Restaurant Operations | KRG Hospitality

March 16, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Rediscovering Your Guests in 2021

Rediscovering Your Guests in 2021

by David Klemt

Labatt Breweries of Canada wants operators to get to know their guests all over again in 2021.

Luckily, this isn’t a massive undertaking. However, it requires commitment and an understanding of altered consumer behavior.

During the 2021 Restaurants Canada Show, Labatt presented “Rediscover Your Guest: The 2021 Consumer.”

Christina Veira, bar and beverage curator for the RC Show, hosted the digital session. Labatt panelists included Michelle Tham, head of education and certified Cicerone, and Megan Harris, director of insights and strategy. Casey Ferrell, vice president of US and Canada Monitors for Kantar Consulting rounded out the panel.

Who’s Your 2021 Guest?

The good news is that Canadians are still consuming beverage alcohol. The less-good news is that they’ve gotten used to drinking mainly at home.

In fact, per Megan Harris, 95 percent of beverage alcohol occasions now happen at home. Harris also says there’s excitement about a return to in-person restaurant and bar service. However, several pandemic-driven behaviors will persist, including:

Takeout
Delivery
Daytime drinking
Working from home

Guests are set to unleash a torrent of pent-up demand when they can safely return to restaurants and bars. They want to indulge themselves, have fun and new experiences, but also feel safe.

Generally speaking, younger guests are more tolerant of risk. Conversely, guests over 50 years old are more cautious.

Vaccine Influence

Per Ferrell, there are four distinct vaccine groups in Canada and the United States:

People have gotten a Covid-19 vaccine.
People who can’t wait to get a Covid-19 vaccine.
People who are unsure about Covid-19 vaccines.
People who refuse to get a Covid-19 vaccine.

Ferrell says to remove the final group on that list. Doing so shows that about two-thirds of Canadians (and Americans) are in the process of getting the vaccine. Therefore, operators need consider how to address vaccination safety along with vaccination requirements for guests and employees. For Ferrell, the best lever to pull is the one that addresses Covid-19 and vaccine risks.

Additionally, just because the calendar ticked over to 2021 doesn’t mean everything is different. Accordingly, Ferrell feels that Q1 is the “More of 2021” stage of this year. He expects people to open up their bubbles during possibly Q2 or Q3, the “Less Covid-19” stage. Parties that include multiple households will return in force in Q4.

How to Meet 2021 Guest Expectations

First, we must be cautious when people return to restaurants, bars and other venues en masse. That initial boost in traffic driven by pent-up demand will ebb quicker than one would expect.

To get people through the doors, operators will need to focus on:

health and safety;
staff expectations and training;
social interactions and the joy deficit; and
guest experience and journey.

Harris sums up the first point succinctly: Anything that can be touchless, should be touchless. Operators should expect contactless features to remain moving forward. The expectation for hygiene will also remain. Guests will want to see employees cleaning and sanitizing, for instance.

Speaking of employees, operators must address the role they’ll plan in crowd management. Unfortunately, management and employees will have to be ready to enforce health and safety protocols strongly.

As Ferrell notes, long-term lockdown means large swaths of the population need to re-learn how to interact with others. One way to drive guests through restaurant or bar doors is promoting the role they play in socializing. Hospitality businesses facilitate social interaction—it’s one of the industry’s greatest strengths. Equally, restaurants and bars fill people’s joy deficits.

Operators, says Harris, need to consider:

every way they can offer an experience guests can’t have at home;
how they can capitalize on the daytime drinking experience;
how to extend the guest experience—pre-visit and post-visit;
how to attract older guests to their venues;
leveraging patio spaces; and
focusing on messaging that promotes escapism and excitement.

Another interesting consideration concerns table distances. Every operator needs to weigh square feet per guest and distancing tables. Social distance will likely remain important to guests for at least a little while post-pandemic.

Bonus

Ferrell answered a question I asked about Las Vegas specifically. Dayclubs, which largely focus on elevating pool parties, are an integral part of Vegas hospitality.

So, how can they signal their commitment to health and safety as relates to infections?

Ferrell’s answer is that evidence appears to indicate that pools are Covid-19 infection spreaders. Therefore, dayclub operators should focus more on the crowd control aspect of health and safety. Additionally, messaging should focus on indulgence.

After all, says Ferrell, not much is more indulgent than saying, “I’m going to take the day for myself and go to a daylife venue.”

Image: Nick Hillier on Unsplash

March 15, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SevenRooms Reveals Third Party Impact

SevenRooms Reveals Third Party Delivery Impact

by David Klemt

New findings from SevenRooms, the powerful reservation and guest relationship platform, show the impact third-party delivery has on restaurants.

In partnership with YouGov, a respected internet-based market research and data analytics firm, SevenRooms finds that direct delivery saves operators thousands of dollars per month.

The overall finding of the “Data & Dollars: Revealing the Impact of Third-Party Marketplaces” report is startling. Operators are relying on a technology that in reality is harming them and their bottom line.

Cost of Convenience

Foodservice operators and workers, along with being hospitable in their mission to serve others, are adaptable.

The industry proves this time and time again. This is particularly true of the past 12 months.

Nimble operators pivot quickly, so it makes sense that so many restaurants, bars and other foodservice businesses embrace delivery, takeout and curbside pickup. Doing so is a direct and seemingly logical response to a major shift in consumer behavior to lockdowns, restrictions, and health concerns.

Most operators are well aware that state third-party delivery platforms take a 30-percent commission on average. However, the cost goes beyond devastatingly high fees: operators also lose control of the guest journey.

Real-world Example

SevenRooms illustrates the negative financial impact third-party delivery platforms with three examples: a high-end Italian restaurant in New York; a high-end steakhouse in Los Angeles; and a high-volume casual restaurant in California.

Let’s take a look at the last example.

Over a six-month period, the restaurant fulfills 19,000 combined orders. Delivery makes up 75 percent of these orders, takeout/pickup account for 25 percent. The average order is $33, and over the six-month period the total order volume is $617,500. Had the restaurant implemented direct delivery rather than third-party, they would have saved about $154,000.

Break those savings down and the restaurant would save approximately $25,600 per month that could go to:

PPE: 853 boxes of face masks or 196 boxes of gloves.
Takeout: 101,000 food containers.
Guest experience: 522 tanks of propane to keep guests warm on patios.

Using an average rent amount of $6,000-15,000 per month in Los Angeles, that’s also two to four months’ rent.

Guests Support Direct Delivery

The impact of third-party delivery on restaurants isn’t lost on consumers. Many view ordering food as more than just convenient, they see it as a way to support their favorite businesses.

Luckily, consumers are supportive of ordering delivery, takeout and pickup directly from restaurants.

Per SevenRooms:

Firstly, 37 percent of Americans are eager to do anything they can to help restaurants.
Nearly half, 48 percent, think it’s more economical to order directly from a restaurant.
28 percent who say they prefer ordering directly to third-party delivery feel that way after seeing their favorite restaurants suffer.
23 percent are informed and think third-party delivery platforms charge restaurants too much in fees.
16 percent feel that the harm done to restaurants by third-party delivery outweighs any benefits.

Leverage Direct Delivery Support

SevenRooms identifies several ways in their report that operators can succeed in getting consumers to order directly.

One way is the platforms’ own Direct Delivery solution. We speak to SevenRooms CEO Joel Montaniel about this solution on our Bar Hacks podcast.

Then, of course, there are an array of incentives consumers are willing to accept in exchange for direct delivery and ordering:

41 percent of Americans would order directly over ordering via third-party if a restaurant has its own app with features such as tracking and communication.
37 percent consider a complimentary item such as an appetizer, drink or dessert in addition to their order an appealing incentive.
32 percent like the idea of a personalized promotion applied to a future order or in-person visit.
28 percent indicate interest in a personalized promotion for their meal such as a discount code or comp item.
17 percent are fans of restaurants using ordering history to customize their menu and experience.

Read the entire report here. To learn more about SevenRooms, please click here. Connect with SevenRooms on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Image: cottonbro from Pexels

March 12, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Are You Ready for St. Patrick’s Day?

Are You Ready for St. Patrick’s Day?

by David Klemt

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. Operators need to make sure they’re ready for in-person, delivery and takeout guests eager to celebrate.

An interesting element for this year’s holiday is that many people will be celebrating at home. That makes themed delivery, takeout and pickup packages important.

Over the past 12 months, consumers have grown to correlate drinking occasions with drinking at home. That shift in behavior can make it more challenging to succeed with holidays.

Of course, challenges also present opportunities. Working from and drinking at home has made weekday day-drinking more common. Operators can leverage new behaviors to offer in-person, delivery and takeout packages starting earlier for St. Patrick’s Day.

Such packages can include Irish Coffees for the morning or early lunch, Irish beers for lunch or dinner, Irish whiskey and beer packages for dinner and late-night…you get the idea. Classic and modern riffs on St. Patrick’s Day food mainstays are also a crucial element. The key is to get creative with inventory and offers, attracting a combination of in-person and off-premise consumers.

To give you a helping hand, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite Irish, Canadian and America whiskeys. We’re including the standards but also focusing on innovative and single malt expressions that boost guest spends and overall revenue.

Irish Whiskeys

One thing all operators know when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day: Irish whiskey and high-visibility brands must be represented.

After all, according to the Spirits Business, Irish whiskey generated well over $1 billion for distillers last year in the United States alone.

Jameson, Bushmills, Tullamore DEW, Kilbeggan and Redbreast shine on St. Patrick’s Day. Proper No. 12 is just a few years old but is on its way to becoming a St. Patrick’s standard.

In markets that can bear it, premiumization can help generate more revenue during this year’s holiday.

There’s nothing wrong with OG Jameson but consider premiumization with Jameson Black Barrel or 18 Years, which is finished in first-fill barrels.

When it comes to Bushmills, the original expression is great. Rare Cask 01, however, is the distillery’s Cognac cask premium dram.

For the adventurous guest, Cider Cask Finish, XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, and Old Bonded Warehouse Release from Tullamore DEW will get their attention.

Operators who feature Kilbeggan would do well to consider premiumization in the forms of Single Pot Still and Small Batch Rye.

Redbreast 12 Cask Strength and Redbreast Lustau are undeniable elevations of traditional Irish whiskey.

Canadian Single Malts

When people hear or think about St. Patrick’s Day, they tend to immediately leap to Irish whiskey. However, this holiday can be a time to highlight whiskeys from other countries.

Central City crafts Lohin McKinnon Single Malt with “pure British Columbia” water, per their website. The distiller recommends adding a splash cold, filtered water, a tip you can share with your guests.

Another Central City single malt takes Canadian in an interesting direction. Lohin McKinnon Tequila Barrel Finished instills single malt with unique flavors.

Eau De Claire boasts the distinction of being Alberta’s first craft distillery and first single malt whisky producers. The distillery uses only Alberta barley and rye to craft their liquid.

American Single Malts

There are a number of superlative American single malt whiskeys to consider promoting on St. Patrick’s Day.

Westland produces American single malt in Seattle, Washington. The distillery’s Outpost Range—Garryana, Colere, and Solum—celebrates American tradition, innovation and Pacific Northwest provenance.

Westward aims to craft and bottle the spirit of the American Northwest. Westward Pinot Noir Cask and Stout Cask elevate the distillery’s American single malts.

Those searching for a Rocky Mountain single malt need look no further than Stranahan’s. Each of their expressions is thoughtfully crafted, so it can be hard to choose just one. However, Blue Peak is interesting because it undergoes high-altitude distillation and is also finished using the Solera Method.

Also hailing from Colorado is Deerhammer. The distillery’s American Single Malt mash bill can experience temperature swings of well over 40 degrees in a single day.

Image: Stéphan Valentin on Unsplash

March 9, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

CDC Updates Mask, Gathering Guidance

CDC Updates Mask, Gathering Guidance

by David Klemt

On the heels of some states rescinding mask mandates, the Centers for Disease Control updates safety guidelines.

The CDC’s guidance focuses on vaccinated people.

Key Changes

Per the CDC, people who are vaccinated can meet indoors with one another. These indoor meetings can take place without masks.

Of particular note, the CDC says these people can meet up indoors with one unvaccinated household as long as they’re at “low risk” of serious illness.

Equally interesting, the latest guidance claims that if a fully vaccinated person is exposed to someone with Covid-19, they don’t need to quarantine if they’re not showing symptoms.

Importantly, these guidelines address fully vaccinated people, not those awaiting their second shot.

Masks & Public Gatherings

The CDC still recommends masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds, and staying away from spaces with poor ventilation.

Those who are fully vaccinated should exercise those recommendations whenever they’re in public; gathering with people are unvaccinated from more than a single household; meeting with anyone with increased risk of severe illness or death should they be infected with Covid-19.

Vaccinated or not, the CDC recommends people avoid medium- or large-sized gatherings and domestic and international travel.

Workplaces should still follow CDC guidance for employees not working exclusively from home.

Important Details

The CDC says a person is “fully vaccinated” if they meet one of two criteria:

It has been two weeks since they’ve received their second dose of a two-dose Covid-19 vaccination (Moderna, Pfizer, for example).
It has been two weeks since they’ve received a single-dose vaccine (example: Johnson & Johnson).

Anyone who needs to receive a second shot isn’t fully vaccinated. The same holds true if it has been less than two weeks since being vaccinated.

Per the CDC webpage: Everyone, “even people who’ve had their vaccines—should continue taking basic prevention steps when recommended.”

Click here to review the CDC’s new guidance. Remember that health and safety protect yourself, your staff, your guests and your community.

Image: torstensimon from Pixabay

March 8, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Senate Boosts RRF to $28.6 Billion

Senate Boosts RRF to $28.6 Billion

by David Klemt

On Saturday, the Senate approved their version of the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill along party lines.

Next, the bill will go back to the House and could receive a vote as early as tomorrow.

Boost to RRF?

According to several sources, the Senate’s version of the American Restaurant Plan Act (ARPA) includes a $3.6 billion boost to the $25 billionRestaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF).

If that’s accurate and the House passes this version of the ARPA, the RRF has $28.6 billion to disburse.

Five billion dollars will be set aside specifically for businesses that grossed less than $500,000 in receipts in 2019.

Mostly a Good Start?

The RRF is modeled on the RESTAURANTS Act.

Unfortunately, it isn’t funded like the RESTAURANTS Act. The industry has been campaigning for nearly a year for a $120 billion fund.

More than 110,000 restaurants and bars have been lost throughout the United States permanently. In addition, the industry has lost around $220 billion in sales.

The RRF isn’t even a quarter of what the industry was asking for in terms of help from elected officials.

Still, if managed properly, the RRF is much-appreciated and much-needed relief for small and mid-sized operators.

The Details (So Far)

The Small Business Association (SBA) will manage the RRF. For the first 21 days, businesses owned or controlled by women or veterans—or that are economically and socially disadvantaged—will be prioritized for grants.

Maximum amounts for grants are $5 million per individual restaurant or $10 million per restaurant group.

Established restaurants can calculate their grants thusly: 2019 revenue minus 2020 revenue minus PPP loans. For restaurants that were opened in 2019, the calculation is the average of 2019 monthly revenues times 12 minus 2020 revenues. Restaurants opened in 2020 are eligible to receive funding equal to eligible expenses incurred.

Grants can be spent on eligible expenses from February 15, 2020 through December 31, 2021. However, the SBA may extend that period through two years from enactment.

Eligible expenses include but are not limited to:

payroll and benefits;
mortgage (no prepayment);
rent (no prepayment);
utilities, maintenance;
supplies (including PPE and cleaning materials);
food;
operational expenses;
covered supplier costs (as defined by the SBA under the PPP program); and
sick leave.

The fight for relief isn’t over. Please click here to tell your representatives to pass ARPA and the RRF immediately.

Image: Finn Hackshaw on Unsplash

March 5, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Some Texas Operators Keep Masks in Place

Some Texas Operators Keep Masks in Place

by David Klemt

Texas is less than a week away from opening “100 percent” according to Governor Greg Abbott.

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and Texans aren’t fans of being told what to do.

Data shows an increase in coronavirus cases in Texas but that isn’t stopping Gov. Abbott from announcing all businesses can open at 100-percent capacity and the state’s mask mandate is no more as of March 10.

Political, Practical or Perilous?

Per Gov. Abbott, Texas have “mastered the daily habits to avoid getting Covid,” so it’s “now time to open Texas 100 percent.”

One of those habits, one would assume, is wearing a mask or other face covering to “avoid getting Covid,”

Doctors and health experts have been warning against complacency fueled by vaccines and cases dropping in some states. Another surge may be around the corner if people drop covid-19 safety measures in favor of a return to “normal” life.

Gov. Abbott’s announcement, therefore, calls into question his motivations: political, practical or perilous?

Some Operators Pushing Back

If we accept that one can’t tell a Texan what to do, we must apply that to restaurant and bar operators in the state.

Some Texas operators disagree with Gov. Abbott lifting of the mask mandate and are “100 percent” still requiring masks in their establishments post-March 10.

This message from Bobby Heugel, the operator behind Anvil Bar & Refuge, Tongue-Cut Sparrow, Better Luck Tomorrow and Squable in Houston, is straightforward. It’s also garnering plenty of support, with people thanking Heugel and pledging to spend their money at his businesses.

In response to a question by one commenter on the post, Heugel explains that the hospitality group is maintaining 50-percent capacity, socially distanced seating, and other CDC guidelines “until vaccination rates improve.”

Nickel City operations locations in Austin and Forth Worth. As the above statement makes clear, guests must wear masks inside their venues regardless of what Gov. Abbott says. Like Heugel’s, Nickel City’s statement is garnering support.

Whether the governor’s move proves wise or foolish will bear out in the coming weeks. However, the decision will likely once again put front-of-house workers at risk of hostile confrontations with guests who take wearing a mask as a personal attack on their liberty.

Still Struggling

To be fair, Gov. Abbott isn’t going it alone in terms of rolling back a mask mandate. Mississippi, Alabama, Iowa and Montana have made similar choices.

Going a further step toward fairness, a total of 16 states don’t have mask mandates in place. In fact, some never did. What has drawn attention is that Texas is the largest state to do away with its mask mandate (and the second largest state in the US in terms of population and area).

What grabbed my attention are the responses from well-known and respected operators who have chosen to still require masks and other Covid-19-related health and safety guidelines, along with the support they’re receiving from the public for doing so.

Multiple vaccines, a seemingly downward trend in infection rates, and the lifting of restrictions don’t magically solve operators’ problems—they’re struggling, as are their employees.

Follow this link to tell your representatives to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and Restaurant Revitalization Fund now.

Image: Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash

March 3, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Meet Customers Where They Are

Meet Customers Where They Are

by David Klemt

If news stories are to be believed, Americans are fleeing big, expensive cities en masse.

Are those stories accurate or examples of sensationalism?

Mass Exodus?

The pandemic is, without any doubt, reshaping the United States. It is, in fact, transforming any nation on which it has gained a significant foothold.

Several sources claim that a mass exodus to the suburbs and rural towns is taking shape across America.

The authors of these stories often cite survey results, housing and rental price fluctuations, financial struggles and the cost of living in many cities, and anecdotal “evidence” to make their points.

On its face, just the argument that cities like Los Angeles and New York City are too expensive to live in with so many people struggling financially makes sense. And stories about astronomically high rent compared to square footage and median income in dense, expensive cities are commonplace.

Haute Exodus?

Still other stories tell tales of the wealthy migrating from major cities to “wait out” the pandemic.

Since wealthy people have the means, they’re able to leave densely populated areas for destinations with smaller populations. The logic being, the less people in an area, the lower risk of infection.

There are reports referring to NYC as a “ghost town” and describing San Francisco as a shell of its former densely-populated, well-heeled self.

Again, much of the reporting is supported by anecdotal and social media “evidence.”

Half-thruths

Forbes, which has published articles supporting mass exodus claims and also disputing them, has made the argument that the situation is nuanced.

Eric Martel, a Forbes Councils Member, analyzed U-Haul Migration Index (UMI) and uncovered some interesting data. Martel finds that net migration in San Francisco and Los Angeles is lower—significantly so in LA—than it was in 2018. In NYC, net migration looks higher.

More reasonable conclusions regarding Americans and the pandemic seem to be:

Large numbers of people have moved out of some major cities. NYC seems to be a good example.
Some of the wealthy have temporarily left highly-populated cities, choosing to stay in places normally considered vacation destinations for longer periods of time.
People appear to be moving toward the outskirts of larger cities where rent and prices tend to be lower than that of city centers.
Suburbs near the outskirts of major cities appear to be popular migration targets.
Some of this “migration” is temporary, driven by the ability to work remotely. It’s likely that some people who have moved out of cities will return when they perceive things have returned to “normal.”

Adapt

Jack Li, co-founder and CEO of Datassential, suggests operators check out so-called second-tier cities—Austin, Nashville and Charlotte, for example—and the areas where cities meet suburbs. The reasons are simple:

Innovation and food trends tend to start cities, reaching rural areas last. That means second-tier cities, city outskirts, and suburbs are quicker to embrace trends and innovations. (Location.)
Less-expensive commercial real estate prices. (Cost.)
Potential increase in the number of families. (Customer density.)
Potential increase in the number of seniors with financial means. (Customer density.)

The impact the pandemic has had makes informed decisions that much more critical to success in this industry. Demographic and feasibility studies are more important now than ever.

Both are cornerstones of the KRG Hospitality approach, whether an operator has several years’ experience or is a neophyte. Click here to learn more about how KRG Hospitality can help you and your concept, click here to learn about KRG Mindset Coaching, and click here to download the KRG 2021 Start-up Cost Guide & Checklist.

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February 26, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Self-ordering Kiosks Gaining Ground

Self-ordering Kiosks Gaining Ground

by David Klemt

Ordering kiosks and the convenience they offer have become more commonplace, even before the pandemic plunged its claws into the world.

In addition to the convenience factor, self-ordering kiosks provide guests with a contactless option that keeps them and front-of-house workers safer than ordering face to face.

Proliferation

This technology was on its way from trend to operational mainstay long before Covid-19 savaged the planet and tore through the hospitality industry.

The presence of ordering kiosks at the National Restaurant Association Show reportedly tripled from 2017 to 2018. Quick-service, fast-casual restaurants and limited-service were earlier adopters of self-ordering tech.

It took just a couple of years for McDonald’s, as an example, to outfit thousands of locations with such kiosks.

For several months, industry pros and experts have been saying there clearly defined types of guests with which operators will have to contend post-pandemic:

Those who will comfortably return to restaurants and bars, treating them as they did pre-pandemic.
Those who will return to in-person restaurant and bar visits cautiously.
Those who won’t return to in-person dining until they have been vaccinated and are confident others have been as well.

One can see how self-ordering kiosks appeal to cautious guests, along with those who will use them but take their order to-go.

Types of Kiosks

Anecdotal evidence suggests there are three types or styles of kiosks that are most prevalent: terminals, tablets and tabletop systems.

Ease of function and integration has made tablet-based systems popular.

Toast and TouchBistro are two of the most popular restaurant POS systems on the market, and both offer kiosk functionality. Toast is Android-based, TouchBistro is iOS-based.

Some operators choose to mount their tablet-based kiosks on countertops, some create ordering locations with tablets affixed to stands.

There are also kiosk terminals that are similar in size to ATMs, not based on tablets, and Windows-based.

ADA Compliance

Similar to how it’s important for operators to consider their guests and comfort levels with new (or newer) tech, consideration must be paid to ADA compliance when choosing kiosks.

No guest should feel alienated, excluded, forgotten about, or valued less than other guests. Counter- and table-top ordering devices should be easily accessible by all guests, as should tablet-based systems mounted to free-standing pedestals.

Operators who choose larger ordering terminals must appraise such systems on their ADA compliance. Last week, the Kiosk Manufacturers Association posted a 14-point ADA compliance checklist that end users can use to assess whatever kiosk is under consideration.

Kiosk Manufacturers Association ADA checklist

Image: Kiosk Manufacturers Association

One can read through the checklist in its entirety here, which includes such considerations as:

Depth, clearance, maneuvering and protruding objects.
Assistive considerations like Braille and tactile guidance.
Assistive technologies such as speech-output enabled display screens.
The Big Seven: Captions, contrast, audio, focus, target size, errors and labels

Self-ordering tech and kiosks will continue to evolve and become part of everyday operations for several foodservice business categories. While they may not become commonplace in the fine-dining space, they’re likely to dominate QSRs and fast-casual, and gain more traction in casual and family dining.

Not every restaurant, bar or hotel will benefit from this self-ordering kiosks. Operators who want to implement this tech must consider initial investment, POS integration, hardware, guest comfort, and ADA compliance.

Image: Christiann Koepke on Unsplash

February 24, 2021by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Bacardi Predicts How We’ll Drink in 2021

Bacardi Predicts How We’ll Drink in 2021

by David Klemt

What will alcohol consumption look like this year? Bacardi has answers.

In association with the Future Laboratory, Bacardi’s second-annual cocktail trends report—a well-sourced 25-page document—is available.

As is the case when we begin a new year, we’re being deluged with trend predictions and reports. I’d say the Bacardi 2021 Cocktail Trends Report goes deeper than most.

The report is organized into five macro trends identified by Bacardi Limited. Let’s get to it!

Reinventing the Bar

I’m not presenting Bacardi’s macro trends in order. Instead, I’m starting with the trend arguably most relevant to operators: bar reinvention.

Industry experts have been pointing to the ease of access to knowledge along with consumer interest in learning more about spirits and cocktails as an important trends for years now. It’s no longer a trend—it’s standard that guests are better informed.

Like other sources, Bacardi predicts guests will seek out more personalized experiences. They also predict guests will want to connect more with bartenders. However, the brand goes deeper in their report.

Bacardi thinks to-go cocktails, cocktail and meal kits, and e-commerce will become standard. Going a step further, the report posits that some venues will create cocktail menus that will change according to weekly inventory; sommeliers will add spirits knowledge to their skillset; and that guests will be eager to try drinks they’ve never had before.

Perhaps most importantly, Bacardi predicts bar culture will become more positive and inclusive, resulting in gender stereotypes—including those inherent to bottle design—will fall to the wayside.

Purpose and Transparency

According to a study conducted by IBM and the National Retail Federation and cited in Bacardi’s report, a massive 70 percent of American and Canadian consumers think it’s important that brands are eco-friend or sustainable.

Bacardi predicts sustainability, transparency, and the authentic embrace of social causes will be crucial this year and beyond.

In response to climate change, sustainability, eco-friendliness, and the zero-waste movement, Bacardi plans to wipe out 80 million plastic bottles with their new biodegradable bottle design, rolling out in 2023.

Pointing to a statistic from ZypMedia—that 36 percent of consumers plan to keep buying from local businesses post-pandemic—Bacardi predicts hyperlocality will grow stronger in 2021. Operators who source more local items, including beverage alcohol, will likely find more support from consumers.

Mindful Drinking

Per a Bacardi survey, 22 percent of consumers across the globe are drinking alcohol less. More than half (55 percent) of “mindful drinkers” are drinking low-ABV options.

Bacardi predicts low- and no-ABV drinks to perform well this year. Spritzes, for example, is on the rise as a bar culture in its own right.

Per Bacardi, zero-proof spirits are getting the most attention of any other category, worldwide.

Mindful drinking is also affecting how spirits are made. Consumers, more conscious of their health because of the pandemic, are showing a preference for beverages free of artificial ingredients. Furthermore, Bacardi expects consumers to seek out drinks that have health-boosting benefits.

The report, as an example, cites a Global Wellness Institute finding that in 2019 alone, “U.S. sales of ginger rose by 94%, while turmeric and garlic sales were up by 68% and 62%.” Today’s consumer is seeking out functional cocktail ingredients.

Drinking by the Numbers

Bacardi’s report puts all the brand’s cards on the table. Operators looking to program or reprogram their menus will find this information helpful.

Consider the info below for delivery and to-go drinks since Nielsen finds that 40 percent of US consumers are interested in make-at-home cocktail kits, 37 percent are interested in pre-made bottled cocktails, and 37 percent are interested in grab-and-go cocktails.

Flavor and Experience: Extreme heat (chilies), Super-sweet, Sour, Bitter, Smoked

Experiences: Pleasure, Nostalgia, Escapism, Quality over quantity, Light-hearted drinks, Flavor-filled indulgences

Most Popular Cocktails, Globally (Descending Order): Low-ABV, Other spritzes, Negroni, Classic cocktails with a twist, G&T (including riffs), Non-alcohol, Whiskey Highball, Espresso Martini, Old Fashioned, Vermouth cocktails

Premiumization Opportunities: Gin, Rum, Tequila

Top 5 Spirits (by Interest): Gin, Mezcal, Tequila, Vermouth, Bitter/Amaro Liqueurs

Top 5 RTDs in North America: Vodka Soda and flavors, Margarita, Moscow Mule, Low-ABV, G&T

Click here to read the report in its entirety.

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February 23, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Datassential Finds Operators Optimistic

Datassential Finds Operators Optimistic

by David Klemt

The latest report from Datassential finds that the vast majority of operators are optimistic or at least confident their businesses will survive the pandemic.

Per Datassential, operator outlook appears to be more positive than it was in December.

That’s largely due to the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Datassential Covid-19 Resources & Reports

Datassential has been releasing informative Covid-19 reports throughout the pandemic to provide helpful industry, consumer and operator data.

“Trending Upward” is Datassential’s 46th installment, and the research firm provides their Covid-19 resources at no charge.

For this report, Datassential surveyed 400 “decision makers for restaurants and on-site foodservice locations.”

Operator Outlook

Most of the operators surveyed, 220 or 55 percent, are still concerned about the challenges facing them and the industry. However, they’re “fairly confident” that their businesses will make it through.

That 55 percent represents no change from December of last year, when Datassential last gauged operator outlook.

The next two survey respondent segments tell the tale of optimism.

Of the 400 operators surveyed, 148 or 37 percent are “cautiously optimistic.” In fact, they expect to be even stronger post-pandemic.

Compared to December, that’s a seven-percent increase in operators who feel optimistic. That seven percent shifted from the “very nervous” segment,

Just 32 of survey respondents (eight percent) reported that they don’t think they’ll survive the pandemic. Losing any businesses to the pandemic and its terrible impact on the industry is beyond horrific, and the results of this Datassential report in no way minimize that awful truth. However, the percentage of operators who feel “very nervous” or otherwise pessimistic reducing by nearly half provides at least a semblance of hope for the future of the industry.

Staff Cuts

According to Datassential, more than 80 percent of operators who were forced to cut staff at some point during the pandemic have been able to bring back some of their workers.

Of the 400 respondents surveyed by Datassential, 21 percent of operators reported they hadn’t laid off any of their employees

Another 20 percent had to cut staff but were able to rehire all of them.

Nearly half (48 percent) have only been able to hire some of the staff they laid off back. Twelve percent have been unable to rehire any of the staff they had to let go.

Takeaway

Optimism is great for emotional and mental health. So is targeted relief. Operators and employees will likely feel far more confident and relieved if the industry receives actual targeted relief. This Datassential report’s findings are positive but we need Congress to act.

Click here to tell your representatives to pass the RESTAURANTS Act now.

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