Guest experience | KRG Hospitality

Restaurant host or manager holding menus and leading guests to their table

July 8, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Welcome: Start the Experience Right

Welcome: How to Begin the Guest Experience Like a Pro

by David Klemt

When you think about the guest experience you and your team deliver, how much consideration do you give the welcome?

I don’t mean just the greeting your front-of-house team gives guests. That’s an important part of the equation, but it’s only one element.

Rather, I’m talking about developing SOPs for welcoming guests into your venue. As importantly, I’m also suggesting that you develop specific onboarding and training for anyone who will greet guests and lead them to their seats.

Luckily, one of the best front-of-house trainers in hospitality spoke at the 2024 Flyover Conference in Cincinnati about this topic. Bethany Lucas, director of operations for Maverick Theory, shared her best tips for starting—and ending—the guest experience in a memorable way.

The tips Lucas shared during her Flyover session “Untapped Potential: How to Transform Your Front of House” will indeed transform your business and guest experience.

Now, a word of warning before I begin. Once you read these tips, you’ll likely find yourself analyzing your next few restaurant visits. Ever since sitting in on Lucas’ session, I’ve been unable to avoid paying more attention to how my restaurant visits have begun.

This has included sharing what I’ve noticed with the people in my group. Some of these friends will also pay more attention to the greeting they receive when walking into a restaurant now.

If you’re an operator or front-of-house leader, you’ll probably benefit from checking out restaurants in your area for their welcome procedures.

Invest in Your Door

Operators need to invest in their doors, because “it really is the brain of your restaurant,” says Lucas.

Therefore, it’s crucial that owners and operators understand what’s going on at their doors. Assuming your front-of-house team knows how to greet guests rather than training them on a procedure is a mistake.

Most operators know that hiring the right leaders, kitchen team, servers, and bartenders is imperative to the success of their business. However, the same attention must be paid to finding the right hosts and hostesses.

As Lucas says, “There is no ‘just a hostess.'” Bluntly put, the person running the door is the gatekeeper of the business. They’ll interact with just about every single guest since they serve as the first touchpoint.

So, Lucas encourages operators to ask a number of questions before initiating the hiring process:

Are the ideal candidates formal and proper, or friendly and casual? (Or something else entirely.)
Will the ideal hosts and hostesses need to be thick-skinned?
When considering the appearance of the host team, what does that look like to you? Lucas seeks out people who are polished and professional when building her teams.

These questions should inspire even more considerations, helping an operator identify who they want to run their door.

Welcome

During her presentation, Lucas provided an example of a less-than-ideal welcome. I think we’ve all experienced what she described.

How often have each of us walked into a restaurant, been greeted, and then led to a table by someone who just takes off? The host or hostess grabs menus, starts walking away toward a table, doesn’t speak to you, and doesn’t even look over their shoulder to see if you’re still following them closely.

I know it’s happened to me more times than I can count. Although, I’m happy to report that this hasn’t happened to me since attending Flyover. Maybe what Lucas put out into the world has had a greater impact than she expected.

A polished and professional host or hostess, per Lucas, will not take off when leading guests to their seats. Additionally, they won’t be silent, failing to engage with the guest verbally. Further, a polished, professional host or hostess doesn’t drop menus on a table and rush back to the door.

In fact, Lucas requires each member of her host teams to ask at least one question of guests being led to their seats. This can be as simple, she explained at Flyover, as the host or hostess turning and asking “How are you today?”

It’s important to note that this attention to the door team isn’t reserved for upscale or fine-dining venues. The beginning and end of a guest’s visit are too important to fail to plan them properly. Regardless of concept and category of venue, guests must feel welcome and valued.

Farewell

According to Lucas, the farewell can absolutely impact how a guest perceives their visit, and the brand overall. While the server or bartender who served the guest should thank them at the end of their visit, so should the person who first welcomed them.

A simple “thank you for visiting us” can go a long way and serve as a cherry on top of the entire experience.

However, there’s another tip Lucas shared that has really stuck with me. A truly a savvy host team will add a question after they thank a guest for their visit: “Can I make a reservation for you for your next visit?”

Doing so requires the ability to read a guest and their satisfaction with their visit. However, if executed well this is a brilliant way to increase your guest retention rate and convert a first-time guest into a repeat guest, and eventually a regular.

If you’ve read this far, I encourage you to consider your welcome SOPs and door team today. You and leadership team should observe the door and note how guests are being welcomed.

If the procedure doesn’t impress you, it’s not impressing your guests. And if it isn’t impressing your guests, ask yourself why they’d return.

Your door isn’t “just a door,” and your hosts aren’t “just hosts.” Remember that, and plan accordingly.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

July 2, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: July 2024

5 Books to Read this Month: July 2024

by David Klemt

Our inspiring July book selections will give you a new perspective on developing leadership skills, identifying your core values, effective branding, and more.

To review the book recommendations from June 2024, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Wawa Way: How a Funny Name and Six Core Values Revolutionized Convenience

Core values is one of the topics that came up during the inaugural Flyover Conference, which took place in Cincinnati, Ohio. In fact, keynote speaker Dave Kaplan of hospitality group Gin & Luck (Death & Co.) shared his approach to identifying personal and brand core values. (Yes, I’ll be writing an article on that for publication in the near future.) This book, written by Howard Stoeckel, vice chairman of Wawa, illustrates the importance of identifying, adhering to, and revisiting core values on a regular basis to forge a path toward long-term success.

From Amazon: “Grahame Wood opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for Wawa dairy products. Since then, the convenience store has grown into a well-known company that competes against the biggest industry players in the world in three areas: fuel, convenience, and food, all while maintaining their personal approach and small business mentality. Now, almost 50 years later, Wawa has opened its first store in Florida and begun to play on the national field. How did it happen? What are the reasons for their success? Why have they been able to go up against the big guys with nothing more than homegrown talent?”

Pick up the paperback here.

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Interestingly, The Checklist Manifesto credits the US Air Force with implementing checklists to great success. As a former airman myself, I can attest to the USAF’s strict usage of this simple but effective tool. So, it should come as no surprise that I—and the rest of the KRG Hospitality team—are firm believers in operators using checklists every day. Indeed, one of the services we provide is creating tailor-made checklists for our clients.

Moreover, Dave Kaplan recommended this book during the Q&A session of my Flyover Conference session. Now, I’m recommending this book to you and our clients.

From Amazon: “We live in a world of great and increasing complexity, where even the most expert professionals struggle to master the tasks they face. Longer training, ever more advanced technologies—neither seems to prevent grievous errors. But in a hopeful turn, acclaimed surgeon and writer Atul Gawande finds a remedy in the humblest and simplest of techniques: the checklist. First introduced decades ago by the U.S. Air Force, checklists have enabled pilots to fly aircraft of mind-boggling sophistication. Now innovative checklists are being adopted in hospitals around the world, helping doctors and nurses respond to everything from flu epidemics to avalanches. Even in the immensely complex world of surgery, a simple ninety-second variant has cut the rate of fatalities by more than a third.”

Get your copy today.

Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You

Are you aware there’s a position within the US Department of State dedicated to advising president, vice president, and secretary of state on diplomatic protocol? The person in this role is the chief of protocol, and they claim the ranks of assistant secretary of state, and ambassador. Among their responsibilities, this person ensures those in the highest offices are aware of and understand cultural gestures. Further, these people know how powerful seemingly “small” gestures are in influencing interactions and experiences.

Savvy operators will see parallels in the experiences they deliver to guests. Protocol was written by Capricia Penavic Marshall, former chief of protocol to former President Obama. In its pages you’ll learn the importance of etiquette, diplomacy, implementing and training your team on SOPs, and how there are no “minor” details in hospitality.

From Amazon: “Sharing unvarnished anecdotes from her time in office—harrowing near misses, exhilarating triumphs, heartwarming personal stories—Marshall brings us a master class in soft power, unveiling the complexity of human interactions and making the case that etiquette, cultural IQ, and a flexible mind-set matter now more than ever. When the notion of basic civility seems to be endangered, Protocol reminds us how critical these principles are while providing an accessible guide for anyone who wants to be empowered by the tools of diplomacy in work and everyday life.”

Buy it here!

Day Trading Attention: How to Actually Build Brand and Sales in the New Social Media World

As an operator, your time is your most-valuable resource. Therefore, you need to make sure you spend it wisely and take massive action. This relates to marketing and branding, as creating content is a waste of time if it’s not impactful, relevant, and engaging in order to result in traffic and sales.

From Amazon: “In his latest book, [Gary] Vaynerchuk argues that today’s fast-growing businesses, brands, content creators, and influencers have one thing in common: They mastered storytelling in areas of underpriced attention, which predominantly exists across a handful of social media platforms. Informed by 20+ years of business and marketing success, he contends that the biggest transformation and opportunity is the “TikTokification of Social Media.” Increasingly, platforms are distributing content based on what users are interested in, rather than who they follow.”

Grab yours now.

Bar Hacks: Developing The Fundamentals for an Epic Bar

Yep, I’m taking the opportunity to recommend Doug Radkey’s first book. Radkey is, as you may know, the president of KRG Hospitality. In his this book he explains the importance of nailing the fundamentals in order to:

start your operator journey in the best possible position;
stabilize your business; and
scale when the time comes, if that’s what you want.

From Amazon: “This informative and conversational book is the perfect read for aspiring or seasoned bar, pub, lounge, or even restaurant owners, operators, and managers looking for that competitive edge in operations! If you’re looking for both fundamental and in-depth planning methods, strategies, and industry focused insight to either start or grow a scalable, sustainable, memorable, profitable, and consistent venue in today’s cut-throat industry–Bar Hacks is written just for you!”

Click here to get your copy today!

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

"Think about things differently" neon sign

July 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your July holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our June 2024 holidays list, click here.

July 7: National Dive Bar Day

Alright, dive and neighborhood bar operators—this is the day to really ensure you and your bar team shine. Show the community why your bar is one of the cornerstones of the neighborhood. This is an opportunity to pull out the stops to impress your regulars and reinforce their love of your bar, and to attract new neighbors to hang out at your place on a regular basis.

July 8: National SCUD Day

Let’s clarify this at the start: SCUD stands for “Savor the Comic and Unplug the Drama.” The intent is for people to relax, unplug, and enjoy some humor, or at least take a light-hearted approach to life. Now, if you happen to feature stand-up comedy or operate a comedy club, this holiday should be all the way in your wheelhouse.

July 9: Cow Appreciation Day

The humble cow provides a lot for us. In addition to all manner of food items, cows even help us make some very smooth vodkas. Given how much cows give, operators can make entire prix fixe menus dedicated to them: from appetizer to dessert, the cow can fill out an entire meal, including drinks.

However, you can take another approach to this holiday. Vegan restaurants, for example, can highlight alternatives to cow products by creating dishes, drinks, and prix fixe menus.

July 11: National Mojito Day

Here’s an easy one. After you’ve ensured that your bar team makes an excellent Mojito, create an LTO menu. Feature the traditional build, a high-end version, and a creative variant or two.

July 13: Embrace Your Geekness Day

How the times have changed, for the better in this instance. Not long ago, “geek” was a real insult. Now, we can’t wait as individuals to geek out with others over our hobbies, interests, and other passions.

Does your bar have an overall theme that can be amplified for maximum geekiness? Do you feature board games, card games, or even video games? Is it common for clubs to meet up at your place? Have you noticed something that several of your patrons seem to enjoy talking about and geeking out over? Lean as far into that as you can and create an amazing experience.

July 15: National Be a Dork Day

Maybe you don’t like the word “geek.” Perhaps, to you, being a dork is more about being a bit (or very) silly, and leaning into being “uncool” (which is actually cool).

At any rate, if you’re not into the idea of Embrace Your Geekness Day—or you want to showcase the difference between geeks and dorks—National Be a Dork Day may work well for you.

July 21: National Junk Food Day

We all have differing ideas about junk food. For some, junk food refers to candy and dessert foods, specifically. To others, it’s anything that isn’t considered a healthy food.

The approach I recommend is giving people an excuse to eat and drink whatever they want on this day, or taking a cheat day. Further, you can certainly create a cocktail menu that captures the flavors of people’s favorite candy bars, candies, etc. Or, build over-the-top burgers, come up with a signature food challenge, or create a signature pizza that features compelling and unique toppings.

July 22: National Mango Day

Mango Margaritas, Mango Mezcalritas, mango IPA, mango ale, mango salsa, mango-habanero-glazed short ribs… If you can mango it, put it on an LTO menu.

July 27: National Take Your Pants for a Walk Day

Are you in a walkable city? This is really just a more interesting way of saying, “Walk to our bar/restaurant to earn your treat and time out with friends.”

July 31: National Avocado Day

Don’t be avoca-don’t—be an avoca-do. If your dishes and drinks can feature avocado in some way, have your kitchen and bar teams lean into it. For example, this would be a fantastic day to impress with a signature guacamole, made table-side.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

June 4, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SevenRooms Announces Powerhouse Ad Board

SevenRooms Announces Powerhouse Advisory Board

by David Klemt

"Good news is coming" sign taped to a pole on the street

One of our favorite hospitality technology platforms, SevenRooms, is back at it, showing off their commitment to growth through an announcement made today.

Regular readers of KRG Hospitality’s industry news section may recall an impressive announcement from SevenRooms toward the end of last year. In late November of 2023, the innovative hospitality CRM, operations, reservation, and marketing platform released not one, not two, but three powerful new tools:

Priority Alerts
Private Line
Word-of-Mouth Referrrals

Those who may have missed this announcement can read about these tools here.

Today’s news, however, isn’t based on the release of an innovative new tech feature. Rather, it has everything to do with SevenRooms looking toward the future. The hospitality tech leader is proud to announce CAB, their Customer Advisory Board.

Images of the SevenRooms inaugural Customer Advisory Board members

At the launch, CAB features five hospitality industry heavy hitters. Each represents a hospitality titan, such as MGM Resorts International, Union Square Hospitality Group, and Black Sheep Restaurants. Each member is tasked with analyzing AI, revenue management, and the future of hospitality, and the opportunities presented by each.

Personally, I’m particularly interested in what CAB members will have to say about AI in the industry by year’s end.

For more details, please review the official press release below.

SEVENROOMS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CUSTOMER ADVISORY BOARD WITH GLOBAL HOSPITALITY LEADERS

MGM Resorts International, Union Square Hospitality Group, Black Sheep Restaurants, Australian Venue Co., and MJMK Restaurants join to provide strategic insights on the future of hospitality, emerging trends, and key technological opportunities

NEW YORK (June 4, 2024) – SevenRooms, the leading marketing and operations platform for the hospitality industry, today announced the creation of its inaugural Customer Advisory Board (CAB). Composed of hospitality experts and thought leaders from the United States, Hong Kong, Australia, and United Kingdom, SevenRooms’ CAB will serve as a strategic forum to explore, discuss and action opportunities within the hospitality industry.

CAB members joined SevenRooms executive leadership at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to discuss the 2024 board theme of “Future Proofing to Serve up Success.” CAB attendees gained deeper insight into industry trends and best practices from global markets, discussed the value of loyalty in building hospitality-focused businesses with their peers, and debated how technology can help bridge the gap between guests and restaurants to deliver revenue-driving experiences. Throughout 2024, CAB members will continue to explore the following areas of opportunity:

Future of Hospitality – consumer sophistication, technology consolidation and the preparing workforces for what’s to come
Artificial Intelligence – authenticity and the importance of maintaining human, hospitality-focused connections
Revenue Management – data storytelling and how to make more money from the
same seats

As the consumer of tomorrow evolves, with new demands and expectations, SevenRooms’ CAB will continue to explore what authentic, hospitality-driven experiences look like for both hospitality operators and consumers. Plus, develop strategies for how technology like SevenRooms can provide a blueprint for growth to help operators own and elevate the guest experience to build loyalty. This includes leveraging CRM and marketing tools that not only help their businesses grow, but ensure they’re set up for long-term success by generating more predictable revenue, more often.

“We are excited to launch our Customer Advisory Board, welcoming this esteemed group of industry leaders deeper into our community,” said Joel Montaniel, CEO and Co-Founder of SevenRooms. “At SevenRooms, we are committed to the long-term success of our customers both now and in the future. As leaders in innovation, we empower operators to build sustainable, profitable businesses with guest experience at their core. With our board members’ diverse perspectives and deep industry knowledge, they will be instrumental in helping us better understand and address the needs of our customers and the wider global hospitality industry, ultimately, helping them better serve their guests.”

The inaugural members of the Customer Advisory Board include:

Ari Kastrati, Chief Hospitality Officer, MGM Resorts International
Kelly MacPherson, Chief Supply Chain & Technology Officer, Union Square Hospitality Group
Syed Asim Hussain, Founder, Black Sheep Restaurants
Kylie Moncur, Chief Marketing Officer, Australian Venue Co.
Hannah Berry, Marketing Director, MJMK Restaurants

“Working with Joel and the SevenRooms team over many years, I’ve seen firsthand their commitment to the hospitality industry and its continued growth and evolution; passions I too hold very dear,” said Ari Kastrati, Chief Hospitality Officer at MGM Resorts International and Chairman of SevenRooms’ Customer Advisory Board. “I am honored to chair this new advisory group, with a collective goal of supporting and empowering hospitality businesses as they navigate an increasingly complex market and strive to elevate experiences for diners of today and tomorrow.”

For more information about SevenRooms and its Customer Advisory Board, please visit sevenrooms.com/customer-advisory-board.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a leading marketing and operations platform for growing restaurants in the hospitality industry. From Michelin star gems to local favorites, the all-in-one platform helps restaurants increase sales, delight guests, and keep them coming back, automatically. The full suite of products includes reservations, waitlist and table management, review aggregation, referrals, email marketing, and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures and PSG, SevenRooms has more than 10,000 dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, Union Square Hospitality Group, Australian Venue Co., The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

June 3, 2024by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: June 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: June 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your June holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our May 2024 holidays list, click here.

June 6: National Gardening Exercise Day

Does your bar, restaurant, or hotel have an herb garden? If so, this is an excellent day to let your guests know about it, and highlight which drinks and dishes feature ingredients from said garden.

June 8: National Rosé Day

Your first instinct may be to feature your still and sparkling rosé wines on this day. However, there are also rosé spirits out there, like vodka and gin. Use this day to make your guests aware of your rosé program. Oh, and June 8 also happens to be World Gin Day, another reason to offer an LTO menu that features rosé gin.

However, you don’t have to stop the festivities on June 8. The next day is Day of La Rioja, and this Spanish province is world-renowned for its winemaking. In fact, there are more than 600 wineries in La Rioja, and some produce rosado or rosato, a.k.a. rosé.

June 10: National Herbs & Spices Day

If your kitchen makes its own spice blends, shout about them to the rooftop on June 10. And if you don’t yet make your own blends but would like to, here’s a tip from Chef Brian Duffy: make ten pounds of it, not just a quart, and store it in a clearly labeled flat tray. You’ll go through it faster than you anticipate if it’s a hit.

June 15: World Tapas Day

Really, who doesn’t love a small plate and sharing with friends? I know I’ve built a meal out of tapas on more than one occasion. Review your menu, get creative, and build your own brand-authentic and concept-specific tapas menu for June 15.

June 16: Turkey Lovers’ Day

This day lands close to the midway point leading to Thanksgiving. So, create a turkey-heavy LTO menu. Turkey tacos, turkey barbacoa burrito bowls, a full-on turkey dinner, turkey breasts…

June 16: World Sustainable Gastronomy Day

I tend to avoid doubling up on holidays but this one is important, so I’m breaking my own “rule.” Leading up to June 16, review your menu and operations to identify what you’re doing that’s producing sustainable dishes. Taking this a step farther, find out where you can improve to be more sustainable, and implement those initiatives by June 16.

June 21: National Take Back the Lunch Break Day

Do you offer pickup or delivery? And are you open for lunch? How fast are your kitchen times? These are all important operational elements to consider, particularly if you want to attract the lunch crowd. Should you feel that your lunch daypart operations are dialed in, lure in guests with intriguing lunch-time promotions.

June 22: National Onion Ring Day

Not only is this the perfect day to boast about your onion rings, it’s an excellent excuse to review their presentation and come up with something impactful and memorable. Consider an array of accompaniments, size and height, and playing with your batter.

June 27: International Pineapple Day

Ah, the pineapple, the international symbol of hospitality. If there was ever a day to go absolutely bonkers with a pineapple-forward F&B LTO menu, this is it!

June 29: National Waffle Iron Day

Who doesn’t love a waffle, particularly a build-your-own waffle? I think you know what to do on this holiday.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

May 24, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Want to Leverage Nostalgia? Spin It

Want to Leverage Nostalgia? Put Your Spin on It

by David Klemt

A recent report from Campbell’s Foodservice—along with supporting data from external sources—supports what many operators assume about food trends.

Our dive into Campbell’s Culinary TrendPulse 2024 report is here for those who want to take a look. Anyone who wants to download a copy of the report for themselves can click here.

However, I’m referencing a fresh, quick-hit report from Campbell’s. While it only takes a handful of minutes to read, it’s chock-full of useful insights.

In particular, this latest menu trend analysis looks into succeeding with nostalgia. Citing a study from Symrise in their post, 70 to 76 percent of guests ages 22 to 65 cherish nostalgic items.

Put simply, that translates to a truth most operators know: guests of all ages like comfort foods. This really doesn’t need much explanation. Comfort foods are—insert shocked Pikachu face here—comforting. And I think we’re all seeking comfort these days.

So, yes, operators should—in an authentic manner—speak to and fill this guest desire. Authentically in this context means putting comfort foods on the menu that make sense. Doing this successfully requires menu programming that fits with the brand and within the venue’s theme. It also necessitates really knowing your guests and what they expect.

For example, will a particular restaurant’s guests find mac and cheese comforting? Will they stop scanning the menu when they come across pozole? What about cacio e pepe or beef braciole? How receptive will they be to sukiyaki?

A sharp operator should know their guests’ tastes better than just about anyone. Therefore, they should know what foods they’ll find comforting.

However, there’s another way to succeed with nostalgia and enhance the guest experience.

“New” Nostalgia

There are a couple of ways to interpret the term “new nostalgia.”

One way is to tap into what foods, generally speaking since they’re not monoliths, different generations view as comfort foods. This can be something as simple as a certain candy or beverage from their childhood.

Another way is for an operator and their kitchen team to take a nostalgic dish and put their own spin on it. Using candy as an example again, a scratch-made interpretation of a treat to create a dessert may work.

Consider, as a real-world model for this approach, the Chocotini that Oceans Resort Casino featured toward the end of August in 2022. This was a direct response to the news that Klondike had retired the Choco Taco, a nostalgic treat for millions of people spanning multiple generations.

Of course, operators can also cross-utilize items to craft new menu items that tap into the craving for nostalgic comfort foods. These dishes can be permanent additions, seasonal menu updates, or LTOs.

Take a look at the image atop this article. Mac and cheese is a classic comfort dish. Now, feature it as a topping for a signature burger. That’s a prime example of new nostalgia.

Going farther, kitchen teams can combine nostalgia with another trend to get even more creative: global flavors. Are there tacos on the menu? Maybe bulgogi tacos featuring beef short rib, Korean slaw, and soy-lime dressing would resonate with guests.

I’m not saying anyone should menu these specific items. Rather, my aim here is to get operators and their kitchen and bar teams to put their heads together and create undeniable, irresistible takes on classics.

The key, again, is an understanding of the market, community, and guests. From there, it’s about getting creative and crafting dishes that guests can’t get anywhere else.

Image: Alex Haney on Unsplash

May 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your May holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our April 2024 holidays list, click here.

May 1: Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

If your concept is one that attracts motorcyclists already, or one that can handle motorcyclists to show up en masse without alienating other guests, your venue can celebrate Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month any or every day in May.

Encourage your guests to ride safely, look out for motorcycles when they’re driving, and organize group rides that stop by your bar or restaurant. Responsibly, of course.

May 4: Beer Pong Day

Let’s face it—beer pong is a classic bar game. Importantly, it’s a classic bar game that anyone can learn to play (to varying degrees of skill), and it’s simple to organize a tournament.

Should your bar or restaurant have the room and the following to support a beer pong tournament, this holiday could do very well for you and your team.

May 6: National Beverage Day

I mean…look how open-ended this holiday is. Is your bar or restaurant known for a particular drink? More than one particular drink? Perfect! Now’s the time to really brag about that and bring people through your doors.

May 11: National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day

Part of being a great operator is being an excellent neighbor and member of the community. One selfless act you and your team can participate in is to organize a food drive, acting as the central hub for donations and partnering with a food pantry, shelter, or other charitable organization.

May 17: National Pizza Party Day

Sure, the pizza party has become a corporate trope. That doesn’t mean that if you operate a pizzeria your business shouldn’t be the one that companies, families, and groups of friends call when it’s pizza party time.

May 19: World Baking Day

How are your kitchen team’s baking skills? This is the holiday to shine a light on them and create a baked well LTO.

May 20: World Bee Day

Not only are there some interesting cocktails with the word “bee” in their name, there are also plenty that call for honey as an ingredient.

However, as I pointed out on Earth Day, there are also vegan honey alternatives that can be used for F&B items. So, this could be the day to use those and make your guests aware of them.

May 21: International Tea Day

Tea is, obviously, an excellent drink on its own. However, tea can really shine as the base or mixer for an array of cocktails. Try creating an LTO menu of full-, low-, and no-ABV cocktails for your guests to try.

May 22: National Craft Distillery Day

Do you have a craft distillery in your market? In your state? This holiday is the perfect time to work on developing a relationship with them and crafting an LTO menu with their products.

May 30: National Mint Julep Day

Ah, the Mint Julep. It’s not just for the Kentucky Derby. It’s a classic for a reason, and one of those reasons is how refreshing it is on a hot day. Plus, there are several variants you can adjust to create an LTO menu.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

AI-generated image of a cocktail with an ice cube branded with the number 50, resting on a white coaster that reads "North America"

April 24, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

North America’s 50 Best Bars: 2024

Cheers to the 50 Best Bars in North America in 2024

by David Klemt

I’d drink that, and probably steal that coaster.

Cheers to the 2024 class of North America’s 50 Best Bars, freshly crowned after an evening of celebration, recognition, community, and hospitality.

Launched in 2022, this year marks the third edition of the World’s 50 Best Bars list that recognizes standout North American concepts and the teams behind their success.

For the 2024 ceremony, North America’s 50 Best Bars returned to the city of San Miguel de Allende in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Actor Diego Alfaro, known for The Ultimate Mixologist and The Law of the Jungle, took on host duties.

This year’s Campari One to Watch Award went to Toronto’s Simple Things. As a refresher, the One to Watch is a bar that voters believe has an excellent shot at breaking into the 50 Best Bars list.

The acclaimed Jewel of the South took the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award home to New Orleans. Jewel of the South also grabbed spot number six on this year’s list, along with being named the Best Bar in the South in the US. Chicago’s Meadowlark earned the 2024 Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award. The bar is a new entry to the list and also clinched spot 32. A new award, the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award was presented to Avondale Bowl from Chicago.

Cheers to Claudia Cabrera, this year’s winner of the Roku Industry Icon Award. Voted by her peers, Kate Boushel earned the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

For all of you out there who have a strong sense of civic pride, New York boasts 12 entries on this year’s list, Mexico City claims nine, and Toronto is home to three. Host city San Miguel de Allende lays claim to the bar at number 27 on the list.

North America’s 50 Best Bars, 2024

Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Best Intentions (Chicago, Illinois, US)
Cure (New Orleans, Louisiana, US)
Mírate (Los Angeles, California, US)
Brujas (Mexico City, Mexico)
M’lady’s (New York, New York, US)
Angel’s Share (New York, New York, US)
Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
Maison Premiere (New York, New York, US)
Bar Mordecai (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Cloakroom (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California, US)
Arca (Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
Century Grand (Phoenix, Arizona, US)
Library by the Sea (Grand Cayman, Greater Antilles, Caribbean)(London Essence Best New Opening Award)
Selva (Oaxaca, Mexico)
The Dead Rabbit (New York, New York, US)
Meadowlark (Chicago, Illinois, US)
Attaboy (New York, New York, US)
True Laurel (San Francisco, California, US)(Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award)
Bar Pompette (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Kaito del Valle (Mexico City, Mexico)
Bekeb (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)
Baltra Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
Herbs & Rye (Las Vegas, Nevada, US)
Botanist Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Allegory (Washington DC, US)
Service Bar (Washington DC, US)
Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)(The Best Bar in Canada sponsored by Naked Malt)
Dante (New York, New York, US)
Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois, US)(The Best Bar in Midwest USA sponsored by Torres Brandy)
La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico, US)(The Best Bar in the Caribbean sponsored by Amaro Lucano)
Café de Nadie (Mexico City, Mexico)
Aruba Day Drink (Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico)
Employees Only (New York, New York, US)
El Gallo Altanero (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
Café la Trova (Miami, Florida, US)
Katana Kitten (New York, New York, US)
Zapote Bar (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

The Top Ten

Tlecān (Mexico City, Mexico)
Licorería Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California, US)(The Best Bar in West USA sponsored by Rémy Martin)
Double Chicken Please (New York, New York, US)
Jewel of the South (New Orleans, Louisiana, US)(The Best Bar in South USA sponsored by Tia Maria)
Rayo (Mexico City, Mexico)
Martiny’s (New York, New York, US)(Highest Climber Award sponsored by Nikka Whisky, from number 29 to 4)
Overstory (New York, New York, US)
Superbueno (New York, New York, US)(Highest New Entry, The Best Bar in Northeast USA sponsored by Disaronno)
Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)(The Best Bar in Mexico, The Best Bar in North America sponsored by Perrier)

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform.

April 16, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

AI: Coming to a Loyalty Program Near You

AI: Coming to a Loyalty Program Near You

by David Klemt

In a logical step forward, artificial intelligence is now coming to restaurant loyalty programs to enhance personalization and encourage engagement.

Proponents say that AI is in a position to learn about program members and make recommendations. Most importantly, they claim that such technology learns to present offers that will motivate guests to make a purchase.

At the end of the day, that is the reason loyalty programs exist.

One international chain embracing AI tech to enhance their program is Wendy’s. As one would expect, they’re using AI to study an individual’s preferences, visit frequency, purchase history, and more.

Should this investment in AI prove successful, the Wendy’s loyalty program will further establish itself as one of the best in the industry. In addition to enhancing the gamification aspect of the app, offer uptake should increase.

It’s no secret that consumers want personalized offers. However, that doesn’t mean a marketing email with their first name in the greeting. A truly personalized offer is one that shows the company extending it understands the recipient.

For a surface-level example, let’s say a loyalty program user’s purchase history makes it clear they’re exclusively vegetarian or vegan. It’s incredibly likely that offering this person a deal on a double cheeseburger will fail. Over time, after receiving enough offers that don’t resonate, that user may decrease visits and even exit the loyalty program.

Toward the end of last year, Wendy’s said they expected sales driven by digital opportunities to reach nearly $2 billion. A key driver is, of course, their loyalty program.

It makes sense, therefore, for the QSR giant to invest in AI to enhance loyalty.

Punchh It

Wendy’s is partnering with PAR Tech to enhance their loyalty program via artificial intelligence.

In 2021, PAR Tech acquired a loyalty and guest engagement solutions provider called Punchh for $500 million. Now called PAR Punchh, the aim is to make it simpler for restaurants to leverage loyalty.

“With the Punchh acquisition, we are building a platform that enables restaurants to scale quickly, own their path to innovation, and take back their guest relationship. This eliminates the need for juggling disjointed vendors, developing cumbersome point-to-point integrations, and relying on 3^rd party dependencies. At the same time, Punchh advances our ability to provide customers with an end-to-end solution, from guest-to-kitchen, through one unified data source,” said PAR Tech CEO and president Savneet Singh back in 2021.

Per PAR Tech, there are more than 200 enterprise-level restaurant chains using Punchh currently. It stands to reason that number will grow if partnering with the platform proves lucrative for brands like Wendy’s.

Further, as AI tech reaches ubiquity and delivers more desirable results, it should become more affordable for regional chains and independents to leverage it as well.

Operators of all sizes who offer loyalty programs should keep an eye on AI-enhanced programs and the opportunities they present.

Image: Alexander Sinn on Unsplash

The Rémy Sidecar cocktail in landscape orientation

March 18, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

6 Sips for National Cocktail Day

6 Sophisticated Sips for National Cocktail Day

by David Klemt

Our friends at Cointreau, Mount Gay, Rémy Martin, St-Rémy Signature, Belle de Brillet, and METAXA want us to share some recipes with you.

And why do these purveyors of fine spirits want you to have these drink recipes? To inspire you and your team to craft a sophisticated National Cocktail Day menu, of course.

Now, you and your team are likely very familiar with Cointreau, Mount Gay, and Rémy Martin. After all, each are among the most well-known liqueurs, rums, and Cognacs on the planet.

However, you may be less familiar with some of the other spirits below. So, I’m going to provide a brief overview. Naturally, I’ll also encourage you to contact your reps so they can taste you and your team on each.

Let’s kick things of with METAXA. If your guests like brandy, they’re probably going to love METAXA. In particular, METAXA 7 Star is a Greek spirit that consists of Muscat wine, wine distillates, and Mediterranean aromatics and botanicals, aged in oak barrels. This is a truly unique spirit; your guests have likely never tasted anything quite like it.

Now, let’s look at Belle de Brillet. This is a French liqueur made with fine Brillet Cognac eau-de-vie and Poire Williams (Williams pears). Really, this is an elegant way to enjoy terroir via two fruits: pears and grapes. From what I can find, it takes 20 Williams pears to produce each bottle of Belle de Brillet.

That brings us to St-Rémy Signature. Also from France, St-Rémy Signature is the marriage of tradition and modern production techniques. For example, Signature undergoes a double-maturation process, unlike many fine brandies. When it comes to terroir, Signature takes people on a tour, as it’s made with dozens of grapes from all over France.

Whether you decide to create an LTO menu with the recipes below or put your spins on these drinks, your guests will thank you for helping them celebrate National Cocktail Day.

Cheers!

The Rémy Sidecar

2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
0.75 oz. Cointreau
0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
Lemon peel to garnish

Fill a shaker with ice, then add first three ingredients. Shake well. Strain into a coupette, and garnish with a lemon peel.

The Original Margarita by Cointreau

1 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. Blanco tequila
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
Lime wheel to garnish

Prepare a glass by rimming it with salt. Add all ingredients except for garnish to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

Mount Gay Orange Eclipse

2 oz. Mount Gay Eclipse
1 oz. Fresh blood orange juice
0.6 oz. Sweet vermouth
4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Orange peel to garnish

Prepare a coupe by filling it with ice and setting it aside. Alternatively, keep some coupes in a fridge to have chilled glassware on hand. Fill a shaker with ice, then add first four ingredients. Shake until well chilled, then strain into prepared coupe. Garnish with orange peel.

METAXA Greek Spritz

1.4 oz METAXA 7 Stars
1.4 oz Prosecco (or other sparkling wine)
0.7 oz Splash of tonic
3 Dashes of peach bitters or fresh peach juice
Peach wedge to garnish

Pour METAXA 7 Stars into a wine glass. Add ice, tonic, and bitters or juice to glass, then stir. Top with Prosecco or other sparkling wine. Garnish with peach wedge.