Super Bowl Sunday would not be complete without some restaurant industry analysis and predictions on what folks will eat while watching the Big Game. In case you need some last minute thoughts on what to run on the menu specials board, wings and pizza will clearly be the best sellers. According to these excerpts from…
Restaurant management tips on how customers read a menu that is contrary to prior research on the most favorable approach are offered in a new study. In summary, it found that customers read a menu like a book and pick the entrée (i.e. main course) first. In the study, which was conducted by Sybil Yang, assistant professor…
New reports from different restaurant advisor sources point to the economy having an impact on consumer spending along with product costs that are on the rise next year. With economic uncertainty and high unemployment still at the forefront, it is not surprising that consumers will curb their eating out expenditures along with other discretionary spending.…
Our restaurant consultant talk and article abstracts focus on reservations from an owner and operator standpoint. The first surrounds the policies and procedures that foodservice businesses use to maximize seating. The other is who really wins when using an automated system, such as OpenTable®. Here is the article in the New York Times and an…
Like many other important holidays, restaurant planning for marketing promotions and programs should not overlook the beginning of the Lunar calendar. It is important to note that a major portion of the world’s population in Asian countries, such as China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, will ring in the start of the New Year on January…
Groupon can be a best friend or an unwanted guest from a restaurant management expert standpoint when it is not used correctly. Somewhat like the Entertainment Books of old that the customer could use at whatever restaurant provided the coupons, Groupon is not always going to get you return guests. Like it or not, some…
A recent study by a restaurant consulting and analyst firm says barbell menus will attract lower and middle income consumers. Barbell menus are typically priced and tiered to offer value and affordability targeted to those with less disposable incomes. In a domestic society where eating out is a significant part of our culture, restaurants have…
Food trends are ever changing, like music and top ten hits, as many a restaurant management consultant knows. Still, some of these new dining fads may start a new chain concept or just reinforce old menu standbys. Here’s a look at a one new and one not-so-new food idea that are making the headlines at…
There is an interesting article from a restaurant advisor perspective on the CNBC guest blog on the perception of U.S. restaurant brands in China and the consumers in that country. If you are planning on expanding operations to China or focusing on those immigrants coming here, a few important issues brought up in that blog…