There's something about this time of year that brings out the merriest of moods as well as our indulgent sides. It starts with that extra slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, and then it's a slippery slope all the way through to the inevitable reckoning on January 1st and all the various proclamations of austere diets that only last for roughly two weeks.
Online booking has transformed the hospitality business for hotels and bookers alike. But while much has been written about how online booking has changed the bedrooms business, a lot less has been written about the meetings sector.
"Bon Appetite Ma'am," says the hostess with a cheerful grin. "I smile back with a 'thank you', then...Snap! Post! Pray! (ironically, we've made it the last priority) and champ into the scrumptious meal like there is never seeing it again. And true to that, before I realize it am clearing the last bits on the plate. Forgive my manners, but when it comes to food, everyone at her/his own pace.
Targeting future audiences is a longstanding marketing strategy, and that's exactly what the casual dining restaurant industry is doing in a current effort to survive. Cracker Barrel's Holler and Dash, is a new chain with a fast-casual concept built around fresh-baked biscuits. With bare-brick walls and concrete floors, H&D is targeting a younger demographic than its parent chain.This is part of an industry-wide shift by outdated restaurant chains to reinvent themselves, by creating "offshoot" brands under a new name and image that are aimed at Millennials and younger diners.
A restaurant only makes money when customers are paying their bills, having sat on the seats and eaten from the menu. Often restaurant menus have catchy descriptions, gorgeous photos and an attractive layout. But what is sometimes missing from the overall design of the restaurant are key elements that add profitability to the mix.
The two pillars of the hotel industry are accommodations and restaurants. A fresh wind is also blowing on the catering industry, with newcomers and changes in customer expectations and practices. The days when pubs served a single menu to employees at lunchtime and great dishes of French gastronomy graced starred table are fading. The Food & Beverages sector is emerging in a new light, sometimes with determination.
One of the fundamental marketing principles I abide by is: Keep It Simple Stupid. While that fourth word is often incorporated only to make it into a highly memorable acronym (KISS), it is not far from the truth.
We have all heard of the 80/20 rule. But I am willing to bet most of you have not heard it in conjunction with the words "food cost."
As a self-diagnosed coffeeholic, one of the important elements in my evaluation of a property is their coffee service, both within the guestroom and at any restaurant outlet. Given this beverage's significance in everyday life, it's a definite no-no for a hotel that cuts corners in its procurement and preparation of this brown elixir. Hardly a drug, though, coffee is not only big business but an aspect of our culture that continues to evolve.
These days, anyone with a smartphone, internet connection and an opinion is a potential food critic, heaping kindness or criticism on your restaurant for the world to see.
It's about time that our chefs in the hotel industry collectively woke up to something different than the same old bacon and eggs or oatmeal and raisins. In this sense, breakfast is another overlooked opportunity to wow your guests and leave a lasting impression. Glass half empty, it's also an instance where you can irk customers by underserving them.
We manage a great hotel in Sedona, Arizona, called Arabella. We pride ourselves on having unique features. These include a small hiking trail up to a spot that is ideal for star-gazing, a courtyard as a backdrop for an idyllic picnic or coffee sipping, an on-property puppy named Bella who greets guests, and a fine restaurant called the Elote Cafe.
That is a long title and it is fitting because F&B reporting in your financials is the longest part of your hotel financial reporting process. Every other department except for benefits is a single shot. In F&B you need allocations and a roll up of all outlets into a total F&B profit statement. This is the single biggest area where I see hotels get their statements wrong. In this article, I am going to lay out how to set up your statements and general ledger to provide you strong financial reporting for your food and beverage department.
Choice is a tricky thing. Confronted with too much of it and you are stymied by indecision. Yet faced by too little and you feel shortchanged or indifferent to the whole buying process. It's all about finding that happy medium, and to help you decipher this golden mean there's better place to start than by examining how prix fixe menus subtly work to build revenue and customer satisfaction.
With the 4th of July come and gone, it seems only apt for this libation-centric article to discuss the spirit that is perhaps the quintessential American contribution to the world. Even though California and Oregon produce some spectacular wines and local craft beers that have taken the nation by storm, no other country on the planet makes bourbon.
Almost every hotel management company brand has specific guidelines regarding the design of all-day dining concepts. Usually, the size of the all-day dining outlet is proportionate to the number of rooms; therefore, a hotel with a greater number of keys will have a larger all-day dining area. In addition, the greater the number of rooms, the greater the linear length of 'buffet offering' is required to support those rooms. This can ultimately result in the space being underutilized, which in turn, leads to a potential revenue loss should the area be used for other purposes.
I'm sick of boring breakfasts, aren't you? It's about time that our chefs in the hotel industry woke up to something different than the same old bacon and eggs or oatmeal and raisins. In this sense, breakfast is another overlooked opportunity to wow your guests and leave a lasting impression.
Eating out has never been more popular. It's no longer a special treat, but an everyday delight.
While I've been writing blog-style articles for the past seven years, by my family's standards I'm actually late to the game. Both of my two sisters as well as my father were all accomplished scribes long before I even entertained the notion of stepping on a soapbox.
I intentionally played upon this line from The Lord's Prayer (Luke 11: 1-4) for the title of this article in order to underscore the importance that bread plays in Western culture. When we go into a restaurant, a bread basket is all but an expectation. If we must ask for it, then there is a service problem! And for those restaurants who feel as though they can charge extra for this item, be warned that you certainly aren't winning customers over with your penny-pinching approach to F&B.