A sad truth of the food service or hospitality industry is that shrinkage is universal. No matter how small or large the business, some degree of shrinkage affects profitability. This may be due to waste, unintentionally providing customers with more food than they have paid for, or even employee theft. While the first is inevitable…
Mother’s Day is simply one of the best opportunities of the year to encourage new restaurant patrons through the door. This is when everyone is out to dinner or lunch. What are you doing right now to help drive more customers to your business this Mother’s Day? Here are some of the best, most effective marketing methods…
For many, it’s hard to get excited about a new point-of-sale system, yet gaining staff buy-in is crucial to its success. If your staff is suitably enthusiastic about learning how the new system works and the benefits that it brings to your business, they’re more likely to adopt it and work with it. Here’s how…
Restaurants are one of the oldest and most important establishments in our culture. Albeit some of the secret recipes have been handed down from generation to generation, technology such as Point of Sale (POS) solutions have enhanced and simplified the dining experience including reservation and table management, menu and ingredient lists, order and staff management. Incorporating…
It’s nearing the end of a very eventful year that has had more than its fair share of surprises around the world, in the rest of Africa and here in South Africa. 2016 has been volatile, complex and fast changing for both the technology and foodservice industries, both globally and locally. On behalf of Ideal…
Stock control and cost control are vital aspects of most businesses, and it’s important that as a restaurant, you control your stock precisely. In an industry beset by thin margins, this means being able to analyze the stock you need and the stock you already have in order to maximize profits. Analyzing Costs The first…
Technology is always evolving, bringing with it additional comfort and ease of use to the end user. The number of establishments that accept online customer food orders today are on the rise. This can be termed as a smart business move even though it changes how restaurants interact with their customers. Ordering food online has enhanced…
The whole world seems to be playing Pokémon Go, and the craze is starting to take hold in South Africa. The interesting aspect about Pokémon Go is that the game is played in the real world where players use their smartphones to find and catch one of the nearly 100 species of Pokémon. The game…
1. Over-buying Fresh Produce At times when your produce vendor has huge and attractive sales, there is the temptation to purchase more than you actually need. If you end up buying more than you can use before it spoils, the result is food waste instead of money saving, which is what you intended initially. 2….