Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 18, 2022

That’s not necessarily a bad thing—when you have enough staff to handle the crowd and an efficient plan to get those waiting customers seated and served in a reasonable amount of time, you can call it a successful day. Managing a crowded lobby of customers waiting to be seated requires plenty of effort from your staff.

Seating 507

Seating Customer Experience Customer Service Take-out 507

Lavu

MAY 30, 2025

The last thing any restaurant should do is make the customer feel like they are being pushed out of their seat for the next guest. Maximizing table turnover is crucial for restaurants to optimize their seating capacity and increase their profitability. However, turning tables must be done tactfully.

Seating 140

Seating Mobile Ordering Customer Service Customer Experience 140

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

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. Move over “swicy.” ” “Swalty” has entered the chat.

Beverage 450

Beverage 2025 Fine Dining Guest Recovery 450

ChowNow

MAY 30, 2025

If youve got a big outdoor patio, maybe a summer evening special event is the best move. Promote a Limited-Time Menu Item Few things drive action like the phrase only available for a limited time. Creating seasonal or short-run menu items is one of the simplest ways to generate buzz without overhauling your entire operation.

Ordering 195

Ordering Loyalty Program Social Media Email Marketing 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 10, 2023

The partnership resulted in a 116-seat signature restaurant directly inspired by the chef’s menu. Why is design so crucial for creating the right look and atmosphere to complement a menu? Conceived as a destination, The Desmond is tucked away in a slightly hidden location and an elevator ride is required.

Design 487

Design Customer Experience Magazine Seating 487

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 17, 2025

Depending on a guest’s allergies or dietary preferences, AI can suggest personal picks from a restaurant’s menu, for example. Restaurants are responding with creative menu innovations, offering smaller portions, bundled meal deals, and "value bites" menus to provide premium experiences at reasonable prices.

Loyalty Program 221

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Customer Experience Customer Service 221

ChowNow

JANUARY 23, 2025

1) Pop-Up Collaborations Partner with other local businesses, like a bakery, brewery, coffee shop, roastery, or food truck, for exclusive menu items or drinks. This can be as big or small as youd likefor example, you could connect with a local distillery and use their spirits for one cocktail or develop an entire menu around it.

Events 195

Events Seasonal Menu Social Media Customer Experience 195

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 2, 2024

For this, flexible seating arrangements are the key – from cozy booths to communal tables and counter seating, offering options that cater to individual preferences ensures that solo diners feel comfortable and valued. First impressions matter. Creating an inviting ambiance is critical for attracting (and retaining) solo diners.

Loyalty Program 411

Loyalty Program Catering Seating Customer Experience 411

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 16, 2021

We all had contests for our staff where the goal is to sell the most specials/most wine/most desserts, etc. One of the fine dining operations that I consult with had a contest for selling the most chef specials, with the prize being that the chef would personally make the winner any item on the menu for dinner. Lesson Learned.

Front of House 520

Front of House Cash Management Back of House Hiring 520

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 11, 2020

While having to reduce the number of seats is never ideal for a restaurant, many states are requiring it. The best option is to remove some tables and chairs from your dining room altogether in order not to have a bunch of empty seats as reminders of restrictions. Give your outdoor seating the same importance you give indoor.

Customer Experience 516

Customer Experience Dine-in Food Safety Kitchen Safety 516

EATER

MARCH 14, 2025

This year, Del Taco is offering three seafood specials through April 23, which Del Taco president Tom Rose calls the perfect combo for Lent season. Arbys has a limited time menu of crispy fish sandwiches. You also dont have to grow up with fried fish Fridays to enjoy the fast-food specials this time of year. Moka & Co.,

Seasonal Menu 258

Seasonal Menu Dietary Restrictions Catering Social Media 258

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 27, 2022

Regardless of whether this is proper dinnertime etiquette, the truth is that most people can pull out their smartphone to read through your menu just as easily as perusing a physical menu. Here are five reasons why you should stick with QR code menus instead of pulling those plastic menus out of storage.

Online Ordering 508

Online Ordering Customer Service Fast Casual Recycling 508

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 25, 2020

With outdoor dining occupying the foreground, and bars and indoor dining taking a back seat to consumer preferences, it begs the question: what happens when it gets cold? Menu Features – We’ve seen many of our restaurant partners implement menu features with great success.

Seasonal Menu 493

Seasonal Menu Outdoor Customer Service Catering 493

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Due to many factors including inflation and supply chain challenges, restaurant owners and operators have been faced with tough choice about raising menu prices. To do this, restaurants will either need to use lower cost food items or raise menu prices. Another way to introduce price increases is to introduce new elements to the menu.

Pricing 490

Pricing Food Supply Seasonal Menu Menu 490

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

This edition of MRM's "Ask the Expert” features advice from Buyers Edge Platform on the topic of menu engineering. Need to make menu changes? The best results right now can be discovered through the alteration of menus based on what consumers need now, and on what sells best. Keep in mind to keep the menu simple.

Supplies 492

Supplies Seasonal Menu Back of House Delivery 492

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 1, 2024

From creating a welcoming ambiance to offering unique menu items, let’s explore the ways you can refine your restaurant's customer experience in 2024. Menu and food choices Your restaurant’s menu and food choices can entice or put off customers. Moreover, the menu sets expectations for the dining experience.

Customer Experience 397

Customer Experience 2024 Online Ordering Customer Service 397

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 27, 2022

To keep up with the rush, you may want to add extra seating outside or split apart tables when possible. To ensure that takeout feels just as special as the alternative, allow customers to place orders in advance, so they don’t have to worry about waiting too long to pick up the day of. Choose a Minimal Menu for the Day.

Management 531

Management Management Customer Experience Reservations 531

7 Shifts

AUGUST 26, 2019

"Restaurant revenue management is defined as selling the right seat to the right customer at the right price and for the right dura­tion."— From there, you can make vital decisions about price, service capacity, table turnover, and your menu to boost revenue and profits. Engineer your menu for sales and profits. The result?

Management 408

Management Management Airlines Customer Service 408

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

The of-the-moment menu updates are part of sweeping rebrands at the two chains under owner Ascent Hospitality Management. They specialize in breakfast staples, homestyle favorites and homey atmospheres—Perkins largely in the Midwest and East Coast and Huddle House in the South. The first one opened in March in Orlando.

Fast Casual 185

Fast Casual Front of House Back of House Leadership 185

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 14, 2020

If you’re already open : Update your website, social media, online listings and answering machine with your new hours and details such as seating capacity. Food photos have a special place in the heart of consumers on social media—and Instagram is the perfect place to share and connect over cuisine.

Marketing 539

Marketing Social Media Influencer Online Ordering 539

7 Shifts

JULY 10, 2020

Stay tuned for a few special tips from Melissa Bensky, one of Toronto’s most prolific foodgrammers with her account, @tastethesix. Set a goal for your restaurant’s grand opening—whether it’s seating capacity, an order volume, or revenue for your first day back in business. 1 Set goals for the event ?? Plan your staffing ?????

Events 351

Events Social Media Kitchen Safety Seating 351

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 26, 2021

But if you’re in control of making changes such as updating your specials for the week, promotions for new customers, and meal deals for a unique holiday, you’ll save time. As the operator, you should be in the driver’s seat of your online ordering experience to make updates anytime and anywhere.

Ordering 566

Ordering Mobile Ordering Online Ordering Email Marketing 566

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

From the app, customers can browse the menu, place orders, and learn about the restaurant more easily than third-party apps, giving operators a stronger connection with their guests and making them more likely to become repeat customers. With a dedicated app, restaurants can control pricing, menu updates, and promotions without restrictions.

2025 195

2025 Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Online Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 24, 2021

Can they view your menu online? Can they read about weekly specials or see photos of your most popular dishes? Customers want the ability to order online, set up delivery, view seating, and book tables through the convenience of a mobile phone.

Marketing 508

Marketing Social Media Mobile Ordering Website Management 508

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 9, 2021

Wow visuals on the plate and in the dining room, wow views from every seat, wow service, and of course – wow flavors on the plate. If you recognize the farmer, the rancher, and the fisherman, then they might be so inclined to set aside those extra special ingredients for your kitchen. They can’t sell a product that they don’t know.

Front of House 474

Front of House Customer Experience Dine-in Training 474

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

How do you prepare your team for special events or holiday rushes? Can you give an example of how you’ve managed a large event or special occasion at a restaurant? As a restaurant manager, how do you prepare your team for special events or holiday rushes? How do you handle situations where an employee is underperforming?

Leadership 195

Leadership Management Management Operations 195

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 3, 2022

David Portalatin, NPD Food Industry Advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America, said there are three ways consumers are responding higher menu prices: they trade down to lower-priced items; cut back on the number of items ordered; or reduce restaurant visits altogether. Increase in specials and promos. ”

Social Media 450

Social Media Online Ordering Loyalty Program Pricing 450

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 21, 2023

Prior to the challenging environment we currently find ourselves in, the significant availability of capital led to more of a “growth at all costs” mentality for businesses where profitability took a back seat. Are there organic social media posts about your hero menu item? Has your product developed a cult-like following?

Food 419

Food 2023 Social Media Customer Experience 419

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 10, 2021

Entertainment is also an effective way to make any meal special – can you provide games for guests at their table? Provide various seating options, such as indoor vs. outdoor, larger and smaller tables, and ensure that all patrons are abiding by your business’ protocol as much as possible. Live music?

Food Safety 487

Food Safety Customer Experience Customer Service Entertainment 487

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

Continue to Site >>> Menu Forget coffee. 17, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Greenlanes have no dine-in seating. Wishnow, a former Dunkin’ and Taco Bell franchisee, tapped menu consultants and brand builders The Culinary Edge to design a menu that falls somewhere between Salad and Go and Sweetgreen, price-wise.

Fast Casual 162

Fast Casual Leadership Mobile Ordering Casual 162

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 10, 2021

Some have been giving a special, one-off payment to new recruits, while others have provided free starters or drinks to those who sign up for interviews. If patrons are dining in, they can simply include a table number when they place their order so that the food can be brought to where they are seated.

Ordering 592

Ordering Recruiting Food Order Employee Relations 592

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Phone orders are prone to human errormisheard items, incorrect addresses, and unclear special requests are all common issues with manual order taking. With your own online ordering system, you can collect emails, send promotions , and encourage repeat business with reward programs or special discounts.

Online Ordering 195

Online Ordering Ordering Email Marketing Mobile Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 7, 2021

This is not some special type of email marketing. Highlight Your Menu. Most customers want to look at the menu before heading to a specific restaurant to eat. With this in mind, you can highlight your menu items through a video. Spins on local cuisine or twists on your staple menu items. Entice With Recipe Videos.

Email Marketing 572

Email Marketing Marketing Customer Experience Seasonal Menu 572

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 19, 2020

Creating and optimizing the menu based on US Foods’ exclusive food-costing tools, industry analysis and recipes designed by in-house chefs that focus on both profitability and diner trends. Seated Acquires VenueBook. Seated acquired digital event booking platform VenueBook. ” DoorDash Partners with NBA. .”

Kitchen Safety 515

Kitchen Safety Loyalty Program Delivery Customer Service 515

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 1, 2019

The funny thing is that these small businesses – in this case – restaurants – cannot survive on that once-a-year recognition, or even the occasional special event. Don’t they understand how much more special the experience will be in this little bistro with two people in the kitchen, a bartender and two servers?

Small Business 489

Small Business Customer Experience Customer Service Seasonal Menu 489

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Here are some thoughts: PRODUCT: Take a hard look at your menu. Assign the task to your chef to create a menu that is exciting, innovative, delicious, accessible, and financially tolerable. Reverse engineer your menu from this perspective. Start by looking at the economics of producing and selling what you THINK must be there.

Pricing 415

Pricing Marketing Insurance Seasonal Menu 415