| The current economic downturn has affected | | | | equipment you need to produce on a large scale. |
| every aspect of the American economy, including | | | | Sadly, your restaurant is seeing falling or stagnant |
| the food service industry. The NRA has projected | | | | visits every month. |
| a 1% drop in all restaurant sales for 2009 (when | | | | You are all dressed up with nowhere to go. So go |
| adjusted for inflation), potentially making 2008 and | | | | out. |
| 2009 the only two consecutive years where | | | | Many large chains like Applebees, Chili's, and |
| restaurant sales have fallen since the NRA started | | | | O'Charley's have developed very successful fast |
| keeping track in 1971. | | | | takeout operations to supplement sales of their |
| That's sobering news for any restaurateur, and | | | | core menu items. Now some of these businesses |
| many restaurant managers can tell you after a | | | | are getting into full catering services as a way to |
| quick glance over last quarter's books that this | | | | boost sales in a gloomy economic environment. |
| NRA prediction isn't coming as a huge surprise. But | | | | Recent surveys of restaurant patrons have |
| there is silver all over the huge cloud bank of | | | | indicated they plan to stay home in record |
| gloom that is our economy, and a smart business | | | | numbers in 2009, but that doesn't mean they |
| owner should be able to hang on until the ride is | | | | always want to fire up the home kitchen. And |
| over. The key lies in holding down costs while | | | | small to medium sized get-togethers (of 10 - 50 |
| attracting new customers and retaining existing | | | | people) still happen all the time, just not at your |
| ones. | | | | restaurant. Customers see a great value in |
| Sounds easy enough, right? Right. | | | | serving familiar foods from their favorite eatery |
| Here's a few food service trends that can help | | | | right in their home, and you already have the |
| you survive: | | | | staff and tools to service them there. A little |
| Comfort foods are rising in demand. Chicken, | | | | marketing, a slight adjustment in your menu |
| beans, and even spam all saw significant increases | | | | offerings, and you're on your way to finding your |
| in sales in the last quarter of 2008. These | | | | customers even if they aren't coming to your |
| products can help your business manage costs | | | | restaurant as often as they used to. |
| while you portray them to the customer as a | | | | Gift cards help. More and more chains are |
| value menu item (well, maybe not spam), | | | | marketing gift cards, and smaller operations can |
| especially if you highlight them against perceived | | | | do the same. Not only are gift cards a quick and |
| luxury items like beef. Put together a value menu | | | | convenient gift for your customer, but they |
| of comfort foods to bring customers in, then | | | | guarantee future sales that can help you through |
| hope they decide on dessert. | | | | slow times. They can also help bring in new |
| Divide best sellers into smaller portions. Popular | | | | clientele if they are offered as a promotion. And |
| menu items are always going to be popular, no | | | | best of all, customers who use gift cards tend to |
| matter what the economy is like. It's just that | | | | overspend the gift card amount, which means |
| when your customer takes his wife out this | | | | some added sales for you. Meanwhile, the |
| month, he doesn't want to spend like he did in the | | | | customer leaves full and happy, having spent less |
| freewheeling days of 2007. Many restaurants are | | | | than he or she expected. |
| responding by taking popular menu items and | | | | You can survive. The salient point here is that |
| offering an appetizer version of the same thing, | | | | customers still want your product. They haven't |
| or a two person value platter that can be shared. | | | | forgotten how good it tasted two years ago. |
| Taking your core product offerings and making | | | | They just don't want to pay the same amount |
| them affordable to your customer is a great way | | | | for it. You have rising expenses to deal with, but |
| to retain your faithful base while enticing new | | | | that doesn't mean a little repackaging and some |
| customers who are searching for value. | | | | clever marketing can't help your customer realize |
| Take your product to the customer. You have | | | | exactly why they fell in love with your restaurant |
| already developed delicious entrees, trained your | | | | in the first place. |
| kitchen staff to cook them, and purchased all the | | | | |