Top 10 Flavor Trends 2009
Wednesday, 31 December 2008 04:24
administrator
 Casual, comfort flavor cues will be driving restaurant trends in 2009, predicts Flavor & The Menu magazine, in its annual selection of Top 10 Flavor Trends.
Consulting with a team of restaurant industry experts, Flavor & The Menu's editors forecast, among other menu trends, a French-cuisine comeback in the form of more approachable (and affordable) bistro and brasserie fare, an "urban" expansion of traditional, widely-accepted barbecue flavors and formats, and beer informing a new culinary evolution of restaurant concepts and menus.
Food & Beverage - Hot Food Cost Topic
Tuesday, 23 December 2008 08:16
administrator
 I just received a phone call yesterday from a reader of my blog regarding employee meals. She asked me how employee meals should be handled with respect to food cost calculations. I eventually gave her my answer. Before I directly answered the question, I mentioned my concerns about emphasis on allocation issues.
Generally, I believe there should be a clear policy for each company. There is no absolute method for accounting for employee meals. In the long run, you will have a lower overall food cost result if your focus is on popular menu items and the raw ingredients used in their preparation.
Food & Beverage - 20 Customer Secrets: What We All Need to Hear
Tuesday, 23 December 2008 08:11
administrator
 In 2009, customers rule as never before, and smart operators will be really paying attention.
Guests will share their secrets, if you take time to listen. How many of these ring true...and what's your response?
1. My busy life means I have the attention span of a goldfish. If you don't keep in touch, I will forget you exist.
2. When I refer my friends and they have a great time, it makes me look smart - I like that!
3. I love it when you play good music - your staff know how to use music to create atmosphere.
Mintel Menu Insights Forecasts Restaurant Trends for 2009
Friday, 12 December 2008 02:49
administrator
 Economic downturn expected to increase the popularity of comfort food, classy cocktails, fresh ingredients and authentic Mediterranean. The financial turmoil of 2008 hurt restaurants as many people dined out less to save money*. But from fast food to fine dining, the restaurant industry is determined to get people in the door in 2009.
Mintel Menu Insights, which tracks US restaurant menus, expects five trends to influence foodservice in 2009. Restaurants will re-invent comfort food, mix up their cocktails, focus on fresh ingredients, take Mediterranean food to the next level, and tell stories.
Consultants predict 14 top restaurant and hotel food trends for 2009
Wednesday, 26 November 2008 14:34
administrator
 Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co. Are creators of high-profile restaurants around the world for hotels, restaurant companies, major museums and other consumer destinations. Based in New York, their projects include the late Windows on the World and the magical Rainbow Room, Equinox in Singapore, the world's first food courts, and five three-star restaurants in New York. Their predictions follow ...
The Dirty Reasons Why Diners Don't Return to Restaurants
Monday, 03 November 2008 14:56
administrator
 If you've ever had a perfect evening of fabulous food, fine wine and impeccable service spoiled by a trip to the restroom, you're certainly not alone. The results of a newly released survey commissioned by SCA Tissue North America, one of the three largest producers of Away-From-Home tissue products, found that the cleanliness of restaurant bathrooms is a key factor in repeat business.
According to the survey, Eighty-eight percent of those who visit restaurants believe that restroom cleanliness reflects the overall hygiene standards throughout the restaurant, including kitchen and food prep areas. The survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive among a sample of 2,175 U.S. adults, found that of the 97 percent who visit restaurants, 86 percent think restaurant hygiene is very important to their dining experience.
Food & Beverage - Improving Staff Number Skills: a key to cost cutting
Saturday, 25 October 2008 09:22
administrator
 If staff don't understand the logic or basic maths behind cost cutting, you lose an opportunity to find even more ways to improve efficiency.
And you may have resentful followers rather than a supportive team. Never overestimate the mathematical ability of your staff!
Do they understand these basic number concepts?
There are only 100c in a dollar. If 33c goes on food, 40c goes to labour and 10c goes to rent, that only leaves 17c to cover everything else including profit. Do they think this is good or bad? What is their understanding of the figures in your business? Most staff have a totally unrealistic idea of the cost of running a business...until you tell them.
The Calculator is your friend. It's time to improve basic skills -- in the management workshops we run, as many as 50% of the group will struggle with basic figure and calculator use. Buy some large cheap ones and show everyone how to do basic calculations. Download the Basic Calculator Instructions from the Download Library.
Top Ten Culinary Destinations
Friday, 17 October 2008 07:10
administrator
 iExplore announced their list of Top Ten Culinary Destinations as determined by their Adventure Travel Consultants
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
Food in New Orleans is a way of life and a big part of the city's charm. Any visit here will mean getting your mouth around dishes such as catfish, jambalaya, gumbo and more.
2. Trastevere, Rome
Trastevere's quiet alleyways, traditional restaurants and picturesque quarters are some of the most desirable areas to eat in Rome.
Food & Beverage - 7 Ways to Help Customers Spend More With You
Sunday, 12 October 2008 02:14
administrator
 When money is tight, nothing should come between a customer and their purchase.
But there can be small ways that we make it harder for them to spend - they may have made sense in boom times, but they don't now.
The sales term is 'grease the slide' - removing any friction that stops a customer completing a sale. Check this list for possible bumps or roadblocks:
Take more Credit cards: If you are taking them, do you accept the whole range? Sure, Amex fees are high, but 'no Amex' rules get some people offside - now's not the time for that. Still avoiding cards? Don't make it hard for people who don't have enough ready cash in their pocket.
Food & Beverage - Ways to Find & Spread Good News About Your Place
Sunday, 12 October 2008 01:38
administrator
 You may not be in the event or entertainment industry, but there are many ways to show your business is alive, not in a coma (like the competitors). I remember a customer saying to me: "I like your cafe - there's always something new happening..." She wanted fresh, not stale.
In a gloomy world, there's actually an extra responsibility to generate good news, and it's all around you. Is this just putting on the happy face? You betcha - that's the business we're in.
|
"A Bakers Dozen” of Strategies for Hotel Food and Beverage Directors
Friday, 03 October 2008 15:20
administrator
 While I continue to believe that many things in our industry and lives can be accomplished faster and better, I also still agree with the front page story of the December 26, 2005 Chicago Tribune that offered a most interesting headline:
DOES ANYONE HAVE TIME TO THINK ANYMORE? In today’s frenzy paced period of cell phones, i-pods, text messaging, palm pilots and blackberry hand held devices that keep many people accessible and responding well beyond the ten hour workday, one wonders about the value of free “think” time any longer.
Energy Drink Explosion Hits Food
Monday, 01 September 2008 12:53
administrator
 Mintel expects energy drink buzz to spill over into food, snacks and candy Anyone who's been to a convenience store, sporting event or bar lately knows-energy drinks are hot. Mintel's latest report on energy drinks values the retail market at $4.8 billion, a growth of over 400% from 2003. Mintel sees the number of 'energy drinkers' growing quickly. In 2003, only 9% of adult respondents to Mintel's survey said they drank energy drinks. In 2008, 15% did. Teens have picked up energy drinks even faster. Mintel's latest survey of teenagers revealed 35% regularly consume energy drinks, up from 19% in 2003.
Food & Beverage - 7 Pricing Tricks: how many can you use?
Monday, 01 September 2008 12:31
administrator
 With customers searching for value and the best deal, pricing strategies need to be smarter than ever. It's essential to know the supply cost and competitor pricing, but there are many other 'tricks of the trade' that help customers to say yes!
1. Decoy Pricing: When you have one item at a much higher price, it shows the regular prices as good value. The Seafood Platter may be priced at $75, but all the other seafood items are priced from $20 to $30. Desserts may be $6.50, except for the Belgian Chocolate Indulgence that costs $11.50. Bottles of wine cost $15 - $38, except for a small range costing $80 - $100.
Food & Beverage - Back to Basics: 4 Simple Sales & Cost Improvements
Friday, 22 August 2008 03:03
administrator
 When you're a tourist, you see the industry with different eyes: all the strengths and weaknesses. I'm travelling in Central Australia, a long, long way from big city life and the ease of broadband, mobile connections etc. While everyone is crying about the loss of easy sales, there are so many opportunities waiting if you're ready to go 'back to basics' - here are four that I noticed over the last week:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 1 of 2 |
