woman talking to restaurant staff

8 Tips for Attracting & Retaining Restaurant Staff

When employees feel respected and appreciated, it can improve the overall quality of your restaurant. Happy employees are more effective workers, have less turnover, and can help keep your restaurant running efficiently.

woman laughing on santa's lap

Holiday Staffing Tips for Restaurant Operators

For many restaurants, the next few weeks will likely be one of the busiest times of the year. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve operators can rake in the revenue. But with more business, and more people coming through the door, the biggest challenge is always staffing…

person taking notes

8 Scheduling Strategies for Restaurants to Increase Profitability

Creating a schedule is about more than just covering shifts. Good scheduling processes can positively affect your customers, employees and revenue. While having adequate staff on hand to accommodate your guests is your top priority, keeping your staff happy is a close second. You can find a balance between the two in which everyone wins.

burger and french fries with ketchup

5 Ways to Enhance Your Customer’s Takeout Dining Experience

A growing number of today’s restaurant patrons would rather order delivery or takeout than dine in. In fact, the booming market for food that leaves an operator’s walls will surpass $300 billion in sales by 2023. Nevertheless, on-demand foodservice has its challenges…

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Episode 52 – Dennis Invests in Foodservice & Tina Talks Dough

Our team has been working downright diligently over the past few months to bring the Dennis Difference to more customers, in more places. Part of those pursuits includes the addition of new employees; team members who will help support our mission and our customer’s businesses. We’ll share a few updates on our recent efforts in this episode. Also in this episode, Tina Parker of The Dough Co. joins us to talk pizza dough, and about a big change they’ve made!

three smiling customers

5 Free Ways to Get Customers Talking about Your Foodservice Brand

Most fast-casual operators believe that competency creates conversation. That being “good” equals word of mouth. But it often does not, because almost every competitor is at least good. If you want customers to tell others about your restaurants — and you do — you must be different in addition to being excellent.

3 chefs in kitchen talking

5 Tips for Improving Communication in Your Restaurant

Usually, restaurant customers believe the restaurants they frequent run flawlessly. They place their orders and their meal arrives a few minutes later, well prepared and properly served. But behind the scenes, in the back-of-the-house, any semblance of flawless efficiency is hard to come by. For those who have never worked in a restaurant kitchen, the “dance” that goes on in the back-of-the-house likely will appear startlingly chaotic.

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Episode 51 – A “Hospitality” Convo with Steve Hewins

Steve Hewins, President & CEO of the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Inn Keepers Association has some big news. In this episode we’re getting details on the merger of these two organizations; a big focus at the Maine Hospitality Summit on October, 29th in Bangor, Maine. Listen in as Steve shares his thoughts on […]

hand holding burger

4 Ways to Appeal to Your Target Market

To identify a target market, operators often look to specific generations. Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z customers all have different food and dining attitudes, habits, and preferences. What we’re finding now is that many macro trends are shared across generations. They might just manifest in different ways in terms of specific needs and operational executions, but the trends are very applicable across almost all demographics. Once operators have a grasp on overarching themes, they can develop their menus, strategize, and market more effectively. Continue reading…

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Episode 50 – Looking Like a Pro on Camera, with Brad LaBree

If you get nervous even thinking about talking on camera this episode is for you! Video and cameras are an increasing part of our daily lives, and a great tool for getting in front of customers. But, what happens when you clam up on camera, and the words just won’t come out? The future of marketing is video, and the power to compete is in the palm of your hand. So, let’s get over the nerves and get you recording with a few tips and strategies for foodservice operators looking to do more with video.

delivery trucks

Episode 48 – News from the IFDA & Tips for a Smooth-Running Kitchen

In this week’s episode we’re sharing some stats from a new report published by the IFDA and we’ve got a few tips to help keep your kitchen running smooth. Plus, your business with Dennis supports other Maine and New England companies. You’ll hear more about how the foodservice industry contributes to our economy in this episode!

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Episode 47 – The Learning Never Stops, Foodservice Tech Trends, Plus – Kelly & Kelli on School Food Programs

The school of life is the greatest education of all, and in it the learning never stops. Life in foodservice is no exception. As we go about our daily duties, it’s important to stop every so often and assess what’s coming on the horizon. For example, one of the next big foodservice disruptions will absolutely be… find out what it is, along with 5 recent foodservice tech trends and more in this episode!

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Episode 46 – Cold Coffee, Hot Pizza and New Edible Emoji!

Just how popular is cold brew coffee? We’ve got the stats. What makes cold brew different? We’ll help you understand the steep. What’s the biggest hurdle for foodservice operators? We’ll tell you and share the solution in this episode! If you’ve been pondering how to prepare better pizzas with quality ingredients, how to expand your menu with new flavors and combinations — and most importantly – how to produce more profit from your pies you need to tune into this episode!

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Episode 45 – Spotless Tabletops & Chemical Programs with Jesse Landry

Cleanliness throughout an entire operation is an extremely important part of foodservice management. For help with training new employees, or as a reminder to experienced staff, we’re sharing steps to help your team maintain an immaculate environment and reputation. Plus,17 year Dennis Paper & Food Service veteran Jesse Landry joins us for a discussion on chemical programs in foodservice.

pancakes with berries

Go Big on Breakfast in Restaurants & Foodservice Operations

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.

chicken wrap basket with ice tea

Five Ways to Boost Summer Foodservice Sales

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.

ten dollar bill, Alexander Hamilton

Ten Easy Ways Waitstaff Can Add $10 to Every Check

Adding $10 to the check can put another $3 or more of profit in your register—and when you multiply that by all the tables served during a shift, it can add up! Here are 10 different ways to add $10 to every check….

kitchen open sign

5 Ways to Improve Your Restaurant’s Curb Appeal

The curb appeal of any business is often the first impression that people have when driving or walking by. In a sense, your exterior serves as a 24/7 surrogate billboard that conveys many messages. And that’s where the process of enhancing your message should begin: What do you want people to think, feel, and expect when they see your establishment from the outside?

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Top Restaurant Industry Trends to Watch in 2018

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…