Christmas marketing isn’t limited to just the immediate holiday but includes your winter menu changes, catering services, increased promotions of cookies, cakes, pies, pastries and side dishes for holiday meals, holiday party bookings and gift card sales. You have a great opportunity to attract new customers, show your chef’s skills in preparing holiday favorites and exotic foods from other countries and cultures, and host special tasting events that attract convivial crowds.
Seasonal ingredients and menu items have become more popular along with the local food movement, which goes right to the heart of the kind of sustainability commitment that today’s customers are looking for.
Award-winning chef Tim Labonte has joined Dennis Paper & Food Service in the newly established position of Corporate Chef. Previously, Tim was Regional Executive Chef for Maine Properties in charge of all culinary departments at the Portland Harbor Hotel, Inn at Diamond Cove and the Diamonds Edge Restaurant. Tim earned his culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales University in 1999 before beginning his career as a sous chef at the Key West Hilton Resort & Marina in Key West, Florida…
Compared with the national obsession with all-things-coffee, the tea category has received considerably less attention. In spite of its growth, it is less understood in today’s market, leaving a large unmet need to educate consumers about this popular beverage option…
Pictures can be a great way to engage your customers on social media and get them even more involved in your restaurant. Try out a few of these ideas and see how your customers respond!
Breakfast is the fastest-growing meal of the day! In fact, breakfast visits increased 4% for the year ending in May 2015, according to NPD, while lunch and dinner visits were flat. Despite that, Technomic data indicate that it’s also the most skipped meal, due to consumer issues of time, desire for lighter options and affordability. Addressing those concerns and doing it better than the competition means more opportunity to build sales and satisfy patrons.
Longer days and warmer weather can mean new sales opportunities. After months of cold weather, people are eager to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. From al fresco dining to special summer menus, here are five ways you can take advantage of the changing season and drive sales this summer.
Despite industry wide growth for several years, restaurant operators face significant challenges keeping pace in an environment that is changing at a much faster rate than ever before. Evolving consumer tastes and preferences, work force constraints and intense competition will continue in 2018…
In this week’s episode we’re talking about the “who, what, why and how” important to success. Plus, we’ve got this week’s new products and there’s lobster news in the literary world. What is the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy? Bonus points for how many of them are sold during the Easter season. The answer in this week’s episode!
We’re upon the season of holiday gift shopping, light hanging, tree decorating, and of course – a little bit of chaos… With all the stress that comes during the holidays, customers will be looking for a place to get a great meal that they won’t have to cook for themselves. To help you make the […]
So, what is the big whoop about Millennials? Well, they are the largest generation in America, accounting for 80 million consumers, 11.6 million households with kids, and are expected to spend $200 billion dollars this year. And by 2020, Millennials’ spending power will hit $1.4 trillion a year and that will account for 30% of U.S. retail sales…
For operators, raising the awareness of new items through any available channel — website, social media, in-house advertising or on the phone with customers — can have several benefits; including satisfying regulars who want to try something new, add-on sale opportunities, and attracting new customers. If a customer wants to know what’s new at your establishment, how available have you made that information for them? In this episode we’re going straight to the source to discuss “what’s new?” in foodservice.
The foliage will soon start to change, and with that will come consumer cravings for comfort food. Creating signature dishes inspired by comfort food has been gaining momentum in recent years, and with autumn on the horizon it’s the perfect time to start thinking about your unique comfort-inspired cuisine. On that same note, if you’re looking to add warmth and rich flavor to your menu, soups are a great way to do it. We’re ladling up the latest on our soup lineup.
In episode 26 of our podcast we’ll be discussing five ways to boost fall sales. Autumn is a favorite time of year for many folks, and it’s an ideal time to adjust your menu to capture new sales opportunities. We’re also going to talk calamari, you’ll find out where the name came from, how it’s eaten around the world and learn about a sauce that pairs perfectly with it. The sauce we’re talking about is “tarator,” not to be confused with tartar sauce. And on a humorous note we’ve got a short punny story to share with you.
In this week’s podcast we’re picking up the phone – well, your customers are anyway. We’ll touch on the growing impact of smart phones on foodservice. We’re also taking a closer look at the psychology behind good menu design. There’s actual science behind getting customers to order and spend more
From Texas to the Carolinas, and Memphis to St. Louis, there’s no denying Americans’ love of barbecue. These days, however, the definition of barbecue is expanding as ethnic cuisine takes center stage. While regional American barbeque is popular, African and Asian barbeque have had an increased presence on foodservice menus.
While good food, attentive service, value and convenience will always be important, a focus on current trends is important to increase traffic and drive sales. Today’s consumer is looking for more than just quality food and service; they expect healthy menu options, sustainable practices and up-to-date technology. Here are a few ways you can leverage these trends to help attract customers this spring.
You put a lot of time and effort into creating an effective menu. In fact, an effective and valuable menu can be one of your strongest marketing tools. Your guest’s dining experience starts with the menu. Not only does your menu influence your patrons’ first impressions, but it also provides insight into the restaurant’s concept and point of difference.
Pizza consumption is at its highest level in four years—due in some part to the growth of more mature, dine-in consumers at fast casual and full-service pizzerias. Putting Pizza in a position to grab a bigger portion of the growing and ever-more competitive lunch segment
Just as New Year’s healthy-eating resolutions fade, spring arrives and invites everyone to hop back on the better-eating bandwagon. With spring right around the corner, now is the time to revise menus away from winter comfort foods and focus on fresh greens and veggies to give those diners what they’re looking for.
From transparency to fried chicken, many of the popular food trends of 2016 will carry into 2017, either evolving or merging with new trends. Here, we take a look at a few trends that we will be seeing more of in the coming year. Transparency Continues to Drive Demand Consumers are demanding that food manufacturers […]
It’s hard to deny: Americans love dining out. According to a 2013 Dining Trend’s Survey, 47% of Americans’ meals are prepared outside of the home (58% if you live in New York City). This is great news for restaurant owners and operators, and restaurant industry growth is projected to continue to rise. As more and more […]
Menu items have to work hard for a living. They must fit with the concept. Sound and taste good. Make money, of course. And fall within the skill set and resources of the kitchen. The best menu items also have a certain extra something — an “x-factor” if you will. Maybe they cross-utilize a banner […]
Looking to drive up guest counts at lunch? So were these chefs. Here’s how they’re doing it. People are busy in the middle of the day. How do you get them to consider lunch away from their desks and away from quick-serve counters? To help answer that question, we tapped three talented chefs, who not […]
