Solo dining on the up
Plus: The pitfalls of accidental leadership
• public
Solo dining is on the rise, which offers restaurants a unique opportunity to cater to a largely underserved demographic—we'll tell you how. AI is getting better at creating realistic-looking restaurant receipts, including itemized orders. This won’t end well. Plus, we’ve got the real reason your managers are failing (and it may be your fault).
Occupational hazards. As a longtime chef in Florida flirts with the idea of opening another restaurant after a long hiatus, he offers up five conditions that will get him back in the kitchen, including ditching the desire to be unique or edgy.
Accidental leadership may very well be the reason your managers are failing. Promoting from within may sound like a good idea, but if you’re not also spending time on preparation, you might be setting your team up for failure.
Mayday loans. COVID-era loans are coming due for lots of restaurant owners at a time when business is already struggling.
Hot to go. Speaking of the pandemic, online ordering isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so why not add it to your website? Fun fact: When deciding where to eat, 75% of diners look for technology that makes delivery and takeout easy.
Best job ever? Behold a day-in-the-life of a Michelin guide inspector.
Restaurants' biggest online mistakes
In this era of instant gratification, heading to Instagram and TikTok to see real-time photos and videos of restaurants is how many people decide where to eat. But diners are still Googling restaurants to find basic information, like hours and menus. And while it may not be their first impression, your website will likely be an early form of contact a potential guest has with you and your business.
Kimberly Parks, the owner and creative director of Andioma, does a lot of UX design and branding for restaurants, and shares what she believes are some of the biggest mistakes restaurants make when it comes to their online presence. -Julien Perry
What is the biggest issue you see with restaurant websites?Besides outdated designs, many restaurants, especially smaller mom-and-pops, have sites that look like they’ve been largely ignored: broken links, outdated information, hard-to-read fonts and sites that are not optimized for smartphones.
What are some essentials restaurants should have on their site?
Strong imagery, a menu, a link to their social platforms and, perhaps most importantly, a phone number and email address that will reach an actual person! Also, if they offer takeout, an easy-to-use online ordering platform.
How do you justify the cost of a new website? A website is your resume, it’s your business card, a landing place where customers can see who you are—and that matters! So, investing in that is vital. If you don’t have the funds, at least invest in a strong social media presence.
Before a restaurant reaches out for website help, what are some things they should know?It’s important to have an idea of what you’re willing to spend annually to update the website because it’s something that has to be maintained. Who in your restaurant is going to be taking care of that weekly, monthly, yearly? Also, having a clear vision of what you need: Do you already have photography? Menus? A story of how you got started? A chef bio? Once you start realizing all of the information that can be displayed on a website, you’ll begin to understand its value.
Rethinking solo dining
Now that Americans are spending more time alone than ever and solo dining is on the rise, restaurants have an opportunity to appeal to their independent guests.
Why are more people dining solo? It may be the ongoing importance of self-care, or a carry-over from the pandemic when people were more isolated or just needed a break from their home office. Angelo Esposito, the CEO of WISK.ai, a food and beverage management platform, has another take: he credits the rise of individualism and the destigmatizing of eating alone, thanks in part to social media.
So why aren’t more restaurants catering to this demographic? Several restaurateurs told The New York Times that simple economics is at play, where reservations are normally assigned to parties of two or more.
“I think margins are so tight, and it is so hard to run a restaurant in America that these systems just fall into place,” says Gregory Gourdet, chef and owner of Kann in Portland.
So what can restaurants do to up their solo dining experiences?
- Seating: Counter and/or bar seating, solo booths and bar-style communal tables keep solo diners from feeling isolated.
- Menu: Smaller portion sizes and curated tasting menus take the pressure off of sharing.
- Distractions: Free WiFi, live music or tabletop games help entertain those dining alone.
- Ambiance: Comfortable surroundings, soothing playlists, low lighting and cozy interiors will make solo diners feel welcome.
- Marketing: Embrace messaging that speaks to solo diners and not just friends and family.
Why it matters: Reservations for solo dining in the U.S. have risen by 29% over the past two years, according to OpenTable. This gives restaurants a prime opportunity to offer experiences such as live music, tasting menus and dining at the chef’s counter, among other internal practices. (Restaurantware)
Here’s why texture is trending on menus
If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve likely scrolled past an ASMR video or two—soothing sounds that are intended to trigger a relaxation response. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a real thing, and it’s influencing menus all across the globe.
“There’s fun that comes along with listening to crackling or crunching while watching someone eat or cook on social media,” says Shannon O’Shields, VP of marketing for Rubix Foods, a flavor and ingredient innovation company. She tells Restaurant Business, “Flavor has been explored, but texture is novel and ready for more exploration. It can really make a product stand out.”
In a recent survey by Menu Matters, a food industry consulting firm, consumers ranked texture as the fourth most important sensory experience when trying a new food, behind taste, appearance and aroma.
“But when you look at consumer test scores for foods, you see that foods that have descriptors like 'crunchy' or 'crispy' score much higher, so consumers aren't always aware of how important texture is,” explains Menu Matters' vice president Mike Kostyo.
Why it matters: There’s no question that texture has emerged as a key differentiator in menu development. Data from Rubix Foods reveals that 50% of consumers will send something back if it doesn’t meet texture expectations. With texture playing such a significant role in 'craveability,' restaurants can build a menu with this in mind for guests who are looking specifically for multi-sensory dining experiences. (Restaurant Business)
RIP casual dining chains?
Restaurants that have long catered to middle class families who simply want to walk-in, sit-down and have a meal are suffering.
Just last week, Hooters filed for bankruptcy. And before them came Red Lobster, TGI Fridays and Buca di Beppo. Not to mention Denny’s, Outback Steakhouse, Red Robin and Applebee’s are among the other casual dining chains that are closing restaurants left and right.
It’s no mystery why this is happening: prices are going up, tariffs are a real threat and the economy is in a downward spiral.
“When consumers start watching their budget, the [average] middle [consumer] shrinks,” says Ernest Baskin, an associate professor of food marketing at Saint Joseph’s University. The result? More people are cooking at home or finding cheaper options for dining.
There’s also the issue of being out of touch. “These brands got dated in terms of their menu offering, the look and feel of the restaurants, and how they reach consumers,” says Clarence Otis Jr., the former CEO of Darden Restaurants.
Why it matters: Some casual restaurants are bucking this trend using common sense tactics that speak to the basic fundamentals of why people dine out in the first place. Places like Chili’s and Olive Garden have kept prices lower than their competitors and invested in their staff, along with restaurant and menu improvements. “There’s a widening gap between winners and losers in the casual dining category,” says financial analyst Brian Vaccaro. “Brands that are investing in labor and the quality of guest experience are winning.” (CNN)
68%
Restaurants that have embraced cross-training versus cutting staff as the top labor cost management strategy.
(7shifts)
Caviar is the new dessert trend
AI can now fake restaurant receipts
“Home-style cooking and family-style serving are way more popular now than they used to be... We [understand] that, actually, food should be healing rather than just one of all those other activities that we do all day long that push us.”
– Chef and prolific cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi on how Covid influenced the way people eat.
(🎧BBC News)
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