Jim Rand

Crafting intuitive and clear restaurant menu categories and item names isn't just about being on-brand—it's crucial for user experience. Creativity in menu naming can be fun, but it should never come at the expense of usability. When guests can’t easily find what they’re looking for, it leads to frustration and potential loss of sales. Take Zaxby’s "zalads" as an example. While whimsical, these names become problematic when customers search online for "salads" and don't get relevant results. It's a classic case where brand creativity clashes with searchability. The solution? Balance creativity with clarity. Here are some tips: Usability First: Prioritize intuitive names that customers are likely to use when searching online or browsing the menu. Usability Testing: Engage with guests, using cards to categorize menu items in ways that make sense to them. SEO-Friendly: Ensure item names are optimized for search engines to make your offerings easily findable. Confusing names can lead to friction, which is a quick path to losing customers. Keep it simple, clear, and searchable to enhance both digital and in-person dining experiences. Have you encountered menu names that were more confusing than clever? How did it impact your dining experience? Share your thoughts below. #MenuDesign #UserExperience #SEO #menuengineering #UX #GuestExperience #restaurantstrategy #restaurantoperations #restauranttechnology #restaurantops #strategy #menustrategy

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Ready for your next lesson in GLV 101? 🍎✏️ Learn how brands are opting for restaurant loyalty programs based on guest lifetime value instead of transactional discounts 💰 Download our new ebook for GLV strategies and case studies: https://bit.ly/49TcDEb

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Maximizing Efficiency and Versatility in Hospitality with Krowne's MoveWell Adapt or fall behind—that's the mantra in today's fast-paced hospitality industry. At Culinary Depot, we take that challenge head-on with Krowne's MoveWell Adaptive Stations. Your bar will be as adaptive as you are, redefining versatility and efficiency in one sleek package. Gone are the days of static bar setups. The MoveWell Adaptive Station's modular design allows for instant reconfiguration, catering to specialty cocktails, left-handed bartenders, or a bustling coffee station. Its ultra-low profile refrigeration option maximizes space, while the integrated quick-connect plumbing ensures complete versatility. But Krowne didn't stop there. With all 304 stainless steel construction and added tracks for easy sliding of modular inserts, their workstation is not just adaptable; it's built to last. And with centralized drainage, water management is a breeze. Stay tuned for our upcoming bundle drops and see how Krowne's MoveWell Adaptive Stations can revolutionize your bar setup. Share your thoughts on adaptability in the hospitality industry below, and if you find this insight helpful, give it a like, comment, or better yet, repost it! #Innovation #Hospitality #BarDesign #CulinaryDepot #Adaptability

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Times are tough in the restaurant industry, as operators face pressures from all sides: Falling traffic, increased labor costs, uncertainty over technology, high food costs, the list goes on. After a several-year hiatus, Restaurant Business is bringing back its 50 Great Ideas special section. On these pages, you’ll find tips for boosting check averages, repurposing ingredients, tech utilization, reducing waste and much more. https://lnkd.in/d3KPDQ6c

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Facing Tough Times in the Restaurant Industry? Restaurant operators are dealing with numerous pressures: declining customer traffic, rising labor costs, uncertainty over technology, and high food costs. The list can be overwhelming. SmartLynX Can Help! 👉 https://lnkd.in/e85s3Wti Manage Labor Costs: Optimize staffing with smart scheduling and labor management tools. Embrace Technology: Seamlessly integrate the latest tech innovations to streamline operations. Control Food Costs: Efficiently manage inventory and reduce waste with real-time tracking. Discover how SmartLynX can transform your restaurant operations and help you navigate challenging times.

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Your restaurant's culture is a critical asset for success, worth more than you might think. To maintain a thriving culture, focus on recognizing, aspiring to, clearly defining, promoting, and consistently measuring the behaviors that align with your brand, ensuring long-term profitability and business prosperity. Read here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gYahrusX #restaurateur #restaurant #success #businessadvice

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Getting sober in the restaurant industry can be a unique challenge, but it's certainly possible. Here are a few strategies that some individuals have found helpful: 1. Seeking support: Find a support network that understands the challenges of the industry. This may include attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or similar support groups specifically for individuals in the food and beverage industry. 2. Creating a sober environment: Surround yourself with supportive colleagues or friends who respect your decision to be sober. Avoiding environments where alcohol is prevalent can also be beneficial. 3. Developing healthy coping mechanisms: Find alternative ways to cope with stress and pressure. This could involve practicing mindfulness, engaging in physical activity, pursuing hobbies, or seeking therapy to address underlying mental health issues. 4. Communicating openly: Share your journey with trusted coworkers, supervisors, or employers. By opening up about your sobriety, you can create a supportive work environment and potentially find accommodations that foster your well-being. 5. Self-care and balance: Prioritize self-care practices, such as getting enough rest, maintaining a healthy diet, and engaging in activities that bring you joy. Establishing a work-life balance is crucial for your overall well-being. Remember, everyone's journey to sobriety is unique. It's important to identify what works best for you and to seek professional help if needed. Your determination and courage in facing and overcoming these challenges are truly inspiring.

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Team Member and Guest Experience - Lead and Take Care of Your Team. They are the PEOPLE closest to and delivering Hospitality to your paying Guests! Make the call, and we can assist you. 408-784-7371 Foodservice Consulting + Design #restaurant #foodservice #culinary #hotel #casino #resort #travel #club #design #consulting #speaking #kitchendesign #equipmentspecifications #ServPoints™️ #SequenceofService #TeamExperience #GuestExperience #conceptdevelopment #marketing #salesbuilding #standardsofoperation #profitability #coaching #training #operationsbestpractices #expertwitness #litigationsupport #myfcsi

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From Ordinary to Extraordinary: How to Elevate Your Restaurant’s Dining Experience https://conta.cc/4cBRq3u #restaurants #restaurantpos #pointofsale #IdealPOS #restaurantmanager #POS

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Restaurateur Tip Of The Week🌟🍽️ Are you looking for innovative ways to attract new customers and boost your restaurant's visibility? Hosting special events and promotions can create the buzz you need to drive new business. 🌟 Themed Nights: Host unique themed nights like Taco Tuesdays, Wine Wednesdays, or Sunday Brunch Specials. These events give customers a reason to choose your restaurant over others. 🌟Exclusive Tasting Events: Invite your loyal customers to exclusive tasting events for new menu items. It’s a great way to gather feedback and build anticipation for new dishes. 🌟 Chef Table/Demonstrations: It’s an engaging way to showcase your culinary expertise and connect with food enthusiasts. 🌟Seasonal and Holiday Promotions: Create special menus and promotions around holidays and seasons. Think Valentine’s Day dinners, summer BBQs, or holiday feasts to attract more diners. 🌟 Charity Events and Community Engagement: Partner with local charities for fundraising events. It’s a fantastic way to give back to the community while attracting socially-conscious diners. These are just a few of the many possible events that your restaurant can run. At Appetite Online, we specialize in helping restaurants create buzz-worthy events and promotions that attract new customers and keep your current ones excited. Ready to drive new business with creative events and promotions? Get in touch! 🎉 #Restaurant #EventPromotion #LeadGeneration #AppetiteOnline

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We're thrilled to bring you a special episode of The Digital Restaurant from the Food On Demand Conference at the iconic Bellagio in Las Vegas. Last week, Meredith Sandland and I dove deep into the transformative world of restaurant technology with some of the brightest minds in the industry. 🔍 Key Highlights: Andrew Custage from Medallia shared intriguing insights on the contrasting consumer perceptions of delivery and pickup pricing. How can your business adapt to these expectations? Deena DePhilips from Red Robin discussed the challenging yet crucial tech integrations and the strategic shift toward consolidation. Are you building or buying your next big solution? The highlight: Travis Kalanick emerged from stealth to talk about his vision for CloudKitchens and the future of food delivery. His thoughts on automating meal preparation and an "Internet Food Court" concept are game-changers! This episode is packed with invaluable perspectives that can help steer your strategies in the dynamic landscape of food services. Whether you're part of this fast-evolving industry or just keen on where food and technology intersect, you won't want to miss this! 👂 Listen, learn, and let us know your thoughts! We’d love to hear your reflections on these discussions. Check out the full episode through the links below. 🔗 Don't forget to subscribe for more updates from The Digital Restaurant, and share this with your network to spread the knowledge! #DigitalRestaurant #FoodOnDemand #RestaurantTechnology #CloudKitchens #InnovationInFood #Podcast #BusinessStrategy #FoodService #TechIntegration #LeadershipInRestaurants

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Foodservice people: who remembers kitchen clipboards? They may still exist BUT marketing has come a long way! Lenny Nash Joe Meuschke George H. Nick Lamb Jeff Burch Jeff Maskule Michael J. Cala Pepe Toro Edward Zimmerman #foodservice #foodserviceindustry #restaurantindustry #restaurantsupply #fooddistributor #foodmanufacturing #foodmanufacturer #foodmanufacturers #foodmarketing #foodservicedistributor #hospitality #chef

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Nation's Restaurant News recently covered an insightful Technomic, Inc. study that dives deep into consumer behavior and the critical role of value in today's economic climate. But what is the X-factor for delivering value? What can restaurant leaders do to avoid Shrinkflation and discounting as the paths to maintaining customer interest and preference? As we all know, economic pressures are building up with credit cards maxed out and folks realizing fiscal exhaustion. It's pushing consumers back to 2020-era sensitivities towards pricing and shopping habits. Despite messaging of "cooled" inflation, it isn't as comforting as it may seem. We've enduring insanely high compounding inflation year over year since 2020. Despite this recent reduction, consumers still feel the pinch, and it's crucial for us to understand this dynamic. Convenience, accuracy, and quality are now more critical than ever in driving perceived value. Restaurant brand cannot afford anything less than perfection. This starts by adopting the right technology backbone to ensure orders are received accurately, and speed of service can be realized. Finally, the X-Factor in delivering value resides in delivering Omni-Channel Convenience. Give them the power to order what they want, when they want, where they want it. The only way to do that is by controlling the digital experience completely. Out of the box solutions may seem great, but they keep you playing in the same box as everyone else. It is absolutely essential to provide seamless and convenient interactions. Own the experience fully. Make it easy and fun to use. Own the data, learn, iterate and improve. This is the key to delivering value. If you're as passionate about the restaurant industry and UX as I am, let's connect and discuss these trends further! #RestaurantIndustry #ConsumerBehavior #ValueProposition #TechnomicStudy #Leadership #InflationImpact #Convenience #DigitalStrategy #CustomerExperience #RestaurantMarketing

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When 58,000 #restaurant leaders come together, the takeaways are game-changing. From cutting labor costs to boosting retention, this behind the scenes recap takes us right back to the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show floor. Dive into it here for critical industry insights: https://lnkd.in/gfzNXWXw We may be biased, but p. 33 is our favorite. 👀 #hospitality #technology #events #ai #innovation

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As our CEO, Sherif Mityas would say, running a restaurant group is like skin. The outer layer shows what makes each restaurant unique: menu, design, colors, service, and taglines. Below the surface, the components are similar across the board, like a unified technology and finance team supporting all brands. This approach lets BRIX Holdings' brands keep their unique identities while benefiting from shared resources. Centralizing technology, finance, and supply chain improves efficiency and cuts costs, allowing each brand to focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences. Discover how the power of scale benefits our brands like Friendly's Restaurants, Clean Juice, Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, Red Mango, LLC, and more in the latest issue of QSR Magazine, on page 30. https://lnkd.in/ggUrHZpd Inquire about franchising opportunities with BRIX Holdings: https://brixholdings.com/ #MultiBrandFranchising #Scale #Innovation #Franchise #Leadership

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"Cutting Costs, Not Corners: Revolutionizing Restaurant Efficiency with Innovative Design" In the face of rising labor costs, a challenge that has perennially confronted the restaurant industry, innovative back-of-house designs are emerging as a critical solution for enhancing productivity and operational efficiency. With labor costs consuming a significant portion of revenue—often 30-35% according to Hubworks—restaurants are creatively reimagining their back-of-house spaces to do more with less. The principle behind these new design approaches is to streamline operations in a way that allows a single staff member to perform tasks that would have previously required two people. This is achieved by integrating advanced technologies and smarter layout planning that optimizes workflow and minimizes unnecessary movement. For example, Restaurant Business Online highlights how back-of-house technologies not only drive labor efficiencies but also support labor retention by making employees' jobs easier and more efficient. Automation plays a pivotal role in this transformation. By incorporating automated prep and cooking equipment, restaurants can reduce the time and labor traditionally required for these tasks. Digital inventory tracking and ordering systems further alleviate the workload by ensuring that stock levels are managed with precision, eliminating the need for constant manual checks. These design innovations are not just about cutting costs; they're about creating an environment that maximizes productivity without sacrificing quality. The goal is to maintain, or even enhance, the customer experience by ensuring that every plate served meets the restaurant's standards of excellence. In essence, these new back-of-house designs are a testament to the industry's resilience and ingenuity, offering a blueprint for thriving in an era of tight margins and high expectations. #NorthDakota #SDjobs #SouthDakota #MTjobs #Montana #WYjobs #Wyoming #GeckoHospitality #WereHiring #LetGoAndLetGecko #GrowYourBusiness #Business #RecruitmentAgency #NowHiring #restaurant #foodservice #opportunity #hoteliers #hotelmanagement

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The OPGA has 109 Key Indicators for Off Premises success. That’s a lot to look at but besides a great strategy having a dedicated leader to help create and execute this strategy is our #1 leading indicator of success.  While leading my team, here are 4 specific engagment points as a leader that made our programs so successful. #leadership #offpremises #catering #theopga https://lnkd.in/ggrzNaX2

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