Restaurant Marketing Blog

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Restaurant Marketing: The survival of Schlotzsky’s makes for a great restaurant marketing story. Coming out of bankruptcy, they now have a strong expansion strategy to open more than 50 units across the country. How did they do it? Go inside a Schlotzsky’s (free sandwich if you can spell their name correctly?) and you’ll see for your self. Makes for a good template for marketing one’s restaurant inside their unit. While you’re at it, check out Fuddruckers. Another great template to follow on the road to successful restaurant marketing

Posted by jcohen in • Restaurant Marketing
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

Saturday, July 21, 2007

For the third time in as many weeks, I’ve experienced the worst in restaurant dining. First it was Crazy Fire then Ben’s Place, and now Steak ‘n Shake. 
1. After being seated, waited 6 minutes for a server to come over to our table.
2. Saw our order under the hot lamps waiting for the server to pick it up. Was there for 5 minutes.
3. Noticed my server going to the washroom with cleaning equipment and mop.
4. I went to the counter to pick the orders up myself.
5. One of the three orders was wrong, even after the server repeated it back to me
6. Banana Frozen Yogurt shake was sour and not edible.

The result? They’ve lost me as a loyal guest. Guests have the power to slay restaurants to their feet in a slow but agonizing death by spreading the word in blogs such as this one and in the various online dining reviews, such as Yahoo’s Dining Review. It’s time to let restaurant managers and owners know that people are fed up with mediocre food and service.

Posted by jcohen in • Restaurant Marketing
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

Restaurant Marketing: You do what you have to do to make your guests happy. Especially take-out guests at the Raleigh/Briarcreek Uno’s Chicago Grill. Ordered a couple of pizzas to go…got them home, opened up the pizza boxes and emblazoned on the inside of the box were the Papa John’s logos.

Out of curiosity, I called Annie, the Uno’s store manager and she explained to me that they were shorted a supply of takeout pizza boxes and had a choice to make—not to sell takeout pizzas, and possibly turn away or turn off customers, or to make a deal with a local Papa John’s and buy their pizza boxes and turn them inside out.

Great idea, only I could have done without the surprise factor. It would have been nice if they told me about this when I picked the pizzas up.

Posted by jcohen in • Restaurant Marketing
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Restaurant Marketing: I’m tired of going to a restaurant only to be greeted by some 17 year old nit-wit hostess behind a presidential podium, who can’t figure out where to seat my family ... when 50% of the dining room is empty.

I’m tired of being greeted by a nit-wit hostess whose only language they can speak is the “number language,” and greets me by the number of people in my family ... and then seats us next to the bathrooms ... when 50% of the dining room is empty.

I’m tired of being greeted by a nit-wit hostess who has no idea what hospitality is, who has no idea how to smile, who has no idea how important my business is (and any other guests’ for that matter) ... especially when 50% of the dining room is empty.

I’m tired of restaurant owners who can’t train their hostesses properly. But more importantly, I’m tired of restaurant owners who see the hostess job as the low point on the restaurant totem pole.

Why aren’t you out front and center greeting your guests? It’s your restaurant. It’s your banana boat. It’s your taco stand. Take care of it, nurture it and your business will grow. Ignore it and it will soon die a slow agonizing death. Do you know what’s going on at your hostess stand? Probably not!

Posted by jcohen in • Restaurant Marketing
(101) Comments • (9) Trackbacks • Permalink

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Restaurant Marketing: As part of its third annual Cow Appreciation Day event, Chick-fil-A is offering a free breakfast, lunch or dinner combo meal to any customer who isn’t “too chicken” to visit any of the chain’s 1,300-plus restaurants fully dressed as a cow.

Last year’s Cow Appreciation Day celebration attracted over 4,000 customers nationwide dressed in cow-themed costumes, complete with black-and-white spots, furry ears, cow bells, and homemade sandwich boards.

What are you doing for your guest appreciation day?

Posted by jcohen in
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink