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Month: April 2021

How to Promote your Restaurant’s Online Ordering App

Posted on by inresto
How to Promote your Restaurant’s Online Ordering App

Are you too concerned about the sharp fall in your restaurant’s revenues because of the pandemic? 

Due to the pandemic, you cannot expect your customers to dine-in in huge numbers like before, as they’re afraid of contracting the infection. So, your best bet is to understand how to promote your restaurant’s online ordering app with a fresh approach. Let’s look at the 5 most effective strategies to promote a restaurant’s online ordering app.

Also Read: How to say bye to aggregator commissions for your food delivery business.

1. Shift your Walk-in Customers to the App

Due to the safety concerns during the pandemic, restaurants are seeing a surge in online orders. With such a boost in this number, you cannot afford to lose out on this opportunity anymore.

As an initial step, you can attract a customer to the online ordering app by offering exclusive discounts on the restaurant app. For example, if you offer discounts for family meal deals starting at ₹200 and serving four people, it would interest your customers. 

Two other effective methods include offering seasonal discounts and bundled discounts to your online customers. During the time of Christmas to New Year’s eve, you can come up with a discount offer of 25% for kids below 5 years. At a throwaway price of ₹350 per person, you can bundle a four-course menu of soup, burger, salad, and dessert.

You can set up your food delivery app with inresto Online Order.

2. Promote your Restaurant Brand via Social Media

Regularly posting photos of the tempting dishes on Instagram and Facebook is one of the effective strategies to promote a restaurant’s online ordering app. Posting an Instagram story of a mouth-watering hot dog on National Hot dog Day will definitely draw hungry customers towards your restaurant. Another method can include posting photos of your online menu and the signature dishes. Don’t underestimate the power of social media as a single viral post can reach out to numerous customers out there. 

on your social media profile, add the links to your restaurant app so your customers find it easy to order online. You can also include important information such as the time of operation and the locations you deliver in your profile. One more way you can expand your reach is by launching paid campaigns on both Instagram and Facebook. 

A video on Instagram that speaks about the safety measures adopted while preparing food at the restaurant can do wonders for your brand. You can also create videos on the various signature dishes prepared by your chefs in the kitchen.  

3. Update your Google My Business Info 

In your profile with Google My Business Account, you can add the links to your online ordering app and website. You can also mention a one-liner like “An ever-changing menu of sausage, pork, and chicken which caters to the authentic taste of Indian food lovers.” The photos of the dishes served, hours of operation and menu options can be included in this section. You can also add the link to the websites of the other online food ordering delivery platforms through which your restaurant will deliver food to the customer’s doorstep. 

A customer who is searching the options of ordering food online will no doubt check for the Google reviews and star rating appearing in Google’s My Business Info. Besides that, you can include the reviews from Facebook and platforms such as Dineout. How to promote your restaurant’s online ordering app depends to a great extent on the customer reviews.

4. Have an Appealing Website that Stands Out from the Rest

According to a survey by MGH, a full-service marketing communications agency, 77% of restaurant-goers in the US are likely to visit a restaurant’s website before they dine in or order takeout or delivery. Some local and national newspapers publish write-ups about the delicious food, ambience, and excellent service offered by various restaurants. If your restaurant has featured in any such newspaper reports, post them on your website. One more effective method is to post blogs or reviews about your restaurant by food bloggers. 

Nowadays, most customers check for the option of ordering food online on their mobile phones. Hence, your website should be optimized for a smooth user experience on mobile phones.  On your website, display only the offers that customers can avail of at present. A special discount offer on pizzas during the Christmas season should not appear on your website after December. Outdated content can be a big let-down for the customers.

Writing SEO friendly content is essential to ensure that your restaurant appears at the top of Google’s search results. An effective SEO strategy includes promoting your restaurant’s online ordering app using targeted keywords to attract local customers. If your restaurant deals in Chinese dishes, you can use words such as Schezwan noodles, Chowmein, and Hot Pot in your website content. 

5. Online reviews speak a lot about your brand 

Review sites play a major role when a customer decides which restaurant to choose to order food online. You can link the online ordering page of your website to the reviews posted on these review sites. Irrespective of whether the customer review is good or not, you should always be prompt in providing responses. A good review by a celebrity guest can change the fortune of your restaurant forever! When every other brand is exploring the endless opportunities of digital marketing, you surely cannot miss doing that.

Final Remarks

The effective strategies to promote the restaurant’s online ordering app do not stop here. Your restaurant has regular customers, and your staff knows them well. Train your employees on how to promote the benefits of ordering online among customers. For example, if there is a long waiting queue, customers can make online reservations or the staff can guide them to book a table on the app while guests are waiting.  Also, you could run a customer loyalty program that helps you build long-lasting relationships and more revenues. So, keep exploring new ways to promote your restaurant and you’ll get more customers to order online from you.

Emerging Cloud Kitchen market in Saudi Arabia/UAE

Posted on by inresto

An emerging and lucrative business concept, Cloud kitchens has been the buzzword in the restaurant industry lately. Also known as dark kitchens, ghost kitchens, home-delivery & takeaway-only restaurants, these restaurants have caused a massive uproar in the market and opened new gateways for revenue.

Emerging Cloud Kitchen market in Saudi Arabia/UAE

A popular concept, the takeaway is already a thriving business in South Asian regions like India and Singapore. In the past few years, it has snowballed into the home-delivery market and fueled its growth even further. The massive growth of this has caught the attention of international restaurateurs in Saudi Arabia.

In the next few years, the home delivery market in the UAE is expected to boom and incur an annual revenue of $20 Billion. The advent and rise in technology adoption by the common UAE population will be the driving force here. 

And to keep pace with the rising demand, many restaurant businesses have already set up alternate cloud kitchens. For example, KLC Virtual Restaurants, managed by Mubarak Jaffar, CEO, and co-founder, right now operates more than 40 virtual restaurants developed in-house across a variety of different cuisines from 15 cloud kitchens in Kuwait.

Also Read: Why Virtual kitchens are a best fit for your restaurant business in 2021

Advantages of the cloud kitchen concept

Minimal cost, standard overheads, and reduced business risks coupled with the ever-growing demand for home-delivered food has raised cloud kitchens to the ranks of most preferred restaurant formats. Let’s learn how exactly these reasons make cloud kitchen a top pick in current times.

1. Minimal Infrastructure

When opening up a new restaurant, two things occupied their place in the priority list, i.e., the cuisine to be served and the theme & decor of the restaurant. But the sky-high rental costs in UAE make it even an expensive affair.

 But that changes with the cloud kitchen concept as there is no need for a dining area, what one needs is a fully functional kitchen.

2. Flexibility 

Building up a restaurant concept, deciding a theme, curating a set menu, and even decor is an extravagant affair that even drills a hole in the pocket. But soon another fad comes in and people jump the wagon. But with a cloud kitchen, it’s easy to whip up a new menu that is trending, create a virtual brand, and cash in on the rising demand. All of this without any overhead cost.

3.  Quicker Service

A delivery/takeaway-only business means you don’t need servers or staff who will wait around customers anymore. This ultimately means you can use the same resources in your kitchen space and optimize your food preparation process. This will translate to shorter prep time and quicker deliveries. 

And for a growing population that has very little patience to wait around, their favourite food delivered under 30 mins is a dream come true!

Also read: Top trends in the F&B industry of Saudi Arabia

4. Economical Cost for Two

Reducing overhead costs means the overall investment on day-to-day comes down drastically. This allows the restaurant to give out more offers to attract more customers and keep the cost for two at an economic level. This also helps cloud kitchens in the UAE increase profit margins.

The decreased cost can help the restaurants invest more in innovative & durable packaging that makes sure the delivery service is impeccable. And there is an added advantage of your food making it to your customers’ Instagram where it can get free publicity; A win-win situation!

5. Ease of Ordering

Technology and its deep penetration in everyone’s lives have made it easy for the common man to place an order at the click of a button. And the multitude of options via which one can place orders makes it even easier. So there is no question about if there is business, cause the #foodgasm on Instagram is proof of your customers’ hunger.

As per statistics, in the cosmopolitan cities of UAE, about 60-70% of people prefer placing orders online. And various platforms like 3rd party aggregators, a restaurant’s own online ordering platform,  WhatsApp for Business, Facebook, and Instagram order widget make getting orders an effortless affair. 

The role of the pandemic has been instrumental in accelerating and pushing us ten years ahead with respect to digital technology adoption. One cannot deny that technology has altered the way we live, learn and operate at the moment. With the adoption of restaurant technology and e-commerce at the forefront, customers have gained the confidence to order from the comfort of their homes. Online food ordering was unequivocal, the natural step out. And the only way to make that profitable is by removing the middlemen and building a direct & transparent relationship with the customers.

And in the UAE F&B sector, the Cloud Kitchen concept is set to catapult. Few examples of this could be various cloud kitchens and virtual brands coming up that are operating from the same industrial kitchen but catering to various kinds of cuisines and customer types. To make things more interesting even modern innovations like drone drop-offs, robotics, etc., are infiltrating the food delivery sector.

Also Read: Technology trends to rule the restaurant market in 2021.

Say Bye to Aggregator Commissions for your Food Delivery Business

Posted on by inresto

The social responsibility and govt regulations have led the restaurant industry to shut its dining out business. But thanks to food delivery, restaurants are still able to deliver food safely. 

Most restaurants rely on third-party aggregators like ZOMATO & Swiggy for their food delivery business. While these apps do give visibility, restaurants have to trade off a part of their profits in the form of commissions. What if we told you that some restaurants have cracked the code of avoiding aggregator commissions.

Wanna know how??

Through their own online ordering platforms. Yes, that is possible!

inresto by dineout has already empowered and armed over 3000+ restaurants with their own online ordering platform, so they can get direct orders. 

Click here to know more about inresto’s online ordering platform. 

Bye Bye aggregator commissions! 👋🏼

Say Bye to Aggregator Commissions for your Food Delivery Business

How does this work?

inresto Online Order solution creates a website for the restaurant from where the customers can place their orders directly. 

Along with that, it also enables an ‘order now’ widget on the restaurant’s social media page, where the diners can simply click on the button which redirects them to a digital menu, and orders can be placed. 

Click here to know how it works on Instagram.

Here’s a look at some powerhouses that are making their businesses more profitable with ordering platforms powered by inresto:

1. Sidewok India 

This restaurant chain in Delhi and Gurgaon continues to serve deliciousness in the form of Pan Asian delicacies. Their intuitive menu with images can make any pan Asian cuisine lover drool in an instant. 

Visit their website. 

2. Defence Bakery 1962

Based out of South Delhi, this bakery is known to craft excellent quality baked goods, which are a value for money. Their minimalist website design is pleasing to look at and provides a user-friendly experience. Check out their full website here. 

3. Byg Brewski

This microbrewery in the city of Bangalore now offers gourmet cuisine from across the globe in the comfort of the diner’s home. See more here. 

4. La vie Pizzeria

La Vie, a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Khan Market, with an unflustered charm, serves a range of delicious pizzas. It is another example of restaurants running their food delivery successfully during current times. 

Visit their website. 

5. La farine

This cute little patisserie and cafe in Nagpur run by Rucha Moghe has established a strong digital presence for itself. They seem to know the social media marketing game well and are leveraging all aspects of digital media. 

Click here 

Current times call for adopting alternative measures for your restaurant business that can help you cut costs and increase your profit margins. The time is now to pick up every opportunity to keep your business going. One is right in front of you. Click here to try a free demo. 

How to Leverage User Content to Build Your Restaurant’s Brand

Posted on by inresto

People’s love for food and social media is no secret. Just on Instagram alone, there are 148 million tags for #instafood and 343 million tags for #food. These days, due to a wide array of choices, diners do their research before visiting a restaurant. Just by the click of a button, they can collect all information such as your restaurant’s service, menu, food reviews, and ambiance. 

How to Leverage User Content to Build Your Restaurant’s Brand

There is no replacement for the word of mouth marketing. What would a diner trust more? An advertisement tagline or someone’s opinion? We are pretty sure that it’s the latter. Any content, whether it is videos, photos, or testimonials which is created and shared by diners across social media is called user-generated content. 

Let’s see how you can build your restaurant’s brand by leveraging user content in detail:

1. Blogs: Repurpose Food Reviews 

Many bloggers love to share food reviews of restaurants. Chances are, they have taken great pictures of a specific cuisine at your restaurant. Such blog posts can prove to be remarkable for your branding efforts. However, before repurposing their content, make sure that you ask for their permission. Just reach out to the concerned blogger via email.

Besides, you can also opt for inresto’s photoshoot solutions which will help you enhance the aesthetic appeal of your restaurant and attract more visitors by posting high-quality pictures of your signature dishes and ambience. 

2. Retweet Tweets of Diners

Retweets are so easy! Find tweets of users who have mentioned your restaurant’s name and signature dishes. Use user content to build your restaurant’s brand! All you need to do is just retweet them without asking for their permission. Repurposing user-generated content on Twitter is the easiest method so far so you must be aware of it. 

3. Add Instagram Stories 

Remember how we talked about Instagram in the beginning? Whenever diners share a new picture or a video in their Instagram stories and tag your restaurant, you receive a notification. Once the story is published, you can add that content to your Instagram story! Remember, you have only 24 hours before it expires. 

There is a way of keeping user-generated Instagram stories on your profile for as long as you desire. Just add them to your highlights and you are good to go! You can also explore inresto’s cost-effective marketing solutions for your restaurant that covers everything from Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Ads, Newspaper Ads, Visual Stories, Social Media Posts, and collaborations with Publishers and Influencers.

Also Read: How to boost your restaurant business via Instagram.

4. Scour the Review Sites

Hundreds of customers flock to popular review sites such as Google, Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor, and Foursquare daily. They are keen on sharing their reviews with the world and other people visiting these sites take these reviews very seriously. So, these review sites are an incredible source of user-generated content you can leverage. 

Make a Google or Word document and gather the best reviews at a single place. Share these reviews across social media and your website. If you own a new restaurant business and still don’t have a mobile app and a website, inresto can help you with that. These are crucial for your marketing efforts. Besides, you can create a separate section for blogs on this website. This strategy will surely help with your branding undertakings. 

5. Humanize Your Brand 

As a restaurant owner, you should use user content to humanize your brand. By observing the user-generated content of fellow diners, people will relate to your restaurant even more. This relatability will in turn lead to more positive user-generated content. Take note of how you engage with diners on social media posts and by that we mean the conversational tone as well as how they are greeted at your restaurant. 

Besides, one of the greatest advantages of user content is that you can improve your tactics by using it as feedback. For that purpose, inresto’s feedback management solutions will be a perfect tool for you. Your diners will get instant alerts (SMS and Email) whenever they leave a review for your restaurant. Additionally, they will be sent reference details that they can share with their friends and family. 

6. Create Photo Op

Encourage your diners to take more pictures of food & drinks served at your restaurant. You can do that by offering them giveaways for the best pictures selected. The photos don’t have to be of just food and beverages. It could be a selfie with the restaurant staff as well. You can then create a fun photo op and help build your restaurant’s reputation online. 

Furthermore, you can also repost some of that user-generated content on social media and offer prizes such as gift cards or appetizers from time to time. Such photo opportunities and incentives help promote your business, create awareness, and acquire more customers. Moreover, inresto’s campaign will allow you to re-target, interact, and engage your diners quite conveniently! 

7. Run Polls and Organize Contests

If your diners haven’t been engaging well on your social media posts, running polls and contests can encourage them to do so. For instance, customers feel valued when you ask about their opinions through polls. Besides, holding contests on social media will get them to interact more. There are numerous advantages of user content; one of them being greater diner satisfaction and engagement. You can create polls on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Final Remarks

We have highlighted the methods of leveraging user-generated content to enhance your brand’s awareness, reputation, and authenticity online. Additionally, these strategies will be valuable add-ons to your existing marketing efforts as well. Note that these are not universal techniques and may work differently for different restaurants. 

Never underestimate the power of user content when it comes to branding even if you can create valuable content yourself. It’s your diners’ opinions that matter the most. 

Also Read: Instances of stunning restaurant social media marketing.

Virtual kitchens- Best fit for your food business in 2021

Posted on by inresto

Virtual kitchen, also popularly known as Cloud Kitchen or Ghost Kitchen, is the kind of online and on-call delivery restaurants. Such kitchens are popping up in every nook and corner of your locality or city. 

These virtual kitchens have their own set of pros and cons for both the kitchen owners and the customers. Food lovers and consumers changing approaches to fine dining and eating out have seeded in the conception of this innovative idea about Virtual Kitchens. Let’s now dive into the features and prospects aiming to make virtual kitchens beneficial for all its stakeholders.

Virtual kitchens- Best fit for your food business in 2021

Also Read: Virtual Kitchens: The New Fad or the New Future

How did the Idea of Virtual Kitchens Take Birth?

Ordering food or delicacies while sitting at the comfort of your home from a place you can’t go regularly or boredom from cooking food at home are some of the reasons why virtual kitchens exist. It’s just like any normal dine-in restaurant or eating joint without seating or a place to hang out. The food is prepared for commercial purposes and it must adhere to the safety and quality standards just like any normal dine-in restaurants or lounges. Here, you eat at your home, your office, or any other comfortable space of your choice.

How does a Virtual Kitchen Operate?

Ghost or virtual kitchens generally partner with many third-party food delivery companies, apps and credible restaurant management systems like inresto. These delivery partners and restaurant management systems list the menu options, price, ingredients, reviews and other important information regarding the virtual kitchen on their websites or applications for the customers to notice from. 

With inresto,  you can ensure these delivery partners maintain certain regulations and food standards that the kitchen owners must fulfil in terms of quality, price, packing, offers and other delivery and publicity fees for providing their services to the virtual kitchens. 

A higher customer review in terms of taste and feedback on these applications are more likely to top the listing charts along with other restaurants and cafes offering home delivery services. 

Another way to reach out to maximum customers in terms of sales is attractive offers and order on call feature. Many famous virtual kitchens of the city have their separate delivery mechanism that delivers freshly cooked food at your doorstep with a single call. Cash on delivery and online payment options can also be included to enhance the flexibility of your virtual kitchen business. 

Features of a Virtual Kitchen

The inception of the concept of the virtual kitchen has somewhat shaken the fundamentals of the hospitality industry, especially in the cafes, restaurants and the dine-out segment. This idea behind virtual kitchens altogether sets a new perspective of “eating in comfort” and so this concept is here to stay and grow for many years to come. In addition to empowering individuals and groups with exceptional cooking skills and talent to build themselves, the low-investment- high return business feature makes the idea of virtual kitchens even more actionable.

Also Read: Pros & Cons of the Cloud Kitchen Concept

Let’s dig in deep and find out why Virtual Kitchens have become an integral make part of our present & future:

1. The Economy of Investment, Resources and Manpower 

The major cost incurred in setting up a restaurant or a cafe is the rent or price of the place, the beautiful and attractive interiors, employing staff to handle customers, the cost of crockery, dishes and other furniture and showcasing materials. 

One other factor that makes up the major chunk of your investment is the constant marketing and self-promotion for the restaurant or the cafe. While setting up a virtual kitchen, all these requirements do not need to be addressed. The basic requirements are chefs or cooks, a fully equipped kitchen and a stable delivery and promotion mechanism with a very little workforce, sometimes even just two people if you start small. 

2. Better Profits

With low investment cost, the return or the profit factor in a Virtual Kitchen venture is very high. There is a direct relationship between the quality, quantity and order & delivery mechanisms and the potential growth of good customers. The more robust and amazing these services are, the better clientele this mechanism can fetch for you. 

In some cases, people also outsource the business aspect of Virtual Kitchens and focus on food quality and taste. Both these options are more economical and profit-making than setting up space for customers to be catered along with cooking at the same time.

3. Scalability

Another lucrative factor that makes virtual kitchens the future of restaurants is the option to scale up the business. Such kitchens have a very flexible option to expand the business with growing demand and adjust accordingly. By tweaking some basic elements like raw material and kitchen size, the similar virtual kitchen which was sending out 50 orders a day can now send 250 orders a day. 

This depends upon the hard work, persistence and standard you set for yourself as a chef and business owner. This scalability also gives the freedom to the owner for deciding the menu, the suppliers, the schemes and offers as well as to take decisions related to the value and delivery chain.  

Conclusion

The virtual kitchen setup, for now, may look like a fad but based on several factors like low investment, growing digital market, no rental and sitting cost included is a fascinating and sustainable business model. With low risk involved and better profit margin, newbies with little or no business know-how can also take advantage of this opportunity. Hassle-free management and execution is also an added advantage in these kinds of virtual kitchens. 

Starting a virtual kitchen can be your first step towards becoming a full-fledged entrepreneur in the food industry and hospitality sector. If you’re starting a virtual kitchen, you need to get a good restaurant management system like inresto by your side. 

What is Labour Forecasting and Why it Matters?

Posted on by inresto
What is Labour Forecasting and Why it Matters?

Restaurateurs are often plagued by a common problem. Even though they analyze and plan their resources well, many times, they are overburdened. Restaurants face this because they tend to sideline the importance of labour forecasting.

Labour forecasting is a process where the entire labour force is planned meticulously, and well ahead of time. Labour forecasting takes the help of data analysis systems in order to ensure maximum productivity. And when such a scheduling process is done over a large period of time, any and all lacks in the labour force can be easily noticed.

With a cutting edge labour forecasting system, any business can achieve a host of advantages. This is why companies are actively taking to data-oriented systems when it comes to labour management.

If you are facing issues with ensuring in-depth labour planning and all the woes that it brings, here is how a labour forecasting system can help you.

1. Manage capacity and demand

Labour forecasting is not simply a method of looking into how you can manage your employees well. Rather, it provides deep knowledge of your businesses capacity and demand at any point in time. The inability to meet demand can either lie in not being able to understand the level of demand, or inaccurate labour force utilization. With labour forecasting, you will be able to get rid of both these issues,

The direct result of this is an overall increment in the efficiency level of your business.  So, not only do you get to manage your staff, but you also get to increment it. This will further translate into growth in income as well. Labour forecasting is a win-win in all situations.

Also Read: Understanding table management to ensure efficient capacity management.

2. Ensure employee satisfaction

Rushing deadlines means overworking your team. But if the employees are having to overwork only at certain points in the delivery schedule, then the problem is not with a sudden spike in demand. Rather, it either means your employees are insufficient to meet the current level of demand, or the more common analysis, that your employees are not working at a steady rate which can ensure higher efficiency.

Overworked employees are never happy employees. But once you manage their work schedules and cycles in such a manner that all demand is taken care of, then their professional satisfaction levels are bound to rise. This allows you to increase your employee retention levels as well.

3. Gain competitive advantage

Labour forecasting ensures satisfaction on two fronts. First, you have happy employees since they are not being overworked, and secondly, you have happy customers because the food reaches the diners on time. As a result, your business grows and you are able to drive home more profit.

This then translates to better salaries and pay hikes for your employees, further ensuring motivation to work. There is perhaps no better competitive edge than a motivated workforce. And with professional labour forecasting, you can achieve this with ease.

4. Gain administrative ease

The role of a restaurateur is to guide the business on the right path. This can often be a massive task, especially when the role of each individual employee needs to be assigned and the entire schedule created manually. If you think a spreadsheet can help you, then you are simply taking baby steps. With a labour forecasting system in place, the entire process can be analyzed via data resources and decisions can be taken automatically. 

This not only frees up your schedule for strategic initiatives but also allows you to cater to the more important aspects of your business. As a result the entire system performs better overall. 

5. Important aspects of labour forecasting

Now that you know the acute benefits of using a labour forecasting system, you are likely to go ahead and get one for your business. But before you do that here are some aspects of it that you should know about.

6. Choosing the right system

When it comes to a labour forecasting system you need to look at it as you would any planner. It needs to allow you to forecast over a period of months but should also provide a day to day and shift to shift breakdown of the employee roles. It should also be user-friendly and allow for multiple forms of analytical options. Furthermore, a labour forecasting system should allow the user to make changes to it at any point in time and the rest of the schedule should be updated automatically.

7. Customize it

A labour planning software should be customizable. Every restaurant business has its unique requirements and workforce necessities. The forecasting system you choose should be able to provide the necessary options to tweak it as per your needs. Be it break timings or predictive scheduling, ensure that all necessary options are available before selecting the labour forecasting system. If you are unsure about the options that you will need, analyze your current lack of scheduling and see where you are going wrong.

8. Performance Evaluation

You should be able to enter your KPIs into the system and allow it to provide you recommendations regarding the labour scheduling process. This is highly important as this is where you will actually be able to save both time and resources. Data-driven forecasting is the future of business management and this will provide you with a competitive edge like no other.

Final thoughts

The entire labour scheduling process is extremely important to any business. It not only ensures that the business remains on a steady ground but also keeps a constant inflow of demand. Businesses that face problems with employee forecasting are bound to face a dip in profit margins sooner or later.

Labour forecasting systems are truly the future of business management. Many restaurants across the world have been able to achieve massive success with their usage and this is truly a software that all restaurateurs should use.

Click here to read more blogs by inresto.

Why Hire a Food Consultant?

Posted on by inresto
Why Hire a Food Consultant?

Are you launching a new restaurant chain? While starting out, you must take care of various factors that make or break a restaurant business: theme, logo, interior design (for in-person dining), customized menus, staff recruitment, training etc. For a relative newcomer to the restaurant industry, you may be confused and unaware of how to establish and build your culinary brand. In this regard, is there any help that you can find? Any expert advice that will steer you on the path of success?

Behold the food consultant! In fact, nowadays you will find restaurant consultants who can guide you through the entire restaurant branding and business process. With the help of a skilled food consultant, you can rest assured that your business operations remain hassle-free.

Experienced food consultants possess abundant experience and domain knowledge owing to their past work with various f&b and restaurant chains. What is the actual job of a food consultant? Why are they so important in today’s restaurant industry? Given below is a detailed account of the responsibilities of restaurant consultants. 

What is the job of a food consultant? 

If you are opting for a food consultant’s services and don’t know what to expect, don’t worry, it’s not rocket science! The primary job of a food consultant is to guide you towards better business decisions, a refined approach towards solving problems and bringing in consistent growth and stability.

Thus, you will be offered pointers on how to expand and grow as well as how to minimize risks and avoid failure. Food consultants will save you from loss and bankruptcy, only if you listen to them well. Due to their prior work, they are likely to have deep and nuanced data on restaurant business operations, expertise that they will use to make your restaurant business prosper. Some of the key services restaurant consultants offer are given below:

  • Giving suggestions on the theme and the cuisine of your restaurant;
  • Offering multiple possible locations for your restaurant
  • Zeroing in on the right location;
  • Facilitating streamlined personnel recruitment and training;
  • Curating, modifying, and personalizing menus according to inventory and budget;
  • Offering suggestions on financial planning;
  • Offering restaurant interior design ideas.

Evidently, food consultants are the knights in shining armour in today’s global restaurant sector. So, in what situation should you seriously consider taking the help of restaurant consultants? Given below are some of them.

1. Inauguration of a new business 

If you are establishing a brand-new restaurant business from scratch, getting some expert opinion on your concept, design, operations, and menus is crucial for the initial push. 

Even if you are a veteran in the sector, change is the only constant in the restaurant business. Food consultants are aware of the novel technological shifts, changes in buyer behaviour, and larger industry trends. Hence, consulting with a professional restaurant consultant will allow you to stay up to date on the latest industry developments and make your business decisions accordingly. 

2. Loss in business operations 

Did your business start with a lot of promise but somehow lose its way? If you are struggling to profit from your business, its existence is at stake! Therefore, you must waste no time asking a restaurant consultant how to turn it around. A reliable food consultant will swiftly point out the drawbacks of your business and encourage immediate changes to revamp your brand and boost sales. With such timely advice, you can finally make broad changes in staff, cuisine, and menu. For example, by finding unique and effective training methods and integrating technology with your menu design, you can start a new chapter in the life of your restaurant chain.

Also read ‘How to run a tught budget restaurant’

3. Location utility

One of the primary factors that inform a viable restaurant business is its location. Indeed, where you decide who your clients are and what kind of food you can offer them. Your restaurant concept needs to be attuned to your location. For instance, an Indian restaurant will find few takers in a location dominated by some other ethnic population, while they may flourish in an Indian neighbourhood. 

In this case, your food consultant will triangulate the perfect location where you can set up your outlet, offer you pointers regarding special dishes, regulars, and bestsellers that will make you a neighbourhood name. Moreover, such an expert will be able to gauge what cuisine, what approach, and which staff will succeed in your location, and secure the required permits so that you can commence with business!

4. Need for in-depth, analytical industry data

In case you are a novice to the business side of a restaurant chain, don’t feel hesitant to ask your professional support. Even if you are a culinary expert, the lack of nuanced knowledge regarding local, national, and global restaurant chain operations and sales might impede your success as a restaurateur. 

The restaurant business is certainly bigger and broader than the production of food items and beverages. You must know how to market them, how to attract customers, and how to retain their trust and interest in your products. For this purpose, a food consultant will come in handy. He/she will fill the gaps in your domain knowledge and enable you to make more informed business decisions. 

There might be various other reasons why you choose to seek advice from a food consultant to protect and propel your restaurant business. However, the above reasons are frequently cited by restaurant owners as the cause behind their anxiety, tension, and after getting a food consultant’s help, the reason behind a good night’s sleep! 

In summary, to make any restaurant profitable, your products must be delicious, your menus must be exciting, and your staff has to be receptive and adaptive. As the onus falls on you, business decisions might seem daunting. Fret not, as food consultants are available at your service. With their aid, you can not only revive your restaurant but also reap great business rewards! 

Click here to read ‘How technology is helping restaurants increase reservations and revenue’

Wingstop UAE growing online presence using inresto Online Order

Posted on by inresto

Keeping up with the world, customer expectations and modern innovations,  every industry undergoes strategic and operational shifts every 3 – 4 years. Over the past few years restaurant businesses, including the traditional setups, have finally transitioned to modern technology.

But the most recent technology that has disrupted the market and placed the power back in the hands of the restaurants has been their own ordering platform;  website. So when Wingstop entered the UAE market they realised that the online market was left untapped. 

For this, they required a website that does justice to their menu offerings. combos, flavours etc, And inresto Online Order made it happen in a jiffy.

Wingstop UAE growing online presence using inresto Online Order

Here’s what Wingstop UAE wanted to do with a website and how inresto Online Order made it possible.

Boost Organic Orders and Revenue

For the longest time restaurants depended on home delivery services offered by 3rd party aggregators. But these services have time and again led to a drastic reduction of restaurant profit margins. While this had led to increased visibility but with very little gains.

And the glimmer of hope here that brings the much-needed relief is owning their website. This made a positive impact on Wingstop UAE’s topline. Additionally, they received organic orders from their customers directly on their own website: www.wingstop.ae.

Adopt Zero CAPEX model

Building a website is a one-time investment that goes a long way instead of partnering with just delivery aggregators where a certain commission % is charged for every incoming order.

With no recurring and maintenance cost involved, they quickly recovered the cost of the website investment. Building their own website and online ordering platform enabled them to take direct orders and also gave them ownership of customer data. This data they could later use to retarget and re-engage with their customer base. 

Over the last few months, Wingstop has been able to get ~ 1000 organic online orders. Since these orders were from their direct website, Wingstop saved ~ 20-25% in commissions on orders that would have otherwise landed on 3rd party online aggregators.

Manoeuvre Complex Menu

Wingstop has a menu like no other brand. They specialise in chicken wings which they serve in about 10 different flavours. And that’s not all, they also provided these at a variety of heat levels, depending on individual tolerance level. This inclusivity of customer choices makes the menu even more intricate. In order to break it down and make the decision-making process easy they needed a website that did justice to their menu. Their current online ordering platform developed by inresto provides an impeccable user experience.

Boost Loyalty & Retention

A website is your digital signature, your own place on the world wide web. With more and more customers going online, building a digital presence was non-negotiable for Wingstop UAE. Additionally, it also helped them increase their brand recall value. As more and more customers engaged, their retention rate increased and led to an increase in a loyal customer base. This in turn helped them generate consistent revenue at no extra cost. A win-win for all.

Why Must Restaurants Collect Feedback from Customers?

Posted on by inresto

As a growing restaurant, you must prioritize business and marketing changes according to customer feedback, both positive and negative. However, problems might arise: you may find it difficult and time-consuming to check such feedback on multiple online platforms such as Zomato, Facebook etc. Moreover, you might overlook the crucial step of encouraging people to put forth constructive customer reviews. As a result, you may lose business to a competitor who has better reviews and invites customer opinions on how to improve their dining experience. 

Why Must Restaurants Collect Feedback from Customers?

To avoid such misconceptions and consequent mishaps, remember a golden rule of the restaurant business: online branding is as important as asking for feedback and acting upon it. If you are able to gather customer insights regarding greater satisfaction, they will enable you to make informed modifications to business operations and improve your brand value in the industry. Given below are some crucial reasons why restaurants must collect customer feedback.

1. Absence of positive customer feedback

What is a textbook mistake restaurants make? They do not ask each of their clients to put forth customer feedback, irrespective of whether it is positive or otherwise. This can prove to be counterproductive, as most customers will be likely to avoid spending some extra minutes filling up a feedback form, especially if they have no complaints or grievances to register. 

In the restaurant business, customers only tend to give reviews if they are negative, i.e., when it voices their dissatisfaction. If you don’t consistently request honest and transparent customer feedback, your restaurant might not have a single good review! In order to avoid such obstacles to brand growth, ask your customers to fill up customer printed/online feedback forms with their opinions on the dining experience you offer. s Moreover, you can publish positive reviews online after obtaining the concerned customers’ approvals.

2. Improvement of virtual brand renown

With a state-of-the-art tablet feedback system that collect all your customer reviews in a single organized database, you can keep tabs on the quantity and quality of your restaurant’s reviews. In turn, you can use such technological advances to regulate what type of feedback can be showcased on websites and social media handles. Therefore, the ratio of positive to negative reviews starts to change in favor of the former; a great method of improving your brand value.

Click here to know ways to do social media marketing for restaurants.

3. Customer delight: retention and increase 

As your restaurant brand encourages more customer feedback, happy customers will tend to develop lasting bonds with your brand. Now, you become the primary culinary choice of your trusting clients. They are the ones who will keep coming back for more, as well as spread word of your services far and wide! 

So, you must take special care of your customers who love your vibe and your dishes! To this end, you can make them subscribe to a loyalty program involving discounts, offers, contest prizes, and gifts. Let your clients know that you prioritize them over everyone else. This way, you sustain strong customer-business relationships and steer your restaurant towards success. 

4. Revamping menu

Menu modification is one of the most important roles customer reviews play in the operational/product modifications of restaurant chains. Looking at clear and constructive feedback, you can gather vast amounts of data on which products and services are popular and which fail to make a positive mark. Using such data, you can decide to include new items on your menu and remove the least rated ones. Indeed, your future achievements as a restaurant business will pivot around the careful changes that make your menus more exciting and attractive.

Click here to know ways to use a digital menu & increase your restaurant’s sales.

5. Restaurant settings and food safety

Dining experiences have survived even the coronavirus! Restaurants are opening with promises of the same fantastic ambience that gets you comfortable and craving the perfect meal, while maintaining social distancing and sanitization guidelines. How do customers regain their trust in dining out? Two words: customer feedback! 

With positive reviews on customer feedback systems, your restaurant garners more trust, your brand becomes more reliable. A hassle-free experience tailored to your customers’ previous feedback makes your restaurant shine through.

6. Edge over competition

Once you are actively encouraging, generating, and acting upon customer reviews, you can collect important data on industry trends and competitors. Essentially, these are pieces of information you can use to edge out competition and find new avenues for reputation and growth. Data is the new global currency, and your business requires thorough analyses of customer feedback data to thrive.

7. Rigorous staff training workshops

Are you going wrong in terms of in-person dining services? Are they unhappy with the time taken for delivery? By encouraging any and all feedback, you can learn about your shortcomings in staff operations. Overcoming these require a more hands-on professional approach, as you will have to train your human personnel, your trusted restaurant family members. 

In turn, you can advise your staff to be more courteous, cooperative, asking them to avoid intrusion. This does not mean, however, that they distance themselves completely: a warm smile and a warmer service is a must!

8. Spread the word, real and virtual

How do you fast-track your brand reach and attract new customers in the virtual world? Simply turn your current loyal customers into your marketing agents: by asking for thorough feedback on virtual portals, you can ask your loyal clients and well-wishers to let their friends and loved ones know about you. As more people check your restaurant chain out, you can rest assured about business growth in the right direction! Now, you don’t need to worry about negative reviews! 

In a world that is becoming increasingly “contactless,” your restaurant’s dining experience needs to be integrated with social distancing guidelines. So, you need to install tablet feedback systems where customers can easily type in their wishes, complaints, and others thoughts. With this addition to your digital restaurant management system, you can streamline the total dining experience, with personalized digital menus, tech-savvy staff, and delicious food. Hence, never forget to ask for your customers’ opinions!