People enjoy going out to eat for a variety of reasons. Savoring great food in a nice atmosphere with family or friends without having to worry about preparation or clean up is an enticing concept for most diners. In the past, most restaurants have focused on food quality and presentation to draw in customers however with the shift in the economy many establishments are rethinking their strategies. Since people are scrutinizing expenditures, dining out is considered a luxury for many and when selecting a restaurant customers now carefully weigh value and service in addition to items listed on the menu. Striving to deliver the best customer experience in every aspect along with competing against cost savings derived from eating at home are elements restaurants must explore in order to remain viable today.

A delicious meal along with great service leaves customers feeling they are getting the most for their money will keep them coming back. Tapping into today’s technology can be one way to keep your establishment on the cutting edge while providing diners with the added benefit of online ease. Many restaurants are experiencing success by making ordering, reservations and delivery tracking available online. The ability to customize a food order online makes dining quick and casual for customers. Additional technological benefits can include an app for your restaurant or a whimsical concept like ordering via tabletop iPads in your establishment. Staying on trend with technology will help your restaurant provide customer service that allows consumers to be more involved in the dining experience.

If you are a little more ‘old school’ in your approach to customer service there are many ways you may strive to deliver exceptional experiences. Employees are a large ingredient in the overall customer service experience at any restaurant. Hiring a team of genuinely enthusiastic and outgoing employees assists your customers in enjoying the complete dining experience at your restaurant. Exceptional customer service extends beyond a smile; staff members who know your business mission, menu and regulars keep diners satisfied and engaged. Be certain to hire quality employees and also take steps to retain them by listening to your team and creating incentives to encourage your staff.

Providing diners with an exceptional meal is definitely pleasing but taking extra steps to make dining out a little easier with added customer service will increase loyalty and expand your customer base.

One of the great things about winter is all of the delicious warm food we get to eat. Soup is one of our favorite winter foods and since January is National Soup Month, we figured we’d tell you a little about our soup options. Here at AGAR, we have more than 200 soups that help our operators save on labor and provide them with a huge variety for their customers.

By offering our soups, it saves operators labor and it makes it easier for them to keep their menus fresh and up to date. We suggest trying out a kind of soup rotation to provide your costumers with a variety of options. And when we say a huge variety, we’re not kidding. We have everything from Indian Curry soup to Southwestern style soups to, of course, New England Clam Chowder. (We recently added a Manhattan Style Chowder too appease our southern neighbors). Soups are a great food cost item as well without having to sacrifice variety and quality.  

We work with local companies like Kettle Cuisine which provides vegan and gluten-free soup options too. Another important benefit for purchasing our premade soups is that it limits the chance of cross-contamination.

Chili is also another great winter food and like our soups, allows for a wide range of types. From Angus beef chili, to turkey chili, to vegetarian chili, we have it all. The cold weather means it’s time for restaurants to start providing the hot food. From variety and money saving, soup is a great way to do this.

Karen and I had a little fun with this video; Check it out.

It’s no secret that the restaurant business tends to suffer in the cold winter months – especially here in New England. We’ve had a surprisingly snow-less winter so far but it is sure to get colder and snowier before we see spring.

Winter provides a great time to reevaluate the menu and recharge your marketing. We urge you to look at what has been selling and maybe what hasn’t been selling as well. Look at the menu and think about what can and should be changed. If you need help, there’s always a visit to our Test Kitchen.

A great way to garner interest in a restaurant when business is slow is to offer theme nights. Reach out to the community. There may be organizations or groups that need meeting spaces and this is the time to reach out. And depending on what type of restaurant you operate, theme nights can be a great way to get people through the door. Try a small plate night or a wine tasting or get creative on your own. Theme nights are a great way to generate buzz about your business when the weather is cold.

This is also a great time to consider your online presence. From social media to email lists, look to the internet to get your name out there and create more value for new and existing customers. We’ve seen businesses send out email blasts before an impending snow storm and offer great deals to get people through the door. You wouldn’t expect to see a full restaurant when there’s a snow storm but we have seen it work.  This is a great way to get your name out there and to test your marketing lists. We have also seen many success stories using various social media platforms. The bottom line? Make sure people know you are still there.

One more important winter tip is to think about your take-out options. Reach out to local businesses who may order take-out because they’re too busy to leave their desks (or too warm…) for lunch. Maybe your business could offer sides to go for busy moms and families as this is a great way to supplement family dinners.

Don’t sit back during the winter. Get out there and use your downtime to promote.

As a wholesale food distributor , we see many trends over the years take shape or fade away. Although many establishments are sticking with conventional, rustic fare in-house as we talked about in our last blog, their means of promoting and providing information about their food and establishment will definitely be more cutting-edge in the year ahead. Since we live in an instantaneous information age, it benefits operators and chefs to jump on the technology bandwagon. Diners today are much more educated about what goes in their mouths and many are demanding disclosure on everything ranging from calories to fat content to allergens in each dish. It may not be possible to have this information printed on your menu but at the very least make certain staff members are knowledgeable and can impart important information to inquiring customers. It is also wise to provide pertinent information on your website and social networking pages. This is a quick and inexpensive method of publicizing new dishes and drawing in diners. Other technological tools like on-line coupons and promotions can please regular customers while also reaching new customers.

I have seen some great promotions using Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and many of the other coupon sites. Get creative with what you offer and how you do it and you may just see business jump in 2012.

The economy can affect trends in food and as the nation’s consumers continue to be cautious during challenging times, trends in the culinary industry reflect this behavior. We are seeing restaurants sticking with more comfort food dishes on menus for 2012 and shying away from edgier global cuisine. Many dishes this year seem rustic and familiar however, chefs are adding a little twist to proven concepts to keep things interesting. Although food may not be taking drastic steps forward in taste and presentation this year, things are definitely changing in the way food is marketed and presented.  

This year restaurateurs and others in the culinary industry will remain conservative with preparations focusing on simple items such as portion-controlled meats such as our Bullpen brand. Many establishments are also changing their service formats from fast and casual to friendly and more full-service. With diners turning to more familiar foods and tastes, the addition of a homey, welcoming atmosphere within restaurants seems to be a trend. Except for take out which is becoming more popular.

Diners in 2012 will definitely be in search of tasty dishes made with quality ingredients at a reasonable price. This wholesale food distributor has over 70 years of experience providing restaurants in New England with fresh, local foods and choice cuts of meat. We look forward to working with restaurants in the year ahead to assist them in prospering while also staying on trend with incredible dishes and forward-thinking promotions.

There is no place like home. Americans love to venture out and try new things, explore new places and eat new food but it seems those experiences make us appreciate more and more what is in our own backyard. The most recent trend in restaurants is the addition of regional American cuisine on menus which has grown over 25% since 2008. Traditional North American fare is now the most popular item listed on menus.

The distinct regions developed in the United States, similar to individual countries, feature foods and ingredients indigenous immigrant’s native homelands. Americans have taken cuisines from the Old World and tailored them with local ingredients and traditions to create foods and dishes unique to each area which are distinctly American. Local restaurants have kept classic regional dishes thriving and continue to put a new spin on provincial cuisine. This wholesale food distributor has years of experience creating menus and solutions for independent restaurants so don’t forget to give us a call to help build 2012.

America’s home cooking is as extraordinary, unusual and unique as the country itself. A wide range of tastes blanket the nation ranging from savory chowders in New England to hearty pizzas in Chicago and spicy jambalaya in Louisiana. There is a rich diversity in food preparation throughout the country being added to menus in leading chain and independent restaurants. American regionalism is evident in local specialties that define the area and more restaurants are looking to add popular cuisine choices from their communities on menus. Specialty dishes are pleasing consumers across the country as menus expand to include foods and dishes popular in their cities. 

Nothing ever tastes quite as good as when it is made at home…or in our hometown local restaurant…. The idea of homemade, good-quality cooking is pleasing to consumers and is leading them to restaurants that feature dishes prepared in this manner.