A few days ago, I was talking to customers at one of our operations. A gentleman asked me about what it’s like to manage a full service restaurant. My response was the same as it has been for the last ten years. Managing the front of the house of a restaurant is like throwing a big party at your home for 150 of your best friends and relatives. The biggest difference is the party is perpetual, every night.

At your home, you want to make sure every guest is entertained, happy, served well and there is no negative body language that would say otherwise. Running a restaurant is much the same.

Your eyes catch everything.  A server who passes by a dirty table, a customer with an empty glass, body language that seems negative, the piece of paper on the floor, the customer waiting for a check, the busboy that needs a haircut, a guest that drops a fork – it all happens almost simultaneously.

When you have a party, don’t you do the same thing? You work hard to make sure everyone has a good time, is happy with your food and leaves with a smile on their face. You eyes scan the room for any glitch that will improve the guest’s experience at your home. Why would you do any less at your restaurant?

At your home you may pay special attention to your mother-in-law who is very picky. Don’t we have the same at restaurants – guests that are picky? We care about how clean the bathrooms are at home – we care at the restaurant also. You would never let loud, inappropriate music blast your guests at your house, nor at your restaurant. The crying baby in the living room at your house is often offered something special ostensibly to satisfy the baby, but really to stop annoying the rest of your friends and family – the same at your restaurant.

While you can find a few differences, the reality is that there are far more similarities between a big party at home and the nightly experiences at your restaurant.

One of the key differences is staff. At home you may hire a person or two to help with the party, but at your restaurant, you may have dozens. If you can train them to think like it is their party every night, you have created an atmosphere that will bring people back time after time. Including the free-loading in-laws!

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook

If you are a glutton for Internet time, then by all means consider a blog to boost your restaurant’s exposure and start a dialog with patrons. Just remember that an effective blog is like a fish tank of goldfish. If you don’t feed them they die and stink up the place. Your blog will take a little daily care and feeding to be successful.

Don’t expect miracles from your blog. It takes time and content before the search engines start to spider your site and add you to their indexed material searchable by Internet users.

To start your blog, carefully plan what you want the content to focus on. Subjects may include general food advice, recipes and cooking tips. You can write about the restaurant business in general and answer questions about how the hospitality business works. Consider a customer feature section of the blog to focus on patrons who frequent your establishment. Perhaps a daily journal of the restaurant operations for staff and customers alike. Whatever you choose, keep your posts relatively short and to the point. Use laymen’s terms and personal styles that fit your communications goals.

Creating a blog is very easy with many choices for an inexpensive and quick setup. In fact, email me and I will send you a FREE mini-ebook titled Building and Maintaining a Restaurant Blog – The Guide to Getting Your Own Blog in 30 Minutes or Less. This ebook takes you through the process of creating a restaurant bog complete with graphics and full support in just a few minutes. There are ideas and subject recommendations to achieve your goals. It can’t get any easier!

Larry Edger, Author
The Restaurant Ebook

The restaurant industry continues to debate the value of celebrity chefs with their reality shows and entertaining “cooking” shows. Most of us know the public’s perception of these fictional programs is based on the entertainment value as opposed to the real cooking element presented. I am sure I am not the only restaurateur that has laughed as Emeril flubs another dish as they go to break for a million dollar commercial. Personally, I am not convinced these TV personalities have much of an impact on the food business other than their own ability to sell products and advertising.

One thing is clear. Just because they can brand their name and open restaurants across the country, that doesn’t mean success is guaranteed. The customer still has expectations that must be met for an extended restaurant life. No one truly believes the fantasy of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen or the business mess of Rocco’s. Few of these stars have escaped the pad locks that decorate their closed ventures. Ramsay has three closures in the last six months. Under the marketing conditions in the coming year, there will be many more celebs packing it in.

The difference between the celebrity restaurants and the “real” operations that open up is the amount of initial publicity. Robert Irvine, recently deposed from the Food Network, has been planning two restaurants in the St. Petersburg, Florida luxury district downtown for many months. The publicity has been non-stop for six months since the announcement. No independent food operation garners such attention. We do it the old fashion way - one customer at a time.

The basic elements for long term survival must be employed by any venture. You have to create a real connection with the customer. The connection cannot be based on  short lived hype or legend. It must offer an experience that guest will savor, send and save. They will savor the experience by meeting their expectations. Customers will send the experience on to friends and family by word of mouth. Finally they save the visit in their mind for many return visits. If your restaurant doesn’t capture the guest with a connection, no amount of publicity will salvage your ultimate fate.

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook

What if a major mid-priced steak chain put a smaller version of their steakhouse in an area that was growing with hotels, condominiums and thousands of tourists annually all within a two mile range. The location was on a corner of a shopping strip at a traffic light with access from all directions and street parking as well as excess parking in a lot behind the restaurant. To make the package even more attractive was the fact that no other chains existed within at least four miles.

A “no-brainer” you say. That’s what Outback Steakhouse thought about one of its locations. After five years and many thousands of marketing dollars, they closed the restaurant.

In The Restaurant Ebook it was predicted as well as another similar anecdote about a famous chain and one of their corporate decisions.

Placement of a restaurant is critical. Demographics and clear understanding of your potential guests’ demand and habits have to be part of the decision making process.

In the case of Outback, the location was on an island beach resort. There was a mix of residences within their target market, but not enough to sustain the location year round. A large part of the equation was that the thousands of tourists who visited the area were incorrectly counted heavily as potential customers. Outback failed to understand that a large contingent of travelers don’t want to go to a carbon copy restaurant they can visit at home. They want local unique restaurants that provide the travel experience they are seeking.

Another blunder was the fact that a gulf front island means a demand for seafood, not beef. To survive, Outback would have to change their menu, name and probably act more like a quaint independent than a cookie cutter chain. Big companies don’t do this very well except when looking for acquisitions and new concepts that someone else has successfully developed.

It is not particularly pleasant to be right about the prediction of this closure. It is always sad to see people lose their jobs. However, maybe the lessons from Outback’s errors can give entrepreneurs cause for taking a better look at their location and escape a similar fate.

When doing research for opening, planning and operating your restaurant, consider The Restaurant Ebook your guide to increasing the odds of survival.

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook

There is a study done by Restaurant Hospitality magazine that says 27% of restaurant diners have quit going to a particular restaurant in the past year because of “poor service”. That is over one fourth of the people eating out quit going to someone’s restaurant. Was one of them yours?

The problem is defining what poor service means to various segments of the population. Is it rude servers, long ticket times, not visiting tables often enough, forgetting condiments, slow follow up or some combination of these? It may take another survey or more customer feedback to define “poor service”.

Some research I did for the mini-ebook titled “Pardon Me, But Your Customers Want to Talk To You” may be a glimpse into what guests think bad service really is. For about a month I collected individual reviews posted on blog sites, restaurant review websites and newspaper reviews on restaurants that subsequently closed their doors. It was tedious research, but the quotes from the restaurants’ customers were so compelling, I couldn’t stop. The thought crossed my mind that if the owner had read these comments well before he closed his doors, could he have changed his destiny.

The research found that “bad service” was by far the terms most used by customers about the vast majority of the closed operations. Assuming “bad service” and “poor service” are interchangeable, then comments from those who further defined bad service will help define the term. In almost every instance waiting long periods of time for any guest service was an issue and reason given for the restaurant’s closing. In rare circumstances did the customers cite bad food as the cause.

A synopsis of those comments were;· Waiting to be greeted.· Waiting for the table to be visited by a server.· Waiting for drinks to be delivered.· Waiting for the order to be taken.· Waiting for food to be delivered.· Waiting for a return visit by the server.· Waiting for the check.

Obviously, waiting for any facet of the guest’s experience was the single most frustrating part of the dining experience. How many of these bottlenecks do you have in your restaurant? Do you know? What have you done to correct them?

Based on the comments of guests from closed operations, now might be a good time to find out the answers to the questions above.

Larry Edger, Author
The Restaurant Ebook

Quick Service Restaurants (the politically correct words for fast food joints) have been a thorn in the side for many independent restaurateurs. They can decimate a lunch trade when two or three open up within a few blocks of your establishment. You can fight them or use them to build a better trade and niche.

Chains like Burger King, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway spend millions of dollars on research. They study food trends, marketing techniques, workflow, cost controls, equipment uses and even the colors that motivate people. The QSR’s have hundreds of employees working in various departments producing consumer information on just about any subject you can imagine.

How can you utilize this information? Try a few of these ideas.

• When researching new menu items, look at new products released by the chains. If they think smoked Gouda and pears are a hot combination, you can bet they spent tens of thousands of dollars to test the flavor combinations. You can use the flavor profiles they may develop to create an entirely new dish of your own.
• If you want to find the best brands and newest equipment technology, just look at the QSR’s. A few years ago Dunkin Donuts got into the lunch business with hot sandwiches. Most of their facilities and franchisees couldn’t retrofit their kitchens with traditional cooking equipment, so they went to the “Turbo” ovens that could turn out crisp hot sandwiches in seconds. The oven needed no hood, no vent and was affordable. Now these quick ovens are being utilized in a growing number of fast casual and upscale restaurants.
• Want to control costs? No one does portion control better than QSR’s. That is the only way they can produce a profit and maintain consistency. Watch what they control and how they do it, right down to the napkins.
• Watch economic trends by watching the fast service restaurant’s emphasis. This year, as some say we may be moving toward a recession, watch the advertising of more “dollar” meal values. They will cater to the consumer’s pocketbook. You may want to do the same thing.
• Want to redecorate your restaurant? Just look at colors used in QSR’s and DON’T use them. Fast food locations want to move people in and out. They have researched color combinations to the point where they know what colors and seating will keep the customer from being a fixture. They want to get them out the door!

How do you find out what the QSR’s are researching, marketing and releasing? Just check out their websites. There is a wealth of information you can use. Test markets for food, new consumer nutrition data, trends for cooking and even supplier data.

Remember, QSR’s don’t have a niche. They merely want to serve the customer quick with a value. You can find their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Use the weaknesses to build your competitive brand. Note what you don’t see such as fresh vegetables that spoil easily such as avocados, meats that take long cooking times and care like brisket, breads that have a short shelf life and quality desserts.

Studying the QSR’s can make their research and develop department a a part of your strategy.

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook

On a recent trip to Naples, Florida, I was again reminded that location is everything - well almost everything. It is clear that great food can’t cover up a bad location, but why doesn’t good food make it in a great location?

One of my favorite restaurants and watering holes in Naples is the Riverwalk Restaurant. The location is next to the somewhat famous Tin City and along a busy waterfront. Immediately next to the Riverwalk was another restaurant called Pier 41. The Riverwalk was always extremely busy; Pier 41 struggled for many years. They were within 20 feet of each other. Pier 41 was clean, had a reasonable menu and even had better access than Riverwalk. They never could quite be as popular.

On this trip I was pleased to see that a new restaurant with a completely re-juvenated concept had replaced Pier 41. Not only had I noticed, but it was clear from the wait at the door and full tables, the population of Naples had embraced this new concept. It was also apparent that the restaurant didn’t go through any extensive changes to the facility. Why did this new seafood concept work and the old seafood menu fail? I was determined to find out.

Before visiting the new restaurant called Pinchers, I talked with some of the long-term staff at Riverwalk to get their opinions and then ventured a few feet out of the Riverwalk and entered Pinchers. After a few minutes the differences were clear.

• The new restaurant had a more casual feel with staff in polo shirts and shorts. No more white shirts.
• The menu was pricey, but not unlike similar Naples waterfront restaurants. What the menu did have was an abundance of seafood items that neither the Riverwalk or the old concept had. They found a niche of local fresh items that tourists and locals would enjoy.
• The staff was well chosen and more outgoing. The old restaurant had a feel of competence, but lacked that enthusiasm of the new one.
• It was clear that Pinchers understood the demographics of their customer base than the old concept. Many customers went back and forth between the Riverwalk and Pinchers just during my time at the locations. The customers were portable and interchangeable!

The new restaurant had to go no further that 20 or 30 feet to figure out how to become successful. Look at the strengths a long time community favorite, the Riverwalk, capitalized on and re-invent them at Pinchers while offering menu alternatives. The old concept had a slightly more upscale approach to both atmosphere and menu. Apparently, people wanted less formality in a waterfront location. It was clear that atmosphere, menu and customer service will combine to make this new venture a success.

Location is critical, but you can’t forget the customer’s expectations - you have to meet them or exceed them in a robust competitive location.

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook

One way to improve service, food, procedures and get pointed feedback is to ask your servers and other employees what can be done better. Encourage anonymous responses to pointed questions. Examples may include:

• What is the food item most wasted on return plates?
• What do we get requests for that is not on the menu?
• What is the weakest item on the menu in terms of quality?
• How can we serve the guest faster?
• What procedures would you most like to see changed?
• How can we help you earn more tips?
• What would you change in the kitchen?
• How can we sell more beverages?
• If you were owner or General Manager, what would you change?

Your operation may have additional focus with the questions. Only use this about three or four times a year to be effective and not a regular bitch session. Give each employee an envelope that makes the responses private.

Finally, publish the results eliminating any personal names. Follow up with additional questions if some of the responses are unclear. These semi-annual forms have produced marketing ideas, menu changes and cost saving procedural changes many times in our operations. The ultimate beneficiary is the customer.

Larry Edger, Author
The Restaurant Ebook

You must be opening a restaurant!

A friend, who has opened several restaurants, recently visited one of our operations. I inquired about his latest venture and to sum up his answer, he has the fear of opening and no one showing up. He has the nervous tension that comes with finalizing the little details, dealing with contractors and synchronizing staff, food deliveries, training, marketing and menu testing just before opening. Finally, he has the insomnia that comes from falling into bed so tired it’s an effort just to get your clothes off and then the horizontal position is when wide-eyed doubt takes over. Your mind has a sleep schedule of it’s own! You go over the next day’s activities, mentally search for anything you have forgotten and deliberate about things you have already done to see if there is a better way. Then, sleep may sneak up on you sometime during the process.

I recognized his symptoms and knew there was no cure until the first customer walks in his door on opening day. Every restaurateur goes through the cold feet stages just before opening. He or she knows that if the business plan was done right, the marketing plan is in motion and the staff training is complete, then you are ready to raise the curtain on your show. You may know you are right, but you also know the odds are stacked against you. You know that most restaurants fail - no one disputes that fact, just how big the percentage is.

The best comfort I could be to my friend is to put his mind at rest for a few minutes. I asked;

• Are you comfortable with your business plan and concept?
• Have you implemented your marketing plan?
• Can you execute your menu and service to meet the customers expectations?
• Will the customer feel there is value and want to return?

Knowing he would answer these in the affirmative, I left him with his cocktail and steak. He would have a few minutes of relaxation before those creepy crawly doubts started doing their job. There are no guarantees in this business, but knowing you have done the pre-opening requirements gives a better than average chance of keeping your doors open.

If you aren’t sure you have done the right things or if you don’t know what those “things” are, try The Restaurant Ebook. My friend read it and found new ideas, even for a seasoned veteran. If it’s not worth every penny of the price, we will give you a 100% refund. You have my personal guarantee.

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook

One of the most inexpensive, but powerful marketing tools a restaurant can use is email. It’s fast, responsive and relevant. There are many articles out there about how to use email, but few on collecting those email addresses that should be treated like our industry treats saffron - use it occasionally, sparingly and protect it carefully.

Email addresses are now used like fax numbers, phone numbers and other communication methods. They are published on many documents and advertisements. Below is a list of methods to begin your collection;

• Business cards you accumulate including your suppliers.
• Advertisements in local newspapers. Don’t forget the critics and food section editors.
• Property advertisements in newspapers, flyer’s and real estate magazines that are on every street corner. Pick the ones in your area. No one eats out more frequently than real estate agents.
• Social, business and fraternal organizations have emails in their rosters.
• A simple form at your counter or hostess stand asking if they want to be added to your email list for valuable coupons and specials.
• Offer a promotion that has a prize. To enter they must give you their contact information.
• Offer a free appetizer, entree or dessert on a guest’s birthday. They must fill out a form to be added to your database.

All of these methods will start your email collection quickly, but as a marketing tool you will want to perpetuate your data as a regular ongoing function. Remember, it costs the same to send out one email or 1000 emails. It works!

Larry Edger, Author

The Restaurant Ebook