10 hard hitting truths about owning a restaurant in South Africa can be summed up as follows: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly… The Good 1) Restaurants continue to be a labour of love for most who own them, and the passion can be felt the moment you walk in the door. Although not…
The great restaurant challenge! No, this is not a competition. Yes, I am aware there are many challenges facing the industry at the moment but the one that is looming largest is the sudden disappearance of middle management. Cast your mind back fifteen to twenty years and the industry was filled with ambitious young waiters…
There has been much debate over the past couple years about the impact of the minimum wage, particularly as it relates to the foodservice industry. States such as California and New York have instituted a $15.00 per hour minimum wage in each state’s foodservice industry, which has traditionally relied on lower-wage workers. The movement to…
As you are well aware, 2015 has been a significant year on many levels. From political upheavals around the globe to violent events on national levels as well as natural disasters of all kinds, it seems that every time we turn around there is something else that is occupying our time and attention and causing…
Every restaurant receives guest complaints at one time or another, but it’s how your establishment handles the grievances that counts. Look on Complaints in a Positive Light Look on guest complaints as a positive experience because it means that the customer cares enough to give your establishment feedback. It’s better that they’ve expressed their frustration…
The best customer for a restaurant is the repeat customer who comes in to eat on a regular basis, thus becoming a revenue stream rather that a one-time listing on the accounts. Establishing a well-conceived and well-integrated loyalty program can provide you with a critical edge in winning over your customers and converting them into…
The primary focus when it comes to motivating and keeping staff happy in the restaurant industry is in making them feel as if they have a vested interest in “their” restaurant’s continued success and reputation. Easy enough to say, you may think, but how do you put that into practice? Motivating your staff is a…
Labour costs are one of the most important costs of running a successful restaurant. How do we determine its effect on business? An effective gauge is the labour cost percentage: divide the amount owed for payroll with the amount earned in sales. The goal of any restaurant should be to keep this percentage below twenty…
Owning and operating a restaurant in today’s economy can be a challenging proposition, which is why it is so important to build customer loyalty. In truth repeat customers make up the bulk of any restaurant’s customer base and word-of-mouth advertising can do wonders for building up your clientele. But how do you go about building…
There is nothing like a holiday to increase your customer base. Whilst holidays like Christmas, New Years and Thanksgiving are shoe-ins for advertising, sometimes it is the smaller, more personal holidays such as Veteran’s Day or Father’s Day that can truly make a difference in your numbers. Keep in mind, however, that while advertising and marketing…