Pop-up Restaurants, Digital Dining, and More
In an ever-changing hospitality landscape, one where restaurants have to adapt with ease and speed in order to stay open and competitive, it can be challenging to predict what’s around the next corner. But as we’ve mentioned previously, there have been many actionable business lessons over the course of the last year and a half, mainly around consistency, communication, and leadership. We’ve also mentioned five tips and tricks to reopening your restaurant, which includes a warm embrace of new technologies.
More Pop-up Restaurants and Ghost Kitchens
In a recent episode of The Profitable Table, Woolco CEO Steven Toboroff chatted with Ghost Truck Kitchen owner Andrew Martino on everything from inflation and staffing issues, to the future of home delivery. Martino talks about the importance of transparency when it comes to rising costs, for example, particularly when you have a strong social following that’s watching you in real time: “Just be honest: This is what’s going on, this is how it’s impacting us, and we have to pass a small portion of that impact onto you.”
Toboroff and Martino also discuss that many restaurateurs and hospitality managers have to take those losses on the chin temporarily in an effort to maintain long-lasting relationships. “People have mental limits on how much it should cost to buy a sandwich for lunch,” Martino says.
While riding this wave, there are other options to consider, if feasible, like ghost kitchens, which have lower overhead costs due to the lack of physical dining space. Pop-up restaurants are also a way for restaurants to set up a creative space temporarily, which could lead to a more permanent situation down the road.
Dining Must be Digital and the Food Has to Move
Delivery is not a revolution, but as more people have cozied up to ordering more and more from restaurants they may have typically gone to in person, having a sustainable, efficient model for that process is wise for the long haul, no matter what the future brings. Having an in-house system also prevents third-parties from hammering you with fees. Having simple grab-and-go items is also a great way to offer interesting options while keeping costs down.
And if you haven’t launched your restaurant into the digital realm yet, there couldn’t be a better time. Keeping open communication with customers directly, as Martino does, can help your business ride any wave.
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