The Gourmet comment: 5 Tips on how to manage a restaurant business

The successes of any restaurant business are always depending on its well management. Good management strategies are necessary to obtain and maintain the numbers of customers. If one restaurant business were run and become efficient to make use of different marketing strategies, the return and reward will be a great reputation and a thriving long term sustainable future for their business.

The Gourmet giving the following tips on help you that how to manage a restaurant:

▇ 1. The ambience of a restaurant should be designed to make a customer feel welcome. When you have chosen the theme of the restaurant, the decor should consist of furnishings and design that matches the theme. When you decorate your restaurant, you have features that are professional and appealing to your customers. Consider such features as paint color, type of tables and seats, carpet design, wall furnishings such as pictures, lighting, view, and music. As well, your restaurant should be well maintained. Cleanliness is extremely important, even the washrooms. A dirty or poorly kept restaurant will only turn customers away and give the business a bad reputation. The first thing a customer will notice when they walk through the door is the appearance of the restaurant.

▇ 2. You should adopt cost controlling practices. Properly managing inventory and supplies is essential. Look for deals when making your purchases. Don't order too much of a product as it will either spoil or end up sitting on the shelf for months. You should determine what and how much you will be using each day to determine what you will need to order. You should also effectively manage your staff when it comes to costs. Use staff wisely such as bringing in extra workers during your busy times and reducing staff during your slow times.

▇ 3. Providing high quality customer service is necessary to operating a successful restaurant business. In fact, better manage your staff is very important for your business. In order to provide better service, the staff should be easy for training, respectful, experienced, courteous and friendly. Servers should make your customer feel that they pay for money is valuable. Make sure the uniforms of all the staffs are all always clean and attractive.

▇ 4. Always making difference on your dish and food to catch audience and incite customers return. Make sure the food service that you provide and the menu is attractive and will be well accepted by your major customers and clients. The material of food should be fresh and properly prepared at the time for customer to order. Restaurant chef should be experienced and cooking in the type of food that your restaurant serves. Most importantly, the dishes of restaurant serve should be consistent both in taste and appearance. What’s more, often providing specials and unique dishes is another way to attract people.

▇ 5. In order to make your restaurant a continuing success, you must implement a marketing strategy. You should be advertising your restaurant in local newspapers and magazines. You can also place menus and informational brochures in places such as hotels. Sponsoring events such as for a charity or a sporting activity is a good way to keep your restaurant name out in the community. As well, make sure you promote your daily specials and any other discount special. A coupon or gift certificate is a good advertising choice. There are a lot of tasks involved with properly managing a restaurant. Having a sound management plan and following through with the plan will help with keeping your restaurant a thriving business.

Put your restaurant on the digital way with the right marketing



Image by Intersection Consulting via Flickr

These days, owning and operating a restaurant business is not just about preparing better dish on a regular basis, despite providing high quality service and food has a lot relations with the success of your restaurant. In fact, the emergence of internet and related digital technology could become a useful tool to help you manage your business better and effectively.

Operators have to also consider how to properly market your restaurant and maintain the success of your business in the digital age. In consequence, how to make use of the internet and high digital technology to promote your business are becoming the key words in the sector.

Proper restaurant marketing should consider many factors and target the areas within the particular factors. Sometime use digital systems to record valuable data would be necessary. Such as tracking the frequency of guest, what is the average amount for patrons spend, increasing customer traffic and the size of the groups of visitors to your restaurant. As if you want to increase your sales, you need a viable marketing strategy and reliable implementation plan to bring forward a workable way, finding the reason for the choice that people come to time and again, even when it means going past your competition and spending more money for the highest quality. However, it is a trend and should not be overlooked of Chinese food business to building up online official website, using the related digital skills such as email, SMS, customer’s database analysis and social networking to increase the customers' value and reach the personalization service.

Build up customer email club, using SMS to communicate with customers and harness the power of social networking to promotion online:

Building an email club is actually an increasingly popular way to market your restaurant.

Email is such a cheap and reliable way to communicate with customers by business people. It makes a very useful sense between customers and marketer, because the tech of email is highly regarded by people from all walks of life as a communication medium tool. Nowadays, people are much more rely on the email to keep them informed by what has happened in the world which related to them. However, it is certain that include their favorite restaurant.

As the same time, so many people are starting to focus on the technology of mobile devices, the advance mobile internet technology make people could surf on the web for all kinds of information by their mobile phone.

So that mobile internet is another high tech way to send email, and most of customers could get your news information through their mobile phone immediately, if they want right now information just at their fingertips. Operators can set up social media channel on popular social media such as Twitter and Facebook, publishing to the minute daily menu blasts to your clients.

Instant publicity and staff training are never overlooked marketing strategy:

While for public relations, the role that your marketing plays in the restaurant is an undeniable one. Often times, instant publicity can make the difference between exceeding your sales quota and barely making ends meet for the quarter. The right marketing mix will allow you to host community events, extend invitations via the Internet to people from all walks of life and use many different advertising mediums for everything from grand openings to anniversary celebrations.

Another facet of marketing that is often overlooked is the complete and effective training of your staff. From bartenders to servers, cooks, cashiers, hostesses and wait staff, it is important to make sure that your staffs know how to market your restaurant in ways such as selling more drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts. With the right marketing plan, you can increase the bottom line of how much each guest spends every time they visit.

Beyond question, restaurant marketing provides a means to research and analyze sales techniques, product sales, strengths and weaknesses, your menu and everything associated with how to take your restaurant to the top of game and put you on the map with people from everywhere by building powerful restaurant marketing techniques that work. Isn't it time your restaurant received the recognition it deserves?

Interview with Tracy: location is the key words for opening a Chinese supermarket business

Tracy is the manager of Kwong Fatt oriental supermarket which is the largest Chinese supermarket in Preston. She has already operated Chinese supermarket business more than 10 years.

In this interview, Tracy talked about her personal view, experience for a manager of a big supermarket and pointed out "choosing an appropriate location is the key words for opening a supermarket, meeting customers’ need is also important. Most important, facing the trend of supermarket-style deals and establishes a big Chinese supermarket with Chinese restaurant under one roof is their next plan.”

The Gourmet's exclusive Q&A with Tracy

▇ Q1: Could you please introduce some background information for your business, such as when did you begin the business and why did you choose the Chinese supermarket, not restaurant or takeaway?

A: our shop located near the university was opened since year 2000. The other one located in the market was opened since 2010. Chinese restaurants and Chinese takeaways are everywhere in Preston now, so we are taking the advantage because of this reason open a Chinese supermarket instead.

▇ Q2: How do you think your currently business, satisfied, good or bad?

A: our business is getting better and better as we are located in town centre and in the Preston market. Our target customers are not just Chinese students. We also target on western customers, Thai and Philippine.

▇ Q3: If they were not very satisfied, what is the problem in your mind?

A: the only problem in my mind is finding a bigger shop around this area. As we are planning to open a bigger shop and Chinese fast food restaurant under one roof.

▇ Q4: What are threatens or challenges you gonna facing in your currently business, maybe the financial crisis or the increasing VAT, how did you face them and adapt to survive?

A: we always want to keep customers happy and make sure they will come back and shopping with us. All our products are with reasonable price, we sometimes do special offer to attract more new customers.

▇ Q5: As we all know that, you are supposed to have a lot of competitors in Preston and surrounding area, so comparing to other business, what is your difference, competitive advantage?

A: our shop is in a good location, we are located in the market, near bus station, in town centre, and attract more local people. We have another shop located near the central Lancashire University as well, which is convenience for customers who are uclan students.

▇ Q6: So what are the key words or necessary elements do you think of establish a successful supermarket business in UK?

A: location is the main elements for opening a Chinese supermarket. Meeting customers’ need and requirement is also important.

▇ Q7: Lastly, looking for the future, what is the next step for your business?

A: planning to open more shops in different area. Moreover, according to the trend that consumer demand for supermarket-style deals while dining out is delaying a recovery in the UK restaurant business, we are planning to establish a big Chinese supermarket with Chinese restaurant under one roof in the future.

JVFOO: well-know Chinese noodle manufacturer in the world

JVFOO Company is located in Xuzhou, China mainland, which is best Chinese noodle manufacturer in China. They specialize in manufacturing Chinese noodles and dried noodle, with high quality and pretty competitive price.

Through several years' efforts, JVFOO have developed into a large and well-known food manufacturer in China. Now, the company has 120 employees, with a construction area of over 50,000 square meters and the registered capital of 3.054 million US dollars. Furthermore, JVFOO has attained ISO9001:2008, HACCP certifications, FDA and export sanitary registration. The brand of "JVFOO" was authorized as "China's Famous Trademark" in 2009. Their wheat flour and noodle were awarded as the designated products by the "Great Hall of the People". If you are interesting in their business, please feel free to contact them more details below.

Business Type:

Manufacturer (China mainland)

Product and service

The Company manufactures traditional style Chinese fresh and dry noodle in both catering and retail sizes. In order to provide high quality products, they are trying to the producing environment clean and make use of the high grade wheat flour. Special specification can be made at the request of customers.

 

They require high standards in the quality of our noodles: this is achieved unique the use of fine product ingredients and through years of experience. In addition, they supply huge number of Chinese wholesalers, restaurants and supermarkets, marketed either under the company’s own or the customer’s labels. In order to make sure its superior standing in the noodle manufacture marketplace, all products are producing and maintained under stringent quality control systems, from production to delivery, and eventually to customers.

Competitive advantage:

“Product variety” - according to customers’ specifications, the daily production of this manufacturer range from fresh Wanton noodles, fresh egg noodles, Crispy Egg noodles, Shanghai noodles and Japanese style Ramen to various fresh and frozen pastry and noodles.

“The best price to you” - In order to enhance the foreign market, they will give customers a very competitive price for the long-standing cooperation.

 

                                                                 © Jvefoo

Slogan: "Keep improving and mutual benefits" is their service tenet. “We sincerely hope to cooperate with new and old clients from at home and abroad. Let us create a bright future hand in hand.” Said by JVFOO’s staff.

Contact detail:

Street Address: 79, Jiefang Middle Road, Fengxian County 

City: Xuzhou 

Province/State: Jiangsu 

Country/Region: China (Mainland) 

Zip: 221700 

Telephone: 86-516-89212822, 18921773313 

Mobile Phone:  86-18921773313 

Fax:  86-516-89212322 

Website: http://www.jvefoo.com.cn/

A restaurant forced to close in Preston----marketers should be aware of the importance for fire safety

A Chinese restaurant was closed after public health and safety fears sparked an investigation by police, fire and council bosses, reported from LEP on 17 March.

Image by Mouque via Flickr

China House in Ashton, Preston –– was ordered to close the two floors above the restaurant when they were found to be in breach of fire safety rules. Actually, marketers should be aware of the importance for health and fire safety of their premises. The occupiers of the business premises are being required to bring it up to standard. Read more on LEP...

Report from NPD: restaurant business demand supermarket-style deals

Image by Gerald Davison via Flickr



Recently, a report from NPD analysts have pointed out that it is trend of consumers has becoming more like and demand for supermarket-style deals while dining out in the UK restaurant business and trade.

In spite of NPD group also show the data that there were some gains in recent months by pub chains and fast food outlets, but higher-end restaurants business are continuing to struggle. So that make innovation to face the sector trend is the Chinese restaurant business has to do.

Based on the figures from market researcher NPD Group, comparing to last 3 year, the numbers of diner at “traditional full service restaurants” were down by 3% year by year, while they fell by almost 5% in the past quarter.

An 8% surge of the numbers for visitors in fast food restaurants, at the same time, branded pub operators also showed some increasing of profit, although not independents.

However, the trend of restaurant business down while eating out stand for further challenges, "Traffic is still the key problem for the industry as consumers continue to trade down and out of the market.” said Guy Fielding, who is director of foodservice at NPD. “At the moment diners are seeking value. It is almost as if they expect the same deals in restaurants as they might get in supermarkets.

In summary, consumers are still cautious not willing to return to the top end of the commercial restaurant market in the future. Only when they become more confident about the economic recovery will traffic begins to return to the levels of three or four years ago. In consequence, try your best to make innovation to face the trend of fast moving change would be necessary in bad economic age for whole restaurant business sector.

Read more:

http://www.npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=foodservice-crest_s.html  

Interview with Huang: increasingly VAT is the scariest beast for Chinese food business in UK

Huang is the boss and also the head cooker of Ming Dynasty which is the largest Chinese restaurant in Preston. He has just accepted the restaurant business from his former boss and get ready to make innovation of their business to become more competitive.

Huang has already working in Ming doing of Chinese food business over 6 years as head cooker. He is specialist with food tasty and makes purchases for resource of Chinese food material. In this interview, Huang discussed that how they are going to make difference and adapt to survive in this economic recession age; talked about his personal view and experience that the issue of purchase Chinese food resource; what did he think for the next to improve the business.

Make an innovation of both price and service to face the scary increasingly VAT:

“Increasingly VAT is the scariest beast for Chinese food business in UK now.” said by Huang. Actually, all kinds of the VAT are increasing, just like food resource, the rent and transaction tax, also because of the economic recession, all the people want to save money and don’t expect too much expensive to diner out.

As a result, Huang proposed that cutting price, improving service, adding Chinese Sichuan cuisine and providing variety choices of dishes and tasty to face the recession challenge. To be specific, on the one hand, cutting down the general price of all dishes, increase the number of waiters and providing the good service for customers. And at the same time, make an innovation of menu and providing variety choices for dinners of dishes and tasty in same price.

The issues of resource for purchase Chinese food materials:

“The core of the restaurant business is tasty, so that purchase the traditional and standard food materials should be the key words.” Said by Huang.

According to the view of Huang, actually issues could generally separate four points: firstly, cannot directly purchase traditional Chinese food materials in UK, most of the resources can’t reach the standard; secondly, the single manufacturer cannot providing completely materials, they should purchase goods from different place of different manufacturers; lastly, just like Ming Dynasty, they don’t have the direct manufacturers who can import very traditional materials from Chinese, they really need dealer in China who can deal with importing material from China.

The next steps of Ming Dynasty:

“For the future, we are going to focus on adding more entertainment equipment, just like KTV; we also gonna to establish the Ming Dynasty take away for both Chinese and British; finally, I still think that we could become the first one to do canoness breakfast cuisine in preston.” Said by Huang.