 |
|
|
|
News in Review
Market Reports
Food Quiz
Industry Discussion
|
|
Advertisement
|
|
 |
|
Does your restaurant have an identity?
By: Brandon O'Dell
Who are we?
What do we want our restaurant to be known for?
What style of service do we offer?
What kind of food do we cook?
What can our customers get from us that they can’t get anywhere else?
How can we make our customers FEEL?
What is our color scheme?
These are all questions you should ask yourself about your restaurant long before you open your doors. The answers to these questions will determine whether potential customers will ever make their way through your doors. They need to know the answers before they will make their decision. Planning to answer them after they get to your restaurant is not good enough. Answering these questions for your customers is what marketing is all about, not promoting discounts, coupons and specials. Answering these questions, in addition to getting your customer’s feedback on your performance, IS communicating, and a lack of communicating with customers will close a restaurant faster than an “F” from the health department.
There are many ways to answer these questions. All of them are forms of marketing, and work together to make up your marketing plan.
Who are we?
What do we want our restaurant to be known for?
What style of service do we offer?
What kind of food do we cook?
These are all questions that can be answered without direct communication. You don’t have to send everyone in the town a personalized letter to tell them what you do (though that would be effective too) if you design your name, logo and decor correctly.
Your name itself, and the font you use should answer many questions for your customers. If your business is “Joe’s Crab Shack” and it’s written in a silly or fun font, your customers can deduce without asking that you are a casual seafood restaurant specializing in crab, that you are most likely “kid friendly”, and that you are probably a sit down restaurant, as “crab shacks” usually are. This is a name that communicates who you are and what you do very well. It answers questions, and people who are looking for that type of restaurant will feel very comfortable making the decision to eat there.
A logo can convey many of the same things a name does. The words and the font the name is printed in is a major part of the logo. In addition, a logo can reinforce your identity by using pictures or symbols that also say what you do or sell. Keeping these pictures or symbols simple and easily recognizable is key. A person should be able to recognize a logo at a glance. It should convey everything it needs to convey in less than half a second, as that is all the attention it will be given. If a logo is too busy, uses too many colors, too detailed...
Read More
|
 |
This article is brought to you by O'Dell Consulting.
O'Dell Consulting has the expertise to help independent business owners design and implement the tools and management systems that their chain competitors use every day.
O'Dell Consulting also custom designs turn key restaurant plans for first time and experienced owners. O'Dell's plans use proven design elements, marketing plans and management systems to give you the best chance for success in an industry with a history of failure. Use their plan on your own, or have O'Dell Consulting walk you through opening your restaurant from writing the business plan to training your employees. |
|
You can buy a person's hands but you can't buy his heart. His heart is where his enthusiasm, his loyalty is.
- Stephen Covey
|
|
|
 |
|
View updated pricing and information each week on the website for the following food-commodity markets:
|
Beef, Veal & Lamb |
View Detail |
During the final week of February, the percentage of cattle grading choice set a 12 year record high. The abundant supply of choice cattle and heavy carcass weights indicate that choice beef output during the first 2 months of this year was 5% plus more than a year ago. If this trend continues it will be difficult for choice beef prices to move notably upward this spring. January beef imports were 8.3% more than last year. If the dollar remains inflated, solid US beef imports could depress some of the trimming markets. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
|
|
Dairy |
View Detail |
January US cheddar cheese (40%), butter (79.6%) and nonfat dry milk (33%) exports were all less than a year ago. An appreciated US dollar and the renewal of EU dairy export subsidies are likely to cause US cheese and butter exports to remain below 2008 levels. Thus the bullish impact of a slowdown in milk production on the cheese and butter markets may be tempered some this spring. After the 08 leap day adjustment, February 09 US milk output was .6% larger than last year. Prices per pound, except Class I Cream (hundred weight), from USDA.
|
|
Poultry |
View Detail |
January US chicken exports were 34.8% larger than last year due in part to considerable increases in trade with China (58.5%) and Russia (20%). US chicken leg quarters, the primary export product, are typically an economic meat protein source for the world. The struggling world economies could be bullish for US chicken leg quarter exports as consumers trade down for a meat source and countries struggle to increase production. Still, if the appreciated US dollar continues it will limit upside price potential for the leg quarter market. History suggests that relatively inflated chicken wing prices could persist due to the domestic production slowdown. Prices USDA, FOB per pound except eggs (dozen).
|
|
Seafood |
View Detail |
US total shrimp (13.2%) and shell on shrimp (27.1%) imports during January were notably less than last year. Shrimp imports in the coming months are anticipated to be historically solid due to the appreciation of the US dollar. The shrimp markets are fairly steady. 2008 4th quarter retail seafood sales fell 7.4% due to the struggling economy. Prices for fresh product, unless noted per pound from Fisheries Market News.
|
|
Pork |
View Detail |
Pork production last week declined 3% and was 4.9% less than the previous year. January pork exports were 5.4% less than last year but still were the 2nd highest for the month this decade and were 5% more than December. January ham exports were 34% larger than 2008. If strong ham exports continue it would be bullish for the ham market. However, struggling world economies and an appreciated US dollar could temper any ham market increases. Cyclical charts suggest that the belly market may stabilize soon. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
|
|
Produce |
View Detail |
March 1st US potato stocks were 7.6% less than last year and the smallest for the date in the last 10 years. Potato demand is very soft, however, with total disappearance through February the smallest since at least 1999. Thus, even though potato stocks are historically limited, any seasonal market strength during the late spring and early summer is anticipated to be modest compared to last year. The chief lettuce growing area will be shifting north over the next few weeks and then transitioning again in late April. Any supply gaps may bring modest volatility to the lettuce markets. Prices USDA FOB shipping point unless noted (terminal).
|
|
Oil and Grains |
View Detail |
Acreage and planting concerns are helping firm the grain markets. Corn and soybean prices typically trend modestly higher from April into June. Prices per pound (oils) or bushel (grains) FOB from USDA.
|
|
Canned and Frozen Food |
View Detail |
Tomato Products, Canned - The canned tomato markets remain firm. Can and raw product cost increases are expected to lead to canned tomato market appreciation this summer. California water restrictions are still a concern. Price per case (6/10) FOB from Supply and Market Report.
|
Processed Fruits and Vegetables - In the coming months, vegetable and fruit canners will pass on to buyers a notable increase in can costs. Higher canned vegetable prices are likely. Prices FOB per case from Supply and Market Report.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Does percent of sales include gross sales from the bar?
Community member HankL writes...
I was looking at plan and was calculating percent of sales. What I am a bit confused on now is when calculating do I include gross sales from the bar? Or do I keep bar sales seperate from the restaurant sales when calcuating serving food sales? What my goal is to percent out each service breakfast lunch and dinner along with bar sales. But the gross sales I established on excell included the bar sales which is not related to any...
Read More
|
Fountain drink ice makers
Community member Browe writes...
I'm working on opening a BBQ restuarant shortly and have a question about fountain drink dispensers. At many places I see people filling up the ice dispensors with ice. Do the machines furnished by Coke have ice makers built in so you don't need to dump ice into them? Seems silly to continually dump ice into them. ...
Read More
|
Ideas sought for hospitality dissertation topic
Community member Beth writes...
As many of you know, I am a professional writer, but my day job is college professor. I did luck out, and the company that I am working for is paying for my doctorate - well, the tuition at least, I still have to pay for all of the incidentals....... When I am done in 7-10 years from now, I will have a Doctorate of Business Administration, aka a DBA.
Here is the...
Read More
|
|
|
 |
|
I ooze from pores and hang on doors
I ooze from pores and hang on doors. I save your from fright on Halloween night. For I am so old, with flavor so bold, my story in Sanskrit can be told. In ketchup, mustard and sausage I be, and powdered in pizza to stimulate thee. Roast me slowly and squeeze my head, you’ll not be wanting and butter for bread. Curing consumption and easing all pain, when it comes to amounts there is no refrain. Braid me, sauté me, put me in sauce, without my aroma your food’s at a loss. If you are to marry and scared of the flight, my clove in your buttonhole will ensure a sweet night. I Gilroy, my home where I’m in best supply, just stick out your nose, my aroma won’t lie. So love me and eat me, and decorate in style, however you use me I’ll last for a while.
What am I?
The Food Quiz has is brought to you by Culinary Specialty Produce, a specialty produce broker that scours the world for the very best in specialty produce. Contact them at 908-789-4700 or by sending an email to info@culinaryproduce.com.
|
|
| Subscription Information |
To Unsubscribe: Please click
here to unsubscribe from the Foodservice.com Express eNewsletter.
If you've tried to unsubscribe but are still receiving this newsletter, please email our customer support department.
|
|
Welcome to the Foodservice.com Express newsletter, a weekly publication that provides a comprehensive review of the foodservice industry each and every friday.
You are free to share this newsletter with friends and colleagues in any way you see fit. Better yet...have them to subscribe!
If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out another newsletter we recently launched called the Daily Buzz, our daily delivery of restaurant news (that's actually interesting to read!).
Best Regards,
David Smania
Founder, Foodservice.com
|
Foodservice.com
7702 East Doubletree Ranch Rd.
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258
Ph: 623-433-9690
Copyright 1996-2009 Foodservice.com. All rights reserved.
|
| |
|
