Cargill - Truvia Sweet Customer Satisfaction Naturally - banner - both - 03.19

Simplot Sidewinders - Bendy is Trendy - banner - both - 01.20

Simplot Sidewinders - Make Waves - banner - both - 01.20

Reel in Greater Appeal - skyscraper - both - 10.22

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt banner - both - 04.23

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Meats - Unparalleled Flavor - banner - both - 02.20

Dixie Ultra Surface Systems - skyscraper - both - 02.23

A Family of Fine Cheeses - skyscraper - both - 08.22

Dixie Ultra Surface Systems - banner - both - 02.23

Simplot Sidewinders - Make Waves - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Nestle Minors Slow Simmered Stock - Free Sample - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Knorr's Cook with More Possibilities - banner - both - 09.24

Shrimp that Brings the Big Picture - banner - both - 11.22

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - skyscraper - both - 07.21

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Style and Substance - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Your Partner for Flavor - banner - both - 01.23

McCain - Feed and Comfort Your Community with Family Sized Favorites - skyscraper - both - 05.20

Empress 5-Compartment School Food Tray - 05.22

Chef-mate - Save Time without Sacrificing Quality - banner - both - 06.23

Sugar Foods ecoStick Less Waste - banner - both - 10.16

Nestle - Every Season is Pumpkin Season - skyscraper - both - 08.18

Nestle Vitality - Build a Refreshing Beverage Program - both - skyscraper - 04.20

Sugar Foods - Add Savory Beet Notes Crispy Beets skyscraper - both - 05.18

Fully Cooked Meats Create New Products - skyscraper - both - 11.01 - 11.30.24

Tork One Napkin - banner - OE - 03.17

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - banner - both - 04.19

Nestle - Hot Cocoa Single-Serve Packets - banner - both - 09.21

Basic American Shred Competition operator banner ad - 12.17

Tyson - Wright Brand Bacon - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Nestle Stouffers White Cheddar Mac and Cheese - skyscraper - both - 08.18

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Rich's Plant Based and Gluten Free Crusts - banner - both - 07.18

Durable Packaging - Grow Sales - It's in the Bag - banner - both - 10.17

Hormel - Bacon 1 - Less Time Less Grease Less Mess - banner - both - 02.20

Sunny Fresh Bacon and Cheese EggStravaganza - banner - both - 03.23

Future Menus 2024 - both - 08.01 - 12.31.24

Hormel - Bacon 1 - You've Never Seen Bacon Like This - banner - both - 02.20

Potato Perks App - banner - both - 05.22

Sugar Foods - Turn Up the Beets Crispy Beets - banner - both - 05.18

Cargill - Truvia Sweet Customer Satisfaction Naturally - skyscraper - both - 03.19

Hellmann's Vegan Dressing and Spread - banner - OE - 10.22

Nestle Stouffer's Comfort Foods Beyond Compare - video - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Simplot GoodGrains - banner - both - 01.20

Rich's Plant-Based - Good Things Grow - banner - both - 11.20

Ambrosia Chocolate - banner - both - 03.23

Nestle Minors Slow-Simmered Stock - Free Sample - banner - both - 02.20

Seafood is Better - banner - both - 05.21

Maui Refreshers - both - 06.13 - 12.31.24

Your Source for Wild Alaskan Seafood - Surimi - skyscraper - both - 10.24

McCain - Takeout and Delivery Menu Ideas - banner - both - 05.20

Cargill - Truvia Serve Americas Best Selling Stevia Sweetener - banner - both - 03.19

Performance Plus Food Safety - skyscraper - both - 09.21

V8 - Power Profits with Flavors Customers Crave - both - 01.24 - 12.31.24

Rich's Plant Based Cooking Creme - skyscraper - both - 02.18

Jennie-O Take Burgers Over the Top with Turkey - skyscraper - both - 03.20

McCain - Tactical Takeout Webinar - skyscraper - both - 05.20

Butterball - Quality, Versatility, and Consistency - banner - both - 07.19

Simplot Conquest Crispy Potato Strips - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Durable Safety Edge Foil Lids skyscraper ad - both - 10.17

V8 - Steady Energy from Black and Green Tea - both - 01.24 - 12.31.24

Banner Ad - 4 - PICs - Operator - supersized

Roland Foods - Discover the Roland Foods Pantry - skyscraper - both - 11.20

Reel in Greater Appeal - both - banner - 10.22

V8 - Give Customers Steady Energy with the Drink that Drives Sales - both - 01.24 - 12.31.24

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - banner - both - 04.18

Performance Dairy Clarified Butter - banner - both - 04.24

Sugar Foods Deliver It Better - banner - both - 04.20

Dan's Prize Corned Beef Pastrami - Simple, Tender - banner - both - 04.20

Dan's Prize Sliced Meats Convenience - banner - both - 04.20

Jennie-O Premium Turkey Breast Products - Turkey that Turns Up the Quality - banner - both - 02.20

Performance Dairy: Our Products Work Hard So You Don't Have To - skyscraper - both - 11.01 - 11.30.24

Ready to Eat Frozen Vegetables - banner - both - 03.23

Hormel - Fontanini - Welcome to Our Family Tradition - banner - both - 02.20

Simplot Harvest Fresh Avocado - banner - both - 01.20

Jennie-O No Basic Burger Here - banner - both - 03.20

V8 - Put Pep in Their Step and Profit in your Pocket - both - 01.24 - 12.31.24

Catch of the Season - skyscraper - both - 07.22

V8 - Give Customers Steady Energy - both - 01.24 - 12.31.24

Hormel - Fire-Braised Chicken - Don't Labor Over Great Chicken - banner - both - 02.20

Simplot Sidewinders - Bendy is Trendy - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Jennie-O Premium Turkey Breast Turkey that Turns Up the Quality - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt skyscraper with chef - both - 04.23

Tater Tumblers Unseasoned Mix Free Sample - banner - both - 10.11 - 12.31.24

Custom Solutions Just for You - banner - 11.01 - 11.30.24

Check Out the Major Products Product Guide - skyscraper - OE - 03.22

Your Source for Wild Alaskan Seafood - Surimi - banner - both - 10.24

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Customize Creamy Comfort - skyscraper - both - 04.19

TNT Burgers - Learn More - skyscraper - both - 03.23

McCain - Rebuilding Your Biz - Episode 1 - Hack Your Way Back - skyscraper - both - 05.20

V8 - Power Profits with Refreshing Steady Energy - both - 01.24  - 12.31.24

Skyscraper Ad - MM - Heat - Operator

Sunny Fresh Egg Bake Bites - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Fabri-Kal - Packaging solutions for environmental and off-premise needs - banner - both - 11.19

Find Fresh Inspiration - skyscraper - both - 08.22

Seafood is Better - skyscraper - both - 05.21

Sugar Foods Deliver It Better - skyscraper - both - 04.20

Tork Compact Foodservice Cloths - skyscraper - both - 07.17

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Dress Your Table for Success - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Wave of Inspiration - banner - both - 05.22

It&rsquo;s never too early to start talking about your holiday food and beverage menus. One study reported that 35% of consumers start buying food and beverages for the holidays a few weeks before the big day, with 52% learning about holiday offerings via word of mouth.1
Promote holiday menus on social media, display flyers and/or tent cards inside the restaurant or send reminders in your email newsletter. Depending on your kitchen capabilities, you can make the holidays as simple or as involved as you want. The goal is to turn a healthy profit while lifting guests&rsquo; spirits.
Convenience and affordability are buzzwords this season as consumers seek easy ways to ring in the season without breaking the bank. Here are six ways to make everyone&rsquo;s holidays&mdash;including yours&mdash;a little happier.
1. Keep your menus simple.&nbsp;Adding a holiday twist to current offerings is an easy way to make menus feel festive while avoiding staff and kitchen burnout. Consider adding peppermint or pumpkin syrup to existing coffee beverages; add pumpkin soup or deviled eggs to the appetizer menu; and create holiday-themed desserts such as sweet potato pie or a peppermint sundae. Don&rsquo;t forget your delivery, takeout, and grab-and-go customers here; boxes of holiday cookies, and festive finger foods are an easy sell.
2. Integrate speed-scratch ingredients to save time and labor.&nbsp;High-quality speed-scratch ingredients and products can boost flavor and save you time in the kitchen. Consider gravy, tomato sauce, macaroni and cheese, and chocolate chip cookie dough that you can have on hand throughout the season.
3. Create order-ahead holiday sides and bundles. You don&rsquo;t have to be open to take advantage of holiday sales. Many consumers can&rsquo;t or prefer not to cook and are happy to pick up heat-and-serve casseroles, sides, turkeys, roasts, or more a day or two before a big dinner. Offer items such as lasagna, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, sausage stuffing, broccoli casserole, pumpkin pie, and apple pie to make someone&rsquo;s holiday easier.
4. Make them the favorite guest.&nbsp;Many will travel to someone else&rsquo;s house for a holiday meal and food is always a welcome gift. Promote guest gifts ranging from a box of homemade cookies or pie to fresh-baked dinner rolls with gourmet butter or hors d&rsquo;oeuvres.
5. Cater office holiday parties in-office or at your restaurant.&nbsp;Look through your existing menu to calculate the logistics of offering family-style portions of favorite menu items for large parties. Then promote your catering options for the holiday season, either delivering to offices or renting out a room (or the entire space) to corporate clients.
6. Run a gift card promotion.&nbsp;&lsquo;Tis the biggest season of the year for gift cards, so don&rsquo;t miss the opportunity to sell gift cards to your business. Offer a buy-one-get-one gift card (i.e., purchase $50, get $5), or a donation to charity if a large amount is purchased (i.e., purchase a $200 gift card and 10% will go to charity).
Content courtesy of Nestle Professional
1Unpacking Consumer Behavior: Insights From the Holiday Season! (Peekage, February, 2024)

Make this year’s holiday menu small on labor and big on sales with these six easy ideas.

6 Holiday Profit Tips for Your Restaurant

In the restaurant industry, it&rsquo;s always prudent to plan ahead. And since the holiday seasons can potentially be a big time for a restaurant&rsquo;s bottom line, looking forward to that special time of the year can give you an edge on your competition. So, we&rsquo;re here to discuss ways to increase restaurant holiday sales.
Although much of the advice in this article will be specifically about holidays, you can use a lot of this advice for slower parts of the year. There are multiple ways to boost sales and offer a special dining experience for customers while building brand awareness via wise marketing strategies.
So let&rsquo;s tap into ways for restaurant owners to get new customers in the door as well as regulars, and look at some restaurant holiday promotions.
Mix up your restaurant menu
A straightforward way to add some flair to your holiday season is to mix up your menu. Offering a seasonal menu is a common practice in the industry anyway, as it keeps food fresh and keeps loyal customers interested in your new menu items.
A holiday menu doesn&rsquo;t need to dominate the ambiance&mdash;it can simply be a special offer for Christmas, for example, like a classic roast turkey or ham. Naturally, you may find you&rsquo;ll want to offer your own twist on a classic, which is where you can let your chef&rsquo;s creativity shine. Rather than adding holiday specials to your menu, consider offering them as stand-alone meals as part of a <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/prix-fixe/" target="_blank">prix fixe</a> deal, paired with an appetizer, holiday-themed beverage, and dessert.
Go for a theme
<a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/how-to-get-your-restaurant-ready-for-the-holiday-season/" target="_blank">Leaning into the holiday spirit</a>&mdash;whether it&rsquo;s Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year&rsquo;s Eve, or whatever festive season&mdash;provides a good opportunity to mix up your d&eacute;cor and ambiance. How much you actually want to lean in will be based on your business model and the type of restaurant you run. High-end restaurants will want to keep things understated, with changes to lighting and subtle decorations on the walls, table, and outdoor signage, while mid-range restaurants and pubs can get a bit more festive with things.
Consider upgrading your outdoor seating area for the season as well, or making it as cozy as possible with outdoor heating. You can make small tables for a romantic holiday meal or clear a large area for holiday parties depending on your size and customer base.
You can tweak your color palette for your restaurant marketing and social media campaigns during these times and mix them up as the seasons change. Speaking of marketing&hellip;
Get busy marketing
Holiday marketing is a must to get the most of the holiday rush and convince potential customers to give you a go. Since there are so many ways to run a holiday marketing campaign, let&rsquo;s break down a few <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/restaurant-social-media-marketing/" target="_blank">marketing ideas</a>.
Social media
Your social media posts should push your new holiday dishes as limited-time offers to create demand and a sense of urgency. Visually appealing short-form content like photos and videos are a great way to do this, posted with frequency and in advance of the upcoming holiday.
With Yelp Guest Manager, you can now <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/how-to-use-booking-links-to-attract-more-diners/" target="_blank">add reservation links to your social media posts</a>. This can be a game-changer for social media conversion, and you&rsquo;ll be able to track conversion rates from your posts.
As mentioned above, you can tweak your color palette as defined in your <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/restaurant-branding-for-social-media/" target="_blank">restaurant brand</a> guidelines for the holiday season. Keep this consistent across posts and change it as the holidays do so customers get the idea quickly without too much explanation needed.
Last-minute deals
Maybe your reservations are not quite what you expected and you&rsquo;re looking to bring in more dine-in customers. Offering last-minute deals like discounts on special menu items can help you sell inventory you may have overstocked. Similarly, offering surprise last-minute deals like a free eggnog around Christmas, free dessert for customers who wear a certain color, or other similar strategies can help get customers to make their plans for the day around your establishment. Share these last-minute deals on social media and watch customers come in.
Holiday gifts
Advertising special holiday gifts for customers is a great marketing opportunity. The gift doesn&rsquo;t have to be enormous. A simple gift card, merch, or something unique to your brand can be enough to generate interest. If it&rsquo;s unique to both your restaurant and that day, it&rsquo;s all the better since customers can keep it for sentimental value.
Reward your loyal customers
If you&rsquo;re running a formal <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/your-guide-to-diner-loyalty/" target="_blank">customer loyalty program</a>, make sure that the rewards you offer are valuable enough that they see fit to use them. If, for example, a loyalty card gives a customer 10% off on each order, you can boost that during the holiday season to ensure you have their business. Similarly, you can offer special details to get new customers in the door by offering an extension to loved ones of your loyal customers.
This could look like &ldquo;bring a parent or grandparent and they eat free&rdquo; or another significant loss leader. While this may not necessarily boost short-term profit, it&rsquo;ll stand a good chance of boosting long-term restaurant sales since converting a new customer to a regular should be the goal of any restaurant. Let your regulars do some marketing for you, make them feel special, and they&rsquo;ll bring in the people they care about.
Push online ordering
Dine-in customers are great. They&rsquo;re the lifeblood of most restaurants. But offering unique online ordering offers during the holiday season can help you achieve multiple revenue streams and boost your online presence. Pairing up with <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/third-party-delivery-services/" target="_blank">third-party delivery apps</a> can generate a lot of business, and can be quite valuable as long as you have enough profit margin to take the cut from the delivery service.
Think of New Year&rsquo;s Day, for example: <a href="https://get.grubhub.com/blog/restaurant-delivery-holidays/" target="_blank">Grubhub notes</a> it&rsquo;s one of the busiest days for delivery, for obvious reasons, with no shortage of people who want to relax after a big night.
Alternatively, you can offer takeout for the busiest days of the year like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many customers want to eat at home, but don&rsquo;t necessarily want to do all the cooking themselves. In such cases, it&rsquo;s wise to require a booking in advance for these takeout meals since your kitchen will already be abuzz and your inventory limited. Offering online ordering or takeout via your restaurant website can help generate business.
Train staff to upsell
Upselling can make the difference between a profitable restaurant and one that&rsquo;s just getting by. This is a skill that can be taught and learned, and servers should be encouraged to upsell when possible. That means suggesting a drink or dessert, describing specials you want to push, and more.
It&rsquo;s important to not be pushy since upselling can get obnoxious if it&rsquo;s over the top, but a simple suggestion is more than enough to help customers make up their minds about something they may not have considered before.
Wine pairing is an excellent example. If you have a decent wine list, make sure servers know what bottle of wine goes best with each dish. The same goes with appetizers: Servers should ask customers if they&rsquo;d like anything to start right after they&rsquo;ve had a minute or two to look over the menu.
Because customers are aware of upselling, it&rsquo;s critical that servers know when to back off on it. This is a &ldquo;read the room&rdquo; scenario, and largely a social skill. As a social job, servers should be able to pick this up. If someone is clearly on a date, for example, it might not be the most prudent move to push an expensive bottle of wine lest the customer feel pressured and thus uncomfortable.
Make the customer experience special
Really, the best way for restaurateurs to boost holiday sales is to make the customer experience special. That includes the whole interaction, from start to finish: From finding your restaurant online via social media to making a reservation, dining, and going home, you want to ensure your people feel good.
With push-button reservations and online waitlists, two-way communication, and accurate seating timing, Yelp Guest Manager helps customers feel totally at ease with your restaurant. At the same time, your staff will be empowered with fully customizable floor plans, customer profiles, tablet ordering, third-party software syncing, and much more.
Source: Sam McCommon, <a href="https://restaurants.yelp.com/articles/increase-restaurant-holiday-sales/" target="_blank">Yelp for Restaurants</a>

The holiday season can be lucrative for restaurants if it’s handled right, so getting on top of your planning early is key.

7 Smart Ways to Increase Restaurant Holiday Sales

From steak chop shops on the bustling streets of New York City to sushi joints on the San Francisco Bay, restaurants across the US have already started gearing up for the 2018 Holiday season. For good reason too. Since 2010, restaurant sales during November and December have been trending up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/12/17/holiday-season-restaurant-spending-on-the-rise/76777038/" target="_blank">4.2% and 6.4%</a>. Between family gatherings, corporate parties, and private events, the holidays represent a powerful opportunity for restaurants to up their revenue as the year ends. Specifically, restaurants that have the marketing plan in place to capitalize on all this increased eating out. To help you make the most of this holiday season, we&rsquo;ve put together our five favorite holiday restaurant marketing tips and best practices.
Before we dive into our advanced lessons, let&rsquo;s review the basics. The tips below assume that you&rsquo;re doing at least these marketing endeavors:
Social Media Marketing
Most restaurants are on social media (and yours should be too). Whether it&rsquo;s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, a social media presence can bolster awareness of your restaurant and get people&rsquo;s mouths watering in anticipation of your amazing eats.
Best Practice: Mind your frequency when it comes to how often your restaurant posts on social media. Posting once or twice a day is fine but spamming social media with a new post every hour can turn people off and increase your Unfollow rate.
Email Marketing
Not all restaurants have an email list, but those that do will tell you that a strong email marketing campaign can do wonders for increasing bookings. Gather emails from your customers every day and place them in a general marketing campaign designed to build awareness of restaurant news, new menu rollouts, specials, and anything else &ldquo;worthy&rdquo; of an email blast. Keyword there: worthy.
Best Practice: Kick your email gathering into overdrive by running social media contests or sweepstakes. Let your customer provide their email in exchange for a free meal, gift card, or other incentives.
5 Holiday Restaurant Marketing Tips
With the basics covered, let&rsquo;s move on to the meat of the post.
Tip #1: Start an Advocacy Marketing Program
For the <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/commis?s=t" target="_blank">commis</a> out there, an advocacy marketing program is simply an additional marketing channel to help share your holiday restaurant marketing messages. Your biggest fans join your advocacy marketing program by connecting their social media account. From there, you&rsquo;ll be able to send them content (videos, blog posts, news articles, pictures) that they, in turn, can post to their personal social media networks.
Not only will your advocates see and interact with your content, but so will their friends and family. The beauty of an advocacy marketing program is that you can reach tens of thousands of people (the average advocate is connected to 500 &ndash; 600 people), without having to pay a dime to promote posts or purchase digital media.
Best Practice: Don&rsquo;t even think about trying to manage an advocacy marketing program through a spreadsheet or manual email list. You&rsquo;ll be in the weeds before you can even click &ldquo;send&rdquo;. Instead, use a third-party platform built explicitly for managing an advocacy marketing program.
Tip #2: Spotlight Your Private Dining Rooms
For many restaurants, corporate parties and private events are a lucrative revenue stream during the holiday season &ndash; if office managers are aware of your private dining options. Publishing a single image of your private dining room in October isn&rsquo;t going to cut it. You need to be regularly marketing your corporate event spaces.
When marketing your private event space be sure to:
<ul>
<li>Take pictures of the space so that people can envision dining there</li>
<li>Include relevant booking information (seating capacity, private bar, etc.)</li>
<li>Talk about the food (Is a private menu available?)</li>
</ul>
Keep in mind that most corporate parties are booked in October and November. Now&rsquo;s the time to begin marketing your offering if you want to grab your share of December corporate bookings.
Best Practice: No one wants to celebrate their holiday party in a drab, neutral, setting. Add a bit of flair to your event spaces during the holiday season to help spice up your guests&rsquo; experience. Consider partnering with a professional decorator or party planner to provide decorating services to corporate parties (for an additional fee of course). Giving them the option of decorating the room as they see fit could help you win the party and drive additional revenue to the bottom line.
Tip #3: Get Local Influencers and Micro-Influencers Involved
This holiday season, lean on local market trendsetters, taste-masters, and foodies to entice people to flock to your restaurant. Micro-influencers (those with a social following of 10K to 100K) and influencers (social following of 100K+) have built a local audience that is hungry for dining recommendations. Leverage this following to build buzz by hosting private influencer-only dinners.
If your restaurant is planning on changing menus for the holiday season, including an influencer dinner in your holiday restaurant marketing plans can be the perfect tool for garnering attention and reservations. Check your local market hashtags to see who is already posting great content from area restaurants. Then reach out to the individuals that you feel most align with your target market. Invite those individuals to dine at your restaurant and encourage them to share, share, share their experience.
Best Practice: Don&rsquo;t hold back when it comes to planning this influencer dinner. Sure, you don&rsquo;t have to feed everyone Kobe beef and pop bottles of Dom Perignon, but you should take every action to leave a positive impression on your invited guests. Decorate the room, ensure the table has friendly reminders of what hashtags and tagged accounts should accompany any social posts, provide gift cards, etc. Take all steps necessary to create a fun, memorable experience.
Bonus Best Practice: Encourage these influencers to join your advocacy marketing program as part of their acceptance of your dining invitation. Their presence in your program will help to skyrocket your reach as they&rsquo;ll be able to share content on your behalf long after the event is over.
Tip #4: Leverage the Sharing Power of Your Staff
Your advocacy program isn&rsquo;t just for your favorite customers and influencers. Your staff can also take part! Back of the house, front of the house, managers, every person on your payroll that is on social media should be a part of your advocacy efforts and share your holiday restaurant marketing messages.
Not only can employees help increase your reach, they can also have a higher level of average post engagement. In fact, brand messages are re-shared <a href="http://www.business2community.com/social-selling/favorite-employee-advocacy-statistics-01193266#fzrSRVVLz6oE7BKR.97" target="_blank">24-times more</a> frequently when distributed by employees vs. the brand.
Best Practice: Consider implementing a separate employee incentive available only to employees (and not your customers) who participate in the program. Cash can be king, but so could paid time off, free product, and other incentives that inspire your employees.
Tip #5: Create More Video Content
Here are a couple stats for you:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2016/12/infographic-video-marketing-statistics-2017.html" target="_blank">55% of people watch videos online every day</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rendrfx.com/video-marketing-statistics" target="_blank">92% of mobile video consumers share videos</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/top-5-facebook-video-statistics-2016-infographic" target="_blank">Video posts on Facebook have 135% greater organic reach than photo posts</a></li>
</ul>
Bottom line: video can be a powerful medium for building excitement around your restaurant this holiday season.
This doesn&rsquo;t mean you should run out and grab the latest, shiniest piece of equipment. You don&rsquo;t need a $10,000 rig to create videos for Facebook. However, it does mean that you should be producing at least some video content on the regular.
Best Practice: Dedicate an internal resource to producing and creating videos (preferably whoever is managing your social media and ongoing and holiday restaurant marketing initiatives). Then provide them with some basic training and guidance on things like lighting, filtering, and steady-cam. Technology is amazing, and you may be surprised with the quality of video that can be made with an iPhone, some good lighting, and a bit of practice.
Winter Is Coming
The holiday season is fast approaching and corporate managers and family are already making holiday party plans. If you want to ensure your restaurant gets the largest slice of bookings pie as possible, now&rsquo;s the time to begin your holiday restaurant marketing initiatives.
Source: <a href="https://www.socialtoaster.com/holiday-restaurant-marketing-tips-drive-revenue/" target="_blank">Social Toaster</a>

The holidays represent a powerful opportunity for restaurants to up their revenue as the year ends.

5 Holiday Restaurant Marketing Tips To Drive Engagement And Revenue

As customers seek unique flavors and ingredients, more restaurants differentiate their offerings by expanding side dishes to include global flavors.
By the Numbers
Elote and dumplings are two growing global side dishes, according to Datassential&rsquo;s &ldquo;Menu Trends&rdquo; year-end quarter one 2024 report:
Elote &ndash; Up 58% over the past four years; on 1.3% of side menus. Elote is a Mexican-influenced grilled corn on the cob topped with mayo sauce, chili powder, cheese, and lime.
Dumplings &ndash; Up 36% over the past four years; on 1.3% of side menus. Specifically, the report refers to dumplings with eastern European or Asian influences.
Cuisine Attitudes
A few of the responses from consumers when asked &ldquo;Which of the following statements do you agree with?&rdquo; offers some clues to how consumers connect with regional and international cuisine.*
<ul>
<li>46% agreed that eating international cuisine helps them experience different cultures.</li>
<li>37% said they are more interested in authentic dishes than fusion dishes.</li>
<li>27% said they have been trying more new international cuisines in the past year.</li>
</ul>
* Kantar Profiles/Mintel, April 2023
Source: Lisa White, <a href="https://fesmag.com/topics/trends/22168-global-side-dishes" target="_blank">Foodservice Equipment &amp; Supplies</a>

As customers seek unique flavors and ingredients, more restaurants differentiate their offerings by expanding side dishes to include global flavors.

Global Side Dishes

Discover the latest trends that turn mainstay macaroni into patron-favorite gourmet mac and cheese. Try the signature mac and cheese recipes below!
Make Gourmet Mac and Cheese a Signature Dish 
Macaroni and cheese has been around for a long, long time. Instructions for pasta and cheese casseroles were recorded as early as the 14th century in Italy! Even its first modern recipe was in the 1770 cookery book The Experienced English Housekeeper.
Yet its popularity is still growing. According to Datassential, 30.6% of all restaurant menus featured macaroni and cheese over the last ten years. And maybe even more notable: restaurants offered, on average, 2.7 different mac and cheese options.
That gives this perennial favorite lots of room for creative interpretation. Datassential even tracks variations on gourmet mac and cheese recipes. These range from cheese types (Gruyere, Fontina, cheddar) to additions (peas, bacon, truffle, lobster).
Gourmet Mac and Cheese Recipes: A Starting Place 
Macaroni and cheese is one of those craveable, widely popular foods &mdash; beloved by kids and adults alike &mdash; that can be turned into a signature mac and cheese dish your customers will visit you specifically to order.
Here are ways to craft gourmet mac and cheese as a calling card:
Play with the Basics 
Don&rsquo;t feel tied to elbow pasta: almost any pasta shape is appropriate for mac and cheese. Try ziti, orecchiette, shells, ditalini, or even a small, delicate pasta such as orzo.
As far as cheese goes, switching up the flavor profile can create a big impact. In particular, try specialty cheeses such as goat cheese, feta, blue cheese, smoked mozzarella, pepper Jack, or a branded or locally sourced product. Or experiment with multiple cheeses, like an all-Italian mix of fontina, Parmesan, and Asiago.
Add Mix-ins 
<ul>
<li>Stir in vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower, peas, asparagus tips, spinach or Swiss chard, diced roasted vegetables, or tomatoes (This is also a great way to sneak in some nutrition for kids!)</li>
<li>Go upscale with wild mushrooms, lobster or crab, or smoked chicken</li>
<li>Stir in a flavor enhancement such as pesto or salsa</li>
<li>Top with seasoned or buttered bread or cracker crumbs, then bake or broil to create an extra-crispy crust.</li>
<li>Enrich with sour cream, pur&eacute;ed butternut squash, or Alfredo sauce</li>
<li>Create a mac-and-cheese menu or station where customers can choose their own mix-ins and additions</li>
</ul>
Make It a Kids&rsquo; Menu Fixture 
Many children love macaroni and cheese &mdash; and it&rsquo;s also a protein-rich menu item that many parents can feel good about them ordering.
<ul>
<li>Pair with a side of veggie sticks and a better-for-you beverage such as juice, reduced-fat skim milk, or lemonade for a combo meal</li>
<li>Use whole-grain pasta and/or a whole-grain crumb topping</li>
<li>Accompany with a lean protein option, such as turkey hot dogs, shrimp, or grilled chicken breast or tenders</li>
<li>Slip veggies into the recipe, as mentioned above, for added produce portions</li>
<li>Provide mix-ins for a menu option that lets kids take charge</li>
</ul>
Use Mac &amp; Cheese as an Ingredient 
Gourmet mac and cheese is perfect as a side dish or entr&eacute;e, but it can also be used as a component in other specialties.
<ul>
<li>Top a burger or slider with mac and cheese instead of a slice of cheese</li>
<li>Form prepared macaroni and cheese into balls or oval shapes, roll in crumbs and fry for a bite-size appetizer or side</li>
<li>Enclose between two slices of bread and bake or fry for a variation on the grilled cheese sandwich</li>
<li>Heat with stock, shredded chicken, and a chile flavor boost for a distinctive Mexicali Mac-and-Cheese Soup</li>
<li>Bake into muffin tins for Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes</li>
</ul>
Content courtesy of Nestle Professional
Sources: Datassential, &ldquo;Mac and Cheese,&rdquo; March 2024

Discover the latest trends that turn mainstay macaroni into patron-favorite gourmet mac and cheese. Try these signature mac and cheese recipes!

Gourmet Mac and Cheese on Your Menu

The better burger trend continues and expands with new protein and flavor options, with twists on bun/bread and condiment choices. Discover how to make the classic burger exciting and new.
Arby&rsquo;s surprising announcement that it is testing a venison burger(!) in a small number of locations is proof that there&rsquo;s still plenty of mileage left in the old better burger trend. Built from a steak sourced from farm-raised deer and topped with frizzled onions and a sweet-tart berry sauce reminiscent of the Cumberland sauce that&rsquo;s traditionally served with game, the new specialty&mdash;whether it&rsquo;s widely accepted by mainstream consumers or not&mdash;also suggests the many ways in which foodservice operators can build their own signature burger specialties.
Did You Know? Three out of four consumers enjoy a burger. It&rsquo;s all in pursuit of a sum that&rsquo;s greater than its assorted parts.
The Carrier
Many burgermeisters insist that the bun or bread is crucial to a great burger&mdash;in fact, almost as important as the patty itself.
And there&rsquo;s plenty of room for improvement beyond the generic hamburger roll:
<ul>
<li>Housemade bun</li>
<li>Sliced sturdy bread, including rye and multigrain, whether plain or toasted</li>
<li>English muffin</li>
<li>Ciabatta</li>
<li>Brioche</li>
<li>Flavored or specialty-grain roll (such as jalape&ntilde;o or spelt)</li>
<li>Gluten-free breadstuff</li>
<li>Lettuce (for a carb-free alternative)</li>
<li>For sliders, &ldquo;mini&rdquo; carriers such as biscuits</li>
<li>Pretzel roll</li>
<li>Waffles</li>
</ul>
The Patty
In addition to size (standard versus slider), there are numerous ways in which variety can be introduced to a burger menu with various proteins and other ingredients. Many customers, in fact, are <a href="http://restaurant-hospitality.com/consumer-trends/millennials-seeking-alternatives-traditional-burgers" target="_blank">seeking alternative burgers</a>.
<ul>
<li>Premium beef (Angus, custom blend, grass-fed)</li>
<li>Turkey</li>
<li>Chicken</li>
<li>Pork</li>
<li>Lamb</li>
<li>Bison or buffalo</li>
<li>Seafood (including tuna, salmon, and shrimp or scallops)</li>
<li>Meatless (bean- and/or grain-based), for vegetarians and vegans</li>
<li>Portabello mushroom cap</li>
<li>The Blend (meat blended with mushrooms)</li>
</ul>
Additional Proteins
Many burger builders pride themselves on over-the-top combinations that pair a patty with even more protein&mdash;cheese and bacon being obvious choices, but there&rsquo;s so much more to it:
<ul>
<li>Specialty cheeses (such as Asiago or Gorgonzola)</li>
<li>Premium bacon (applewood smoked, locally sourced)</li>
<li>Pork belly</li>
<li>A fried egg</li>
<li>Other cured meats (ham, prosciutto, pepperoni)</li>
<li>Sliced roast beef, brisket, or smoked turkey</li>
<li>Pulled pork or chicken</li>
<li>Chili</li>
</ul>
Signature Toppings
This flexible category of burger additions is where signatures are born, creating one-of-a-kind uniqueness by adding an item that&rsquo;s crave-worthy on its own to a burger build.
<ul>
<li>Cheese spread (pimento cheese, Boursin, cream cheese)</li>
<li>Kimchi</li>
<li>Onion rings or frizzled onions</li>
<li>Traditional or upgraded slaw (such as broccoli or Asian)</li>
<li>Potato chips or fries right on the burger, rather than on the side</li>
<li>Refried beans</li>
<li>Olives</li>
<li>Specialty pickles (bread-and-butter, quick-pickled red onions)</li>
<li>Macaroni and cheese</li>
</ul>
Vegetable Love
Lettuce and tomato are standard accessories to a burger, providing both flavor and texture, but growing interest in vegetables provides a good excuse for exploring other options.
<ul>
<li>Saut&eacute;ed mushrooms</li>
<li>Sliced avocado or guacamole</li>
<li>Sliced cucumber</li>
<li>Caramelized onions or grilled scallions</li>
<li>Lettuce-and-tomato alternatives (arugula, spinach, shredded Romaine, sundried tomato, fried green tomatoes)</li>
<li>Sliced pineapple</li>
<li>Fresh herbs (cilantro, chives, basil)</li>
<li>Sprouts</li>
</ul>
Condiments and Sauces
<ul>
<li>Spicy (habanero relish, Sriracha, chipotles en adobo)</li>
<li>Global (harissa, Korean gochujang, hoisin)</li>
<li>Artisanal (housemade ketchup, beer-infused mustard, roasted-garlic mayo)</li>
<li>Sophisticated (aioli, pesto)</li>
<li>Barbecue sauce</li>
<li>Sweet chile garlic sauce</li>
<li>Savory jam</li>
<li>Tzatziki</li>
<li>Hummus</li>
<li>Green Goddess or Ranch dressing</li>
</ul>
Content courtesy of Nestle Professional

Discover how to make the classic burger exciting and new.

Classics: How to Build a Better Burger

Rolling out limited-time offers (LTOs) is a proven way to create buzz, attract customers, and drive profits. In today&rsquo;s economic climate, focusing on value-oriented LTOs&mdash;which particularly resonate with budget-conscious consumers&mdash;can help accomplish these goals. Popular value delivery methods include in-app discounts, loyalty program rewards, value bundles, combo meal deals, and buy-one-get-one-free specials.
Fortunately, in spite of challenging financial conditions, consumers continue to expand their food and beverage spending away from home, according to a survey of 1,500 consumers. In 2024, 42% indicate spending more away from home this year compared to last year.1
As menu prices increase, consumers are looking for affordability. To save money dining out, 53% order from the value menu, and 44% take advantage of LTOs, especially GenZ at 49%. A large number (41%) join loyalty clubs/rewards programs while 39% look for deals directly on restaurant or delivery apps.1
On your part, the secret to marrying value with profitability lies in adopting a calculated strategy combined with the most craveable offerings. Here are two approaches:
Focus on high-volume, low-cost side items
Don&rsquo;t feel compelled to &ldquo;give away&rdquo; your newly launched entr&eacute;e. It might not be your best LTO prospect for profit building. Rather, draw guests in the door with value deals on popular high-volume, low-cost side items.
The quick-service restaurant chain, Taco Bell, found success by leaning on its Nacho Fries side. The chain&rsquo;s most successful product launch in its history, it was first offered as an LTO in 2018. The taco giant picked fries for this promotion due to their proven popularity as a side dish&mdash;confident that guests would purchase additional items to complement their fries.2 This could include an order from the chain&rsquo;s expanding Cantina Chicken Menu, which was launched in March 2024.
While Nacho Fries come back periodically, in November 2023, Taco Bell launched a 30-day Nacho Fries Lover&rsquo;s Pass LTO exclusively available to loyalty rewards members, who happen to spend 40% more per year than non-members. 2 Available only on the chain&rsquo;s app, the month-long Nacho Fries Lover&rsquo;s Pass promotion allowed one daily order of regular Nacho Fries with a choice of one of six sauces for a total of $10.
Target low-traffic times of day
Regardless of the meal deal you introduce, boosting sales by targeting specific times can effectively draw in foot traffic during typically slower business hours. Consider implementing early bird or late-night discounts, which you can offer regularly or in conjunction with special occasions.
For example, Texas Roadhouse promotes a low-priced Early Dine Menu available from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.3 Guests can choose from a selection of 11 meals priced at $10.99 each. Popular chicken dishes like Grilled BBQ Chicken, Herb-Crusted Chicken and Country Fried Chicken&mdash;each with a choice of two sides&mdash;are among the top favorites on the menu, according to its website.3
Televised football games offer another prime opportunity for daypart LTOs. In 2023, Chili&rsquo;s optimized these sports-watching occasions by offering special deals on Saturdays and Sundays as well as from 3 p.m. until closing on Mondays and Thursdays throughout football season. Promotions included wings starting at $7, $6 Loaded Queso Fries, and a buy-one-get-one-free deal on eight-piece boneless chicken wings on Mondays.4
Overall, you can help drive both immediate revenue and sustainable growth by focusing on strategic, cost-effective value-centric promotions. You&rsquo;ll attract more guests and encourage higher spending while building a loyal customer base.
Content courtesy of Perdue Foodservice
1International Foodservice Manufacturers Association&rsquo;s IFMA CPP 2024 report, May 2024
2Klein, Danny, <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/taco-bell-subscribes-to-the-next-generation-of-value/" target="_blank">&ldquo;Taco Bell Subscribes to the Next Generation of Value,&rdquo; QSR magazine, Dec. 15, 2023</a>
3Brenda, <a href="https://texasroadhousemenuwithprices.com/texas-roadhouse-early-dine/#google_vignette" target="_blank">&ldquo;Texas Roadhouse Early Dine Menu 2024 &amp; Hours (Updated August),&rdquo; texasroadhouse.com, Sept. 5, 2024</a>
4Cafarella, Haley, <a href="https://www.franchisewire.com/2023-nfl-and-college-football-fast-food-restaurant-specials-deals-and-promotions/" target="_blank">&ldquo;NFL and College Football 2023: Fast-Food Restaurant Specials,&rdquo; franchisewire.com, Sept. 16, 2023</a>

Value-centered limited-time offers perform well in tough economic times. Regardless of your discount approach, discover two profitable strategies.

How to Leverage Value-Oriented LTOs

While holiday cheer used to be clustered around three major events&mdash;Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year&rsquo;s&mdash;today it has expanded to include several more as America&rsquo;s population grows increasingly diverse and younger consumers embrace new experiences.
In fact, research shows that 44% of U.S. customers look forward to ordering not only Christmas LTOs, but those for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.1
Below we offer some tips on how you can expand your beverage menus to include these new selling opportunities. As in the case of the pumpkin spice latte for Halloween, there are specific drinks and flavors that have become synonymous with these holidays. But there are also plenty of opportunities to get creative.
Halloween
Of all the holidays on our list, Halloween is probably the one that deserves its own special section of your beverage menu. It&rsquo;s that popular and there are that many beverages to choose from.
Anything pumpkin-flavored fits, of course, along with drinks featuring other autumnal flavors such as maple syrup and apple. Cocktails with a Halloween twist include a Pumpkin Spice White Russian, or a Halloween Margarita, made with a spiced apple cider syrup, lime, and tequila. A Halloween Punch can be a mocktail, made with cranberry juice, apple juice or cider and ginger ale, or spiked with rum.
And there&rsquo;s no need to get complicated. Coffee or hot cocoa drizzled with candy corns or other seasonal treats can add to that festive touch.
Diwali
Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. This year it happens to fall around Halloween.
Predominant flavors for Diwali beverages can echo spices common to India. Among the more popular beverages is Masala Chai, a spiced tea usually served with milk and sugar.
Some cocktail ideas include a Turmeric-Cumin Margarita made with tequila, turmeric, cumin seeds, lime juice, triple sec, and agave nectar; a Spiced Chai Martini, with vodka, chai concentrate, lemon juice, and cinnamon, and a Jal-jeera Mojito made with vodka, club soda, lemon juice, Jal-jeera masala mix, and tamarind chutney.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is the 8-day Jewish festival of lights usually celebrated around Christmas. While Jewish cuisine has been trending as of late&mdash;think matzoh ball soup and brisket&mdash;the beverage space is less defined, with plenty of opportunities to get creative.
Hanukkah drinks can be refreshing accompaniments to the traditional oil-rich foods served such as potato pancakes and doughnuts. For example, a non-alcoholic Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch combines unsweetened iced tea, pomegranate juice, orange and lime juice, and sparkling apple cider, while a Blueberry Virgin Mojito is made with blueberries, fresh mint leaves, sugar, bubbly water, and lime juice.
Kwanzaa
This annual week-long celebration runs each year from December 26 to January 1 and is based on African harvest festival traditions. Drinks with flavors and spices reflecting Africa or the Caribbean are popular. For example, Jamaican Sorrel is a sweet and tart gingery hibiscus drink. Its seasonal popularity is due to the time of year its primary ingredient, the blossoms of the hibiscus plant, were originally harvested and cultivated in the Caribbean.2 A Coquito is made with rum and coconut creating a Kwanzaa spin on eggnog. And lastly, Bourbon Hot Cocoa can include spices like cinnamon, chiles, and ginger.
Chinese or Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, can fall in either January or February.
On the alcohol side, Baijiu, China&rsquo;s &ldquo;national drink,&rdquo; is by far the beverage of choice, but there is plenty of room for creative cocktails playing off flavors and ingredients celebrated in China. For example, a Jade Cocktail can be made with gin, vermouth, and Chartreuse, and a Lychee Martini with lychee liqueur, vodka, and lychee juice.
Finally, no Chinese festival would be complete without tea. And, since Chinese New Year involves a lot of feasting, simple refreshing drinks, such as Watermelon Lemonade also pairs nicely.
Content courtesy of Nestle Professional
1Datassential: Global Winter Holiday LTOs (August 2022)
2Serious Eats: Jamaican Sorrel (Hibiscus) Drink (August 23, 2023)

The holiday season is expanding. Learn how to customize your beverages to match the many new seasonal and cultural celebrations.

Serve Holiday-Specific Beverages This Holiday Season

Guests are always on the lookout for &ldquo;the latest&rdquo; at restaurants, and chefs are always inventing ways to keep the menu exciting. But it is not always feasible to overhaul the entire menu daily or weekly. Fortunately, the daily special can always create a little buzz in your house.
Specials are important to keep menus interesting. Ensuring return visits from customers requires a solid mix of standard and signature dishes along with fresh and intriguing options. Equally important, specials give the kitchen manager or chef a chance to stretch the imagination. They also keep the cooks motivated and interested in their jobs.
Most menus do not change more than four times a year to reflect the seasons. Some menus change even less frequently. Without specials to excite the cooks, they often long for new items to prepare, so keeping them energized is vital. Complacent cooks who are not charged by their position may look for a new place to hang their toque.
Daily specials are an ideal way for the kitchen management to teach young cooks new techniques, how to handle new foodstuffs and organize new items in their station with little notice. The daily special presents an opportune time to entice cooks to brainstorm ideas, a process that also invites camaraderie and a sense of ownership. For the chef&rsquo;s part, the process often unveils initiative and creativity.
Source: RestaurantOwner.com

Guests are always on the lookout for “the latest” at restaurants, and chefs are always inventing ways to keep the menu exciting.

Capture Attention with Creative and Profitable Daily Specials

Fall serves up a cornucopia of menu possibilities and promotional opportunities. As the temperature drops, occasions for transitioning to tastes associated with the season rise, from back-to-school and football season to Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
With the approach of fall, consumers await the reemergence of season-defining flavors like pumpkin spice, apple pie, and brown butter. They also look forward to innovative and limited-edition items that feature exciting new flavors, formats, and collaborations.
Datassential found that 46% of consumers buy fall-flavored food and beverage products,1 and that 1,321 fall menu items and limited-time offers were launched last year2&mdash;a clear indication of the level of culinary ingenuity applied to meet consumer expectations and the demands of the seasonal menu calendar.
Savor the Celebrations
Fall is rich in holidays and events&mdash;and the season has the flavors to match. &ldquo;Classic Thanksgiving flavors dominate the fall palate as operators adopt the well-loved flavors of pumpkin spice, apple, pecan, and cinnamon,&rdquo; reported Datassential.4 &ldquo;On the savory side, aged cheeses, mustards (Oktoberfest), and gravies provide the comforting feeling of home.&rdquo;4
Seasonal events like pro football are also closely associated with fall flavors. Chicken wings top the list as the most popular game-day food, scoring a 25% increase in average order volume at restaurants on Sundays compared to Sundays during the off-season.5 Soups and stews are next (+23%), followed by noodles and ramen (+17%).4
Explore a Wide World of Fall Flavors 
Given that 82% of consumers are drawn to hot and spicy flavors,5 it makes sense to pump up international flair when we start to enter the cooler months. &ldquo;Globalization continues to bring different cuisines and flavors from around the world and [has] led to more sophisticated taste buds and interest in exotic and unique flavors,&rdquo; FMCG Gurus reported.5
Consider swapping traditional herbs and spices for those with a bit of worldly flavor, boosting taste without adding to the kitchen prep. Instead of chili powder, try <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/gochugaru-korean-chile-flakes" target="_blank">gochugaru</a>, a smoky, slightly sweet Korean spice. Or swap paprika for Aleppo pepper to add a fruity, mild heat popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes.
How Fall Flavors Can Work for Your Menu
Perennial fall favorite pumpkin spice has seen steady growth over the years. But while sales of pumpkin-spice-flavored products increased 47% from 2017 to 2022 to hit $236 million, other emerging fall flavors&mdash;including s&rsquo;mores, donut, maple, and squash&mdash;have been gaining traction in the U.S. market.6 
According to Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation and insight at Mintel Consulting, pumpkin (sans spice), maple, and squash stand out as trending fall flavors. Squash has seen a &ldquo;big uptick in soups,&rdquo; she said, and cranberry, a popular seasonal flavor linked to the Thanksgiving holiday, &ldquo;is appearing across more categories.&rdquo;6
Fall&rsquo;s bounty encompasses a wide range of produce, from butternut squash and cabbage to beets and Brussels sprouts. When creating menus this season, consider mouthwatering, produce-rich dishes that capture the cozy spirit of fall.
Content courtesy of Nestle Professional
1Datassential, Flavor Report, <a href="https://reportpro.datassential.com/details/13348" target="_blank">2022 Menu Innovation Report</a>, 2023
2Datassential, <a href="https://www.mccormickfona.com/articles/2024/01/seasonal-lookback---trends-of-fall" target="_blank">Seasonal Flavor Lookback: Trends of Fall</a>, 2024
3Datassential, <a href="https://reportpro.datassential.com/details/13183" target="_blank">Seasonality Report</a>, 2023
4Guinn, Justin, &ldquo;<a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/nfl-cities-food-alcohol-trends" target="_blank">Most Popular Game Day Food and Drinks in NFL Cities This Season</a>,&rdquo; 2023
5FMCG Gurus, <a href="https://fmcggurus.com/wp-content/themes/fmcg/static/img/FMCG_Gurus-Flavor_Color_and_Texture_Global_Trends_2023_Free_Resource.pdf" target="_blank">Flavor, Color, Texture Trends Report</a>, March 2023
6French, April, &ldquo;<a href="https://www.foodbeverageinsider.com/market-trends-analysis/fall-flavor-trends-pumpkin-spice-and-up-and-coming-seasonal-flavors" target="_blank">Fall Flavor Trends: Pumpkin Spice and Up-and-Coming Seasonal Flavors</a>,&rdquo; Food &amp; Beverage Insider, October 5, 2023

Fall is rich in holidays and events—and the season has the flavors to match.

Give Guests More Fall Flavor to Savor

Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential in preventing foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food preparation, follow the four guidelines to keep food safe:
<ul>
<li>Clean&mdash;Wash hands and surfaces often</li>
<li>Separate&mdash;Separate raw meat from other foods</li>
<li>Cook&mdash;Cook to the right temperature</li>
<li>Chill&mdash;Refrigerate food promptly</li>
</ul>
Cook all food to these minimum internal temperatures as measured with a food thermometer before removing food from the heat source. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook food to higher temperatures.&nbsp;
<table style="height: 511px;" width="705">
<thead>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Product
</td>
<td width="275">
Minimum Internal Temperature &amp; Rest Time
</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Beef, Pork, Veal &amp; Lamb Steaks, chops, roasts
</td>
<td width="275">
145 &deg;F (62.8 &deg;C) and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Ground Meats
</td>
<td width="275">
160 &deg;F (71.1 &deg;C)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Ground Poultry
</td>
<td width="275">
165 &deg;F
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Ham, fresh or smoked (uncooked)
</td>
<td width="275">
145 &deg;F (62.8 &deg;C) and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Fully Cooked Ham (to reheat)
</td>
<td width="275">
Reheat cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140 &deg;F (60 &deg;C) and all others to 165 &deg;F (73.9 &deg;C).
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
All Poultry (breasts, whole bird, legs, thighs, wings, ground poultry, giblets, and stuffing)
</td>
<td width="275">
165 &deg;F (73.9 &deg;C)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Eggs
</td>
<td width="275">
160 &deg;F (71.1 &deg;C)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Fish &amp; Shellfish
</td>
<td width="275">
145 &deg;F (62.8 &deg;C)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Leftovers
</td>
<td width="275">
165 &deg;F (73.9 &deg;C)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="299">
Casseroles
</td>
<td width="275">
165 &deg;F (73.9 &deg;C)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Source: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart" target="_blank">USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service</a>

In every step of food preparation, follow these four guidelines to keep food safe.

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart

A good prep system provides a method for keeping the right amount of prepared product on hand while ensuring proper dating and product rotation. Having an effective daily prep system is one of the most important parts of kitchen management because it provides the kitchen production line with the necessary amount of product to fill orders during service periods.
A reliable daily prep system also helps in controlling food cost as well as ensuring the highest quality and freshness for your recipes.
In a recent webinar, RestaurantOwner.com&rsquo;s Chip Romp discussed several of the following essential components that make up a high-functioning restaurant prep system.
<ul>
<li>Standardized recipe manual. To serve great food, you must first have great recipes and people that know how to follow them. The Recipe Manual is the cornerstone of every restaurant kitchen and it provides a method for achieving consistency in every meal served.</li>
<li>Organized storage areas. Organized stock rooms and walk-in coolers make it easier to count product and rotate it.</li>
<li>Daily count procedure. Make smarter, more informed decisions of what and how much to prep and order using a daily count and setting build-to-par levels.</li>
<li>Daily prep posting. Use a prep board or clipboard with preprinted forms that are easy to fill out. Use a separate prep list (or areas on the list) for each station.</li>
<li>Portion control resources. Proper measure is essential to predictable cost and consistent menu quality. Another very important part of prep is to pre-portion whenever possible. Pre-portioning of menu ingredients helps to speed up the service and control the cost.</li>
<li>Product dating procedure. Proper dating and rotation of prepared product promotes higher quality and food safety. Labels should include product name, date and time prepared, and by whom.</li>
</ul>
If your restaurant does each of these best practices really well, chances are you have a very good restaurant. If not, there&rsquo;s no better time to start improving than right now.
Implement one or more of these preparation practices and your guests will enjoy a better dining experience and you&rsquo;ll see better financial results as well.
Source: RestaurantOwner.com

Having an effective daily prep system is one of the most important parts of kitchen management.

Does Your Restaurant Need a Prep System Checkup?

Food cost in your restaurant is controllable. While running a restaurant is a constant whirlwind of variables and challenges; your food cost is something that you can directly influence and manage and that is going to have a direct impact on the health of your restaurant.
Too many times, operators overcomplicate this straightforward process. You have a million things going on and trying to perfect your numbers down to the penny only adds to that stress. If your restaurant has enough cashflow to hire someone to work on this, go ahead, but if you&rsquo;re busy running around operating your restaurant, I&rsquo;m here to show you that this doesn&rsquo;t need to take a lot of your time.
The Formula
Figuring out your food cost is a simple formula: Purchases divided by sales equals cost of goods sold. The real challenge comes in when you try to apply this to individual plates. You&rsquo;re trying to get the actual cost of each plate, juggling multiple recipes, dealing with fluctuating vendor prices, and compensating for inconsistent yields.
You don&rsquo;t need a complicated spreadsheet or software to do this. I used to do it on scratch paper in my own restaurants. Inside this <a href="https://www.therestaurantboss.com/toolkit" target="_blank">free Toolkit</a>, there is a spreadsheet that will do that quick calculation for you.
An even simpler way is to calculate your entire restaurant&rsquo;s food cost on a weekly and monthly basis. Apply the same formula to all food-related purchases and sales.
If you&rsquo;re in the green zone, you&rsquo;re good to go. But if your costs are creeping up higher than you&rsquo;d like, it&rsquo;s time to dig deeper into why that&rsquo;s happening. There are five things I have my clients look at in their restaurant when costs are higher than they&rsquo;d like: waste or spoilage, purchasing, theft, design, and portioning.
A word of warning, if you try to attack all five of these problems at once you won&rsquo;t make enough of an impact on your food costs because you won&rsquo;t be able to go deep enough. I go into much further detail <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Awm-gYXqtI" target="_blank">in this video</a>, but choose one to start with.
The Right Price
During every Office Hours, members ask about pricing menu items and whether they should raise prices to hit food costs.
My favorite (and easiest) way to know what to charge is to determine your plate cost and multiply that by three or four. This quick calculation serves as a starting point for setting your menu prices.
Then comes the important question&mdash;is this a price that my guest is willing to pay?
This is where you gauge the value of your offerings from the customer&rsquo;s perspective. If the answer is a resounding yes, that&rsquo;s fantastic! Your job is done, and you&rsquo;ve found a price point that aligns with your customers&rsquo; expectations.
But if it&rsquo;s a no, it&rsquo;s a cue to go back to the drawing board and work on the product, not the price. Perhaps you can refine the dish, improve the quality, or add extra value to make it more appealing to your guests. By focusing on the product, you not only meet your food cost objectives but also keep your customers satisfied, ensuring their return and continued support of your restaurant.
Don&rsquo;t Make These Food Cost Mistakes
Let&rsquo;s clear up some common misconceptions that often trip up restaurant owners:
1. Labor is not part of food cost. It&rsquo;s a separate labor cost. It does factor into your prime cost but it is NOT part of calculating your food cost. 2. Make sure you are not looking at your total sales or your total purchases. You must compare your food purchases to food sales. 3. Timing is everything&mdash;make sure you are comparing the right period. You might receive food on November 1, but pay the invoice 30 days later. If you&rsquo;re calculating last week&rsquo;s food cost, you must use the invoices from the week it arrived, not when the invoice was paid. 4. Make sure you are only including food. Just because it came from your main food supplier doesn&rsquo;t automatically classify it as food. Saut&eacute; pans, chemicals, to-go containers, cleaning supplies&mdash;these are all examples of things that don&rsquo;t belong in the food category of your purchases. 5. There is no &ldquo;right&rdquo; or &ldquo;good&rdquo; food cost number. There&rsquo;s no one-size-fits-all industry standard. While lower is better, you can&rsquo;t just assume that any food cost over 30 percent is bad. It all depends on your unique circumstances.
Calculating your numbers may seem confusing or challenging at times, but there are tools available to simplify things, like <a href="https://www.clickbacon.com/" target="_blank">clickBACON</a>, which automates the process for you.
But Aren&rsquo;t I Supposed to Take Inventory?
You&rsquo;ve probably heard or concluded that taking inventory is essential for accurate food cost. Technically it&rsquo;s true, but you have to determine if the juice is worth the squeeze.
Even the simplest inventory systems are going to cost you at least $500 per month and add 30&ndash;40 hours a month onto your already busy schedule. Is it really worth the effort to discover that your food cost is 1 percent higher than you originally thought? If you&rsquo;re a smaller independent restaurant (my rule of thumb is less than five units doing less than 10 million per year) OR you&rsquo;re wearing a lot of different hats as the operator, it&rsquo;s just not going to be worth it.
Taking Charge of Food Costs
Your restaurant will always have a new obstacle for you to overcome, but food cost is something you can conquer. Remember, it&rsquo;s not about complexity, it&rsquo;s about control.
Now you know the common pitfalls to avoid so you can focus on calculating your food cost, establishing the right menu prices that guests are happy to pay, and you have a few tools at your disposal.
It may not be the sole factor, but controlling your food cost is critical to the success of your restaurant. Keep striving for excellence, streamlining your operations, and exceeding your guests&rsquo; expectations.
Source: Ryan Gromfin, <a href="https://www.fsrmagazine.com/feature/a-restaurant-owners-guide-to-simplifying-food-cost/" target="_blank">FSR</a>

Your restaurant will always have a new obstacle for you to overcome, but food cost is something you can conquer.

A Restaurant Owner’s Guide to Simplifying Food Cost

During times of escalating food prices, implementing effective cost management strategies and waste reduction measures is crucial. Foods baked and/or roasted in oven pans sometimes burn-in onto such pans. When that happens, it means a portion of the foods cannot be served and must be discarded, and the pans then need to be soaked and scrubbed as well. Scrubbing is labor intensive and includes the incremental costs of labor, chemicals and utilities as well. There&rsquo;s also the added cost of maintaining grease traps or repairing plumbing issues if food or grease gets washed down the drains. One disposable product that helps mitigate these all these issues are Disposable Ovenable Roasting Bags.&nbsp;
Disposable Ovenable Roasting Bags, also referred to as "Turkey Bags," are constructed from a durable nylon material capable of withstanding high oven temperatures. These bags effectively create a non-stick barrier between baking pans and food, while also providing insulation for large dishes like turkeys or hams to prevent over-drying. By using Ovenable Roasting Bags, the longevity of baking/roasting pans is also preserved, reducing equipment costs and the chance that scratches that may release harmful compounds found on coated pans. Ultimately, these bags not only simplify the cooking process, but also maximize food yield and promote a cleaner, safer baking or roasting experience overall. Prepare for the holiday rush with quicker pan turnaround times and an increased food yield, thanks to Disposable Ovenable Roasting Bags.&nbsp;
Features and Benefits
<ul>
<li>Can withstand high oven temperatures</li>
<li>Eliminate scrubbing to remove burnt-on foods</li>
<li>Preserve food moistness and flavor</li>
<li>Quick and easy clean up, saving time and money</li>
<li>Increased food yield</li>
</ul>
Applications
<ul>
<li>Roasting meats and poultry</li>
<li>Roasting vegetables and pasta</li>
<li>Transporting, serving, and storing food</li>
<li>Faster service resets</li>
<li>Easily store and dispose of leftovers</li>
</ul>
Content courtesy of Handgards, Inc.

During times of escalating food prices, implementing effective cost management strategies and waste reduction measures is crucial.

Ovenable Roasting Bags Offer Control Food Costs and Reduce Waste

Inflation has been a trending topic over the past couple of years, and rightfully so. While inflation rates were lower in 2024 compared to the previous two years&mdash;dropping to 4.1% after peaks of 8%&mdash;operators are still grappling with rising costs.1 Many reported operational cost increases of over 15% in the first quarter of 2024.2
As restaurants navigate higher food costs and declining sales, the challenge of growing margins and maintaining profitability continues. Fortunately, there are innovative solutions available to help eateries reduce waste, increase profits, and improve their financial health.
Low-labor, high-margin menu options can be particularly beneficial. Versatile products like Fresh-Dried&trade; mashed potatoes, hash browns, and tater appetizers are ideal for creating enticing limited-time offers, seasonal specials, and staple dishes that keep customers coming back.
Operators can also reduce waste by creatively using leftover ingredients. For instance, mixing in proteins like chorizo or ground beef, topping with leftover vegetables and cheese, or incorporating bold ingredients like jalape&ntilde;os or blue cheese can lead to indulgent and appealing dishes.
These speed-scratch potato options allow restaurants to quickly prepare a variety of low-cost dips, sides, appetizers, and entrees. They help kitchen staff manage peak hours and fluctuations in demand while minimizing waste, even when labor resources are stretched thin. Additionally, their shelf-stable nature means they take up minimal refrigerator or freezer space.
For those looking to control food costs during these inflationary times, Fresh-Dried&trade; potatoes offer a practical solution. With a bit of creativity, these versatile ingredients open a world of possibilities at a low cost, ultimately helping to enhance profitability.
Content courtesy of Idahoan Foodservice
To discover more, visit idahoanfoodservice.com.
1Investopedia, Historical U.S. Inflation Rate by Year: 1929 to 2024, July 2024
2Technomic, Midyear 2024 State of the Industry, 2024

As restaurants navigate higher food costs and declining sales, the challenge of growing margins and maintaining profitability continues.

Smart Menu Choices: Thriving in an Inflationary Market

Having polished and professional-looking pictures for your business is crucial to making a good first impression. The photos you post online could make or break getting a new loyal customer. Don&rsquo;t fret &ndash; we&rsquo;ve got all the tips and tricks you need to take better photos so your creations can SHINE!
Rule #1: Show up as authentically as possible. 
When preparing your dishes for your photoshoot, make sure you are plating them exactly how you would when a customer would order it. It may be tempting to play around with the presentation when trying to capture a good photo, but you don&rsquo;t want to deceive your customers before they even get a chance to take a bite. Instead, re-think your angles and lighting.
Rule #2: Lighting and angles are the key to success here. 
Investing in equipment to help set the scene doesn&rsquo;t need to break the bank, but if you want a more elevated approach, you should consider checking out some of the options to help make your creations stand out. You&rsquo;ll be amazed at how these small lighting improvements can help brighten up a photo and bring your creations to life to captivate your audience and drive more business.
For just under $400 you could find a mobile photoshoot stand on wheels that can help transform each picture into an entirely new setting. For something more affordable, you can even check out a $30-$40 lightbox that will guarantee to take your photos to the next level.
Now that you&rsquo;ve got your lighting down, make sure you&rsquo;re positioning your camera (or phone) so that you capture all of the best features of your creation. Sometimes taking one straight on, or aerial, doesn&rsquo;t show off all of the details of the dish and could cause shadowing - just stay patient, and try out a new angle until you get the shot!
Rule #3: Capture in the format designed for the platform.
Whether using an iPhone or professional camera, there are different settings that are designed for different platforms. For example, if you need a horizontal banner image for your website, make sure to turn your phone sideways &ndash; but if you&rsquo;re capturing something for social media, look at the settings on the top of the photo app to choose different dimensions to fit your needs.
Pro tip: if using an iPhone, check out &ldquo;portrait mode&rdquo; and make sure to clean your lenses good for the sharpest results!
Content courtesy of General Mills Foodservice

We’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to take better photos so your creations can SHINE!

Simple Tips to Take Better Photos & Attract Customers

There's nothing like a festive supper out to get the whole family together and catch up with old friends. This is especially true during the holiday season when restaurants and caf&eacute;s are brimming with merry diners. The holiday season is a significant time of year for the restaurant businesses' bottom lines. As Christmas gets nearer, people tend to splurge more on luxuries like eating at their favorite restaurants than they do the rest of the year. It's a chance for food establishments to go all out and significantly increase their profits.
During this time, the kitchen staff takes the most heat since they are expected to make extravagant and flavorful meals that delight and entice consumers to return for more.
Chefs and their teams may have to put in more hours in the kitchen to keep up with the constant demand for increasingly intricate main courses, desserts, and wines. Whether it's beef Wellington, roast turkey, or desserts like plum pudding or B&ucirc;che de No&euml;l, most Christmas special meals are difficult to create due to their lengthy cooking times and extensive preparation. With the staff working hard to impress guests with great food and wine, the kitchen turns into a hive of constant, busy activity. Even the most passionate cooks begin to flag as the festive season goes on for weeks. Unfortunately, a tired crew is likely to fall sick, and they may also not be able to keep up with their regular standards. The overall morale, holiday spirit, and quality of food and service may be affected, which could even hurt the restaurant&rsquo;s reputation and bottom line.
On the other hand, while the kitchen staff is at the back of the house preparing all the food for hungry appetites, the restaurant wait staff gets the same pressure. With guests demanding to receive top hospitality service during the season, servers also need to be at the top of their game and know the restaurant menu from the inside out.
So, how does a business maximize profits during the holidays without exhausting its restaurant staff?
1. Hire early
During the holiday season, many restaurants tend to hire staff temporarily. However, the hiring process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. After all, the management has to find someone who has the right skills, is willing to work the appropriate hours, and thinks the pay is acceptable. Starting to hunt for kitchen personnel and restaurant service staff in the middle of the festival season may result in poor recruiting decisions, overpaying new workers, and overworking the existing team until the new crew arrives.
So, make your estimates early so that you can hire extra help in time for the holiday season.
2. Plan your menu and do some test runs
Plan a holiday menu with the crew. With Christmas approaching, it would make sense to include dishes people associate with Christmas. The dishes vary depending on where your restaurant is located; you could serve local favorites or give guests a taste of how other cities or countries celebrate Christmas: Some Christmas favorites include pecan pie, turkey with stuffing, green bean casserole, beef bulgogi, Buche de Noel, and the list goes on. Staff must also conduct test runs for a variety of reasons. First, select the most delicious recipe that can be replicated even during busy hours. The second requirement is to finalize a recipe to estimate the supplies and ingredients required according to the restaurant's holiday budget. Fixing a recipe would also allow them to set a price for the dish and expect a consistent profit rather than using exotic ingredients sometimes and being paid less for it.
Use your previous restaurant data to do a sales forecast for the holiday season. Create menus based on what has been in demand. 
3. Train staff to know the menu well
The wait staff would also need to be informed of the Christmas specials to upsell the festive food to clients. For example, if someone comes in on a cold night, the waiter can recommend mulled wine or a traditional Christmas apple pie as a way to end the meal. Staff would also need to be trained on which meals on the menu would be hard to prepare on a busy day so that customers can be informed in advance that there will be some waiting time and can manage their expectations.
Access guest data via your booking platform to know customer preferences in advance. This will help your restaurant managers prepare their team to provide excellent table service during this busy period. At TableCheck, hospitality operators own and control their guest data to deliver personalized experiences.
4. Staff rostering
There is a constant influx of happy customers strolling in large groups throughout December, making the restaurant business profitable but also extremely hectic. The time spent in the kitchen can be stressful and exhausting, and it may run beyond normal business hours. The culinary staff and wait staff can burn out or get sick from working such long hours. So, how does a restaurant make sure the back-of-the-house and front-of-the-house operations run smoothly while making sure its workers stay healthy? Making a roster of workers is the key. The schedule can be drawn by the head chef and restaurant manager taking into account the following factors:
<ul>
<li>The restaurant is not over-staffed during slow hours nor should it be understaffed during peak hours. For instance, an all-day dining restaurant possibly experiences a dip in footfall between 2 pm and 6 pm even during the festive season and may want to have fewer hands on deck to have them rested for busier hours.</li>
<li>It makes tactical sense to mix shifts so that the crew is trained in all roles and is ready to go whether it's Sunday brunch or a rather slow Thursday lunch hour.</li>
<li>Senior chefs and lead restaurant managers may need to be present during the busiest shifts to provide the necessary support and direction to the newcomers.</li>
<li>Higher-ranking chefs ensure that the lack of experienced cooks does not impair the quality of the food and presentation. Restaurant managers should train their subordinates to assume their responsibilities in case of emergencies</li>
<li>The entire kitchen staff, from the cook to the cleaning, must maintain a healthy work-life balance. A team that is overworked may not produce the same quality results as a team that is rested and relaxed.</li>
</ul>
5. Celebrate pre-Xmas with the staff
The upcoming holiday season is going to be very taxing for the crew, and they are going to have very little time to appreciate the holiday on a personal level. Because of this, it would be a fantastic idea to celebrate the upcoming hectic holiday with a bang in the form of a pre-Christmas party. Gather the team together, throw them a party with food, music, and cake, and then tell them to let their hair down and have fun.
6. Acknowledge your people: Introduce staff after the service
During these weeks, the culinary staff as well as the wait staff would be working extremely hard, so it would be wonderful to introduce them to the grateful customers as a way to thank them for their dedication and skill. By introducing the staff to the guests in person and praising them on social media, the restaurant shows how much they are appreciated and how important their work has been. The kitchen crew gets a great boost from this, enabling them to keep up the same excitement and passion for the rest of the season.
7. No overtime if possible
The restaurant kitchen is in a perpetual state of frenzy for weeks leading up to the holidays and then during the holidays itself, as the chefs rush to prepare one lavish dish after another. It is critical that employees not be compelled to work overtime, as this could harm both their health and the overall quality of the restaurant. Strategic hiring and staff rostering are the keys to ensuring that your kitchen crew and restaurant servers do not suffer burnout.
Before the holiday season, the head chef must sit down with the management and plan how many more staff they will need during the holiday season. The hiring needs to start a few weeks before to have the new staff join the team in time for the holiday season without delay. Moreover, rostering schedules should be drawn every week so that the kitchen and front-of-house are always sufficiently staffed and that hospitality service stays consistent throughout this busy holiday period.
Source: <a href="https://www.tablecheck.com/en/blog/how-to-keep-your-restaurant-crew-motivated-holiday-season/" target="_blank">TableCheck</a>

Here are some tips for head chefs and restaurant managers on how to keep their staff motivated during the busiest time of the year.

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