Resources
>
BLOG

The Art of Effective Training

Nov 30, 2012

By Charlie Candelas

Training, both initial and ongoing of all personnel that impact the guest dining experience is the most measurable and telling aspect in the long term success of your business. The discipline required to insure the necessary materials and tools are in place and functioning properly from training outlines to quality training personnel is paramount to the success of your training programs.

The commitment from management to ensure initial training is structured to supply the newly hired individual with the tools necessary to seamlessly “fit” into the service experience without inconveniencing the guest experience requires planning and a high level of communication throughout the organization.  Additionally, it is important to broadcast the concept message that reinforce the keys to the brand’s integrity.

Ongoing and progressive training of current personnel is critical to the health of the organization as it continually motivates the quality performers and energizes staff, who observe that there is opportunity for advancement if so desired. With these promotions comes the required detailed training of the new position again to insure a seamless transition.

Then there is the financial balancing by management to insure proper training is being conducted while at the same time the financial results of the organization are being met. This too comes from proper planning and communication.

In the end the organizations that maintain a healthy training environment for all personnel typically lead their segment of the industry be it QSR, Casual or Fine Dining, as properly trained staffed is the “backbone” of any organization.  Benefits?   Happier employees, less turnover, improved productivity, seamless operations.

As the comment was made, “why train them if they are only going to leave?”, but what if they don’t?

Resources
>
BLOG

Will rising turkey prices lure consumers to dine out this Thanksgiving?

Nov 21, 2012

Slaving over a hot stove in a messy kitchen is not necessarily the ideal place that some Americans want to be come this Thanksgiving holiday. These people will be flocking to relatives’ homes or restaurants this Thursday. Yes, many restaurants will be open this Thursday for America’s favorite food holiday. And eating out this year may be a bit easier on the wallet; with the rise in food prices over the years, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner this year will be approximately $49.48 according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, mostly due to price increase of turkeys as a result of the drought.

 

Image Credit: Flickr by Edsel L

Restaurants like Cracker Barrel actually look forward to Thanksgiving. According to this NRN article, “Cracker Barrel reported that Thanksgiving Day sales were the highest of any day in company history.” In fact, NRN estaimates that 14 million people are expected to eat out a restaurant this Thursday. If you’ve check out OpenTable lately, you may have even noticed a whole page dedicated to Thanksgiving specials across the U.S.. Don’t forget one of America’s favorite go-to spot for a no-cook, no-fuss, homestyle Thanksgiving dinner — Boston Market. According to this Fast Casual article, “last holiday season, Boston Market served more than 1 million pounds of turkey, 2.6 million pounds of mashed potatoes, 639,000 pounds of stuffing and 180,000 gallons of gravy.”

 

Are you going to be dining out this holiday? Tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving dining experience.

 

 

Resources
>
BLOG

November 2012 Newsletter

Nov 18, 2012

Greetings!

For many of us, the events of the past month have been challenging, to say the least. We sincerely hope that those of you who were in or affected by the path of Hurricane Sandy and the “Plan B” Nor’easter that followed it have some lucky stars to thank-or at least are well on the way to recovery.

 

As is so often the case, the industry showed its resilience in a variety of ways, from the restaurants that stayed open for their neighbors until the floodwaters started rising in Red Hook to the food trucks that rolled into places like Towson, MD, and the Rockaways in Queens to help in ways both financial and material.

 

A number of restaurants and chains have launched relief efforts to assist those in need, including McDonald’sIron Hill BreweryMoe’s Southwest Grill and a number of popularneighborhood restaurants in Brooklyn.

 

We continue to be proud of being a part of all this and more.

 

To your success,

Dean and Danny

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

The Evolving Role of Mobile Apps

Just a few years ago we wouldn’t have written this article—that’s how quickly the world of device-based restaurant marketing has been moving. After all, according to Media Connection, mobile devices have achieved a reach of 100 million consumers 11 times faster than the internet did.

Mobile applications have also become more important, particularly for quick-service chains, as a tool for CRM (customer relationship marketing). And, these apps have become more complex, particularly in light of the multiplicity of platforms in use by customers, from iPhones and Androids to Kindles. That implies all kinds of issues about screen size, functionality, target audience and more for these tiny but powerful marketing tools.

A recent article on qsrweb.com posits that the best apps are now interactive information tools, not just a means for mobile order-placing or finding the nearest location. And that means that they are meant to be customized for each guest’s experience. For more information on how mobile apps can be used to improve not only profits but also customer relationships, download the report “Mobile Media Applications for Restaurants” here.

Take a look at some of the more noteworthy apps that have been introduced in the past few months alone, and what they do.

• The suite of apps available for Domino’s includes versions for iPhone, Android and—most recently—the Kindle Fire, enabling customers to access the entire menu for ordering takeout or delivery to any saved address (office, home, etc.). It also extends many of the company’s website-based online ordering features, including coupon search, store locator and the ability to follow an order with Domino’s Tracker.

• Starbucks, which has been a leader in mobile payment, has continuously upgraded the reach and functionality of its app. With Android having been added this summer, more coffee-drinkers can now access their rewards, and reload their accounts using PayPal. Meanwhile, the coffee giant’s Square Mobile Payment System is now live at 7,000 locations.

• Wendy’s introduced a mobile app this summer that functions as a customized nutrition system, allowing patrons to build a meal based on calorie targets or favorite menu items, giving fans “free reign to customize their tastiest, calorie-conscious creations, all on their smartphone.”

• Dunkin’ Donuts’ mobile app for iPhone, iPod Touch and Android smartphones, unveiled in August, includes payment and m-gifting platforms. In early November, the company added a new “My Offers” tab which enables patrons to get customized geo-targeted regional offers, such as 99-cent hot chocolate.

• Jersey Mike’s Shore Points Rewards loyalty program, which had 650,000 members as of mid-October, has been “mobilized” with an app that also lets iPhone and Android users access special offers through an opt-in text message system.

While full-service chains have been less quick to integrate mobile apps into CRM initiatives, T.G.I. Friday’s has been doubling down with improvements to its mobile ordering app that include not only rewards tracking but more recently music, celebrity gossip, movie news and other information.


The Finer Points of Wine Service

By Joan Lang

Wine is more important than ever in many full-service restaurants, but it is often mishandled. Here are some tips and ideas to make your wine program more profitable and easy to execute.

 

Wine Service at Kelowna Wine and Cuisine | Image Credit: Flickr by Kelowna09

1. Make sure your wine selection fits with your menu concept in both style and price. This subject could fill a book (and depends upon everything from your location and business plan to your ideology) but in general the selling price is usually double to triple the wholesale on any given bottle. You should, however, factor in the average cost of an entrée and be able to offer at least a few decent wines in that general range. This is much easier now that there are so many New World and other affordable wines available.

2. Serve wine at the proper temperature. Customers should never have to drink a “hot” red or wait for a white wine to come up to temperature so that they can taste it. Storing wines at the wrong temperature can also damage wine. Although fine wines are stored at temperatures that are unique to the varietal and other factors, typical temperature for storing red wine ranges from 52º – 65ºF, and 45º- 50ºF for white wines.

3. There are all kinds of ways to write a wine list—again, dependent upon the style of the restaurant and the personality of its owner, among other things. While you don’t want to overwhelm guests with information, in general your wine list is an educational tool as well as a means to help them make their decision: Country of origin is a must, and for better wines you should also include the producer and vintage, if applicable. A brief description can also be helpful if your audience warrants it.

4. A robust wine-by-the-glass program lies at the heart of a profitable, customer-friendly wine program. A good selection of wines by the glass should encompass at least four to six white wines of differing styles (i.e. rich and oaky, light, slightly sweet) and four to six reds, with the possible addition of a rose and a sparkling wine, depending upon the season.

5. Wine-by-the glass is also a good outlet for overstocks, samples, wine that will be phased out because of a list change, and other quality wines that need to be moved quickly. These can be merchandised as you would any special—blackboard-style or hand-sold against a specific food order.

6. Consider boxed, kegged and other large-format wines that can be served “on-tap.” Quality is much improved from the 1970s and ’80s when these wines were first introduced, and they are much easier to pour, store, and dispose of. There are also the environmental benefits of having less glass around. Under the right circumstances, table servers can even dispense these wines.

7. Boxed wines also make it easy to sell wine by the quartino, half-carafe or carafe, which is a win-win for value-seeking customers and busy service staff.

8. Stemless wine glasses, tumblers and other hardworking glass styles are a good fit with today’s more casual service style; come in a wide variety of sizes, styles and quality levels; and are much more durable, especially in mechanical dishwashers. They are also easier to store.

9. Train, train, train. The single greatest reason that wine programs fail is a lack of server education—not just the bartender but table service staff as well. You don’t need a squadron of wine geeks but you do need staffers who appreciate the role of wine in an enjoyable meal and are comfortable with its service.

a. Conduct regular tastings and service meetings—your distributor can probably help in this regard. It may cost a little money but it’s worth it

b. Supply handouts and emphasize simple, self-evident descriptions like “full-bodied” or “tastes like green apples and
grapefruit”

c. Consider tools like multimedia, videos, online training and even site visits to wineries or restaurants whose wine programs you admire, if your level of service warrants it

d. Allow and even encourage servers to taste that last heeltap of wine from an unfinished customer bottle that’s going to be tossed… after the shift

e. Make sure that anyone who will be serving wine to customers knows how to present the bottle, open it, and properly pour

10. The wine list, if there is one, should be presented at the same time as the menu.

11. Make sure servers can get their wine. A busy bartender or floor manager may not be the best person to ensure that customers receive their wine promptly after ordering, and nothing is more galling to a wine drinker than having to wait until halfway through the appetizers to start in on that bottle.

12. Service staff should never overpour on a bottle of wine or top off glasses too frequently. Many customers perceive this as a hard-sell, and they don’t necessarily mind refilling glasses themselves after the initial pour.

Want more ideas for maximizing your restaurant’s beverage potential? Contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.



What Becomes a Legend?

By Joan Lang

The recent news that Boston’s landmark Locke-Ober restaurant would close

First opened in 1875, Locke-Ober was a bastion of fine dining and a cultural touchstone for the city, perhaps best known as the place where JFK enjoyed the signature lobster stew, and where the chairs of regulars were leaned symbolically against the walls when they died.

Famed Beantown chef Lydia Shire took over the kitchen a decade ago, with a mandate to help Locke-Ober keep pace with the times, but the writing was already on the wall: Rather than turn the restaurant into a casual bistro or a small-plates wine bar, owner David Ray opted to close it.

And yet I can think of several restaurants of similar lineage and historic place that are still going strong, including Tadich Grill in San Francisco and Galatoire’s in New Orleans. Granted, both of these cities un-coincidentally support a booming tourist economy and several other heritage restaurants (like Swan Oyster Depot and Antoine’s, respectively), but there’s more to it than that.

What the perennial appeal of such restaurants says to me is that service, ambience and quality food are indeed eternal. In fact, while the fresh seafood and traditional haute Creole cooking of Tadich and Galatoire’s are always satisfying, it’s the spot-on service and timeless atmosphere that always give customers such a sense of well-being in these restaurants.

They may not be trendy, they may not have buzz—and they certainly could be considered pricey for their respective markets—but even in the midst of earthquakes and floods, their seats and coffers are packed. And while they both get their share of out-of-towners, both of these restaurants still hold an important place in the life of their cities.

It’s precisely because of the dependable nature of these two restaurants that they have succeeded; locals know they can have a good meal in a comfortable seat, and be greeted by a waiter—it’s always a waiter—who probably knows their name and how they like their martini. There’s no star-chef arrogance and table-of-the-moment fueled anxiety.

Lawyers and titans of local industry still avoid the lines at Galatoire’s (the place takes no reservations) by coming late for lunch on Friday, whiling away the afternoon over another Sazerac until it’s too late to go back to the office. And as Anthony Bourdain said of Tadich Grill in an SFO episode of the television show No Reservations: “I am ashamed we don’t have something like this in New York.”


Tip of the Month

Springpad represents an ideal means for sharing thoughts or cataloging projects with colleagues, especially across multiple locations. Post notes, documents, photos, messages, recipes, datapoints, ideas, links to articles and more in a way that can be accessible to everyone of the team-kind of like clipping folders for the internet age, only better.

 

Resources
>
BLOG

Fresh foods and wines straight to your door, courtesy of Amazon

Nov 17, 2012

When we hear the term, “online shopping,” we tend to think of consumer products like clothing, accessories, electronics and the like. Buying fresh foods to your door — well, that almost seems a bit questionable. But many businesses have tapped into that market and found a way to give customers what they really want, blurring the lines of grocery shopping and e-commerce.

 

If you’ve shopped online before, then you’ve surely heard of the e-tailer giant, Amazon. What’s unique about Amazon is that they’ve partnered up with many food producers so that just with a simple click of a button, grocery shopping is complete! AmazonFresh delivers to your doorstep fresh produce, meat and seafood, artisan chocolates, beer and wine, and more. You can even purchase fresh, wholesome frozen meals like these from LYFE Kitchen. So what’s the catch? Well, at this time, this service is only offered in the Greater Seattle area!’

 

So for those of you who do not live in the area, and are wine enthusiasts, there’s still some good news for you! Amazon has just launched their beta wine marketplace on Amazon.com so you can shop online for artisan wines from Napa Valley, Washington State, California to name a few. Shipping  is only to the states of California, Washington, Washington D.C., Connecticut, Idaho, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, Nebraska, Oregon and Wyoming. You’ll be able to shop by type, grape variety, age, alcohol by volume, taste notes, specialty, brand and ratings.

 

How do you feel about shopping online for food? Share your thoughts with us!

 

Resources
>
BLOG

Yelp Adds New Feature: Explore the Menu

Nov 15, 2012

Love it or hate it, Yelp is here to stay and it’s been an important tool for many a consumer who are looking for the best places to see and the spots to dine. Businesses have understood the importance of online reviews, and nothing is more truer than the restaurant owner who thrives off the huge potential of word of mouth marketing and exposure that Yelp brings to the table. It’s no wonder that prudent restaurant owners understand the importance of their Yelp web presence and take the time to monitor their profiles.

 

You may have noticed that Yelp has a few features that can help restaurant owners, such as the ability to upload photos via a gallery and even integrate the OpenTable reservation system. But even better, we feel, is their newest restaurant listing feature: menus! From the Official Yelp Blog:

 

“From the business page on the website, the mobile site or your Yelp App, look for the “Explore the Menu” link to see the dedicated menu page. Specifics on menu items, like description and price, will match up with Yelp’s user generated photos and reviews mentioning that particular dish.”

 

The main area of concern here is the accuracy of the pricing since after all, the menus feature is using the information provided by Yelper’s review. How do you feel about user-content driven menus on Yelp?

Resources
>
BLOG

Battle of the Fast Food Holiday Drinks!

Nov 09, 2012

As we settle into November, we are immediately reminded that the holidays are near; whether you’re watching TV, surfing the net or listening to the radio, holiday ads will be a’sounding! And our favorite ads are, not surprisingly, the ones with holiday food promos! You know exactly what we’re talking about; those limited time, seasonal food items we all crave as soon as they’re gone (McRib, anyone?).

 

So since we are on the topic of holidays, we wanted to make your November and December a bit tastier than usual. We’ve got a list of few well-known fast food restaurants offering some seasonal drinks that might just give you that same cozy feeling when you eat your favorite holiday comfort foods. We’re definitely digging the “pie shake” inspiration seen lately! Try them out and let us know what you think (not all at once, of course!).

 

Gingerbread Cookie Shake from Burger King: “BK® invites guests to get into the holiday spirit with a satisfying and delicious dessert that starts with rich and creamy vanilla soft serve, topped with crispy gingersnap cookie crumbles and finished with a swirl of sweet gingerbread sauce.”

Eggnog Jubilee Smoothie from Jamba Juice: An eggnog smoothie? Yes! One made from frozen eggnog base, frozen yogurt and soymilk.

Pumpkin Pie RoyalTM Shake from Dairy Queen: “Pumpkin pie blended with milk and creamy DQ® vanilla soft serve into a DQ® RoyalTM Shake garnished with whipped topping and nutmeg.” Who needs to cut into a pie when you can just drink it?

Eggnog Ice Cream Shake from Jack in the Box:  For you vanilla ice cream fans (hey, who isn’t?), try out this shake, made with vanilla ice cream, eggnog syrup with whipped topping and a maraschino cherry on top.

 

Share your favorite holiday drink specialties in the comments section!

 

Resources
>
BLOG

T.G.I. Friday’s debuts new kitchen and bar design shepherded by Synergy Consultants

Nov 02, 2012

August 2, 2012 | By Ron Ruggless

T.G.I. Friday’s has unveiled a new kitchen and bar design in a unit that re-opened this week in Nashville, Tenn.

The Opry Mills Friday’s location, which was destroyed by flooding two years ago, debuted this week with an open kitchen that is about 25 percent smaller than a typical Friday’s unit and a redesigned bar.”

Read more: T.G.I. Friday’s debuts new kitchen and bar design 

Resources
>
BLOG

D’Stupid Baker Opens in Indonesia

Nov 01, 2012

We have previously written about our recent work with D’Cost Seafood, a hugely popular fast-casual concept in Indonesia. In just 10 days we built and opened D’Cost Quick and D’Stupid Baker in just 30 days!

 

You might be scratching your head at the name, D’Stupid Baker. To shed a little light on the choice of name, one needs to understand a little more about Indonesian culture. In Indonesia people do not want to do business with the smart man as they think they will be taken advantage of so they prefer to do business with the stupid man. It is said that when you are in love you do stupid things. The stupid baker is a person who is in deep love, because he is in love he gives with his heart and sells products STUPIDLY cheap. He buys the most expensive espresso maker on the planet and then sells the coffee at super cheap prices.

 

Check out the photo above of the red La Marzocco espresso machine; the text featured on it points out this very paradox: “La Marzocco..the most expensive espresso machine in the world. D’Stupid Baker…the cheapest espresso coffee in the world.”

 

There is no doubt that love and conviction drives this brand to unbelievable success!

Resources
>
BLOG

Is your menu helping or hurting your restaurant?

Oct 29, 2012

Is your restaurant’s menu helping or hurting business? Let’s look at the two viewpoints, as customers and as business owners, to better understand this important restaurant topic.

 

Image credit: Flickr by robertpaulyoung

When there’s too many items on menu

When you sit down at a restaurant, the first thing you’re presented is the menu. First, how does it look? Is it just a flimsy piece of folded paper? Or is it neat, laminated and professional? Does it include any nice photos of the restaurants’ dishes? Secondly, is it easy to browse and is it organized? Any guest will tell you that if they have to flip through a number of pages just to choose what they want, they will become easily frustrated. Also, how is the menu written? Is it descriptive enough?

 

All of these items play a huge role in creating an impression on your guests for good or bad. However, in this post, we’re going to focus on the number of items on your menu.

 

What can go wrong?

Your customers come into your restaurant because they are hungry! A menu that has a large amount of items can become daunting for a guest to read through. When they take long to peruse the menu, that in turn means it will be harder for them to make a decision. All this time spent on the menu means they will have to wait even longer for their food to arrive. And we all know that hunger and waiting can be a recipe for disaster.

 

Further, the more complex the menu, the higher the chances that your restaurant kitchen will not always have the ingredients on hand, or that it a chef is not quite experienced (or used to) cooking that particular dish; this can lead to poor quality or longer-than-normal cooking times.

 

As a restaurant operator, you need to respect the concept of simplicity and efficiency; ask your self if your restaurant kitchen staff and equipment can truly handle a large menu.

 

For information on how to re-engineer your restaurant menu for efficiency, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants at 1-888-861-9212.

 

 

Resources
>
BLOG

October 2012 Newsletter

Oct 28, 2012

 

Greetings!

As the date for the November elections circle inexorably closer there seems to be a palpable sense of uncertainty about the future of the business world in general and the foodservice industry in particular. It’s important to remember, however, that this is no reason to stop, “wait and see” which party takes the election-we must keep moving forward.

Your competitors aren’t. In fact, recent data from the NPD Group revealed that 1,000 new independent restaurants opened over the past year (versus nearly 2,000 chain locations), a sure sign of optimism no matter who is going to be the next tenant in the White House.

This month, we have an article on a subject that’s always important: the “mathematical” formulas that make any single restaurant a success or failure. Our new associate J. Clyde Gilfillan of JCG3 Development Inc. takes us through the equations that add up to success.

We’re also taking a look at where the concept of sustainability is netting out, at a time when local sourcing and environmental responsibility have already become givens for many operators, with the move toward transparency, animal welfare and more.

And for a food trend piece, check out the carnivorous pleasures of salumi and charcuterie-these delicious cured-meat products are showing up on more and more menus all over the country.

To your success,

Dean and Danny

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Fast Food and Fast Casual: The Lines They Are a-Blurrin’

by Joan Lang

Recent efforts by Sbarro management to revitalize the aging mall-based concept into the country’s “pre-eminent” Italian fast-casual brand raises an interesting question: What exactly differentiates traditional QSRs from their newer—and more newsworthy—fast-casual competition? And how can fast-casuals continue to stay ahead when so many fast food brands are upgrading? After all, you can offer more variety and customization, which is one of the hallmarks of the fast casual niche, by simply offering more sauces and condiments.

In many ways the line between fast food and fast casual is a dotted one, but the positioning has been integral to the enviable success of concepts ranging from the well-established Chipotle and Panera Bread to the legions of nascent “better burger” chains like 25 Burgers and Shake Shack .

Both QSRs and fast-casual concepts offer speedy self-service and lower-end prices, but the prototypical fast casual concept features some if not all of the following upgrades to the experience:

  • Better food quality, including more variety, ethic flavors and authenticity
  • Menu prices and average checks that are 10-20% higher than those of QSRs
  • More customized options, such as build-your-own burgers
  • Fresh and/or made-to order menu items
  • Display cooking or food prep
  • Healthier menu alternatives, including vegetarian and gluten-free
  • Emphasis on dine-in and take-out, rather than drive-thru
  • Upgraded, less “plastic” décor (i.e., freestanding chairs) and building facilities
  • A commitment to sustainability, through such efforts as green design, local or “ethical” sourcing, and/or corporate social responsibility programs
  • High-tech amenities such as free wi-fi and online ordering
  • Beer and wine service where applicable
  • Customer appeal beyond the “heavy user” core of young adult males

It’s a field that’s about to get very crowded. This is the niche where every player seems to want a presence, especially since the Great Recession, when even affluent customers began spending more money  at self-service venues. Not surprisingly QSRs have been upgrading  like crazy lately in order to get into it. Even “cheap treats” like donuts  are getting an upgrade.

  • Wendy’s is headed more upscale, with a more contemporary new logo and an attractive “urban” prototype , as well as new menu items like the Bacon Portabella Melt.
  • Taco Bell’s growing “Cantina Bell” menu notably takes the chain in the direction of Chipotle, with Lorena Garcia designed burritos and bowls.
  • Subway is testing a larger and more laidback Subway Café concept, which features not only an upgraded environment but also smoothies, cappuccino and a falafel sandwich.
  • Starbucks is working on a Starbucks Evenings concept that includes small plates and wine and beer—the better for becoming a more sophisticated late-night desitination.
  • Quiznos is replacing its recession-era $4 “Torpedoes” with a line of $8 prime rib sandwiches (prime rib and hollandaise steak sauce, for instance) and all-natural chicken sandwiches.

Last but not least, it’s working, as the perception of QSR quality by casual-dining regulars improves.

 

For information on how to upgrade your QSR concept, or protect your fast casual from encroaching competition, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


Live Fire Lights up Menus

Food prepared over an open fire never really went away, of course—it’s the original form of cooking, after all—but surging demand for all things rustic and authentic has inspired a revival in “live fire” menu concepts.

 

As a cooking method, fire has a lot going for it. There’s flavor, first and foremost, which can be manipulated not only with traditional methods such as marinades for meat and fresh herbs for vegetables, but also through the use of different fuels, such as applewood, mesquite and even vine cuttings. There are also the different effects produced by direct heat and indirect heat or smoking.

 

And then there’s the marketing value of an open fire. A restaurant that cooks with one smells heavenly—sometimes even from the street—but the backstory is fantastic, too. The sight of chefs taming the flames holds an atavistic appeal that’s hard to beat for drama.

 

A mini-boom of live fire restaurants in the late 1990s, led by such trendsetting restaurants as Fore Street in Portland, Maine, and Beacon in New York City (both of which are still going strong) first introduced food lovers to wood-fired grills and rotisseries.

 

In the intervening years, interest has intensified in such authentic cooking methods as pit-smoked regional barbecue and brick-oven pizza and breads. Now it seems like every chef wants some live fire of his or her own to cook with, including a wood fueled stone oven and an open wood grill.

• At Barrio 47, a Mediterranean restaurant in New York City, the batterie includes a custom-made wood-fired brick oven that produces flatbreads, steaks and slowly roasted meats like short ribs. Now chef Franco Barrio has inaugurated a Tuesday night Farm to Fire dinner series that draws attention to both the restaurant’s sourcing philosophies and its cooking style. The series will run the gamut from veal chop to oxtail cazuela, and finish with suckling pig

• Lakeside, David Walzog’s new seafood restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas, features an entire menu section devoted to wood-oven roasted lobster and shellfish, along with mesquite smoked prime rib and premium steaks.

• At Embers Fire & Smoke, a new restaurant that just opened in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst the menu is arranged not by appetizers, entrees and dessert but rather by “fire” and “smoke.” For example, the fire section includes a brined, spice-rubbed chicken roasted on the wood fire, served with mashed potatoes and a Parmigiano-Reggiano broth with white wine, garlic, and shallots. Smoked items include traditional beef brisket and ribs, as well as trout and a stuffed entrée potato, roasted then smoked and served with brisket, pulled pork, cheddar, onion strings, and barbecue sauce.

• In Washington, DC, “Top Chef” Mike Isabella has opened Graffiato, where the wood oven turns out not only a variety of creative pizzas but also proteins ranging from seared scallops and charred octopus to crispy lamb and pork ribs

• Even in regulation-conscious Southern California, there’s wood oven smoke rising: Florent Marneau uses his wood-fired oven at Marche Moderne in Costa Mesa to turn out the likes of tarte flambée (a thin-crusted Alsatian tart topped with ham, caramelized onion, crème fraîche and Gruyere); roasted marrow served with toast, sauce Bordelaise, truffle butter and grilled asparagus; calamari with caper emulsion, lemon, parsley and garlic croutons; and roasted sea bass with tarragon-clam sauce, chanterelle mushrooms and crushed fingerling potatoes.

For more information on food trends and cooking techniques to liven up your menu, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.



Uncommon Cures for the Slow Night

Most restaurants have a slow period, depending upon their location. Perhaps it’s a daypart or day of the week, like Saturday lunch or Tuesday night. Perhaps it’s during a season when the usual customers are doing something else, like paying their taxes or headed south for the winter. Or perhaps it’s due to an external event beyond their control, like playoff games or construction on the street outside.

Fortunately, there are ways to cope that go beyond the inevitable—and possibly brand-damaging—strategy of couponing. In fact, the best business builders provide a bonus, such as bringing in a new type of clientele or allowing the kitchen to test new menu items. For example:

1. Although most of its lunch menu is streamlined for the business crowd, Big Jones, which specializes in “heirloom Southern cuisine” in Chicago, courts a more leisurely lunch crowd with its new “Boarding House Lunch ca 1933.” Served family-style for all party members, the $16-per-person feast includes biscuits and cornbread, and fried chicken with sides. Dessert is extra, but includes such choices as buttermilk pie and Warm Coriander Oat Cake.

2. Dear Mom restaurant in San Francisco puts a spin on the more typical Industry Night promotion by featuring a “bartender’s brunch” (also open to other late risers) that lasts until 5 p.m. The menu features handover-curing foods like a Fog Cutter egg sandwich and roasted Brussels with lardo, fried egg, and lemon-horseradish crème fraîche—often prepared by guest chefs so the Dear Mom crew can sleep in, too.

3. In Los Angeles, AOC’s “Flights & Bites on Monday Nights” comprises a well-publicized schedule of a particular type of wine (i.e., Portuguese Dry Wines or Nebbiolo), priced at $12 and paired with $10 small plates of complementary cuisine.

4. Restaurants in Denver do an annual Ballpark Plates food festival in August, where $25-$30 tickets allow the buyer to sample from 21 different menus in the Ballpark Neighborhood.

5. Concord Cheese Shop in Concord, MA, has a Friday Night Dinner Club promo which comprises a three-course takeout meal designed to promote romance and relaxation for customers at the end of a hectic week. The selection includes a seasonal appetizer, main course and dessert, plus a complementary bottle of wine, for $75 for two.

6. Among the many nightly Happy Hour promos (a “Case of the Mondays” $5 cocktails, “Champagne Tuesdays”) designed to build early evening business at Lemaire in Richmond, Va., is the Friday night “His and Her Night,” featuring $5 Cosmos and Manhattans for the end of the work week.

7. Yusho, a yakitori restaurant in Chicago (yakitori is a concept where the bill can add up quickly), has recently begun serving Dinner on Sunday night, with a simple menu of five new noodle dishes, plus soft-serve and a housemade soda or draft cocktail for the new customer-inducing price of $20.

8. The newly renovated Five Crowns restaurant features an elaborate $100 per person specially created, multi-course Friday Night Chef’s Supper series which also allows new chef Greg Harrison to test new menu items.

9. To fill more of its 400 seats during late-night hours, Red Door in Chicago implemented a new 10 p.m.-2 a.m. tamale menu, priced at $3 per tamale, with such fillings as bulgogi pork and kimchi, corned beef and cabbage, buffalo chicken, and duck a l’orange—most of which is extra production from the regular dinner menu.

10. The 7-8 p.m. weekend prime time window can be the bane of a restaurant’s existence; Manhattan’s Le Cirque is one of several restaurants using airline-type “load factor” variable pricing to encourage customers to dine at less busy times. Meals are discounted or subsidized by reservation time or night through Gilt City coupons and other tools, and the restaurant fills more tables.

11. Sel de la Terre, a French restaurant in Boston, has instituted a Late Night Seoul Kitchen noodle bar menu that offers lower prices and more casual dining, with Korean fried chicken, steamed buns and noodle soups, all appealing to younger diners, industry types, and other late-nighters.

12. Wednesday night is Date Night at Tao in Brunswick, ME, with a choice of four different prix fixe menu options, priced $40 for 2 to $60 for 2, for a series of 6-8 courses. Most of these are items off the regular menu, which simplifies matters for the kitchen but still offers customers an interesting meal at a good price.


Tip of the Month

For more information on fast food versus fast casual, check out the article “Fast Food vs. Fast Casual: What Consumers are Seeking”  from a recent American Express Market Briefing.