1334: Random Thoughts & Ideas for Success from Operators that increased during COVID-19
We have a positive outlook of operators’ operations in this post-pandemic period after watching many businesses increase in light of COVID-19. Many are up over 50% doing things differently and for others, the old concepts just happened to be at the right place at the right time
- Now that there’s toilet paper and paper towels in stock at most of the grocery stores, Target and Walmart, you need to find new ways to help your customers use the facilities they have to make money in new ways.
- Folks are not going out much to eat, but they are spending a ton of money at Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, etc. and are spending a lot more time around the house. You need to help make your customers essential too, just like those other companies I mentioned by having appealing menu items that travel well for home eating.
- You need to be more essential than your competitors to your customers, and you need to make your customers more essential than their competitors – – especially more essential than the CHAINS.
- Help your customers by being honest with them and helping them find new ways of profitability in this new food service environment.
- Because of the stay at home and lock down ordered by the government people have gotten used to getting takeout more often. We think that it is going to be more of a lifestyle change than just a temporary condition or temporary habit.
- What we see working best all over the country are the restaurants and operators that are doing what they do best – – better than they’ve ever done it before, and making it easy for their customers to order it from them with carry out in great new containers (many have upgraded from what they were using to have better quality of carry out/delivered meals).
- Many independent operators that counted on dine-in patrons have seen their business cut in half and probably will remain that way for the unforeseeable future. Also, some patrons were not really wanting to eat off silverware and plates or drink out of glasses due to concerns of COVID-19, therefore your customers may need substitute disposable products to offer those customers while dining in.
- Smaller menus, Simple kitchen set up, Handful of Ingredients
- Many have found more controlled costs and profit with smaller menus, simpler kitchen set up, and using a handful of ingredients to mix and match to create many different menu options. This approach has definite benefits. First, becoming more financially successful because instead of tying up money and lots of SKUs that rarely turnover, those funds could go toward the bottom line.
- Secondly, by offering relatively few menu items you’re able to keep the quality of those offerings very high. Not only can employees focus on executing these items well, but they can also purchase and serve higher-quality ingredients thanks to the fast turnover.
- To have the freshest ingredients and products, they must sell quickly. If they’re not selling quickly, they’re just rotting on the shelf waiting for someone to order them. This menu philosophy not only impacts SKUs and food quality, it also results in a small efficient kitchen package. This might mean you’ll have to help them transition to a smaller kitchen and sell them the equipment needed or provide consulting experts to help them redesign/change the layout.
- Using fewer items but more of them also allows your customer to probably get a much better price because they’re using so much more of a single product. It also allows the customer to order a higher quality product for the same reason.
- This might be a great way to include some brand names to help promote the idea that they use great products.
- I’m sure many manufacturers would be interested in helping you not only get a good price but also using their BRAND name to help your customer.
- The idea is to create a menu that’s more approachable to carry out/delivery customers who want good product without a high price tag.
- Suggesting/helping develop online storefronts to propel off-premise sales will become a differentiator. Folks will go with whoever makes it the easiest to order great food thus getting more repeat orders more often, while making more money.
- Make their online presence more known than ever so they pop up first when patrons are looking for lunch and dinner.
- Downsize the menu for the Delivery Only menu items.
- Always be reviewing their carryout containers, so they are better than their competitors.
- If you help your customers make it easier to do business with than ever before they will become more essential than their competitors to patrons.
- If you are working hard with your customers on these new ideas for their business, YOU also will get more business than your competitors because you too will become more essential!!
