ConStrata

#ITstrategy should be a direct byproduct of the company's overall strategy and should support all the initiatives of the organization. Any IT strategy that is not in sync with the corporate plan and does not have buy in from all relative stakeholders has the likelihood of failing. IT exists to serve the needs of the organization as it has become a critical piece of #hospitality efficiencies and additional revenue streams. ConStrata always takes an "operational first" approach as any new initiative, system, or software is considered, it should never be just an IT project; it needs to be a collaborative effort. This is the recipe for success! Learn more about our IT strategy & other #consulting services: https://lnkd.in/gbQUSqBP

Last week, Toby discussed the state of some casual restaurant chains who appear to be in turmoil. This week, he digs into the reason for this decline - one potential being Zombie Brands that were propped up by the Restaurant Revitalization Fund enacted during COVID. Tune in to this week's ConStrata Minute to hear more. More Insights: https://www.constrata.io/ #qsr #fastcasual #restaurantconsulting #restaurantindustry

Today, we want to take a moment to highlight one of our employees - Mandy Bidwell. After working in hotel operations for 5 years, Mandy joined ConStrata Services in 2015 as one of the first employees. She was one of the first implementation specialists and eventually took over project management for all projects. She has grown within the company and today she oversees all the Direct Services business as a Client Engagement Manager. In that role, she manages Project Managers and our team of installers. In her spare time, Mandy is the Director and Fife Sergeant of the Colchester Continentals Fife and Drum Corps. She rehearses and performs with the group on weekends. She currently resides in Connecticut, but has also lived in Texas, Arizona, Nevada and New York. Other hobbies include cooking, camping, hiking, sailing and road trips with her dog Maggie Mae. She has visited 48 states so far. Thank you for all your incredible work over the years, Mandy.

With an increasing number of operators turning to catering for additional revenue, we are interested in knowing the current state of your catering operations. #catering #restaurantindustry #foodandbeverage #restaurantconsulting

According to a recent analysis by MoneyGeek.com, the average cost of a burger, fries, and soda has increased 24% in the 50 largest U.S. cities. In this week's ConStrata Minute, Toby Malbec is discussing the performance of major chains both in QSR and Fast Casual, as a result of this increase. Check out More Insights: https://www.constrata.io/ #restaurantchains #restaurantoperations #restaurantconsulting #restaurantindustry

As nutrition and food quality continue to trend upwards in importance for consumers, restaurants may want to take a look at offering salads if they currently don't. According to Datassential's 2024 Healthy Food Trends report, "64% of consumers say they want them on the menu, even if they sometimes select more indulgent options." With the recent sales gains for brands like sweetgreen, Just Salad and CAVA it may be time to reexamine menu offerings to offer salads or other healthy options. https://lnkd.in/gjFfwaqD #restauranttrends #restaurantconsulting #hospitalityconsulting #salads #freshfood Nation's Restaurant News

Staying up to date with technology available to the restaurant industry can be daunting. By examining recent restaurant technology maps, it’s easy to see how just how much information is out there. With ConStrata Consulting, having this expertise is one of our specialties. Take the overwhelm out of your technology search and reach out to one of our consultants. Charts provided by Brizo FoodMetrics | PeakSpan Capital | Vita Vera Ventures #restauranttechnology #restauranttech #restaurantconsulting #technologyselection

This week, Toby expands upon his sentiments around the rise and fall of ghost kitchens. What happened to kill the momentum of ghost kitchens? See More Insights: https://www.constrata.io/ #ghostkitchens #restauranttechnology #restauranttech #restaurantoperations #restaurantconsulting

Hospitality Technology featured Skip Kimpel, among other experts from HT‘s MURTEC Content Council, in this article about what operators are looking for in their next POS system. According to Skip, "there are two trains of thought with POS investments, depending on the size of the organization. Smaller operators seek a 'boombox' approach, where key functionalities are built into the system without needing additional third-party products. However, once you add in all the extra options, costs can exceed expectations. The benefit is dealing with a single vendor for any issues. Larger restaurant chains, on the other hand, should prioritize deep integration capabilities with best-of-breed solutions.” Read More: https://lnkd.in/g6_MypXY #restauranttechnology #restauranttech #hospitalitytechnology #pos #pointofsale #cms

Two headlines last week capture the polarizing opinion of AI within the restaurant industry – “McDonald’s to end AI drive thru experiment after errant orders” & written on the same day, “White Castle uses drive-thru AI that claims to be more accurate than humans” While the last few years have inspired what the future of restaurants will look like, they have also revealed Artificial Intelligence’s current limitations. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gvqtxYgn #restauranttechnology #artificialintelligence #restaurantconsulting