 The past several years have given foodservice operators a crash course in operating leanly. As a result, operators looking to cut waste may feel like there is nothing left to trim without cutting into the heart of the business. But you might still have an opportunity to save resources by restructuring the tasks of your team. Outsourcing functions ranging from franchising to finance to IT is working for some brands. If you find that your team is regularly being pulled into tasks that take them away from preparing and serving food to guests, outsourcing those functions could help you boost profits, minimize your liabilities, and enhance staff and guest satisfaction.
It’s worth assessing your operation’s weaknesses so you can maximize the benefits of your outsourced support. For example, a report from US Foods mentions how hiring an accountant who understands how the tax code affects your industry can help reduce your tax liabilities or support you during an audit. A human resources firm that serves the hospitality industry could be a helpful source of staff training programs and also ensure your paperwork complies with federal and state guidelines. Looking at how your business operates, are there tasks you have not been able to automate that consume your team’s time and could be outsourced?  Foodservice operators are managing a lot of uncertainty right now around food costs and how prices for imported menu items may fluctuate in the months ahead. Fortunately, this can be managed from several directions that may help insulate operators from volatility. For starters, have systems in place to monitor pricing frequently, particularly if you’re adapting recipes regularly. Work with vendors who can support that effort with forecasts, recommended ingredient substitutes, reliable traceability, and even revised agreements that provide group discounts or increased certainty around pricing.
Look for opportunities to optimize your menu and recipes. Where can you adjust portion size or ingredient use to make your business less susceptible to market swings? What items in your inventory can help you add heft to dishes if you need to omit others? If you understand what your most profitable menu items are, you can design your menu and promotions to steer guests in their direction, then weed out/modify items that aren’t pulling their weight (or would likely be impacted by anticipated high prices). Manage your inventory with precision. Where can you bring in more ingredients that are less prone to market volatility? Where are there opportunities for profitable promotions? AI tools can help you forecast demand and plan accordingly. This is also a good time to review food safety, ensuring your staff is dating, storing and using ingredients in ways that promote safety – and that your kitchen is minimizing food waste wherever possible.  It’s a time of high consumer expectations. The consultancy McKinsey found that 71 percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized content – and 67 percent of those customers say they are frustrated when they don’t get it. Personalization also drives loyalty: A survey conducted by Bounteous x Accolite found that 70 percent of respondents said menu recommendations based on past purchases make them feel like a restaurant “knows” them. In senior living facilities, where demographics are shifting and demand for the accommodation of personal preferences is increasing, being able to personalize a dish or menu can attract and retain residents, as well as help keep them safe.
Artificial intelligence is giving businesses a boost here – and the costs of implementation are coming down. Savor reports that IHOP’s use of AI-powered personalization technology is driving a 10-15 percent increase in check averages. The technology analyzes historical order data, then suggests complementary menu items – and 73 percent of guests have been adding those items to their orders. Beyond helping foodservice operators make the most of their current menu, AI can steer future offerings – and identify how to drive guests to them. It uses guest data to predict future preferences and behavior, providing clues as to how to build a profitable future menu. On ordering interfaces like an app or website, AI tools can also recommend how to modify pages – or where to insert offer banners for specific segments of guests to drive the best results. |
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