Is your Restaurant a Showroom or Salesroom

While consumers are evolving with technology so fast many restaurants feel that they can’t keep up, it cost too much to keep up, or that they should not try to keep up.  Foodservice Solutions® team believes that it’s not the technology that’s the problem. The problem is how restaurateurs view the restaurant itself. 

Today when you create a unique menu item that generates consumer buzz, high sales, while others start copying it, and adding it to their menu.  Then your restaurant has evolved into a showroom and is no longer just a restaurant. Has your restaurant become a Showroom? Are you still doing what you did 3,4,or 5 years ago?

Don’t let your restaurant become the next Best Buy a great showroom with declining store counts, sales, and profits.  The other concern is while you are spending millions advertising on Google, or Amazon they are doing just the opposite.  Remember when retailers were scared of their online competitors? You should be again for both are now selling food, fresh food and fresh prepared food delivered to your customer’s door.

When Amazon announced that they were opening a Brick-N-Mortar store in New York City, San Francisco, what did you think? Restaurant  advertising platform Google is delivering fresh food right to your customers door.  Did you once again think well, that does not concern us? Today, On-line retailers are becoming Brick-N-Mortar solutions utilizing ideations from your showroom and on-line ads.

Eye-glass retailer Warby Parker has opened several stores and stores-within-stores partnering with already established eye wear retailers. Plated, the once online meal-delivery service only, offers a truck instead of a stationary storefront for its hungry New York patrons.

So, are these retailers innovative expansionist? Should you worry? Yes, you should worry only if your are still doing things the same way you were 3, 4, or 5 years ago.  Here are three things customer want:

1.       Customers want to Discover

They like a brand with consumer relevance.  If your brand is not on the ‘information highway’ your customer will simply by-pass your brand.  The same hold true to the sidewalk, street corner, and airport. On-line retailers are garnering customer relevance. How are you expanding your brand?

2.       Customer want Convenience

The Hudson Riehle Senior VP Research & Knowledge Group of the National Restaurant Association said “88% of adults with smartphones/tables use them to look-up, restaurants, locations, and hours of operations.  Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ found that 92% of consumers would buy a branded food they liked item from a non-traditional outlet.

3.       Customers want it both ways.

Sampling a new food item in-store is a vastly different experience than receiving a sample in the form of a ‘free coupon’, a sample in the mail, consumers want to discover on their terms.  They want that invitation to be both customized and personalized.  Customer relevance today equals a branded seamless experience from Digital too Brick-N-Mortar and Portable or Brick-N-Mortar too Digital with food portability.

4.       Are you funding, your next competitor?

What consumer relevant digital advertising platform are you spending on?  Who analyzes the analytics first?  Does your advertising partner sell meals or meal solutions direct to consumer?

To create that seamless experience recently Plated, the online food delivery service, has started sending out a food truck to feed New Yorkers from the street. They also cleverly offer samples and coupons for online orders for new customers. Customers get to taste what’s next, literally, and feel more comfortable making that order from home next time.  Outside Eyes can help you look A Customer Ahead. What role does portability play in your integrated concumer messaging and marketing?

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.