How Restaurants Can Cut the Costs Of Handling Cash

September 14, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Image result for restaurant operations cash handling

“One of the last things a quick-service restaurant manager wants to do at the end of a long shift is count down registers and fill out reports. They’ve been on their feet all day, helping customers, prepping food and putting out fires (only the figurative type, hopefully).”

“(…) Counting, reconciling and depositing money manually causes unnecessary inefficiency and risk in the business. Managers and staff remain on the clock at the end of the day, making the simple act of counting and reconciling cash costly in itself. Other risks include:

  • Potential for errors
  • Opportunity for theft
  • Untracked deposits
  • Time away from customer-facing activities like cleaning, service or food prep/safety.”

“According to a 2018 study of cash by IHL Group, 41.1 percent of quick-service transactions are in cash. While debit and credit might prevail in other areas of retail, the Federal Reserve reports that cash is still the payment of choice for transactions under $25—certainly within the sweet spot for average quick-serve tickets. Shake Shack learned this lesson recently as its customers demanded the ability to pay cash at a previously cashless location.”

Read more here.

Filed Under: Global Market Buzz, Local Market Buzz, Operations Tagged With: , , , ,

5 Free Ways To Get Customers Talking About Your Brand

September 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Image result for brand“Most fast-casual operators believe that competency creates conversation. That being “good” equals word of mouth. But it often does not, because almost every competitor is at least good. If you want customers to tell others about your restaurants — and you do — you must be different in addition to being excellent.

Talkable generosity
In this style of Talk Trigger, you give your customers a little something extra, Five Guys Burgers and Fries is legendary in this area, as they provide each patron a substantial volume of “bonus fries.” Social media chatter about this largesse is constant, propelling the chain’s growth.”

See more here.

Filed Under: Local Market Buzz, Operations Tagged With: , , ,

How the Union Square Partnership puts on the ‘best food event’ in New Yorks’

September 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

The 23rd annual Harvest in the Square will

As Harvest in the Square, a fundraising event put on by the Union Square Partnership and a favorite of foodies in the area, gears up for its 23rd edition later this month, patrons and sponsors alike reminisce on the good it has done for the neighborhood and look toward the park’s promising future still ahead.

These days, the partnership funds the park’s repairs, seasonal plantings, and seating area additions, but it also focuses on providing the neighborhood with a series of free programs year-round. From cooking demos with some of the city’s best chefs to outdoor concerts and film screenings, the organization offers events to maintain Union Square’s booming reputation, all free of cost.

This year’s Harvest in the Square will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20. Tickets start at $125, or $150 on the day, and can be purchased at www.harvestinthesquare.nyc

Read more here.

Filed Under: Cooking, Events, Heard on The Street, Local Market Buzz, Trending Now Tagged With: , , , , ,

Amazon Go expands its reach to New York City

September 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

“Amazon Go is headed to New York City, the company confirmed last week, though it did not provide a timeline for opening or specify where in the city the store would be located.”

“Amazon Go requires customers to scan a QR code before they enter the store, then utilizes finely calibrated cameras and shelf weights to track what they’ve grabbed off the shelf before they leave. The company has opened three Go stores in Seattle, including one that opened just last week, and plans to open locations in Chicago and San Francisco.”

“Competitors are also hot on Amazon’s heels, with Microsoft and numerous startups racing to implement cashier-less technology. Some companies, including AiFi, have said they’re able to cover large stores as well as small ones, thus opening up availability to supermarkets as well as c-stores.”

View more here.

Filed Under: Heard on The Street, Local Market Buzz, Openings, Shopbuzz

Pita bread is simple to make and worth the wait.

September 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Homemade pita bread is so much better — and easier — than you might think

” (…) Given the current renaissance of Middle Eastern cuisine, it seems a good time to master the bread that is the traditional accompaniment to so much of that food. Because if you’re going to make or source all the excellent stuff that you put inside a pita, it seems a bit mournful to use the store-bought bread — often stale and tasteless as cardboard — when it’s so easy to make it yourself.”

“And watching the pitas rise in the oven, a few minutes worth of culinary magic, is a trick that never gets old.”

View more here.

Filed Under: Global Market Buzz, Opportunities, Trending Now

New Bars and Restaurants Opening in NYC this Fall

September 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment

“The summer is coming to a close, but a new slew of bars and restaurants are just starting to open. As the temperature starts to cool down, make your way to one of these new spots for great food, drinks, and atmosphere. Whether it is an expansion of an old favorite or a brand new take on the New York restaurant scene, here are 18 bars and restaurants to keep your eye on when they open their doors this fall.”

“Recreation is a new bar from nightlife hitmaker Jon Neidich, whose Happiest Hour and Tijuana Picnic are popular party spots in the city. It’s set to open in the upcoming Moxy NYC Downtown hotel, located at 26 Ann Street, in September.

As with Neidich’s Slowly Shirley, a 1940s-themed basement bar, Recreation has a very deliberate throwback concept. The 5,000-square-foot space is meant to look and feel like a 1980s house party, equipped with skee-ball and an arcade machine with classics like Ms. Pacman, Centipede, and Donkey Kong. There’s also Twister, with a twist: Instead of a mat, the colored dots for this truly nonsensical but enduring game are painted on the floor.”

View more openings here.

Filed Under: Events, Local Market Buzz, Openings Tagged With: , ,

How to Create Facebook In-Stream Video Ads

September 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment

“Because Facebook in-stream video ads interrupt what people are viewing, your video needs to capture your audience’s attention quickly.

One way to do this is to tell a story and make the narrative something that your audience will respond to. If the first 5 seconds of the story grabs their interest, they’ll likely want to know what happens at the end. To go one step further, include a call to action so people can visit your website to find out what happened next.

Another tactic is to show something that’s a shock/surprise in the first 5 seconds. Teach your audience something, make them laugh, or say something controversial and explain it (if it’s appropriate for your brand). At the beginning of the video, explain the problem and promise a solution.

Consider using text overlay for viewers who are watching your video with the sound muted. This may also be a good solution if you don’t have the resources for an expensive media production. You can create a video slideshow instead.”

Read more here.

Filed Under: Opportunities, Shopbuzz, Trending Now Tagged With: , , ,

NYC’s Newest Viral Food Is the $75 Smoked Watermelon ‘Ham’

September 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment

The latest viral food to hit NYC has a lot in common with ones of the past: The smoked watermelon “ham” at Duck’s Eatery is one thing (a fruit), but when it’s sliced, dramatically looks like another (meat). Chef and co-owner Will Horowitz says that after videos from several food sites collectively racked up nearly 100 million views, the $75 product is sold out until November. “We’re getting a request every minute or two,” Horowitz says. “I had to set up an auto-reply on our email.”

See more here.

Filed Under: Heard on The Street, Local Market Buzz, Trending Now Tagged With: ,

Williamsburg’s Butler Bake Shop has launched a second location in DUMBO

September 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Butler Bake Shop DUMBO - interior and view

“Just like in Williamsburg, Butler Bake Shop features an aesthetically pleasing design with brass tabletops, sleek steel elements and bistro-style chairs (it’s ok, you can pretend your in Paris for a while). But with its prime location on the corner of Dock St, dare we say it’s more beautiful than the original – I mean, just look at the Brooklyn Bridge showing off in the distance.”

See more here.

Filed Under: Events, Openings, Retail Spotlight
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