Foodservice Updates

Foodservice Updates is designed to help foodservice operators keep on top of all the industry news and provides tips for keeping business running smooth. We endeavor to provide the latest tips and solutions to keep you in the know.

Make sure your guests get the message

Text messages have become the digital communication vehicle of choice for many restaurants and it’s easy to see why: According to Gartner research, text open and response rates are as high as 98 percent and 45 percent, respectively – compared to 20 percent and 6 percent for email. The text medium can be a useful vehicle for alerting waiting guests that their table is ready, sending online menus, or making people aware of just-in-time offers or updates about their loyalty program status. But while email has become easier to ignore and more businesses are relying on text to reach consumers in the moment, this text-heavy environment makes it that much easier for the recipient of a text to choose to block the sender. So making your texts targeted, worthwhile and as distinct from spam as possible will help you maintain a high level of access to the people you want to reach. As a recent report from Modern Restaurant Management advises, make sure you’re sending texts to the appropriate audience (if you have locations in multiple cities, you obviously need to separate your distribution lists for those regions, but try to segment even further). Try to make your messages personal and specific, using the person’s name and the name of your restaurant so your message isn’t readily overlooked. If you’re sending a link, such as the link to your menu, you’ll come across more credibly if you include the full, identifiable link and not a shortened version. Finally, include in each text an option allowing recipients to opt out. It may seem counterintuitive to make it easy for people to unsubscribe, but you’re only going to be able to get through to people who are open to hearing from you.

Energy-wise renovation

Developing and renovating restaurants with an eye toward using energy wisely has been a growing trend in recent months – whether it be the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at select Subway sandwich shops or Chipotle’s recent announcement about developing all-electric restaurants that run on renewable energy only. In the latter example, the company is making such changes as installing solar panels, heat pump water heaters and shading built into the façades of their restaurants to reduce the need for air conditioning, as well as cooking with electricity instead of gas – a big departure for a lot of restaurants. These sorts of changes can attract positive attention from guests and investors alike – particularly as companies are having to make commitments about their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards. But while changes like those mentioned above generate media attention and positive public interest, slashing energy costs and having a positive story to tell about your efforts doesn’t require a massive investment or sweeping changes that are immediately recognized by guests. It calls for understanding the biggest draws on your energy and identifying adaptations, big or small. Even in the case of Chipotle, the restaurants will be generating the biggest reductions in their carbon footprint as a result of newly designed exhaust hoods over their grills – not the most exciting change among others they are making, but still an effective one. Where are your restaurant’s biggest energy draws?

How to Maximize Your Menu with Less

If you feel like you need another set of hands in your kitchen, not only are you not alone, but Tyson Foodservice has a variety of ways to give them to you. With a full portfolio of ready-made products that exist to help streamline your menu and make back-of-house life a little easier, you can consider us your own personal prep squad.

From fully customizable to ready to heat and serve, our ingredient chicken and steak products deliver labor and time savings, better yield, and less waste. Additionally, these products are incredibly versatile for usage in applications across the board—from popular favorites to trendy flavor profiles. Click to see how easily these come to life in simple, and incredibly tasty, recipes.

How to Maximize Your Menu with Less