November 2009 Blog Posts (129)

Non-Operator What Would Happen If You Turned Out All The Lights?

Well, you’d have yourself a pretty unique and enticing promotional opportunity. Check out what Due Amici Bar & Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio are doing this month:

Simple, creative, romantic, different, gets them noticed.

Similar Posts:

* 2 Simple but Profitable Ideas for Your… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 12, 2009 at 9:51pm — No Comments

Non-Operator 10 Traits of Bar Owners Determined to Fail

Opening a bar or managing a bar is not as easy as many would have you believe. Although the rewards for those who get it right can be great, a large majority fail for the same few reasons again and again.

We’ve listed the 10 things we have come across most often that have ended up costing a lot of money, alienating customers and even contributed to the closure of the business. In no particular order:

1. No research done on… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 12, 2009 at 9:45pm — No Comments

The importance of the briefing

“The briefing” is an information session that must be performed every shift, 15 minutes before opening for business. It is important that it is always at the same place, at the same time. Emphasize the importance of everyone being on time and attending every meeting.

During your 15 minute briefing, you must always use five minutes to go over service standards and encourage team members to ask questions of the group regarding service and food and drink… Continue

Added by Massimo Montone on November 12, 2009 at 11:56am — 2 Comments

Operator Free Dessert SPIN Toy Drive at Back Bay Bistro

Those donating an unwrapped children’s toy valued at $5 or more, during normal business hours, will receive free dessert at the popular restaurant. Gifts should be geared for those under 12 and they will be distributed to beneficiaries of Serving People In Need (SPIN) by Newport Dunes in early December. The drive will kick off November 1; call (949) 729-1144 for reservations at the Back Bay Bistro.

Added by Groff-Hinman on November 12, 2009 at 10:38am — No Comments

DAWG Talk: I Want It Now!

Do you remember the stories your parents and grandparents used to tell you about walking miles in the cold and snow? I think the lesson was to teach patience. If you work hard and remain on the right path, you’ll get to where you’re going. Patience was a virtue.

Then, we moved into the fast lane…highways and byways, computers and cell phones, internet and social media.

Change occurs right in front of us, and the speed of change continues to increase. Technology and… Continue

Added by David Rose on November 12, 2009 at 5:21am — No Comments

Non-Operator The Correct Way to Serve Guinness. Trust Me, I’m Irish

As any bartender in Ireland will tell you, there is nothing more annoying than a tourist not “getting” how the process of pouring a pint of Guinness works. Though it varies depending on the country it is served in, the correct way to serve Guinness in Ireland (and therefore the rest of the world seeing as everyone claims Irish ancestry) is the two-part pour:

* Use a clean normal size pint glass and tilt it to a 45 angle and fill to three quarters full.

* Allow the ’surge’ to… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 11, 2009 at 10:26pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Should I Be Afraid Of The Menu?

Taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine yesterday, I headed downtown for a bite to eat.

I found the perfect place, a restaurant with a nice patio with tables where I could enjoy the evening sun. Prior experience had told me to ask the server if they are actually open/serving food/trading before seating myself down. My query as to whether food was being served was met with a:

“I’m afraid it’s only the evening menu being… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 11, 2009 at 10:16pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Top 5 Reasons your business should provide online giftcards.

#1. When a customer buys a gift card for your service, then are not only generating a sale, but they are also generating a GUARANTEED referral.

#2. Gift card sales on a yearly basis have topped at around $100 billion. That's a lot of potential revenue missed if you are not offering your own gift cards online. Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1005802

#3. A gift card sale is equivalent to up-front financing from your OWN customers. Think about it, you can pay… Continue

Added by Brad Oyler on November 11, 2009 at 6:56pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Top 10 Food Songs and their Nutritional Values:

Today we celebrate good food and good music. Please listen to and enjoy this top ten list of food-themed songs and their accompanying nutritional values.

1.) Cheeseburger in Paradise – Jimmy Buffett

The USDA reports that a standard fast food cheese burger with a single large patty, condiments, and vegetables has 480 calories and 24 grams… Continue

Added by Alyson Mar, RD on November 11, 2009 at 4:44pm — 10 Comments

A Glimpse of Greatness

Wow. Wow. Did I mention wow? It’s true I have been to my fair share of conferences and trade shows, and usually I dread them. Tired feet, surface and fake conversation, bad food, bad hotels….. ok ill stop now. But getting back into this industry a couple years back definitely changed that opinion. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of this industry. An industry whose people when all lined up together could cross the United States, twice, and an industry whose purpose is to provide an… Continue

Added by Sarah on November 11, 2009 at 4:01pm — 6 Comments

Which Way...Virginia or...Idaho?

Alright,

Next June/July I will be moving to either Virginia or Idaho and I am looking for someone with knowledge, resources, and/or contacts in these areas to help me find work. If it's you or someone you know please contact me.

Thank you in advance.

Derek Thompson

Hello again,

It's official. I will be moving to Norfolk, Va. this summer! I am looking at restaurants and clubs in the area over the internet and everything looks great on paper. I wish someone would… Continue

Added by Derek Thompson on November 11, 2009 at 6:46am — No Comments

International Hotel Motel Restaurant Show in NYC - some finds

Sunday my business partner and I walked the tradeshow floor at IHMRS in NYC. We wanted to share some observations for you all:

Bunny Juice

Bunny Juice produces a very stylish hotel room amenity of love-making essentials. With a great simple website and discreet, esthetically "right" packaging, we think every good hotel should offer this. We also think there could be a market for certain bars and nightclubs to keep a few behind the… Continue

Added by Jeffrey J Kingman on November 11, 2009 at 6:41am — No Comments

Non-Operator Email Marketing: Keeping in Touch Regularly With Your Restaurant Clients

Many of you will shake your heads when reading the title of this blog. After all, you are in the restaurant business, not in the email marketing business, right?

However, let me tell you something that may shock you: you are in the sales business. If you don't sell your food and beverages, nothing else counts so you need to apply the same marketing and sales techniques than the rest of the business use.

Email marketing is… Continue

Added by Jose L Riesco on November 11, 2009 at 4:00am — 6 Comments

Non-Operator The Value of An Outsider

The value an outsider can offer to you as a business owner is immense. An outsider can be a new customer trying your food for the first time or a friend from a different line of work commenting on your business model.

I recently sat down with five great guys who have achieved successes in their various businesses over the past few years to share stories and wisdom. None of them were in the bar or restaurant business and our only… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 10, 2009 at 9:58pm — 2 Comments

Non-Operator A Bagel & A Cigarette Please….

There is a deli in Oxford, Ohio that every student who has ever attended Miami University will attest is the greatest post-party meal they will ever have (until they go home for the holidays…) That deli is Bagel and Deli and their menu is nothing short of a novel.

My… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 10, 2009 at 9:54pm — No Comments

Operator TIN ROOF BISTRO & AVP CARES TO "SERVE UP A CURE" WITH NOV 14 FUNDRAISER

One thing is certain as you are walking the pristine beaches of Manhattan

Beach: beach volleyball rules. Mike Simms, owner of the newly opened Tin

Roof Bistro at the Manhattan Village Shopping Center, is keenly aware of the

town's penchant for volleyball. That is why he is teaming up with the

Association of Volleyball Professionals to host "Serve Up A Cure" on

Saturday November 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. benefiting Padres Contra

El Cancer, a nonprofit… Continue

Added by Groff-Hinman on November 10, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Understanding people

Understanding people is crucial in the restaurant business and is one of the key factors in success.

Think for a moment you are required to deal with coworkers, customers, suppliers and competitors from all kind of backgrounds, genders and ages. Misunderstandings and conflict can easily happen.

What are people skills and how can you improve yours?

• People are individuals, with similarities and differences. For you to communicate effectively, you need to cater… Continue

Added by Massimo Montone on November 9, 2009 at 6:05pm — 1 Comment

Non-Operator How One Bar Owner Gets A Near Perfect Inventory Result

Speaking to a nightclub owner recently who turns over $100,000+ per week in his busy city centre premises I learned that his weekly variance/stock loss is less than $200 at cost.

I know of other businesses taking in $6000 per week that have the same losses. So how does the nightclub owner do it? Its actually quite simple: He systemises his business and has implemented basic procedures to control stock from receipt to eventual… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 9, 2009 at 4:34pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Clever Way To Encourage Your Customers To Stop Smoking!

Here’s a great ceiling painting to give your customers the hint to give up smoking! Considering the smoking bans that are taking effect everywhere these days, instead of losing customers because they can’t smoke in your premises anymore, encourage them to give up instead!

Added by Barry Chandler on November 9, 2009 at 4:31pm — 1 Comment

1,2,3 Punch of Private Dining

In a recent article “Happy days (sort of) here again” about holiday parties from the Boston Herald Jason MicKinley-Babb the General Manager of Grill 23 (one of our customers) is quoted as saying ““We’re going to come out looking better than last year…”

Why the success for Grill23 when many others are struggling?… Continue

Added by Jonathan Morse on November 9, 2009 at 9:42am — No Comments