by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Mar 14, 2023 | Marketing, News, Uncategorized
Support Food Trucks
Supporting food trucks is a must for the local community for several reasons. First and foremost, food trucks provide diverse cuisines not commonly found in traditional restaurants. This allows people to expand their palates and support these new entrepreneurs as they grow. The prices are lower due to overhead costs and are great quick-serve options compared to restaurants.
Locally Sourced Food
Additionally, most food trucks often source their products locally, supporting the local economy and promoting sustainable farming practices. K
Affordable Dining Options
Many customers frequently visit Food Trucks due to faster service and more affordable dining options, especially for those who can’t afford expensive restaurants. Remember, these are the customers who will support our full-service restaurants later on down the line.
Restaurants in the Making
Many food trucks have turned into Brick-and-mortar restaurants, which attract more customers and support local growth and commerce.
Supporting food trucks helps build a more vibrant community while promoting local sustainability and cultural exploration. Also, don’t miss the 2023 War of the Food Truck Wars on May 28th at the German-American Club.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Mar 7, 2023 | Marketing, Public Service
Why Supporting Local Businesses Matters
When it comes to shopping, it’s easy to get caught up in the convenience of big-box stores and online retailers. However, supporting local businesses is an important way to help your community thrive. Here are some reasons why you should consider shopping locally:
Local businesses are the backbone of the economy
Small and local businesses are the engines of local economies. They provide jobs, boost economic activity, and help keep money circulating within the community. According to research, 60-70 cents stays within the local economy for every dollar spent at a local business. By supporting local businesses, you’re helping to ensure your community’s long-term health and prosperity.
Local businesses offer unique products and services
One of the great things about local businesses is that they often offer products and services you can’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s a specialty food store, a boutique clothing shop, or a handmade craft store, local businesses are often the go-to places for unique and one-of-a-kind items. By shopping at local businesses, you’re supporting the creativity and individuality of your community.
Local businesses have a personal touch
Local business owners are often deeply invested in their communities. They care about their customers and the quality of their products and services. By shopping at local businesses, you can develop personal relationships with the owners and employees and feel like a valued community member.
Local businesses help reduce environmental impact
Shopping locally can also have a positive impact on the environment. Local businesses often source their products locally, reducing the carbon footprint associated with shipping and transportation. They also tend to use less packaging, meaning less landfill waste.
Local businesses support community organizations.
They will likely be the first to step up and support community organizations and events. Whether sponsoring a local sports team or donating products to a charity auction, local businesses are often the backbone of community support.
So the next time you’re in the market for something, consider checking out local businesses first. You may be surprised at the unique and high-quality products and services they have to offer, and you’ll be doing your part to help your community thrive.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Feb 18, 2022 | Digital Menus, Marketing, News, News Alerts, Online Order, POS Systems
Join us for Great Food, Vendors, and Fun.
The weather is perfect, and with so much to do in Southwest Florida, now is the time to get out and enjoy the fun events around town. The ArtFest, Bike Night, Taste of the Cape, and Food Truck Wars started the season with breaking record crowds and revenues. This weekend, the Edison Festival of Lights and the much-anticipated return of our Greek Festival will be the focus of fun and good food.
Is your Business Pivoting with Technology and Online Ordering?
Most businesses have pivoted to curbside or pickup services for their restaurants or retail establishments. If not, they are less likely to be found, limiting their exposure and significantly reducing sales. Consider beefing up your site, adding online ordering, or implementing a third-party app to facilitate delivery. Remember to make in-store, pickup, or delivery orders easier for your business.
When are Delivery Apps Beneficial?
Third-party apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash have their place, as they give your restaurant great exposure to first-time diners and support their delivery needs. Just ensure you control your online pickup orders, or they can take a big bite of your profits. Also, take advantage of all the social platforms to market your events and link to your online ordering page. Use two buttons, one for online pickup and the other for the delivery app.
Digital Menus for Order Ahead
Our POS Software and POS Apps can create an easy-to-read menu with links for you to post everywhere. You are less likely to be found if you are not adopting this technology. These simple tools enable your customers to review your menu prior to ordering. This saves time, turns tables faster, and reduces your precious labor costs.
by Chandra | Aug 13, 2021 | Marketing, POS Systems, Restaurant Industry News, Retail Industry News
Is managing your POS system as easy as posting a picture on social media? It Should be!
Imagine being able to upload an image of your daily specials or entrées as soon as they come out of your oven. Uploading a photo to your menu is as simple as posting it to your Facebook page. Wow your customers and entice them into your restaurant or store today. The power of an image is incredible!
As a business owner or manager, can you edit and make modifications easily from wherever you are?
Imagine being able to make real-time changes to your menu, manage your staff, and monitor your sales from anywhere in the world. Whether you are at home or on vacation, the newer POS systems allow you to manage all of your operations in one place!
The newer POS systems are now state of the art, replacing the old legacy systems and improving your life as a restaurant or retail owner.
If your current POS system doesn’t have all these easy-to-use features, change and upgrade today!
by Chandra | Dec 23, 2020 | Marketing, News, Restaurant Industry News, Retail Industry News
Easy and Safe Ordering with Digital Menus
Are you wondering how to make your customers feel safe to come into your store or restaurant during the Holidays and throughout the year? Do you want to ensure that they shop at your store or dine at your restaurant? Why not consider implementing a digital menu? It’s easier than you think and can even be tied to your Point of Sale System.
Our new normal finds merchants shifting their focus to online sales, delivery, and curbside pick-up. These merchants allow their customers to shop and view what they have to offer online and especially on their social networks. The new digital menus are an amazing tool to easily display these items.
Retailers now have many online solutions allowing their customers to shop while staying safe at home. Implementing digital menus on their website and social media to market to the masses is helping them keep their doors open. Many have even pivoted and started to deliver and offer curbside pickup as well.
Give Your Customers a Touch-less Experience
Restaurants are displaying their menus on one of our many online ordering platforms. They are also utilizing digital menus on their social platforms and some have even created a touch-less menu experience.
It can be a seamless process and one that automates a lot of the buying process for you, saving you tons of time and money in manpower while also increasing your sales.
Business as we know it will never be the same again and every business needs to adapt to stay competitive. Amazon is doing more business than ever. As a business owner, learn from them and many of the other large businesses that have moved part, if not all, of their business online.
You can now offer the same shop-from-home service that they offer to stay competitive during these trying times. Our platforms are also good for curbside pickup and delivery.
What Big Box Stores and Restaurants are Doing
Isn’t it time your business followed the same business model that the “Big Guys” follow by using a simple, easy-to-use platform such as our Digital Menu tied to our On-line Ordering model? Check out some great tips for reopening and keeping customers safe in the aftermath.
Lastly, check out how some restaurants are thriving during these changing times by pivoting the way they do business. Check out what Chef Calvo did in her Miami restaurant.
by Chandra | Dec 9, 2020 | Gift Cards, Marketing, Restaurant Industry News
Boost your Restaurant Sales by Up-sell to Existing Customers
Your servers should be suggesting appetizers, desserts, and gift cards. Are they? A lot of servers simply ask ”Can I start you out with an appetizer?” This puts the server in a bad position if the customer says no as they can’t really ask again without running the risk of sounding pushy or becoming annoying. When it comes to suggestive selling you want to follow these 3 steps.
3 Simple Steps to Market your Appetizers
- Inform – Tell the customer that you have appetizers when handing out the menu by saying something like “Be sure to check out our appetizer section, they are amazing!”
- Testify – Before taking the order preferably before the customer makes up their mind, you want to testify by saying something like “you should try the Crab stuffed mushrooms with the lobster sauce they are my favorite!” Be descriptive when testifying but keep it short
- The Close – Now is the time to ask for the sale “so can I start you out with an appetizer?”
The idea here is to get the customer to think about the appetizer without forcing them to make a quick decision.
Now that you sold an appetizer to your table, it’s time to think about dessert. Before the meal is brought to the table you want to put the idea of dessert in their minds while they are still hungry. We are going to use the three steps again but with a little twist.
3 Simple Steps to Market your Desserts
- Inform – Go back to the table to let them know their food will be ready soon or to see how the Appetizer is say something like “I was in the kitchen and they just pulled the apple pie out of the oven it smells so good”
- Testify/Close – When you return to check the table say something like “we have some of the best pastry chefs here, our desserts are delicious. “Can I bring you a piece of pie?” Now if the customer says yes, great! If they say, no it’s ok, because we will take one last shot before they pay the bill.
- 2nd offer – When the customer asks for the check casually ask “So are you sure you don’t want that piece of that pie? I can put it in a small box so you can take it with you for later.”
Up-selling in a restaurant is like any other type of sales. If you train your servers properly to use suggestive selling they will market more appetizers, desserts, and gift cards. This leads to larger checks, higher tips for servers, and retention of those servers along with more revenue for your restaurant. You don’t have to follow this pitch word for word, make it your own and work it into the conversation naturally. Also, people are more inclined to buy from people they like so remind your servers to be polite, friendly, and smile, smile, smile!
More solutions for restaurants.
