Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Today's Specials
OP-ED: Is There Such a Thing as a Zero-Star Restaurant?
The New York Times think you can run a zero-star restaurant, but we're not so sure. There's so much more to a restaurant than one bad round of service.
WATCH: The New Calorie Counts: All You Need to Know
2017 has arrived and in a few months, certain establishments will be required to post calorie counts on their menus. Does this new rule apply to you? Do you know what's required? All your questions answered in under 60 seconds.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Coffee > Retirement
Millennials are spending more on coffee than they are saving for retirement… which is good for coffee shops but bad for Millennials’ future. According to a SurveyMonkey/Acorns report, almost half of Millennials have spent more cash on coffee than retirement savings.
Carryout Craze!
Offering carryout & delivery service is growing more important for restaurants. 88% of Millennials and 78% of Gen-X/Boomers use carryout with lunch being the most popular meal. Here are other carry out stats to keep in mind.
Infographic: Tourists Love Restaurants
In some good news, restaurants are the top priority of consumers when they’re on vacation. Check out the infographic here, and then check this post out about marketing your restaurant to tourists.
“When planning activities in a city you are visiting, with of the following are priorities?” 🍝🌮🥙🍕🍴🍽 #food & #restaurants are top of mind! pic.twitter.com/wIkMFoaN1Z
— Travel Appeal ❤️ (@travelappeal) January 9, 2017
WORST BARTENDER EVER
Why it matters to you: could these shenanigans be happening at your bar?
Bartending can get kind of crazy, right? Well, if you’ve never bartended at a popular ski resort, then you actually have no idea. Munchies featured an article on some of the horrifying things witnessed as a ski resort bartender, and there was quite a lot. The featured bartender talks about working AND drinking all night, then going snowboarding all next day; just to show up to work drunk that night. Some of the added recklessness this bartender mentions includes having sex on the bar after close, people taking fire shots off their body (read article for specifics), all the way through the extensive clean-up process.
Working in restaurants and bars we are well aware of how crazy some nights can get. It is still our job to make sure our establishments don’t go down in flames. It is important to allow staff members to take full advantage of their fun jobs but to reinforce the fact that they are “working” and need to maintain an element of professionalism.
BEER TRENDS THAT BOMB
Why it matters to you: Don’t get caught up in the gimmicky beer trends.
Thrillist is great at making lists, and this one is no exception. We pretty much agree on most points on this list, especially the request to do away with pedal bars. They’re obnoxious, end of story. However, something we do take issue with is the treatise to stop experimenting with IPAs. The beauty of the craft brew is experimentation.
Another issue we take offense with is “the obsession with new/weird brews”. It wasn’t that long ago that a nitro milk stout was considered a weird brew, but is now pretty much a staple on most craft beer menus, and for good reason. Do update your tap lists, but craft breweries and bars, keep the weird craft brews comin’.
‘RIGHT’ SHOES, ‘RIGHT’ SHIRT, NO SERVICE?
Why it matters to you: It’s important that you know your rights regarding refusing service.
Generally speaking, a restaurant operator has wide latitude and rights to refuse service to guests. In many municipalities, those rights are enumerated by local ordinances. As we approach the inauguration of President-elect Trump, DC area restaurants were given a chance to review those rules at a pre-inaugural safety training seminar hosted by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington earlier this week. Attendees learned they can refuse service to someone in a fringe group, but cannot deny service if it’s based on political affiliation.
This means that you can’t say no to a Donald Trump supporter or a Democrat, but you can say no to someone from Black Lives Matter or a white nationalist group. However, there is one caveat. The person in question must be suspected of causing a disturbance. That can come in many forms from a provocative t-shirt message to expressing their position where others might be disturbed by it. Consequently, we would encourage you to learn what the rules are in your community. You may even want to post a message that affirms your commitment to providing a safe and accommodating atmosphere for all people and demand your guests follow your lead.
In today’s restaurant news: how to leverage social media influencer marketing, the restaurant industry collapses under COVID-19, how Congress has failed the restaurant industry, and more.