Blog posts tagged with 'restaurants'

Crystal stemware is used a lot in fine dining restaurants as well as rented out to special events where a little sparkle is necessary on the table – or if a more luxurious atmosphere is wanted. It tends to be synonymous with a higher end price tag. There are misconceptions that exist with both crystal stemware and glass stemware but today I’m going to touch on the 3 misconceptions that people often assume about crystal stemware – in no particular order.

1. It’s really expensive

While it is true it can be a more expensive – this is more often than not the result of how it is manufactured and who is selling the crystal stemware. Crystal stemware that is hand blown by master craftsman is obviously going to be priced higher because of the human labour involved in producing it. Also, glass blowers are not a dime a dozen and is a craft that doesn’t have millions flocking to learn the trade. That being said, crystal stemware can be machine made – making the glasses more uniform in appearance and lowering unit costs. Also, companies that sell crystal stemware get very good at knowing how to specifically market crystal to appeal to our wants of luxury, fine craftsmanship and extravagance. Because of this, the pricing has been inflated because they have created a market that can support a higher price. Looking for wholesale suppliers of crystal stemware can help alleviate these higher prices.

2. It’s even more breakable than glass

While generally a more breakable substance than glass, crystal stemware tends to have the same issues that also occur with glass stemware. The bowls of the crystal and glass stemware can pop off the foot. That being said, assuming you handle crystal stemware like it can break – and that it isn’t indestructible – it should hold up well for you.

3. It’s not safe because of lead content

Health Canada’s stance on lead crystal is that it may release lead into your food or beverage. That being said, there is lead-free crystal stemware that exists these days. This eliminates the worry that may exist of potential lead poisoning.

It’s been a busy summer with a chance to regroup before the holidays start to dominate our lives. Because part of my job entails finding relevant industry articles to share with customers that are interesting and helpful to their jobs and restaurants. I thought it made sense to share some of the best articles I found in the past month pertaining to the restaurant industry. Check them out below!

The Four Types of Cooks Explained

Paul Sorgule, a chef and educator with years of experience working in professional kitchens breaks down the different types of cooks he has encountered during his years of working in the restaurant industry. The four categories he breaks cooks down into are interesting and divisive. Do you agree with his categories? Have you encountered more? Check out the full article here.

Instagram: 12 Food and Drink Trends of Summer 2016 

Instagram very quickly and easily showcases the hottest trends by allowing users to use hashtags to visually see the hit food and drink trends. Fine Dining Lovers rounded up the 12 trends of summer 2016 in a stunning blog post. Check out the full article here.

Why Restaurants are Saying No to Customers

The old customer service adage beat into a hospitality employee is “the customer is always right”. Restaurants have always attempted to go above and beyond for customers. But more and more independent operators are finding that it is actually more profitable and more productive to say No. Read on to hear how saying no in the right context pays off.

Equipment Trends Report

Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine showcases the current trends in foodservice equipment as restaurant operators look for appliances that take up smaller footprints, can multi-task or help optimize staffing or menu offerings. Check out the article to see the considerations going into equipment investments as well as other current trends in the market.

Desserts that are Geometric Masterpieces

Ukrainian chef, Dinara Kasko applies her background in architectural design to create desserts with the lines and composition generally seen on large sculptures or the Michael Lee Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum. The results are true masterpieces that look almost too good to eat…almost. Check out the round up of gorgeous photos here.

If you haven’t heard of Foodservice Facts, it is a 25 year old market review and forecast that Restaurants Canada publishes yearly on trends shaping the restaurant industry. The leading restaurant owners across the country use this report to determine potential impacts on their business as well as potential sources of revenue that can be used in the future. Restaurants Canada recently published this report, free to its members, where restaurant operators can use the important economic data found in the report to help stay on top of the latest trends and business conditions and use the information to stay ahead of their competition.

Some of the information to discover includes:

• “Overall, foodservice sales in Canada advanced by $3.0 billion in 2015, representing a 4.1% increase over 2014.” (Page 11, Foodservice Facts 2016)
• “60% of full-service restaurant revenues are generated by independent restaurants.” (Page 19, Foodservice Facts 2016)
• The top reasons diners choose a quick-service restaurant and the top reasons people choose a full service restaurant. (Page 19, Foodservice Facts 2016)
• “Disposable income is one of the economic indicators most closely tied to foodservice spending. Between 2000 and 2015, disposable income in Canada grew at a healthy rate of 4.6% per year…” (Page 26, Foodservice Facts 2016)
• The split of traffic by on and off premise restaurant visits. (Page 38, Foodservice Facts 2016)
• The top 10 foods and drinks. (Page 41, Foodservice Facts 2016)
• The hot trends and up-and-coming trends. (Page 42, Foodservice Facts 2016)

If you’re already a member of Restaurants Canada look for this report in your mail. If you’re not already a member, you can purchase the report online here for $50.00 CDN. It’s worth every penny!

The restaurant industry makes it notoriously hard to maintain a successful restaurant. Food and labour costs are by far the highest costs to take into consideration and not knowing your expenditures are one of the reasons restaurants often fold. But there are many other factors that go into creating a successful restaurant besides just your costs. Check out this video from Bloomberg on the Top 5 Secrets to a Successful Restaurant.

One of the most proven ways to increase your average cheque size in the restaurant business is utilizing up selling techniques both on your menu and through your wait staff. All wait staff should be knowledgeable in up selling techniques to entice customers to order more than they originally intended to spend. The key is riding the fine line between making it appear natural and upsetting the customer / making the customer uncomfortable. The best restaurants understand how to naturally work upselling into the customer service experience for an exceptional dining experience. Here are some tips and strategies to improve your profits immediately.

Specify timing and items to upsell

The easiest upsell happens with beverages and sides. For example, the server can suggest a wine pairing to accompany an entrée with or suggest additional sides that the table can share during the dinner portion. Simple methods for doing this includes describing the wine or side as a not to miss addition that would render the meal incomplete without the extra purchase. Coffee, tea and aperitifs should be offered immediately following the meal while the dessert menu is being perused. Along with these items, colder drinks and beverages should be offered in the summer time while warmer beverages offered in the winter time. Also work out your most profitable items and get your staff to try to push the most profitable items the most. You are more likely to get a lot more added to your bottom line if you’re upselling the most profitable items on your menu. You can sell less of them and still make more money.

Offer Dessert before the customer has a chance to think about it

Lead with a mouth-watering description of one of the desserts that makes the dessert sound tempting as possible. If you lead with “Do you want some dessert?” this gives the customer a chance to think about it with their head and carefully weigh their options. Leading with “would you care for some of our legendary key lime pie? It has been a carefully kept secret recipe for generations featuring the creamiest key lime filling, rich vanilla bourbon whipped cream and a raspberry drizzle.” Makes the sell much sexier and much more likely to tempt a person. Other ways to offer dessert includes asking if the diners want to split desserts amongst themselves or offering dessert to go. The Cheesecake Factory in the United States has made a killing offering their desserts to go. My family and I regularly are too full to have dessert but almost always take dessert to go from the restaurant. This is a great way for the restaurant and server to include an extra 5-10 dollars per person just by upselling dessert.

Make Suggestions and Assumptions

An example of making assumptions is if a customer asks for a chardonnay, assume they want the more expensive wine by asking “are you looking for the Kendall Jackson, Robert Mondavi or Santa Rita?” Also by making assumptions based on your read of the guest, you’re more apt to get a higher cheque. A couple on a date is more likely to indulge in alcohol and / or dessert while a mother with her kids is more likely to want kid-friendly specials. As far as suggestions go, if you offer sizing options, suggesting the larger beverage with a nod tends to work well – with customers often forgoing their original order for your suggestion. Additionally, recommending specials using descriptive language also helps.

Upsell Equipment to help FOH Staff

Of course we can’t forget the useful equipment that front of house staff can use to upsell or subliminally upsell. Tabletop tents are a fantastic way to leave beverage, appetizer, entrée and event specials on the table for diners to view. Specials printed and included in the menu cover are also a great way of promoting specials and other items you would like to upsell and a Chalkboard Specials Menu in a prominent position in the restaurant is another piece of equipment to help your staff succeed.