Superior Spotlight: Las Casa Restaurant & Patio

                                    
          

Small Business Saturday is on November 26^th. This is a great opportunity for small businesses to drive more traffic into their stores, businesses and restaurants.

In honor of the Shop Local Initiative and Small Business Saturday, we are highlighting one of our favorite small businesses, Las Casas Restaurant & Patio in Temple, Texas. 

Meet Ralph Sheffield. Ralph and his wife Debbie have owned Las Casas Restaurant & Patio for the past 34 years! Ralph loves being in charge and has been working in the restaurant business since he was 12 years old. See his success story.

What inspired you to go into the restaurant business?
I went to work at age 12 in the pizza business.  When I was 19, I opened a pizza place in Temple with another guy that I used to work for. In 1977, when I was 21, I opened a pizza by the slice restaurant in the mall. Over the next 4 years I built 40 more pizza shops. I sold that business in 1982, and that year I opened Las Casas and Catering.

How many employees do you have?
35

Do you have any mentors, or have you had any along the way? 
My grandfather was my mentor. He was in the cement business and he taught me about hard work and how to be a people person.

Where do you get your recipes from?
I create all of my own recipes.

Do you offer daily specials? 
Yes

What is the most successful promotion you have ever run for your restaurant? 
White Wing Wednesday. It was a promotion that we ran for 10 years. You could get wings for ½ price when you dine in. It would pack the house and our sales for margaritas and beer tripled. We stopped the promotion about 5 years ago because of the high price of bacon. People still call on Wednesdays to see if we are still doing it.

How often do you change your menu? Do you have a seasonal menu? Do you offer daily specials?
I update our menu about once a year.  We have daily lunch and drink specials on the Patio. And we do offer a children’s menu. We use Superior Menus for our menu printing.

What is your biggest challenge?
Labor and managing food costs.

What do you love most about owning your own business?
I am in control of what happens.

Do you have any additional achievements?
I was the State President of the Texas Restaurant Association from 2002-2003. I was elected in 2007 to serve as State Representative in the Texas House until I left in 2015.

Would you like to be in our next restaurant spotlight? Email us at CustomerService@SuperiorMenus.com attention Wendy

Menu's Made Easy

7 Things You Need to Think About When You Create Your Menu

Your menu is a very important reflection of your restaurant. Other than the meal itself, your menu is the most important piece in making the right kind of impression to your patrons.

In our last post, we covered the 5 essential elements for creating your menu. Now comes the fun part, actually designing and creating your menu. Here are some important things to consider:

1.      Menu Style
Decide which menu style you would like. Are you looking for an affordable option that is basic but still durable? Clear menu sleeves are a low cost alternative for your menu covers. You can easily slide in your new menu as you make changes or updates. Or maybe you are looking for a high end elegant menu with a smooth vinyl cover and album style corners? If these don’t sound like your style, you could create a custom menu that is unique to your business. 

2.      Menu Layout
Research shows that most people will read your menu like a book, starting in the top left corner and read it left to right. So what does this mean for you? Well, if you want to increase profitability, you can place your higher priced menu items in the left hand corner. If you catch their eye early with an enticing menu item, chances are, that is what they will order.  Blocking can also help to organize your menu and help direct eye flow.

3.      Make it Easy to Follow
Group like items together and put them in the order that the customer would order them in. Start with appetizers, move on to entrees, next comes side dishes and lastly desserts. And keep it simple. Having just 20 amazing dishes are far better than 100+ mediocre items. And PLEASE don’t forget to proofread! Nothing is worse than getting all of your menus printed out only to find a glaring typo!

4.      Gather Feedback from Customers

Before you order copies of your brand new menu, stop first and gather some feedback. Ask some of your best customers to come in and take a look at the new menu. You could even pitch the idea as a VIP event with drinks and appetizers. This is a small price to pay for the invaluable feedback you will receive before you launch your new menu!

5.       Choose the Right Kind of Visuals
Just say NO to clip art and illustrations! These types of images won’t do your menu items any favors. And be VERY careful if you are using actual photography of your entrees. We recommend hiring a professional photographer to take these pictures. Some things are just better when left to the professionals!

6.      Print Daily Specials

Most likely, you will have specials. We suggest printing your specials separately each day. Specials are special and should be treated as such.

7.      Don’t Forget to Update!
Food and market prices vary, so it is expected that your prices will fluctuate. You are in business to make money, so when rent goes up or wages are increased or food prices are on the rise; make sure you are making the necessary changes to your menu to cover these increased costs. 

5 Ways to Create a Rock Star Menu!

As a restaurant owner, you are probably always looking for new ways to innovate and create more buzz for your restaurant. Whether you are brand new to the business or a seasoned owner, you know how important the menu is for your business.  From designs to descriptions, there are so many things to think about.

 Here are the 5 necessary elements that you need for an irresistible menu.

1    Decide What to Include
Do you have a family secret recipe for lasagna that is to die for? Well of course, you will have to include it on your menu. Or maybe you grow your own garden and you want to include fresh ingredients; you will want to build your menu options around your garden goodies! Pasta primavera, anyone? Just make sure that your style, your culture & your personality is somehow weaved into your menu.

2    Descriptions
You have decided what you want to put into your menu, now the next step is putting it down on paper. Keep it simple and remain true to your brand identity. If you own a French restaurant, your patrons may expect the menu to be in French. You want your menu to fit the style of your restaurant. The meal names are important, but the descriptions are just as critical. 

Make sure to use descriptive words for the appearance, texture and flavor. If you are describing a savory dish words like “creamy” and “succulent” are good options. Desserts can be described as “light”, “airy” and “rich”.

When referring to how a meal is prepared these are good options:

Blanched
Breaded
Charred
Seared
Caramelized

3    Highlight the Good Stuff!
Seasonal Ingredients and special accommodations are definitely things you will want to bring attention to on your menu. Remember those garden veggies we were talking about earlier, make sure to mention those! And what’s that, you don’t use any chemicals to grow your garden? Feel free to brag that you offer organic fruits and vegetables. If you use local farms for your meats and dairy, mention that too! Make it a point to highlight your low carb, low calorie, vegetarian, vegan or gluten free items. People LOVE that stuff!

4    Organization
Now that you have all of the elements in place for a stellar menu, you have to decide how you will lay out all of your delicious options. Many restaurants offer a separate menu for desserts and wines. We recommend starting with breakfast (if offered), then lunch, then appetizers and then finally moving on to the entrees. Many owners list the most expensive meals first in hopes to catch the eye and wallet of their customers!

5         Style & Design

Now comes the fun part! You get to design your menu! First you get to pick the menu cover or menu sleeve. Are you looking for something formal and embossed or maybe something more casual? Here are some great options in custom menus for covers and inserts! And don’t forget about the Kid’s Menus!

The trick to designing your menu is creating something you are passionate about. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. Your menu is a reflection of your business, so make it yours and make it great!

Why Do Gift Certificates Pay for Themselves?

Let's face it big chains have it made... they have marketing galore! TV ads, social media campaigns, and more, so what can you do to get more bang out of your marketing bucks?

Offer Gift Certificates!

Why?

Because a customer giving a gift to their favorite place (Your Business) is:

a. Cheap Advertising
When you offer Gift Certificates, customer are vouching that your place is great and someone else should try it.

b. Additional Sales Opportunities!
When you offer Gift Certificates, you are typically receiving an additional sale at the time of the initial purchase or visit and there is the chance the person receiving the gift won't redeem it... OR
they will and will buy more than the gift amount creating.
Fact: More than 1/2 of customers spend more than the value of a purchased gift certificate!

c.  Proven to be the #1 Selling Gift 
Gift Certificates are a year round top selling gift and customers choose them for every occasion, from holidays to birthday's and more.

Give your business a boost and offer customers the perfect gift, a reason to visit to your establishment!

Shop Local - Support Small Business!

Small Business Saturday is around the corner! An American shopping day held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday), this annual event encourages shoppers to do their holiday shopping at small and local businesses — like yours!

Small Business Saturday is anything but small and all about community. It was founded by American Express in 2010 as a way to celebrate and promote the local businesses that make America’s neighborhoods so great. Due to the big response, in 2011 it became recognized as an official shopping holiday.

This year Small Business Saturday falls on November 29^th.

No matter what type of business you are in, it pays to participate! Take advantage of this unique opportunity to promote your business and boost sales for your business.

Encourage your customers to Shop Small®.

Encourage your customers to shop your business by creating memorable marketing materials that promote your business and invite customers to Shop Small®.

1.    Extend an invitation. Create an in-store event to attract new and old customers to come to your business. Send out simple customized invitations. You can also promote online by creating an event on Facebook.

2.    Let it fly. Put up a flyer in your store window that reminds shoppers of the date and encourages them to shop local. Not only is it a great way to support your community, but it is also a great way to boost your brand image.

3.    Gear up on giveaways. Plan a special giveaway that reminds your customers to shop at your establishment all year long. Customized 2015 calendars, personalized pens, and custom-printed t-shirts are all great, functional gifts your customers can use every day of the year.

4.    Create special offers. Increase the incentives with special one-day discounts and promotions that will improve foot traffic into your store location. Giving away gift certificates for every $XXX spent is a smart way to encourage repeat business.

5.    Give them something to smile about. Create even more excitement for your local small business by doing something unique to generate attention. Have a DJ play music in the store. Hire a magician or clown. Serve free coffee in the morning. Display balloons outside your store and give away free cake.

6.    Be social. Social media played a critical role to the first Small Business Saturday’s success. Be sure to follow the movement on Facebook and hashtag #SmallBusinessSaturday on Twitter.

Regardless of whether you are a retail store or restaurant, a beauty salon or a bakery, Small Business Saturday is a fantastic opportunity to reach out and show your community that small businesses matter. The only “wrong” way to participate is to not participate at all.

Be sure, too, to check out the free materials American Express provides to assist you in promoting this fantastic and meaningful event.

Thing big. Shop small.

Have you celebrated Small Business Saturday in the past? Are you planning to participate this year? We want to know! Please tell us your story below.

Superior Tips for Your "Superior" Menus

Your menu is your biggest form of marketing. More than a list of food items and prices, your restaurant’s menu is a reflection of your brand and a means for driving profits. Not to mention, it may be the only marketing tool that nearly all of your customers read.

Taking the time to plan, organize, and design your menu can go a long way in terms of driving your restaurant’s success. Consider the following five tips for creating superior menus that can help take your restaurant to the next level.

1. Think quality over quantity. Focus on your best and most popular dishes. While providing hundreds of options may seem like an easy way to please choosy customers, limiting options makes it easier for patrons to find and select what they want.
   
   Menu engineer Gregg Rapp says that diners tune out anything more than seven options. His advice? Choose no more than five appetizers, entrées, or desserts. Anything else is overkill.

2. The eyes have it. For years, restaurants have assumed that customers’ eyes are naturally drawn to the upper right hand corner. However, new research suggests that diners tend to read menus like books, starting in the top left corner. 

Consider how your customers read your menu and organize items accordingly. Give your signature dishes prominent placement.

3. Keep it simple. Organize items in a logical manner and choose words that are easy to understand. Make it easy for customers to search for dishes by arranging items sequentially and in logical groups, starting with the appetizers and ending with desserts.
   
   
4. Picture this. While incorporating images of your food items may seem like a natural fit, keep food photography to a minimum. For one thing, not all dishes will appeal to all customers. Plus, high quality food photography can be expensive — and tricky to get the optimal results.
   
   In general, it’s often better to leave the quality of the food to the customer’s imagination. Consider using illustrations instead.

5. Type matters. Choose typography that best communicates your restaurant’s brand.  It should be legible and sized appropriately. If your customers can’t read your menu, they won’t be able to order anything off of it.

In the end, there are no hard fast rules when it comes to menu design. What works for some establishments may fall flat for others. Do what’s right for your restaurant’s brand and personality. Don’t be afraid to experiment — and count on Superior Menus to help!

We offer custom printing and design services – Call 1-800-527-6368 and mention code AUGB14  for $10 off your next custom printing order of $100 or more.

Superior Solutions

Whatever your restaurant’s style — classy and contemporary, fun-loving and wild, kid friendly and colorful — Superior Menus offers a wide range of menu stock covers, inserts and sleeves that make it easy to update and change your menu.

• Stock Covers and Sleeves — Update and protect your menu as little or as often as you wish. Simply slide your choice of menu paper inserts between the sleeves. Superior Menus offers a variety of stock covers and sleeves in a wide range of styles, sizes and materials.
• Menu Accessories — Add and expand your menu as needed with flexible and functional menu accessories.
• Menu paper inserts are a tasteful and affordable way to update and enhance the look of your menus — and are available in 25 different styles.
• Add-A-Pages are a convenient and easy way to quickly make updates.
• Vinyl page protectors prolong the life of your menu papers and help prevent moisture and food from creating undesirable stains.

What’s YOUR strategy for designing superior menus? What works best for you? We’d love to know. Please post your thoughts and comments below. 

Digital Dining: It Pays to Be Social

As a restaurant owner or manager, you are probably well aware of the power of social media. When hunger strikes, today’s digitally connected diners simply pick up their mobile phone and check Yelp or Urbanspoon to find a restaurant, read reviews, and make decisions about where they want to eat.

At your restaurant, they may use that same mobile phone to “check-in” on Foursquare. They may snap a photo of their meal, “hashtag” and post it on Instagram or Foodspotting. They can “like” you on Facebook, “tweet” about you on Twitter, and later, post their own review of their experience on the exact same site where they originally discovered you.

Consider the following statistics:

• Six out of every ten American adults use social networking sites.
• More than a quarter of U.S. consumers have recommended a brand, product or service to a friend via social media within the last three months.

Yep, there’s no doubt about it. Your customers are using social media to make the most of their meal. But how about you? Are you making the most of social media?

Social Media for Restaurants

Social media works two ways. As a restaurant owner or manager, you should be putting social media to work as well. Social media is a powerful way to:

1. Reach out and attract new customers.
2. Monitor your reputation and resolve customer complaints.
3. Gain feedback and insights to what your customers like – and don’t like.
4. Promote and show new menu items.
5. Give prospective visitors an “inside look” at what goes on in your restaurant.
6. Increase awareness with contests, discounts and giveaways.
7. Promote special events — such as grand openings, wine tastings, and live music.
8. Assist with recruiting new employees.

Tips to Consider

With so many options available, choosing the right social media outlet for your restaurant can be a daunting task.  Here are three tips to consider when deciding which social media platforms might work best for you:

1. Define your goals. While the power of social media is a little difficult to measure, determining what you want to achieve can be an important step. For many restaurants the goal may be “become part of the conversation.” As one restaurant owner we talked to put it, “People are talking about us — my goal is to not only listen, but also respond.”

2. Determine who you want to reach. Every social media network has their own demographic. While Facebook may be universal, sites such as Instagram  and Tumblr are more popular with younger adults. Women under 50 tend to be fans of Pinterest. Sites such as Foursquare and Twitter tend to resonate more with urban residents. Take stock of who your restaurant patrons are — as well as who you want them to be — and decide which outlets work best for building your community.

3. Decide what you want to share. Reaching out on social media can be taxing and time-consuming. Consider what your own capabilities are and what your bandwidth may be for building and maintaining your social media presence. If you take pictures with your smart phone, outlets like Instagram might be a nice fit. If you like to keep things short and sweet, a Twitter feed might be the way to go. Want to poll your patrons and interact with them directly? Facebook is a natural fit.

For more ideas on how to make social media part of your restaurant’s marketing mix, check out the National Restaurant Association’s Social Media section. There, you’ll find a bunch of great resources, including a guide for monitoring online reviews.

Got your own ideas for how to make social media work? We’d love to hear about it!. Please post your story below. 

Table Talk: Updating and Changing Dining Menus

According to the National Restaurant Association's annual What’s Hot culinary forecast, top restaurant menu trends continue to focus on local sourcing, environmental sustainability, and nutrition. More than a fad, these trends are true indications of today’s consumers’ increased interest in what they eat and where their food comes from.

Restaurants who keep in step with the movement toward locally sourced, sustainable foods may also notice another trend — the need to regularly change and update their menus. Why? Local sourcing and environmental sustainability often translates to choosing dishes that maximize the use of local produce, which, in many regions, changes seasonally.

So how often should a restaurant change its menu? According to Dan Crumbaker, Executive Chef at the Whitefish Lake Restaurant in Whitefish, MT,

“How often a restaurant produces a new menu varies greatly from establishment to establishment. A lot of it depends on demographics and where they are located.”

“More contemporary and cutting edge restaurants may produce a new menu each night. Some may update it on a quarterly or seasonal basis. Those with a more established, tried and true offering may update once a year or have even greater planning curves. Most restaurants fall somewhere between the two extremes.”

“At the Whitefish Lake Restaurant, we are a resort destination and tend to stay fairly consistent. We revisit our menus seasonally, but due to our location, so much of what we offer is based on availability,” he says. “We always offer daily specials that make the best use of local and seasonal ingredients.”

Superior Menus, Superior Solutions.

Consider this: your menu is the only form of marketing that nearly all of your customers will read. On average, a customer spends two to four minutes reviewing your menu — in some situations, before they ever even enter the restaurant.

Regardless of what your schedule is for updating and changing your menu, count on Superior Menus to assist you in putting your best menu forward. We provide a variety of menu covers and sleeves, as well as menu inserts and accessories that make it easy and affordable to make a good impression.

For example:

Stock Covers and Sleeves

Durable and attractive, stock covers and sleeves are an easy way to update and protect your menu as little or as often as you wish. Simply slide your choice of menu paper inserts between the pages and voila! We offer a variety of styles — from cool and contemporary to traditional and textured — in a wide range of sizes and materials including clear plastic, vinyl, nylon, padded, and more.

Menu Accessories

Flexible and functional, Superior Menus also carries a variety of menu accessories designed to make it easy to add and expand your menus whenever you wish:

• With over 25 unique designs, menu paper inserts are a tasteful and affordable way to update and enhance the look of your menus. 
• Our versatile, convenient and affordable Add-A-Pages are easy to use for fast and easy updates.
• Vinyl page protectors are a great way to prolong the life of your menu papers and help prevent moisture and food from creating undesirable stains.

What’s YOUR strategy for updating menus? How often do you do it? We’d love to know. Please post your thoughts and comments below. 

Catering to Kids: Family-Friendly Ideas

While the trend of implementing “no kids” policies at high-end restaurants may be making headlines across the country, catering to kids and creating family-friendly dining environments can be a smart way to grow your business and build brand loyalty.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that the average American family forked over $3,370 on meals away from home in 2011. Add to this the fact that, according to the National Restaurant Association, parties with kids accounted for $84 billion and 15 billion visits last year, it’s easy to see why having a reputation for being “family-friendly” can be key to your success.

Contrary to what people may think, parents really DO enjoy dining out with their children. According to a 2013 survey conducted by Restaurant.com, nearly 6 out of 10 parents dine out with their children at least once a week. 

Their reasons for dining out include:

• 70% say that going out to eat with their kids is a great way to spend time with the family
• 66% reported that they like not having to cook
• 65% appreciate the fact that everyone can order what they want
• 65% liked not having to do dishes

So what are the key ingredients for a successful family-friendly restaurant?

Delicious food, great service and fun activities that make the dining experience a pleasure — for children, as well as their parents.

Consider the 5 following tips:

1. Keep Kids Entertained

Activity placemats that feature puzzles such as word finds, crosswords, and connect-the-dots, as well as games such as tic-tac-toe can be a smart way to keep little ones busy — as well as provide activities they can do with their parents. From mermaids and treasure chests to zoo animals and sports, Superior Menus offers a variety of activity placements, each with their own special theme.

2. Keep Things Colorful

Fifty-three percent of the parents surveyed by Restaurant.com reported that coloring was the key way they entertained their children while dining.

A must-have for any restaurant that caters to kids, crayons and coloring sheets are a popular way to keep children occupied and provide them the opportunity to tap into their creative side.

3. Make It Healthy

According to the National Restaurant Association, “healthy kids’ meals” was the No. 3 restaurant trend in 2013. If you haven’t signed up already, their Kids LiveWell initiative is worth checking out. Designed to help restaurants and food providers offer menu items that meet specific nutritional guidelines, it makes it easy for families to eat out and eat healthy. It’s almost as easy as it is to customize and order our unique selection of kids menus. The hardest part is choosing which theme!

4. Serve It in Kid-Proof Containers

When it comes to kid-friendly dinnerware, kid-proof containers such as our plastic tumblers are a sure bet. Not only are they colorful and fun, they come with a plastic lid and make a great “souvenir” that kids can take home with them and reuse.

5. Make Them an Offer They Can’t Refuse

Nearly all respondents (96 percent) of the Restaurant.com survey reported that they have used a coupon or a deal when dining out with their children. Thirty percent reported they do so more often than not. Whether it’s a “Kids Eat Free Day” or “Free Dessert,” discounts and coupons are a great way to keep them coming back for more.

Interested in learning more about how Superior Menus can help you cater to kids? Visit the Kids Products section on our website. And if you’d like to share your own strategy for keeping young patrons engaged and entertained, we’d love to hear about it. Please post your story below. 

Top 10 Reasons for Gift Certificates

"I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage."  -- Erma Bombeck

We all have a little Erma in us.  Mostly kept in check, 'she' runs wild during the holidays!  Wonderful food is the anchor of festive holiday gatherings and romantic, intimate dates alike.  Whether you are sharing a cheerful cappuccino with a dear friend or a family-style meal with your loved ones, the holidays bring out the foodie in all of us.  

Offering gift certificates for purchase helps promote your business in so many different ways.  Here's just the Top 10!

10.  Instant Marketing: Just Add certificate!  John and Beth love-love-love-love your homemade gnocchi.  They know that their friends would love it, too.  Gift certificates are a great way for the Johns and Beth’s to be your instant marketing team!  When your loyal customers purchase a gift certificate for their friends, you've just broadened your client base.

9.     Variety (and your curry shrimp) is the spice of life!  New customers -- and even your loyal standbys! -- are more likely to experiment with your menu if they are paying with a gift certificate.  Then they take their great experience to the office and ... (See No. 10!)

8.     One size fits all.  Mom and Dad.  (Sigh.)  They have everything; they want nothing.  But they love Sunday brunch!  When you offer gift certificates, even those who don't frequent your restaurant or coffee shop are likely to stop in to buy the perfect (easy!) gift that they are certain will be enjoyed.  Even out of town friends and relatives can take advantage of your certificate offer and purchase a gift for their local-to-you friends and family over the phone or on your website.

7.     A special thank you.  The guests at Table 22 have just finished the tilapia and can't stop raving about the sauce!  Why not tuck a gift certificate for a nominal amount into the bill folder?  You will find that this simple gesture given at just the right time will have an surprising impact on your bottom line!  That's another story that will make it to the water cooler ... and beyond!  (See No. 10 ...)

6.     Dinner of the Month Club.  Be super creative and consider selling a dozen certificates in set amounts as a packet, marketing them as a Dinner of the Month Club.

5.     Buy 50 get 10.  Who doesn't like a deal!  Whether you are a high-end dinner establishment or a local coffee shop, why not offer patrons who purchase gift certificates a little perk just for themselves?  When you offer a gift certificate of a particular monetary value -- or just a free cinnamon roll with that morning's coffee, they will ...  (See No. 10 ...)

4.     With certificate you get egg roll. Give your gift giver more holiday bang for their buck and offer a free appetizer or desert ( or both!) to the guest redeeming the certificate.

3.     Get your Santa on!  Think of it as part of your marketing budget if you must -- but donate, donate, donate!  Whether you send a few gift certificates to the local elementary school as a special thank you for the teachers or to the area clinic for the nurses who work so diligently, you can be assured that your good deed with spread like wildfire and you'll have just gained two handfuls of new customers!

2.     Night out!  Consider putting together an entertainment package that puts your restaurant at the center of it all!  Partner with a local limo company and offer certificates for dinner with transportation included to their special event!  Not only will your certificates be available at your restaurant but on the limo website as well!

1.     The gift that keeps on giving back!  Gift certificates are the very best way to promote your business all year long by bringing new customers through the door.  They are an easy, planned-out or spur of the moment marketing tool.  They delight those receiving them as gifts.  They give you a great name when you make donations within the community.  They are a tool to help you forge alliances with other local businesses.  They even soothe a ruffled customer or thank a loyal patron!  The Number 1 reason for offering gift certificates is as clear as a peanut in the Kung Pao:  They market you all on their own!

The Superior Menus Team is delighted to have you as a member of our family and we wish you the very best for a healthy and prosperous New Year! 

A true balance between work and life comes with knowing that your life activities are integrated – not separated.  --   Michael Thomas Sunnarborg  (21 Keys to Work Life Balance)

While workers in all industries strive for work-life balance, few are more challenged to achieve that goal than those in the hospitality industry.   In fact, often times the very idea is so daunting that we throw up our hands in defeat before we ever really get started.

Let’s break it down a bit – define a few stressers – and offer specific suggestions.

Stresser:  I don’t believe anyone can do it but me.   Sometimes, that’s just flat out true.  But not always.  Not even most of the time.  Just realizing that to be the truth puts you half way there in terms of a more balanced mind-set when it comes to your responsibilities.   The more balanced your view -- the more balanced your actions.

Stresser:  No one can do it but me.  Really.   There are going to be times when no one but you can make a decision, place a call, calm the waters.  Create a very short list of those “times” and post it – yep!, literally post it! – in your office or at your station so that those in charge when you’re not available will understand under which circumstances you would expect their call.  Allow yourself three initial revisions, promising to delete at least one entry each time.

Stresser:  I’m never really away.  Probably true.  Yet, there are ways to mitigate the interruptions.  Allow calls to go to voicemail.  Even if you are watching that dreaded number flash on your Caller ID, letting the initial call go (very) temporarily unanswered helps in two ways:  First, you will feel more in control of the situation when you retrieve the message.  You are now acting rather than reacting and just that attitude resets how you will process the interruption and the reason behind it.  Secondly, you are training yourself, believe it or not, to respect your personal time.  If only for a brief moment!  When others see that you are serious about your away-time, they'll take it seriously, too.

Stresser:  I only get one day off a week.  Think we’re going to say, “Force yourself to take two!”?   Nope!  We’re going to encourage you to really take that day.  If you are able to choose, make it a day of the week when your son normally has his basketball game or your daughter has dance class.  Being truly present in your personal life – both feet in! – will allow you to feel that you’ve really had a day off. 

Stresser:  There's no one I can count on.  This may or may not be true ... but we think you'll be surprised when you ask.  Sit down with each member of your staff -- a one-on-one -- and you may well uncover some pretty marvelous skills that may have not been apparent or put to use in their current position.  You may find that your dishwasher is there because she's new to town and may have just completed an internship in the community affairs office.  You may find that your hostess spent many years as an executive assistant and now simply likes the meet-and-greet experience. 

Whether you embrace these suggestions or simply allow them to be food for thought, the Superior Menu's Team wishes you a successful season -- and time to enjoy the upcoming holiday splendor! 

What is the other guy doing right?

"Fast casual restaurants in New Jersey continue to grow and grow."                                                                                                                                          NJ.com, Aug.5, 2013

Fast casual dining.  It's a business model that's working.  What are these often thought of as cookie-cutter restaurants doing that not only continue to hold their diners interest but is now increasing the number of diners they draw? 

Let's take a look at some of their tried-and-true approaches that keep their hungry customers coming through the door.

Be our guest.  According to Clarence Otis, CEO of Darden Restaurants, atmosphere and consistency are key.  "Casual dining really satisfies the fundamental emotional needs (of the diner) .. people want to slow down, relax and reconnect and be with family and friends." 

Is your restaurant comfortable?   We mean in every way.  From the lighting to the arrangement of tables and booths to the style of your wait staff, is it a space that invites diners to relax and enjoy their time there?  Take a look during a dinner service.  Are your customers enjoying not only the food but the experience?  Enhancements may be as simple as turning down (or up!) the music; changing the color of the napkins; turning up (or down!) the lights.

Something for everyone.   Offering menu selections that make it easy for diners to find something that everyone at the table will be able to enjoy makes your place the 'place to go' when families with ever-picky teens and friends with the vegetarian hubby need to choose a place for lunch.  

Variety doesn't have to mean a 10-page menu.  Your seafood-topped Caesar salad may be the best in the county -- but offer it with or without the shrimp and now you have two selections for your customers to choose.    Build your own burger is another great way to create a something-for-everyone atmosphere.    Now take that build your own burger attitude and get creative!  Perhaps your customers can create their own pasta with add-ins or sauce choices.

Consistency, consistency, consistency.  Abraham Lincoln advised, "Whatever you are, be a good one."  If you are the burger joint -- be the best burger joint EVERY time.   When your customer praises your "burger, tonight!" the emphasis shouldn't be on the 'tonight'.

Experts tell us one of the primary reasons why fast casual establishments continue to grow in popularity is that people know what to expect in terms of quality.   These days more than ever, with dining out budgets being slim to non-existent, customers are less likely to take a chance that Jimmy is cooking tonight and will probably opt for a restaurant where they know the quality will be what they expect.

Road Trip.   The idea isn't to become cookie-cutter or to be a carbon copy of the local Applebee's, but to take a clear-eye look at what is working -- and working well -- for the casual dining model.    One of the very best ways to do this is .. become the customer!  Meet with a few friends, enjoy a meal and talk candidly about the experience.   The entire experience!

Employee Retention- Is Turnover the name of the game?

"Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can't miss."  Lee Iacocca

Even with the current job market, in the restaurant industry, employee retention numbers are staggering.   According to Restaurant News, as much as 50% of a fast-food restaurant’s staff should be expected to turn over in every given year.  Casual dining restaurants average a turnover rate of 44% -- a cost of nearly 3.5 billion dollars in recruiting and training.  How do you tackle the chore of retaining and sustaining the value of a one of your most crucial assets? 

Below are a few tried and true ways to keep your employees happy – and employed with you!  Let’s take a closer look at Mr. Iacocca’s suggestions:

If the shoe fits.  Even Cinderella’s Prince knew how important it was to have the right fit.  Make a short list of the qualities that you need your employees to have.  Not just the experience; not just the technical know-how – but the personal qualities.  Need some help deciding?  Try this trick: If your restaurant/business were a person … what would he/she be like?  Young, enthusiastic, energetic?  Gentle, soft-spoken, conservative?  Choose your employees as you would a “friend” for your restaurant.

Rules are good.  Effectively communicating the rules – even better.  “Any student can hit any target if you identify it and hold it steady” is a common adage in education – but a remarkable tool for management, as well.   Clearly define your rules.  Keep them consistent -- from staff member to staff member.  Sue doesn’t get a different set of rules than Jim.  They may not like the rules – but they will respect the fairness. When your employees have clearly defined guidelines, they’ll know themselves where they need to be. 

You can do it!  Motivate your employees with achievable reward programs.  Raising the bar unrealistically high will have the exact opposite effect.  Consider rewarding your employees weekly – or even daily.  It helps to keep everyone focused with their eye on the prize.  

We appreciate you!  Think out of the box when you think “reward.”  Monetary gifts are welcomed pats-on-the-backs, but it may surprise you to find that so is the “Thank you, Brian.  Great job.  We really are lucky to have you on our team.”   Offer gift certificates that your employees can share with their families – or even a percentage off the bill for those invited by your server or chef or dishwasher.  That will be a certain win-win!


These are just a few ideas that may help in encouraging your staff to feel good about where they are – and great about the work they do!