Torqus is now inresto. Enable Contactless Dining with inresto. Click HERE

Congratulations on winning the inresto Superstar, March 2021

The month of March was the month of the Great Indian Restaurant Festival, where the Indian restaurant industry witnessed massive footfall. India clearly loves discounts and couldn’t resist the ‘Flat 50% off’ charm. There was a love for food and a dining experience showered by the diners over restaurants.

And here we are again to celebrate restaurants like you, who remained the favourite among the diners in March 2021 and provided the most tantalizing dining experience.

Your diner first approach is what helps you make the cut to the top tier of dining restaurants across India. As your long-standing restaurant technology partner, we acknowledge the efforts & outstanding services you deliver to your beloved diners with the inresto superstar initiative. 

What is ‘inresto Superstar’?

A monthly initiative to identify and recognize our partner restaurants’ phenomenal dining experience using inresto’s product suite. It is an effort to celebrate the unrelenting spirit of restaurants across the country! Restaurants spread laughter, moments of joy and create memories for a lifetime for millions of people. And to make that possible, it takes a dedicated staff and the right technology to streamline all the restaurant operations. 

We are here to celebrate a few of such incredible restaurants & applaud their efforts with inresto Superstar. 

Raising a toast for all the Superstars of March 2021! Check out the superstars here:

1. Sly Granny, Delhi  

This place is a collection of spaces filled with curiosities, doors, staircases, and corridors. It is a space for discerning ladies and gentlemen. The love for life and food comes together here.

Their utmost attention to presentation wins hearts. They serve food in such a delectable manner that it can whet anyone’s appetite. The menu lists a variety of healthy and affordable options to choose from. All are prepared while keeping hygiene and nutritious values intact. 

The restaurant managed to increase its campaign usage by 98% using inresto products, which led to an increase in diner visits by 85%.

2. Glocal Junction, Mumbai

A new-age all-day dining & bar concept that unifies the global and local elements. It caters to the needs of today’s global-local, those who are global in their appearances but local at heart.

It very well justifies its name by effectively fusing global cuisines – North Indian, Continental, and European with ethnicity. The additional feature is a simple outdoor seating area where you can enjoy all the services. Even as club hoppers pour in on weekends, the lavish buffet spreads and brunches make it an idyllic spot to laze around even on weekends. Donning many hats promises a great time no matter when you walk in. 

This restaurant in Mumbai increased its feedback intake by 98%, which led to a positive NSP score of 4.8.

3. Madras Canteen & Grill, Chennai

The exposed brick walls, potted plants dotting the dining space, woven straw lamps, and cane furniture come together to create an elegant ambience. This restaurant is redefining luxury dining one grill at a time.

This authentic canteen and grill in Chennai increased the diner visits by 90% with inresto. 

4. Simon Says Brew Works, Bangalore

A casual dining place with an easygoing ambience. The diners love it for its great variety of Continental, American and Italian dishes. It is an ideal place to spend quality time with friends and enjoy an array of homebrews.

SSBW, Bangalore, increased its campaign module usage with inresto by 95%, and they reached a positive NSP score of 4.8

5. 3B’s – Buddies, Bar & Barbecue, Hyderabad

As the name suggests, it’s the perfect place for Barbeque, Bars & Buddies. With a fully stocked bar, live screening, buffet options, and live music scene, it ensures that its diners remain entertained while hogging on a delicious barbecue. 

This restaurant in Hyderabad increased its feedback intake by 90%, which led to a positive NSP score of 4.8.

6. Oh! Calcutta, Kolkata

Oh! Calcutta very well captures the born appetite spirit of Calcutta. It is the perfect place to enjoy the most sumptuous bite of Bengali history and heritage. The chefs have successfully recreated the lost taste of the 300-year-old traditional recipes that their diners devour. The love of food binds people despite the cultural diversity, and here they make sure this essence is reflected in the dishes and the ambience.

They managed to increase their NSP score to a whopping 4.9 using inresto’s restaurant technology. 

A big congratulations to all the superstars! We are happy to have helped you raise your revenue, increase productivity, and improve efficiency. We wish you continued success and happy diners all year long. 🙂

Keep reaching your restaurant business goals and continue to raise the bar for fellow restaurateurs with each passing year.

Click here to know the inresto Superstars of Feb 2021.

Tools to Automate your Restaurant Marketing

Marketing automation has come a long way since its inception. In the current age, a huge part of marketing operations can be left to AI-powered systems. Regardless of the industry you belong to, there are automation tools that are sure to increase your business performance.

If you are part of the restaurant industry, either as a restaurateur, manager, or marketing executive; you definitely know the amount of importance it holds in terms of business growth and stability. With the help of marketing automation tools, you can actively ensure that various aspects of the marketing process are always being carried out at top-notch standards. What’s more, is that these systems can provide services that would be extremely difficult for a person to perform manually.

Are you new to the world of marketing automation and don’t know where to start? Here is a quick list of 5 automation tools that any restaurant can use to achieve a holistic marketing operation.

Email-campaigns

Restaurants and emails, doesn’t sound right, does it? But you’d be surprised to know that at least 50% of restaurant reservations are made as a reply to some form of lead campaign. And when you use a well-written email to invite your prospect customers to make a reservation at your restaurant your chances of success are definitely increased. With the help of an email campaign automation tool, you can send out such invites when you have a special offer or event at the restaurant, or even on their anniversaries, birthdays, etc.

This is not the end of the functions that an email campaign serves you. You can use such tools to send personalized emails to guests after they visit your restaurant. This allows them to remember your brand better and provides an overall warm experience. Email campaigns are one of the best tools that any restaurant can use to uplift its customer experience.

Customer review generation

It is imperative for a restaurant to have good customer reviews on their page. This draws in more customers and also increases overall online ranking. A prospect customer is highly likely to choose a restaurant that has a better rating and reviews than others. And with the help of automation tools you can have your customers generate easy reviews. This form of automated marketing is even more important when it comes to cloud kitchens.

You can also customize these reviews with the help of these automated systems. For example, you can have the basic star rating for overall experience, and then ask for further review of the food, the ambience, etc.; and end it with a small personal message. This not only provides a great overview of your restaurant to prospective customers but also makes your reviews look unique. Automated review generators will be able to send review requests to your guests on their smart devices, and also have the reviews shared on your website and social media pages. So, you get to sit back while the presence of your restaurant grows automatically. 

Click here to know how to effective ways to do social media marketing for your restaurant.

Customer content generation

Sometimes you need to go one step ahead of asking your customers for a review of the restaurant alone. And in such a case asking them to click a photo of their food and send it to you, which you can then instantly share on your social media pages, is one of the best marketing strategies available. The ability to perform this in real time provides even greater benefits as other prospective customers are highly likely to order from a restaurant when the food that has just ordered from an establishment pops up in their newsfeeds. So, cloud kitchens once again can gain added advantage from the use of customer content generators. 

The online world has ensured that customers trust other customers. And there is no better way to cash in on that than using image based marketing tactics.

Personalized offers and deals

Giving out a good offer has always been one of the best marketing tactics for a restaurant. But with automation, you can take it one step further and provide personalized offers to your guests. If you have someone who comes in for coffee and breakfast often then they can be provided with a free coffee voucher, whereas if someone likes to eat pizzas, then you can give them a pizza discount. 

This will automatically increase the value of your restaurant and provide you with more returning customers. Such automated systems work with the help of customer data so you need to make sure that you are storing all the necessary data and using high-end analysis systems. This allows you to know the personal aspects of your customers and use them for marketing purposes.

GPS based automation

Do you serve in a busy locality? Automation can help you achieve the best usage of the busy hours. If guests who have visited your restaurants are in the vicinity you can use GPS based marketing automation tools to send them personalized invites to your restaurant. If it’s lunchtime or after office hours you can send out an invite for a special pizza offer or discount coffee hours to all patrons who are nearby.

This makes their process of choice much easier, and your brand will always stand out when they make the choice. Real-time marketing is something that is only possible through automated tools and every restaurant should make good use of them.

Summing Up

Marketing automation tools have revolutionized the restaurant industry. Whether you serve as a regular restaurant, a breakfast joint, or a cloud kitchen, you are bound to achieve a competitive edge with the help of these systems.

This list gives a good round-up of the most useful marketing automation tools out there, but you can always find more options that serve your purpose more accurately. Always keep in mind that getting the guests to share their personal information is the primary means of allowing these systems to work their best, so make sure you are investing in data management infrastructure as well.

The Importance of Menu Localization

Restaurant menu localization is a practice that will help you attract diners from diverse cultures and languages. It allows you to personalize your services and products for targeted customers. Localization is not limited to using culturally appropriate colours and images. Food items and their price play an important role when we talk about menu localization for restaurants. 

International fast-food chains, namely McDonald’s and Domino’s have taken over the Indian market. The ever-increasing love for fast food of Indian consumers has prompted other fast-food giants such as California premium burger chain to enter India in 2020. They aim to replicate the success of McDonald’s in India, which is certainly difficult. 

Guess what their secret was? A perfect combination of standardization and fast food menu localization!

Localization v/s Standardization 

When McDonald’s entered Indian market in 1996, there was no reference point. Almost 20 years later, the fast food chain has the critical first-mover advantage. They offer certain food products that are standard or identical regardless of the location. Some of them include Filet-O-Fish, Happy Meal, McChicken, McNuggets, and McFlurry.  These products are the face value of the popular fast-food chain. 

As a restaurant owner, you can utilize this strategy to establish economies of scale. However, standardization will not be enough especially if you own a multinational brand. You have to mix and match to devise a solid marketing strategy. This is why McDonald employs fast-food menu localization to win the heart of consumers worldwide. Your restaurant brand should be able to adapt according to the needs of local consumers. 

Why Localize?

Regardless of size, one of the crucial objectives of any business is to gain a competitive edge. Through menu localization for restaurants, your brand can achieve just that! Consumers love customized menus that activate their taste buds. Therefore, investing in a restaurant menu localization would be a great decision in the long run!

Particularly, the Indian taste palate is quite diverse. Every international brand including Domino’s has adopted a fast-food menu localization after venturing into the Indian market. No multinational brand can afford to avoid menu localization in the age of globalization or else they risk losing their competitive edge. 

Tapping Virgin Markets

If your team has plans to expand into tier-2 and 3 cities in India, you should start with localizing your menu if you haven’t already. There is a great opportunity for your brand as this is one area where big companies such as Domino’s, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut have not reached yet. Their target customers are mostly in tier-1 cities which have already become saturated. 

Some of the other factors that will contribute to the growth of the restaurant business in smaller cities include:

  • Expansion of Quick Services Restaurants (QSRs)
  • Greater accessibility
  • Changing lifestyles such as increasing appetite for fast food
  • Growth in incomes of middle-class families
  • Rise in the number of working women
  • Increase in the number of nuclear families

Localized restaurant menus not only entice customers but also strengthen brand loyalty. However, the most decisive challenge in these untapped markets will be the rivalry with local food vendors.

Also Read: How to create an online ordering menu with food that travels well.

How Big Brands Are Doing It

Take a look at how popular food chains are leveraging menu localization for restaurants:

McDonald’s: Leader of Localization

India is known for its huge consumer base and the largest youth population. McDonald’s is a leader when we talk about wooing Indian customers. Their marketing strategy takes into account the preferences and tastes of local food lovers. For instance, beef is prohibited in many parts of India because of which they replaced it with chicken. Another great example is McDonald’s Maharaja Mac which they sell as ‘Big Mac’ in other parts of the world. 

In addition, they gratify the majority vegetarian population of India by selling McVeggie which is vastly popular in the country. McDonald’s also sells other food products such as McAloo Tikki, McCurry Pan, and Masala Grilled Veggie Burger as part of their restaurant menu localization strategy. They have solidified their position as the leading burger chain of India, with approximately 90% of the market share. 

Other Countries

McDonald’s has religiously followed the restaurant menu localization strategy elsewhere in the world. For example, the brand has paired the fried chicken with spaghetti Bolognese, a popular variant in Indonesia. On the other hand, McDonald’s porridge with chillies, and chicken strips are in high demand in Malaysia. 

Domino’s Pizza Outlets

Even though their menu is not as localized as compared to McDonald’s. They have made significant changes like introducing vegetarian pizzas in the Indian fast food market. Domino’s non-vegetarian and vegetarian pizzas have gained substantial popularity in India over the years. The non-vegetarian pizzas include goat, lamb, fish, chicken, and pork but never beef. 

Role of Language and Price

When it comes to restaurant menu localization, food products are not the only thing to consider. India is a price-sensitive market and has quite affordable local street vendors that even McDonald’s finds it difficult to compete with. This is why their reach is still limited in India. Hence, modifying your prices according to local culture and business environment is imperative for your restaurant brand. 

For this reason, McDonald’s launched ice cream cones at Rs. 5 and Aloo Tikki burger at highly affordable prices in India not too long ago. However, there’s still a lot more to explore as the quick-service restaurant market in India is still in its nascent stage. 

India has one of the largest English-speaking demographics in the world. That’s why as a restaurant owner you may not need to necessarily translate your menu. However, if you are located in other parts of the world, it’s best to localize your menu according to the regional language. 

Know how to Boost your Revenue with Restaurant Menu Pricing Tactics

Going Forward

In the era of globalization, restaurant menu localization is indispensable. In future, we will witness more brands localizing their food products to make inroads into local markets. India’s QSR sector has adequate space for new brands to thrive and coexist. Owing to menu localization, people will be able to relate more instead of dismissing yet another international brand. 

GIRF is churning revenue for restaurants & How?

The Great Indian Restaurant Festival is in full swing. It has been 12 days since the festival started and it looks like the whole of India seems to enjoy the celebrations. 

We are not just saying or guessing it, the numbers speak for itself

In less than 2 weeks –

75,000 Tables Reserved

3,00,000 Diners Seated

18,00,00,000 Revenue Generated for partners till now!!  

Crazy, Right? 

Restaurants are feeling like a king as they churn more and more footfall and revenue during the GIRF month. 

While it’s raining discounts for diners, it’s raining revenue for restaurants. It’s a win-win deal.

More footfall means more revenue but at times managing a huge crowd can be overwhelming. Restaurants are aware of the challenges that might come their way and they have prepared themselves for it. 

How, you wonder? What’s helping them manage it all?

Well, the answer is simple! A robust restaurant management solution! They are smart enough to invest in the best technology available for restaurants out there to tackle the extra work that comes their way during this busy month. inresto’s complete restaurant management solution helps them streamline the front as well as the back of the house operations all in one place. 

Chaos and mismanagement are definitely not the words in our restaurant partner’s dictionary. 

The Cherry on top is that it is available at half the price, just for you! You get a flat 50% off on the entire inresto product suite. Click here.

How is inresto’s complete management solution helping restaurants-

1. Gets your operations running in full swing

  • inresto POS: Orders from all third party aggregators are managed on a single dashboard. It enables smooth coordination between the waiter and the chef that ensures a great customer experience. Apart from that inresto POS manages billing, orders, offers & reports- all on one platform.
  • inresto SCM: It offers real-time inventory tracking and recipe management. This way it helps in reducing wastage and maintaining stock. 

2. Helps you offer an ultimate dining experience to your diners

  • inresto Guest & Reserve: It enables you to effectively manage walk-in guests, rush hour queues & reservations from multiple sources. It simplifies the reservation process, and minimise table turnaround time. 
  • inresto DineIn: The diners can access the menu on their phones by scanning a QR code. They select the items they like, place their orders & can make payment directly without the involvement of a waiter. This makes the ordering process simple and less time-consuming. 

Well, there’s this and many more benefits waiting for you on the other side. 

So grab the offer before GIRF comes to an end and take full advantage of it! 😉

Congratulations on winning the inresto Superstar, Feb 2021

In the last month of February, also known as Valentine Month the Indian restaurant industry witnessed massive footfall. This clearly indicates that people cannot resist celebrating love with food & some good wine. It was a happy yet busy time for the restaurants. 

And here we are again to celebrate restaurants like you, who remained the favourite among the diners in Feb 2021 and provided the most tantalizing dining experience.

Your diner first approach is what helps you make the cut to the top tier of dining restaurants across India. As your long-standing restaurant technology partner, we acknowledge the efforts & outstanding services you deliver to your beloved diners with the inresto superstar initiative. 

What is ‘inresto Superstar’?

A monthly initiative to identify and recognize the phenomenal dining experience provided by our partner restaurants using inresto’s product suite. It is an effort to celebrate the unrelenting spirit of restaurants across the country! Restaurants spread laughter, moments of joy and create memories for a lifetime for millions of people. And to make that possible, it takes a dedicated staff and the right technology to streamline all the restaurant operations. 

We are here to celebrate a few of such incredible restaurants & applaud their efforts with inresto Superstar. 

Raising a toast for all the Superstars of Feb 2021! Check out the superstars here:

The Reader’s Cafe, Delhi NCR

Located in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, this cute little cafe is a paradise for book lovers. One can savour the delectable Italian & continental delights they serve while reading their favourite novels. 

The interiors remind you of a library. There are a variety of options to choose from be it books or food. Sunlight pouring from windows adds up to their warm & cosy vibe. 

Reaching out to their favourite diners, Reader’s Cafe increased its campaigns by 98% and reached a net NPS score of 4.4/5 with the inresto product suite. 

Prithvi Cafe, Mumbai

This casual dining restaurant with soothing interiors has a homely touch to it. It is a warm space where the creative and the artists are celebrated. It is a personal favourite of literature lovers and theatre enthusiasts. Moreover, everything is economical & budget-friendly.

By personally connecting with their diners, Prithvi Cafe, increased its campaigns by 95% using the inresto product suite.

Little Italy, Chennai

This restaurant in Chennai has been serving its patrons for two decades now & is an easy favourite. It is a paradise for vegetarians, offering authentic Italian and Mexican flavours to its diners. 

This restaurant proved to be the true superstar by reaching an NSP score of a whopping 4.6/5 and winning their diners love. They increased their campaigns by 97%.

ShakesBierre, Bangalore

The concept of ShakesBierre, very much clear from its name is a combination of Shakespeare & beer. The eclectic interiors, with art installations & beautiful furnishings, are all inspired by Shakespearean aesthetic. The intricately designed brewery with every corner speaking a story transports you to a magical world. The stellar rooftop & starry night add to the touch of magic. 

Using the inresto campaign module at ShakesBierre, Bangalore, increased by 95%, and they reached a positive NSP score of 4.5.

A’La Liberty, Hyderabad

This pure veg restaurant with an elaborate menu is the perfect place for family gatherings.  It offers a space where you can spend quality time with family and friends while enjoying sumptuous delicacies. The comfortable seating and simple interiors make you feel at home.

This restaurant in Hyderabad increased its feedback intake by 97% which led to a positive NSP score of 4.5.

Carpe Diem, Kolkata

This popular pub located in Calcutta’s dine-and-dance corridor stands true to the name of this city of joy. The floor-to-wall wooden theme decor provides a vintage and cosy vibe to its patrons.

The unusual variety of cocktails & fresh tap beers makes it the perfect hangout spot. 

They managed to increase their NSP score to 4 using inresto’s restaurant technology. 

A big congratulations to all the superstars! We are happy to have helped you raise your revenue, increase productivity, and improve efficiency. We wish you continued success and happy diners all year long. 🙂

Keep reaching your restaurant business goals and continue to raise the bar for fellow restaurateurs with each passing year.

Click here to check the inresto superstars of Jan 2021.