Culinary Cues

MAY 12, 2025

Youre a chef, dont take the easy route of buying pre-cooked cold cuts for your meat roast, smoke or braise your own; make it your signature and let the customer see the product being sliced in front of them. For generations excellent meant complicated, intense, all-consuming, and sacrifice. Ahbut there are signs of change.

Seasonal Menu 348

Seasonal Menu Fine Dining Front of House White Paper 348

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 2, 2025

Self-order and payment kiosks as well as QR code menus are streamlining front-of-house operations, improving order accuracy and speeding up service. Customers benefit from the convenience of browsing digital menus and completing payments independently, especially during busy periods.

Technology 251

Technology Mobile Ordering Front of House Back of House 251

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Today, Google reviews have become a massive deciding factor for customers, who are now more likely than ever to leave their own feedback.But here’s the twist: a good star rating isn’t enough anymore. In many cities, restaurants need thousands of reviews to even be considered by customers. Here’s how: 1.

2025 308

2025 SEO Social Media Front of House 308

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 5, 2025

Replacing a front-of-house employee costs an average of $1,056, while back-of-house replacement jumps to $1,491. Management replacement is even more expensive at $2,611 per position—nearly 150 percent higher than front-of-house costs.

Operations 251

Operations Front of House Back of House Customer Service 251

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 30, 2022

Automating the Front of House. Front-of-house staff can be hard to recruit, are less tenured, and have high turnover. Ongoing staffing challenges have led restaurants to embrace technology solutions, especially for front of house roles. Redefining the Role of the Manager. Simplicity Is Key.

Technology 520

Technology Front of House 2023 Cash Management 520

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

As a step further, offering a flexible menu catered to solo diners – with smaller portions to reduce food waste and allow the diner to taste more dishes – provides waiters with an additional opportunity to make personalized recommendations specific to these menu offerings.

Customer Experience 450

Customer Experience Fine Dining Seating Catering 450

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 31, 2024

From salted egg yolks and chili crunch fusions to mushroom-infused teas and freeze-dried fruit powder garnishes, Kimpton’s in-house experts share the standout ingredients, menu items and techniques that will come to the table in 2025.

Beverage 450

Beverage 2025 Fine Dining Guest Recovery 450

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

I came across an old quote from Phylicia Rashad (for those my age – the lead actress in the series “Fame” from many years back) that gave me another opportunity to think about the cooks that I know and have known over the past five (nearly six) decades and why I chose to stand in front of a range. Art is the basis of human expression.”

Food 414

Food Front of House Back of House Presentation 414

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

Just because they can order on their own, it doesn’t mean they don’t need your support navigating the menu or finding something new to experience. Contactless ordering and payment involve a significant change in front-of-house operations for your guests and your staff. Yes, ordering and payment is important.

Hospitality 576

Hospitality Ordering Front of House Customer Experience 576

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 18, 2020

The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury , released the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application and detailed instructions for the application. Step-by-step instructions on how to perform the calculations required by the CARES Act to confirm eligibility for loan forgiveness.

Front of House 520

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Kitchen Safety 520

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 7, 2025

Standardized Tip-Sharing: A Team Win Tip pooling helps level the playing field, ensuring that both front- and back-of-house staff benefit. Ditching Tipping for Higher Wages Some restaurants are opting to eliminate tipping altogether, raising menu prices to cover fair wages instead. Smarter Tipping Strategies 1. Timing is key.

Tip Distribution 251

Tip Distribution Front of House Customer Service Back of House 251

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 24, 2022

When properly deployed, they can transform the employee experience by improving daily operations, syncing front-of-house and back-of-house communication and execution, and delivering a memorable dining experience that won’t send staff to the walk-in cooler for a good cry. Hospitality is greater than the sum of its parts.

Technology 558

Technology Front of House Back of House Online Ordering 558

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

OCTOBER 25, 2021

For this reason, the culinary, tourism and hospitality industries need to evolve and expand their brand by offering plant-based protein alternatives on menus. Here are five easy ways to diversify your brand through the integration of plant-based foods onto your menu: Sub-Out Recipes to Include Plant-Based Offerings on Your Menu.

Dietary Restrictions 546

Dietary Restrictions Food Front of House Back of House 546

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

This can help restaurants meet mandated accessibility requirements and guests’ safety concerns, while simultaneously reengineering the overall menu for a better, more modern experience. Here are three ways that digitizing menus can help improve accessibility. Think about it. Get Rid of PDFs. For example, QR codes (remember them?)

Front of House 547

Front of House Certification Back of House Menu 547

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Foot traffic or heat mapping, menu item engagement, or consumer demographics by time of day. So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. And the digitization of operations over the past few years means that the industry is getting better at capturing that data.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Social Media Fast Casual 419

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 17, 2024

– Salad House CEO Joey Cioffi In 2025, restaurant chains will increase their usage of connected equipment to be more responsive, resilient, and ready to meet evolving customer expectations in a data-first, efficiency-focused world. At the same time, technology is poised to play an even bigger role in the coming year.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Online Ordering Customer Experience 419

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 179

Fast Casual Front of House Back of House Leadership 179

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 22, 2021

Start with Your Menu. Assuming your operation was open at all during COVID-19, you probably removed a number of items from your menu. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that our menus featured too many items, including some we didn’t need. It’s easier for the front-of-the-house to present.

Front of House 493

Front of House Back of House Customer Service Beverage 493

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Customers expect a smooth experience when theyre placing an orderif they have to pinch and zoom to read your menu or struggle to find the checkout button, theyll probably give up and order from someone else. Next, take a look at your menu. Your online ordering system should be front and center, not buried on a secondary page.

Online Ordering 195

Online Ordering Ordering Email Marketing Mobile Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 21, 2025

We’ve all heard the statistics surrounding restaurant closures, from the 50 percent failure rate in the first five years to watching restaurant store-fronts change over year to year. 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

ChowNow

MARCH 14, 2025

On the flip side, poor operations can lead to inefficiencies that snowballlike staffing issues that slow down service, supply chain mishaps that throw off the menu, or rising costs that eat into profits. Front-of-house teams need clear expectations, strong training, and a service mindset that ensures guests feel valued.

Operations 195

Operations Management Management Front of House 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 15, 2021

To have a successful restaurant, the owner or manager must be skilled at managing both front-of-house and back-of-house functions. To help increase these profit margins, restaurant owners sometimes focus more on changes they can make to front-of-house, such as increasing their prices or boosting liquor sales.

Front of House 450

Front of House Back of House Seasonal Menu Food Order 450

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Nearly every restaurant in the United States relies on a Point of Sale (POS) system for the majority of its front-of-house operations. Not only can that become frustrating for your guests, but it can also make in-house operations much more difficult. That system needs access to the internet in order to keep functioning.

POS 520

POS Front of House Cash Management Online Ordering 520

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 9, 2022

Reviewing your data from past menu adjustments may reveal an increase in the price of a chicken sandwich would create less of an impact on sales than bumping up the price of a hamburger. Understand customer cravings and business needs through data. Consider tapping into the treasure trove of customer information your POS platform contains.

Front of House 490

Front of House Point of Sale POS Online Ordering 490

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 20, 2021

Growing your produce is an especially great way to: Choose fruits and vegetables you want to feature on a menu. But, when it comes to both front and back-of-house operations, there are things you can do to cut back on waste production, including: Setting up a recycling program. A Sustainable Supply Chain. Avoid using pesticides.

Sustainability 537

Sustainability Food Supply Front of House Transportation 537

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 24, 2023

When staff are unable to answer basic questions about your gluten-free menu, or ask inappropriate questions of guests who inquire about gluten-free options, consumers may have doubts about your ability to ensure their safety or prepare a dish that meets their dietary needs. The first step is to clearly identify any gluten-free dishes.

Training 449

Training Front of House Kitchen Safety Allergens 449

ChowNow

APRIL 11, 2025

Before you spend the money and roll out a dozen new tablets across your front of house and kitchen, its worth asking: Are these things actually built for the job? It also gives servers more face time with guestsand less time scrambling in front of a screen. Lets break down what to look for in a restaurant tablet.

Front of House 195

Front of House Allergens Online Ordering Back of House 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 13, 2023

Just as the pandemic fueled digital transformation via no-contact delivery apps, QR code menus, and digital ordering, restaurants challenged by lack of staffing will likely turn to technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to alleviate pain points. But arguably no issue has proven to be as constant and bedeviling as the labor shortage.

Front of House 528

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Food Order 528

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 19, 2021

Next, create a brand and menu to be hosted locally or on your favorite aggregator. Finally, find a place to cook and start filling orders, often alongside tickets from a traditional front-of-house. New idea, online menu, real food. Welcome to the age of virtual restaurants. The premise for a virtual restaurant is simple.

Front of House 530

Front of House Online Ordering Food Order Small Business 530

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 10, 2021

While your restaurant may feature a diverse menu, delicious food, a great ambiance, and excellent customer service, you will still struggle to build a customer base without promoting it. Others tend to emphasize their cheaper menu options. A quick look at your POS data will identify the top three selling items on your menu.

Marketing 567

Marketing SEO Front of House Website Management 567

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2024

Restaurants know this, and it’s why they are focused on connecting the back and front of the house. Moving to Interactive Menu Boards Speaking of dining being back – it’s back to being… different. In fact, 45 percent of restaurant operators expect competition to be more intense than last year.

2024 508

2024 Mobile Ordering Front of House Fast Casual 508

ChowNow

JUNE 6, 2025

Mentioning your location, menu items, and your cuisine types gives search engines the signals they need to understand your restaurant’s offer and put it in front of hungry people looking for what you serve. A well-written restaurant About Us page builds trust, sparks curiosity, and even helps you show up higher in search results.

Social Media 195

Social Media Fine Dining Front of House Customer Experience 195

ChowNow

MARCH 28, 2025

These are tools that can help you streamline operations, easily schedule staff, and make sure you never run out of ingredients for your best-selling menu items. Front-of-House AI Applications One of the best things about AI is that while it helps your staff, its also giving your customers a better experience.

Front of House 195

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Email Marketing 195

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Additionally, many robots lack the versatility required to handle a wide range of cuisines and cooking processes, posing a challenge for operators needing adaptable solutions for diverse menu offerings. Can AI and robotics provide solutions to some of the toughest challenges faced by QSRs? It also self-cleans, helping ensure food safety.

Food Safety 473

Food Safety BOH FOH Kitchen Safety 473

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

You are sitting in your favorite restaurant and have placed an order on a tablet at your table. After a few seconds of placing the order, a notification appears on your messaging app. Ding* ‘Your order is being prepared by Chef Bot 19 and will be delivered to your table in approximately 19 minutes. Let’s Start With the Why.

Front of House 528

Front of House Mobile Ordering Loyalty Program Back of House 528

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

This data can be used to make informed decisions about staffing, menu changes, and promotional offers. Moreover, a solid network infrastructure enables real-time communication tools to enhance coordination between the front-of-house and kitchen staff, leading to quicker service times and a more synchronized dining experience.

Operations 472

Operations Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 472