Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Today's Specials:
SOCIAL MEDIA: How Facebook Restaurant Ordering & Recommendations Work
Facebook has partnered up with Delivery.com, a food delivery service operating in about 40 US cities. The new tool allows restaurants to display their menus on their Page. Here’s what to expect when ordering.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Baseball Fans Vs. Football Fans
There is a stark difference between die-hard fans of each sport. One beer vendor in Seattle noticed that many baseball fans prefer more craft-beer options while football fans were satisfied drinking Bud Light. He also found that with Baseball fans there was more of a social interaction and less shouting over the noise.
Not the Shots We Expected
Two armed robbers invaded a Florida bar and held the bartender at gunpoint while the patrons continued to “drink and chat.” According to the bar’s owner, some people were even asking for drinks while the robbery was taking place.
Professional Food-Porning
There’s a new app on the market that promises to scan through your camera roll and select the best and “most aesthetically-pleasing” of your food photos to post on social media. EyeEm uses computer vision technology to ensure your food pictures are Insta-worthy.
MISLEADING THE PUBLIC
Why it matters to you: A southern restaurant says a Confederate flag nearby causes fistfights.
Most often when restaurants face challenges regarding disagreements about state regulations, the outcome can be out of their control. A South Carolina restaurant owner has explained his struggle over losing customers and breaking up customer fights over a Confederate flag hung near his restaurant. Upon buying part of the establishment, Tommy Daras and his wife operate a Creamery and Kitchen in Orangeburg after the previous owner sold parts of the complex elsewhere. The owners of the land adjacent to the couple’s restaurant hang a Confederate flag close enough that it could be viewed as the restaurant’s.
Following the Charleston shooting, Governor Nikki Haley called for the flag to be removed from the statehouse grounds. However, many flags still remain among other southern towns. Unfortunately, the Daras’s restaurant has faced vandalism, threats, and other harassments over the flag even though it is not associated with their restaurant. The city has rejected their lawyer’s augment to remove the flag, however the Daras’s plan on appealing. Most often these situations negatively impact surrounding businesses with no fault of their own. Hopefully, the Daras’s restaurant will eventually be able to remove the flag and win back many of their customers to resume business.
I FEEL DIFFERENT
Why it matters to you: Even big chains struggle with differentiation
Like so many other operators, Sonic has been experiencing significant sales losses and a general traffic slows down. In managing their response, they are redoubling their efforts surrounding marketing. To keep pace with the big players in fast food, like McD’s and BK, they have used their marketing to convey a message that they’re different. Whether it’s the specific menu item or their general approach, Sonic has seen tremendous growth from that message.
For independent and chain operators, the same thing applies. In your marketing, you have to convey what makes you different than the myriad choices your guests have to choose from. Start by being honest about what makes you different. If you answer “nothing” then get cracking on that. Whether you try new innovative menu items or build an outdoor seating area, you have to convey that this makes your restaurant stand out from the crowded field. So, as the summer approaches, ask yourself, “What makes me different and how do I share that with potential guests?”
