow removal equipment you need well in advance so you’re ready to clean up your restaurant's walkways and parking areas. Expand or Create 'Warm' Outdoor Dining Space.

Outdoor

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 26, 2021

Whether it’s offering dining in, takeout or delivery, businesses are committed to keeping their employees safe and helping a cautious public feel more confident about eating out again. We’ve limited our capacity for indoor dining and are complying with social distancing mandates that are informed by local and state guidelines.

Kitchen Safety

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

With so much focus on “going contactless”, it’s important to take steps to make sure guests feel welcome and supported in their dining experience. But it’s really a small component of the overall dining experience. Yes, ordering and payment is important. Yes, ordering and payment is important.

Hospitality

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 3, 2021

As we return to in-person dining across the country, restaurants are facing yet another challenge: delivering an exceptional customer experience (CX) for guests who come with high expectations after more than a year stuck at home. The entire dining experience has changed in the wake of the pandemic. Beef Up Your Online Presence.

Customer Experience

ChowNow

OCTOBER 14, 2020

We went from about a split of 20 percent takeout and 80 percent dine-in to 80 percent takeout and 20 percent dine-in. We didn’t have outdoor seating at that moment. The way we serve, the way we handle the equipment, the way we schedule employees, even our venue. Around here, so many restaurants have closed.

Online Ordering