A video from Bloomberg Businessweek explains how IHOP’s new menu increased sales by 3.6%. IHOP hired design experts to revamp the menu after customers complained about seeing too much text, which was ultimately overwhelming. due to customer complaints, the too many choices. too much text. The menu redesign experts suggested IHOP included more pictures; people love to see pictures of what they’re going to eat, and this is a great way to break up the page while promoting new menu items. Secondly, boxes are a requisite. Organizational, eye-popping boxes remind customers that they can order sides. Lastly, colors are a bonus. Color-coded categories help customers navigate through the menu, and the extra browsing that customers might not have otherwise done allows them to find something in the middle or back of the menu.
Meet-Up: How Tech is Transforming Restaurants
Network with industry members over wine and snacks while learning more about the influence of technology in restaurants on Thursday, Jan. 30th from 7-10pm at Grind Broadway (1412 Broadway, 22nd Floor). Find out more about the dozens of tech startups that are passionate about optimizing customer experience and restaurant operations. Local food artisans will have the opportunity to exhibit their products; email nina(at)foodtechconnect(dot)com if interested.
Confirmed presenters include:
Mark Egerman or Andrew Cove – co-founders, Cover – An OATV and Lerer Ventures backed payment processing app that lets customers seamlessly pay for their meals and saves restaurants money on credit card fees. @coverpay / [masked]
Alice Cheng – founder & CEO, Culinary Agents – A RRE Ventures and Correlation Ventures backed professional network that offers job matching and networking for culinary professionals in the food, beverage and hospitality industry. @CulinaryAgents / [masked]
Darren Wan – CEO & co-founder, Easy Pairings – An online marketplace for the hospitality industry that allows restaurants to lower recruitment costs and find great staff quickly and easily. @easypairings / [masked]
Eric Poley – VP of Sales, Objective Logistics – A Google Ventures and Atlas Venture backed retail/restaurant-focused software company that provides an artificially-intelligent, web-accessible labor performance management platform (MUSE). @OBJL / [masked]
Matt Oley – VP of Sales, Swipely – An Index Ventures and Shasta Ventures backed service that processes credit card payments for local merchants, then uses payment data to help businesses market and develop customer loyalty programs. @Swipely / [masked]
The Art of Alabama Food in Chelsea Market
From Monday 1/27 – Sunday 2/2, 11am to 7pm, Southern food enthusiasts will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Alabama culture at Chelsea Market’s “The Art of Alabama Food” exhibit. The art gallery-esque pop-up will be making its debut in New York City as it documents the signature, cherished cuisine of Alabama. Attendees can observe 36 inspiring images that cover “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die”. Learn more here.
Swipely’s: Consumer Intelligence for Restaurant Operators
Swipely’s new release, “Winter ’14“, now includes menu and server performer intelligence to help restaurants “make smarter decisions about their key drivers— food, staff, and marketing,” according to CEO Angus Davis. The Swipely system is compatible with several major POS systems, and it stores data each time customers pay using credit or debit cards, which is roughly 75% of the time. Additionally, Swipely reduces the cost of accessing credit and debit card payments for restaurant operators. Operators can apply the information the insights about their servers to aid in training and decision making. Similarly, by evaluating which dishes are best-sellers, operators can more easily make sound marketing decisions.
Blue Hill’s Savory Yogurt Success
In a market abundant with Greek and fruit-themed yogurt, Blue Hill went in a completely different and potentially risky direction— savory yogurts. To say that the risk paid off is an understatement; Blue Hill savory yogurt has expanded to three Whole Foods regions: Northeast, North Atlantic and Mid Atlantic, in addition to several other retailers. Because of the natural sweetness from vegetables, Blue Hill savory yogurt has significantly less added sugar than the leading yogurt brand, which is just another great differentiation point. The rise of health-conscious consumers makes vegetable-based yogurt an inventive, delicious trend-setting treat to complement any snack or meal.
New York’s First Customizable Sushi Enterprise
“Customizable” and “made-to-order” food are two of the biggest consumer trends for 2014. 22-year-old entrepreneur Jesse Tang saw potential to apply these trends to a major untapped market— sushi. “Pink Nori,” Tang’s sushi venture in Astoria, will be the first sushi concept to truly grant customers limitless freedom to customize their rolls. “The millennial generation likes to try new stuff,” Tang reasons. The menu will feature atypical sushi condiments such as guacamole, jalapeños and potato chips. Tang recently graduated from Stony Brook University and will use his $10,000 prize he earned from the Long Island Young Entrepreneur Challenge to market Pink Nori. Jesse’s father, restaurateur Danny Tang, will offer a hand in business operations. Astoria’s burgeoning dining scene and proliferation of young professionals with disposable incomes inspired Tang’s enterprise location decision.
Jessica Biel to Open “Soho House for Kids”
Actress Jessica Biel is in the planning stages of opening an exclusive eatery in Santa Monica called Au Fudge, which will welcome celebrity children and spawn of A-listers. Considered the “Soho House for kids,” the elite and their offspring will engage in dining and cooking activities in an atmosphere suitable for their VIP tastes.
Most Influential Burgers of All-Time
Time Magazine ranked the 17 most influential burgers of all time. Among them include The Ghost Burger, The Umami Burger, the Ramen Burger and the In-N-Out Burger. The burgers originate from quick-service and fast-casual restaurants and include both trendsetting and traditional patties.
Pizza Hut Tests By-the-Slice Pizza
Yesterday Pizza Hut began serving by-the-slice traditional pizza at two of its restaurants in York, Nebraska, and Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The $2-$3 slices take four minutes to heat up, and executives will accordingly measure customers’ interest and satisfaction before expanding the concept to additional locations.
The Rice Burger: A Vegan Burger Alternative
By now everyone’s probably tried a vegan burger at least once, whether it be the mushroom burger, black bean burger, or the most common— the veggie burger. For those who are ready to explore new vegan burger alternatives, Ni Japanese Delicacies in the Essex Street Market is serving the Forbidden Rice Burger for $10. The patty is composed of forbidden black rice mixed with organic maitake mushrooms, carrots, kale and white beans.
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