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!