I am often asked how I am able to get great service from wait staff when I go out. Let me assure you it is not because they have my picture posted on the notice board under “Big Tippers” or “Point Of Sale Guy”. It is because after almost 20 years of working in and…
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…
21 things your customers wish you knew and understood about them! We spend so much of our time TELLING our customers what we wish they knew about us and so little time LISTENING to what they are trying to tell us. Just imagine for a second the changes we would make to our own business if…
It has been a roller-coaster year for our country and the economy, and not least the restaurant industry. With the year coming to a close, it is a good time to take stock of some of the milestones achieved by Ideal Software. 2018 Ideal Software Highlights It’s always really difficult to look back on a…
‘Tis the season to be vigilant… Tra la la la la la la la la! So many restaurants bite the bullet waiting for “season”, that mythical time in space when the customers have money and just want to spend it. End of year parties, family lunches, holidays at the coast where they just don’t feel…
In the fast pace world of electronic menus, Instagram pictures and YouTube videos the days of “trade secrets” and massive differentials are a thing of the past. Yet, despite that, some restaurants and outlets are thriving while others continue to struggle. If you can’t patent a recipe or a style and you certainly can’t patent…
If you’re old enough to remember when the only options for food delivery were pizza or Chinese food, you’ve witnessed the way that technology has impacted the restaurant industry. Eating a restaurant meal used to mean actually eating in a restaurant, however, this has changed with the widespread adoption of on-demand delivery companies like Uber…
Is disruption about to reshape the restaurant industry? Firstly, let’s understand what we mean by “disruption”. It’s not simply doing it better, it’s not doing new things, it’s doing and making things that make the old way obsolete. Mr D and Uber have not disrupted the delivery service, they have made it so much better…
In a National Restaurant Association study, representatives from different types of food service businesses were asked what percentage of their revenue came from repeat business. The answers ranged from 51 percent at fine dining restaurants to a staggering 71 percent at fast-casual eateries. The lesson here is that restaurant owners absolutely depend on customer loyalty…
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…