Restaurant Business

OCTOBER 23, 2024

This transformation is not just about automation; it's about creating smarter, more efficient, and more personalized dining experiences. One of the most impactful areas is inventory management. Enhancing Customer Service with AI One of the most visible applications of AI in restaurants is in customer-facing operations.

Customer Experience 301

Customer Experience Operations Back of House Customer Service 301

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Advances in AI and customer relationship management (CRM) tools allow businesses to analyze customer behavior, predict preferences, and craft hyper-personalized dining and drinking experiences. For instance, smart inventory systems can help reduce waste, while energy-efficient appliances cut operational costs and carbon footprints.

2025 346

2025 Hospitality Bar Customer Experience 346

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 19, 2025

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.

Hospitality 305

Hospitality Front of House Back of House Food Order 305

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 7, 2025

As the digital dining revolution accelerates, the most successful restaurant chains will be those that transform their fragmented tech landscape into unified enterprise platforms. The operational trifecta of inventory management, financial oversight, and labor scheduling represents a major drain on resources for most chain restaurants.

Loyalty Program 282

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Customer Experience Customer Service 282

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 17, 2025

"Pre-pandemic, only fine dining establishments typically used tools like prepayments or deposits. Now, restaurants across all categories recognize how these features protect their bottom line, especially with ongoing staffing challenges and inventory planning concerns." Tock's origin story is all about problem solving.

Reservations 251

Reservations Fine Dining 2024 2023 251

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 31, 2024

What can you expect to see on menus in 2025? Read on for predictions from industry insiders that include chili crunch, black limes, newstaglia, stealth health, and elevated snacking. ” Guests will have the opportunity to experience many of these trends come to life at Kimpton restaurants and bars across the globe.

Beverage 450

Beverage 2025 Fine Dining Guest Recovery 450

Culinary Cues

MARCH 10, 2025

Every cook, at least every serious cook, seems to want to work in one of those exceptional fine dining or cutting-edge experimental operations that are depicted in shows like Chefs Table or The Bear. If you are serious about a kitchen career and have the focus to map out the best path, then listen up.

Hotels 376

Hotels Fine Dining Seasonal Menu Healthcare 376

The Rail

JANUARY 21, 2025

Optimizing Inventory Management Spoiled or unused inventory is another major contributor to food waste. AI-powered inventory tools can optimize inventory levels by 35% as they monitor stock levels in real time, alerting staff to slow-moving or soon-to-expire ingredients.

Waste 182

Waste Compost Recycling Food 182

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Inventory management tools, for example, enable the real-time tracking of food stock, alerting staff to use items before they spoil and reducing waste. The restaurant industry is a case in point, where employment has yet to climb back from pandemic-induced losses.

Marketing 449

Marketing Tip Distribution Mobile Ordering Customer Experience 449

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

There will *always *be something your staff can do to enhance a patron’s dining experience. As a restaurant manager or operator, you are the driving force in productivity – leading your staff and keeping customers happy. However, productivity is more easily trained than managed.

Mobile Ordering 221

Mobile Ordering Back of House Customer Service Online Ordering 221

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 27, 2025

With households increasingly treating dining out as a luxury, every menu item and service interaction becomes a potential make-or-break moment. Additionally, customer satisfaction with full-service restaurants varies significantly depending on the type of purchase experience (dine in, carry out, or delivery). At the same time, U.S.

Loyalty Program 371

Loyalty Program Customer Experience 2025 Customer Service 371

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 3, 2025

It can also optimize operations by forecasting busy times, adjusting staffing levels, and managing inventory, making everything run more smoothly and cutting down on waste. Guests also want an experience, not just a meal, so messages that promote unique dining events, themed nights, or a fun atmosphere can create excitement.

Marketing 380

Marketing Loyalty Program Email Marketing Customer Experience 380

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 14, 2025

Among the report highlights: Cost-conscious diners are rolling back their spending, not cutting it out: 45 percent of surveyed diners report they are visiting restaurants less often due to rising prices, with nearly half saying they’ve decreased their dining-out budgets in the past six months. Diners are willing to embrace voice AI.

Loyalty Program 332

Loyalty Program 2025 Mobile Ordering Fast Casual 332

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 21, 2025

AI-driven inventory tools analyze customer order data alongside real-time factors like storage capacity, time of day, location, and even weather patterns to predict demand with greater accuracy. The landscape is only getting more difficult, as evidenced by name brands like TGI Fridays and Red Lobster closing locations around the country.

Technology 221

Technology Front of House Customer Service Back of House 221

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

AI-driven tools can help optimize everything from labor scheduling to inventory management, reducing waste and improving margins. For more than two decades Sam Ballas, Founder of East Coast Wings + Grill, has focused on brand building in a smart and sustainable manner. The more seamless the experience, the higher the guest retention.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program Franchise Franchising Fast Casual 251

Lavu

NOVEMBER 30, 2024

Integrating mobile inventory systems with POS platforms simplifies restaurant operations by automating inventory updates, reducing errors, and providing real-time insights. Here’s what you need to know: Benefits : Real-time stock updates, improved accuracy, and smarter inventory planning.

Inventory 78

Inventory POS Mobile Ordering Waste 78

The Restaurant Group

FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Introduction In the fast-paced world of restaurants, keeping a close eye on your inventory is as vital as the secret sauce in your signature dish. Proper inventory tracking helps reduce waste, control costs, and boost profits. What Is Restaurant Inventory Management? Key Components of Restaurant Inventory Management 1.

Inventory 88

Inventory Management Management Audits 88

Lavu

NOVEMBER 29, 2024

Running a restaurant is tough, and poor inventory management can make it even harder. That’s where POS inventory tools step in to help. Research shows that using POS systems can reduce stockouts by 15% and cut excess inventory by 10% , directly improving profitability.

Inventory 78

Inventory POS Waste Point of Sale 78

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 27, 2025

Even small restaurant operations should maintain a centralized inventory of all third-party relationships with documentation of security assessments, contracts, and compliance certifications. Consider the alarming pattern over the past three years. In January 2023, Yum! The Golden Corral data breach provides an instructive case study.

Insurance 282

Insurance Document Employee Relations 2023 282

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.

Operations 195

Operations Management Management Front of House 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 2, 2025

Behind the scenes, digital kitchen solutions and automated inventory tracking are enhancing back-of-house efficiency. A Seamless Dining Experience That Drives Revenue Digital tools like mobile ordering and contactless payment transform the dining experience while driving profitability.

Technology 251

Technology Mobile Ordering Front of House Back of House 251

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

They help with reservations and table management, staff scheduling and time management, inventory tracking, rewards programs, automated marketing, and more. For operators, restaurant apps mean higher sales, greater customer retention, and smoother day-to-day operations.

2025 195

2025 Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Online Ordering 195

ChowNow

MARCH 7, 2025

When used strategically, customer data can help you personalize marketing, streamline operations, and create a better dining experience for your guests. The result is a dining experience that feels more curated, keeping customers engaged and satisfied. Or adjust your staffing schedule based on peak ordering times?

Loyalty Program 195

Loyalty Program Email Marketing Online Ordering Point of Sale 195

ChowNow

MAY 23, 2025

You can have a crowd-pleasing menu, loyal regulars, and a packed dining roomand still watch your margins disappear. If youre using a modern POS system or inventory management software, you likely already have most of this information easily at your disposal. Because not every dish thats popular is profitable.

Menu 195

Menu Seasonal Menu Point of Sale Online Ordering 195

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 195

Book Marketing Email Marketing Social Media 195

The Rail

MARCH 31, 2025

Consistency and Efficiency Across Multiple Locations Technology is also key to consistency and efficiency in restaurant group management: Automated Inventory Management: Businesses can reduce human error by automating inventory tracking. By Jose Chavez, Contributor Managing multiple locations is tough in the restaurant business.

Technology 130

Technology Management Management Operations 130

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 17, 2025

Hoteliers and restaurant operators are increasingly demanding POS systems that seamlessly connect with CRM, loyalty programs, reservation systems, inventory management, and payroll. Operators would see increased prices in their supply chain, resulting in rising costs to their guests as well. by about one percent.

Loyalty Program 221

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Customer Experience Customer Service 221

Lavu

APRIL 25, 2025

One of the most effective tools for achieving this is mobile inventory management. This system helps restaurant owners and managers track stock in real-time, reduce waste, and maintain optimal inventory levels. By automating inventory processes, restaurants can save time, improve accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency.

Inventory 78

Inventory 2025 Management Management 78

The Rail

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Digital floor planning software allows restaurant owners to visualize their new kitchen, dining area, and storage spaces. Cloud-Based Inventory Management Inventory is one of a restaurant's most crucial assets , and ensuring a smooth transfer from one location to another can be daunting.

Innovation 130

Innovation Transportation Loyalty Program Social Media 130

Lavu

NOVEMBER 30, 2024

They connect tools like inventory tracking, payroll, and online ordering into one system, allowing real-time data access for smarter decisions. Key benefits include: Efficiency : Automates workflows like inventory management and order processing.

POS 78

POS Operations Online Ordering Mobile Ordering 78

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

An inventory management system with automated restocking alerts keeps your stock levels in check. Knowing which tools your business needs can feel daunting, so weve organized the best restaurant technology tools of 2025 into eight key categories that cover every aspect of running a restaurant. Too many missed reservations? Set clear goals.

2025 195

2025 Technology Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering 195

ChowNow

MAY 23, 2025

The truth is that the average restaurant profit margin is razor-thin, leaving almost no room for error. A spike in food costs, a drop in sales volume, or one slow season can wipe out months of hard work. If your restaurant profit margins arent healthy, it doesnt matter how busy you areyoull always be playing catch-up. added up to $60,000.

Point of Sale 195

Point of Sale Insurance Fast Casual Customer Service 195

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Your staff, especially your restaurant manager, plays a crucial role in the overall dining experience. Looking for someone to oversee day-to-day operations is a critical business decision that needs careful consideration. In this article: What strategies do you use to motivate and engage your restaurant employees?

Leadership 195

Leadership Management Management Operations 195

ChowNow

MARCH 28, 2025

Whether its through AI-powered chatbots that handle customer inquiries or advanced analytics that help you understand dining trends, AI is becoming an indispensable tool for modern restaurants. The short answer? More than you think. AI isnt about replacing peopleits about making everyday tasks faster, smarter, and easier to manage.

Front of House 195

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Email Marketing 195

Squirrel Systems

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

From improving customer satisfaction to managing inventory, every day presents a new opportunity to optimize operations. No longer just a payment processing tool, your POS system can handle everything from order taking and payments to inventory tracking and customer data management.

2025 93

2025 POS Technology Operations 93

ChowNow

MAY 9, 2025

Factors like portion size, seasonal ingredients, and market price changes all affect this number, which is why inventory management and regular updates to your recipes and pricing matter. If your average food cost percentage is too high, it can wipe out profits even when sales are strong. Are you overstaffed on slow days?

Operations 195

Operations Email Marketing Food Supply Seasonal Menu 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 3, 2025

Quick-service and fast-casual concepts are leading this transformation, developing layouts that can seamlessly shift between dine-in, takeout, delivery, and potentially even catering or retail components. Among her design tips: Form Must Follow Function, Go Big in Little Ways and Design to Grow. How does it dovetail with sustainability goals?

Fast Casual 251

Fast Casual 2025 Design Customer Experience 251