The “Free” Menu Trap

If you’re a restaurant operator in 2026, you’ve seen it. Your broadline distributor—the folks who sell you your chicken and your napkins—now wants to design your menu.

They call it “AI-Driven Menu Intelligence.” They say it’s “Free.”

But we all know there is no such thing as a free lunch in the restaurant business.

At HotOperator, we’ve spent 30 years engineering menus that drive actual profit. Lately, we’ve been seeing a wave of “Post-AI Regret” from owners who took the bait. Here is why that “free” AI menu tool is likely the most expensive mistake you’ll make this year.

1. Their AI Works for Them, Not You

The AI built into your distributor’s ordering platform has one primary goal: To help the distributor sell more cases.

If the algorithm sees an opportunity to push a high-margin item for them (like a specific frozen appetizer), it will suggest you highlight it on your menu—regardless of whether it fits your brand or your kitchen’s actual labor capacity.

2. The “Math vs. Psychology” Gap

AI is great at math. It can tell you that your food cost on a burger went up by 14 cents. But AI has zero understanding of PHAN (Positioning, Highlighting, Anchoring, and Numbers).

• The AI Approach: “Raise the price of your #1 seller by $1.00 because the data says so.”
• The Result: Your regulars notice the jump, feel “nickeled and dimed,” and stop coming in.
• The HotOperator Approach: We use consumer psychology to redirect your guests’ eyes toward the items you want them to buy, increasing your per-check average without triggering “price alarm” in your customers.

3. The “Sea of Sameness”

When every restaurant in town uses the same “free” AI templates and the same ChatGPT-generated descriptions, everyone starts to look the same.

• “Nestled on a bed of greens…”
• “Infused with a symphony of flavors…”
• “Chef-inspired…”

Guests can smell robotic marketing from a mile away. If your menu sounds like a machine wrote it, your guests will treat your food like a commodity. And when you’re a commodity, the only way to compete is on price. That’s a race to the bottom you don’t want to win.

4. Who Do You Call When it Fails?

When an AI-generated menu fails to move the needle, who do you call? A chatbot? A “customer success representative” who has never worked a line in their life?

At HotOperator, you get Kelly and Mark. You get 30 years of “boots on the ground” experience. We don’t just give you a dashboard; we give you a strategy. We aren’t trying to sell you more cases of fries—we’re trying to make sure you have enough profit to keep your doors open for another 30 years.

The Verdict: Don’t Let an Algorithm Run Your Brand

AI is a tool, but it isn’t a silver bullet. If you’re tired of “good enough” and you’re ready for a menu that actually engineers profit through human psychology and brand soul, it’s time to talk to a pro.

Stop guessing. Start Engineering.

The post The “Free” Menu Trap: Why Your Distributor’s AI is Costing You Thousands appeared first on HotOperator.

HotOperator Club Sandwich

How to Prepare Your Restaurant for a Challenging 2026: Seven Proven Strategies for Independent Operators

As the industry heads into 2026, early economic indicators show that consumers are still cautious with their spending. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which tightened throughout 2025, suggests that diners will continue to search for value, comfort, and predictability—even as they still want to enjoy meals outside the home. Inflation feels “sticky,” grocery prices remain stubborn, and many households are planning fewer discretionary outings.

For independent restaurants, this means one thing: strategy matters more than ever.

Here’s how to prepare your restaurant for 2026 so you can enter the new year strong—even if the economy is less than ideal.

1. Start With Menu Strategy: Build Real Value Into Your Offerings

Consumers are signaling that value doesn’t always mean “cheap,” but rather a sense of getting more than they paid for.

Offerings to consider:

• Value Meals & Bundles

HotOperator charcuterie board

Create bundles where the perception of value is obvious:

• Entrée + drink + dessert at a savings
• Two-person shareables at a fixed price
• A family-meal package for takeout

• Seasonal Prix Fixe Menus

Prix fixe menus are ideal for 2026 because they:

• Offer predictable cost for the guest
• Improve cost control for the operator
• Showcase a “mini-vacation” experience guests crave

Themes that work especially well:

• Italian Countryside Night
• Bahamas Breeze Prix Fixe
• Prohibition-Style Steakhouse Dinner
• Taco Tour of Mexico

(Premise: escape at a value.)

2. Watch the 2026 Food Trends—Especially for Family-Style Restaurants & Grub Pubs

Based on current trajectory in online search, social media, and the 5-Industry Forecast (Food, Furniture, Fashion, Film, Flowers), these trends will dominate:

FOOD

• Global “comfort fusion”: bold flavors wrapped in familiar carriers (flatbreads, tacos, bowls).
  

  HotOperator Mac N Cheese Tater Tots

• Elevated starches: polenta, gnocchi, crispy smashed potatoes.
• Retro revival: meatloaf reimagined, Salisbury steak sliders, classic casseroles upgraded.
• Premium sauces as upsells: chimichurri, miso butter, fig-balsamic, Korean gochujang aioli.
• Dessert boards (shareable, photo-worthy).
• “Better bar food”: chef-driven wings, upgraded nachos, tallow fries.

FURNITURE

Furniture trends forecast more soft textures, rounded edges, dark woods, and warm earth tones—meaning consumers respond well to dining rooms that feel like home, not industrial cafeterias.

Implication: Make your dining room feel warmer and more human in 2026.

FASHION

Fashion is shifting toward:

• Elevated basics
• “Quiet luxury”
• Retro 90s revival
• Natural materials
• Functional accessories
  → This mirrors restaurant trends toward simple, high-quality, unfussy comfort.

FILM

Film and TV continue spotlighting:

• Food nostalgia
• Travel escapes
• Edgy, modern takes on classic cuisine
  → Look to create dishes that feel like an escape or a memory.

FLOWERS

Floral trends are showing:

• Dried florals paired with fresh stems
• Seasonal minimalistic arrangements
• Natural color palettes
  → Restaurant implication: simple table touches matter—guests respond to warm, natural, seasonal visual cues.

3. Strengthen Your Social Media Presence (The Right Way)

Social media is no longer optional—it’s where value perception is created before a guest ever walks in.

Here are the seven ways to increase restaurant sales in 2026 (social media included):

THE SEVEN WAYS TO GROW SALES IN 2026

1. Upgrade the Menu for Value & Experience

Prix fixe, bundles, and seasonal experiences drive trial while signaling generosity—even on a budget.

2. Create Weekly Rituals

Consumers love routine. Build:

• Wednesday Pasta Night
• Taco Tuesday
• Prime Rib Saturday
• Sunday Family Dinner

Rituals build frequency and predictability.

3. Invest in Social Media That Actually Converts

Not just pretty food shots—strategic content that:

• Tells your story
• Shows daily life in the restaurant
• Highlights value and excitement
• Drives foot traffic with timely offers

(And yes—HotOperator is exceptional at helping restaurants produce this kind of content consistently.)

4. Improve Hospitality Training

Guests are more sensitive now—service is the difference between a first visit and a loyal customer.

5. Add New Revenue Channels

• Catering
• Meal kits
• Retail sauces or rubs
• Tailgate platters
• Office lunch drop-offs

6. Make the Restaurant More Photogenic

Borrow from Fashion + Film + Flowers: small décor tweaks create “Instagrammable” corners.

7. Work With the Right Partner for Strategy

A restaurant is overwhelming even on the best day. Having an outside partner like HotOperator gives operators:

• A sounding board
• A marketing manager on call
• Menu engineering expertise
• Guidance on what works (and what doesn’t)
• Peace of mind that progress continues even when operations are chaotic

Conclusion: Preparation Is Everything

HotOperator Chicken Pot Pie

The restaurants that win in 2026 will be the ones that:

• Build real value into their menu
• Keep a strong, reliable social media presence
• Follow emerging trends
• Lean on expert partners to stay ahead

Independent operators don’t have to do this alone. With the right support system, 2026 can be your strongest year yet.

Reach out for a great plan with HotOperator here!

The post How to Prepare Your Restaurant for a Challenging 2026 appeared first on HotOperator.

This past fall, I had the privilege of presenting at the Wisconsin Restaurant Association’s Traveling Show, with stops in Eau Claire, Green Bay, and Wausau. Each city brought a different energy, and every conversation reminded me why I love working with independent restaurant operators—they’re passionate, hardworking, and hungry for practical tools that actually move the needle.

In my session, I walked through the foundations of menu engineering, the power of strategic menu design, and the importance of building a planned, consistent social media presence that sparks conversation. I also shared several of my favorite guerrilla marketing tactics—the simple, scrappy ideas that can drive real attention without expensive budgets.

Whether you attended the show or are seeing this for the first time, the video below is a look into how smart menu decisions and better storytelling can transform a restaurant’s bottom line. If you’ve ever wondered why certain items sell, why others don’t, or how to get more people talking about your brand, this is a great place to start.

Thanks again to the WRA team for hosting such a well-run and inspiring program. I’m already looking forward to the next opportunity to connect with operators across Wisconsin.

Watch the full presentation linked below.
(If the video takes a moment to load, hang tight—it’s worth it.)

The post Behind the Scenes of the WRA Traveling Show: My Talk on Menu Engineering, Design, Social Media & Guerrilla Marketing appeared first on HotOperator.

At HotOperator®, we’ve been busy helping restaurants grow their brands and improve profitability through menu design-engineering, social media, advertising, logo design, illustration, photography, and more. Here’s a look at some of our recent restaurant marketing projects from across the country.

Wubba’s BBQ — Klamath Falls, OR

Project: BBQ Drive-Thru Launch + Branding

Long-time client Aaron Webb of Wubba’s BBQ is expanding with a brand-new drive-thru location. HotOperator® developed a new logo, menu boards, and a carryout menu to support the launch. We’ve partnered with Wubba’s for many years, providing menu strategy and marketing designed to help the brand scale while staying true to its roots.

Manila Resto — Oshkosh, WI

Project: Menu Redesign

We’ve worked with Manila Resto since they opened more than a decade ago, updating their menu twice a year. This time, we created a completely new look — moving from a hard-bound cover to a clean, 11″ x 17″ double-sided menu that’s easier to navigate and showcases their dishes beautifully.

Angelo’s — Florida

Project: Logo Redesign + Brand Differentiation

After returning to HotOperator® for support, Angelo’s wanted to stand out from competitors using similar branding. We developed a custom caricature logo featuring Angelo Sr. and Angelo Jr. The fresh design reinforces their family legacy and gives the restaurant an instantly recognizable identity that’s already proving successful.

Country House — Clarendon Hills, IL

Project: Menu Design, Email Marketing, Social Media & Promotions

We’ve partnered with Country House for years, managing their menu design, email marketing, social media, and promotions. Each month, we craft creative campaigns that connect with their loyal guests. For October, we helped launch a fun pumpkin promotion, turning seasonal décor into a marketing opportunity — now a favorite fall tradition.

Ragtime Café — Birmingham, AL

Project: Menu Update + Brand Hijack

Ragtime Café has trusted HotOperator® for menu updates for more than a decade. In the latest refresh, we introduced a clever brand hijack around their famous onion rings — a locals-only secret. Even though they’re not listed on the menu, table talkers remind guests to “just ask.” It’s a creative way to reward regulars and build hometown buzz.

Chayo Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar — Las Vegas, NV

Project: Menu Design-Engineering

Part of JRS Hospitality, Chayo is a vibrant Mexican restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. We completely redesigned and engineered their menu, implementing strategic layout, pricing psychology, and item positioning to drive higher profitability and improve guest experience.

Beer Park — Las Vegas, NV

Project: Menu Redesign & Optimization

Another high-volume Las Vegas venue, Beer Park partnered with HotOperator® for a menu redesign that improves readability, adds product recommendations, and introduces anchoring strategies to increase average check size. The result: a guest-friendly format that’s both visually engaging and financially optimized.

Partner with HotOperator®

If your restaurant could benefit from professional menu design, menu engineering, or strategic marketing, reach out to HotOperator®. We help restaurants nationwide increase sales, enhance brand recognition, and create menus that work as hard as you do.

📩 Let’s start your next project — Contact HotOperator

The post New Work from HotOperator® appeared first on HotOperator.

Well, Are You Keeping Up?

Restaurant operators are notoriously slow to change their menus. It’s not because they don’t care—it’s because they think it’s expensive. But here’s the truth: food costs are climbing, and every month you wait, you’re slipping further behind. So it’s important for you to keep up with your restaurant menu.

Most operators glance at the checkbook at the end of the month and wonder why there’s less cash in the account. Less money in savings. Less cushion for the future. What they’re not seeing is the tidal wave that’s just offshore: more cost increases, more pressure, and more danger to their bottom line.

The Hard Reality

Many of those rising costs haven’t even hit your restaurant yet. But they will. And when they do, the operators who didn’t act will find themselves scrambling, cutting corners, and losing guests to competitors who look sharper and offer more perceived value.

This isn’t about fear for fear’s sake—it’s about survival.

Brand Marketing Is the Difference

Price and function are only half the story. The other half is value. A strong brand pushes your value proposition higher. That’s why branded products always outsell the generic, in every industry.

Your menu isn’t just a list of items and prices. It’s a branded piece of high-quality literature. Done right, it builds value, anchors perception, and keeps guests from walking out the door and never coming back.

The Wrong Way vs. The Right Way

Yes, you can get a “cheap” menu. Hell, you can even get one for free. But cheap menus don’t build brands. They don’t hold value. They don’t protect you from rising costs.

The right way is to treat your menu like the most powerful marketing tool you have—and trust professionals who know how to engineer it to make you money. That’s what we do at HotOperator®.

Your Call to Action

This is an investment, not an expense. If you don’t get on board, the future doesn’t look bright for your restaurant. But if you act now, you can stay ahead, protect your profits, and make sure your guests come back again and again.

The question is: Will you do what’s necessary to keep up?

The post Are You Keeping Up With Your Restaurant Menu? appeared first on HotOperator.

How to use your menu as a selling guide

Got a call the other day from a potential client who asked a simple question: do engineered menus actually work?

There is a short answer and a longer answer.

The short answer is yes, a little.

The long answer is a bit more complicated, but yes. A lot. 

This is why a HotOperator menu is set up the way it is. And why most other menus are not. A HotOperator menu uses a method that works extremely well when the restaurant operator uses it properly. And it makes it easier to use your menu as a selling guide 

To properly use a menu as a selling guide, it needs to be designed correctly. And this goes for every level of menu. From quick service restaurants to full service elegant dining restaurants. The later can sometimes be argued from chefs who think everything on their menu is great. But from experience, I know that while everything is great, some things are better than others. This is true in two important ways: some menu items make more money, and some items are more popular.

Keep Perfect Balance in a Menu

To keep a perfect balance in a menu for using a Restaurant Menu as a Selling Guide, there is the design and creative side, and the science side. With the creative, the menu needs ot look on brand. It also needs to enlighten the guest when they hold it in their hands. Nest, your menu needs to express your brand, and the ‘voice’ needs to describe items in a way that will appeal to women (women read menus, men skim over them when ordering).

On the science side, the menu needs to use Positioning, Highlights, Mental Anchoring, and Pricing Sweet Spots. This is determined by the Menu Matrix and review.

How to Use a Menu as a Selling Guide

Okay, so we’ve developed a well design-engineered menu. Now what? To start, we need some basic server training about how to use the menu. The well design-engineered menu will help sell more of the items that are highlighted, but if your servers are ‘selling’ with the menu, the results will be nothing short of amazing.

It’s a little better vs. a lot better. Again, the menu alone will impact sales, but wit the help of a good seals team, the menu will make a huge difference in your restaurant.

Servers Make Tips (nothing new here)

We start the server training with some very simple ideas. First, the restaurant is directly connected to the restaurant server. When the server does well, so does the restaurant. Further, when the restaurant does well, the server will make more money. That’s because, on average, servers make about 20% of the check total. So, when the check total increases, so do their tips. But what servers may not know a lot about is how to use a menu to make better tips.

Order Taker vs. Sales Person

If a server thinks of themselves as an order taker, they are missing a huge opportunity. And in most cases, the server (yours included) may have never thought about it either way. So the first step in making the change is to start thinking about asking for orders. Be aware, nobody gets every order they ask for, but they will get some. And the difference is how much money the server will take home with them at the end of their shift.

Guests Want the Server’s Opinion

Restaurant sales people have a lot of power in a restaurants. Your guests want their opinion.That’s because the server works for the restaurant, so they the logic tells them the server will know what’s good. So when a guest comes into the restaurant, if the server offers some things over others, it is likely that the guests will take that advice in many cases. Keep in mind, this is a not every time thing, but selling does work some times. But, a guest will never take the advice of a server if it is never offered.

Don’t Put the Menu on the Table

Instead, have your servers hand the menu to each guest. Even the kids get a menu handed to them. And as the server is handing over the menu, they should be introducing the highlighted items to the guest while looking directly into their eyes.

While smiling! This is so overlooked. But there is only one time a person can make a great first impression. And it’s the first time a server comes into contact with the guest.

There is an Order to Selling

There is an order to selling food from a menu. The first item to promote and try to sell is the appetizer. The server needs to point them out, tell them which ones are popular, and then take a drink order. Never take a drink order before saying something like: “Before I get your drink order, can I put in an appetizer for you?”.

Next, while delivering the drinks, ask the guests which appetizer they settled on. If they say which one, great. If they say they don’t want an appetizer, make sure your server/sales staff offers up a dessert order.

Finally, when taking the entree order, make sure your servers complement some of the choices. Have them say things like: “That’s a good choice, or, I think you’ll really like that.” This will help reduce the number of complaints in the restaurant, and negative comments on review sites.

Accessories Make the Dress, Bookends Make the Meal

The idea of “upselling” may never have occurred to your staff. So make sure you tell them to never stop selling. As an example, explain to your servers that when the order is taken but before any food is delivered, ask the guests (again) if they would like a dessert. And it’s best to offer a specific dessert. So ask them to say something like: “Would you like a dessert? We have a nice piece of chocolate cake in the kitchen, can I set one aside for you before we sell out?”

Do Your Servers Read and Remember?

Show of hands, how many restaurant owners or managers have their staff read and remember what’s on the menu? From my own experience working with restaurant owners over the years, you would be surprised how many don’t.

The reason we want servers to read and remember is because they can’t sell what they don’t understand. Even better, do ‘cuttings’ with your staff. Get everyone together and have your chef make up the dishes and let your servers taste the items. In this way, they will be able to describe the items they are now selling. Do thins about once per month and make it fun!

What’s Good Here?

That is a question a server is going to get only if they didn’t do a good job in the beginning when seating the guest. But when they do get that question, it will become a reminder that they should have been telling the guests the answer to that question during the seating process.

But what if I have a Host Station?

When you have a host or hostess, have them carry the menus to the table and introduce the guests to the menu. Tell them not to just plop the menus on the table. Instead, have them hand each guest the menu and guide them through the menu. Have them take just a moment to point out the appetizers, highlighted items and then tell them that their server will be with them shortly.

Positioned to Make a Sale

A well designed menu will have items positioned to make a sale. That means, the items we want to promote will be in the proper locations so they get a lot of attention. Further, your servers will be able to find them easily.

Every HotOperator Comes with Server Training

When you sign up for a HotOperator Menu, you are automatically signed up for server/salesperson training. Once the menu is introduced to your managers, we set up a time to go through a Zoom training session with your staff. In this way, we’re able to get your managers and serving staff using the menu properly.

For a free consultation and to find out more, contact HotOperator here.  

The post Your Restaurant Menu Should Be A Selling Guide appeared first on HotOperator.

According to The National Restaurant Association, the foodservice industry is on target to reach $1 Trillion dollars in sales this year. And when asked what stands out in the industry, here’s what they had to say (and what HotOperator recommends for taking advantage of those trends).

But before we get to that. Keep in mind, a strong message became clear: People want human contact when dinning out. You know, people helping people. So, take note before you try to tighten staff with computers.

The Key findings:   

1. Sales are up: The foodservice industry is forecast to reach $1 trillion in sales in 2024.

Is this sales in more people going out to eat? Nope. It’s mostly higher prices. To offset this, make sure you are mental anchoring your restaurant menu. Have comparative prices that show the guest just how little they are spending.

2. Restaurants are hiring: The industry workforce is projected to grow by 200,000 jobs, for total industry employment of 15.7M by the end of 2024. 45% of operators need more employees to meet customer demand.

Which is great. But it also offers another problem. Many operators are struggling to find workers (and keep them). A strong brand marketing campaign will help your restaurant stay top-of-mind. And that makes your restaurant more attractive to employees along with consumers.

3. Competition is strong: In 2024, 45% of operators expect competition to be more intense than last year.

This is difficult for most independent operators. Chain restaurants are taking a larger and larger portion of the market. To combat this, independent operators will need to use guerrilla marketing programs to stay in front of chains moving into their market. Try things like local bonuses. Special menu items that only local guests know about. And treat guests like royalty. 

4. Costs are up: 98% of operators say higher labor costs are an issue for their restaurant. 97% cite higher food costs. 38% say their restaurants were not profitable last year.

This points to a lack of marketing which puts stress on any restaurant. Simply put, a weak brand will not push their value up in the eyes of local guests. Our recommendation? Do a brand analysis along with a menu matrix to find out what your guests really think of your business. Every day you have a focus group going on in your restaurant. People are voting for your business with their pocket books and their feet. They are telling you if they like your business, and they are telling you what they like most about dinning with you (and what they don’t like)

But don’t do this on your own. You need an objective view. You need an expert to look at your business and offer advice. It might be painful, but it is necessary.

5. Consumers are value conscious: Nearly half of consumers are taking a wait-and-see stance when it comes to spending. Operators who offer a solid value proposition for dining out can nudge customers out of their holding pattern.

This is not a deep thinking thing to say. That’s because consumers are always value conscious. Where most people make a mistake is thinking that value conscious is all about price. But it’s not just about price. It’s about price and function together. A product can have a higher price only if you offer reasons that will support that higher price. Most operators get this wrong in their business and never think to support each item with the proper description and highlight.

6. Consumers love restaurants: 9 in 10 adults say they enjoy going to restaurants. Restaurants allow them to enjoy a favorite meal that has flavor and taste sensations they can’t easily replicate at home.

So it’s not all bad news. Of course people want to eat out. It’s fun. In fact, it’s a mini vacation. So, you need to nurture those feelings with your guests. That means you have to train your staff on how to work with guests so they make better choices when they order from you. And how to get your servers to leave their own struggles at the door when they come to work.

If you’re looking for help to build a better brand in your restaurant, give Mark a call. He’s an expert in restaurant branding, menu development, social media and content development. He’s been doing this stuff for nearly 4 decades, and has worked with more than 200 restaurants across the country. This gives him a unique ability to learn from other independent operators what’s working and what isn’t.

Hey, the first 15 minutes are free. To take advantage, call 800-316-3198 and leave a message. Mark will get back to you.

The post 6 Restaurant Trends and What They Mean (number 4 is essential) appeared first on HotOperator.

Customers Enjoying Meals In Busy Restaurant

Running a restaurant can be tricky. Especially when you have to operate all the day-to-day drama along with marketing the business as well. That’s why HotOperator has come up with 8 More Restaurant Promotions. Before you run off and try these in your restaurant, take a moment and see if you might need a little professional help.

So, here are 8 More Restaurant Promotions can be helpful, but they can also be harmful if they are not well executed.

1. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with local influencers to promote your business to their followers through reviews, shout-outs, or sponsored content. Every community has a celebrity of sorts that can be offered a little something to post on your page for a few days. Take advantage of that connection and have a bump in local credibility.
2. Customer Testimonials and Reviews: If you’re working with HotOperator, you’re already doing this. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials, and feature these on your website and social media.
   
3. Community Involvement: Sponsor local events, sports teams, or charities to build goodwill and increase brand visibility in your community.
4. Birthday Discounts: Offer special discounts or freebies to customers on their birthdays to make them feel valued and encourage repeat business.
   
5. Prix Fixe Programs: Create bundles or packages of your products at a discounted rate to increase average order value. These can be for a day part, and limited time, or just a single day event. These can be developed as a separate menu, or added to your everyday menu.
   
6. Special Guest Events: Like a special local celebrity, or a beer or wine pairing events to get your guests to visit and enjoy themselves.|
   
7. Affiliate Program: Create an affiliate program where customers and partners can earn commissions by referring others to your business.
   
8. Game Promotions: Getting your servers and other staff to focus on add-on items and new offerings can take some promotions on your end. Talking about extra tips is one thing, but getting a server to actually ‘sell’ something is a different story. Here’s the thing: servers are all coin operated. So offering them an extra buck or two for a short time can get their attention (and you more sales in return).
   

Give Mark Laux a call at (920) 420-2076 for expert advice.

The post 8 More Restaurant Promotions (Number 5 is Hot Right Now) appeared first on HotOperator.

An ugly menu made by a restaurant operator.

I was out with friends for dinner the other night at a fairly upscale restaurant and was offered a really terrible menu. My friends all know that I have spent the last 30 years working with restaurant operators all over the world building great menus, so they all cringed a little when they got the menu. They asked me what I thought, and at that moment I was thinking: Does your restaurant menu represent your food? And then I said it out loud: “I was just thinking ‘does your menu represent your food?”

How can I put this in a way that you will understand how important this is and not get offended. When your menu is an ugly piece of garbage, it impacts your guest’s food experience. In this case, I ordered the ‘crunch chicken salad’, and found the chicken to be over cooked, and the salad dressing overly sweet. Would I have noticed that if I were not already turned off by the menu? Probably not. I can honestly say that if the menu were on a nice, waterproof sheet with an elegant design, I may have overlooked those slight imperfections. I probably would have thought that the menu does represent the brand, and that the salad was above average in quality.

Why chefs should stick to cooking.

What’s with all the dots? Makes the menu about price rather than quality.

When I go to a restaurant, I don’t expect to cook. I am going out to get something that is beyond my own capabilities. I’m looking for an experience. And your menu is a part of that experience. In fact, the entire experience comes together to form a brand in my mind. A special happy moment that is of a higher level. The food, companionship, service, food and atmosphere all come together to form a time that will be remembered. And the menu is a huge part of that experience.

When chefs cook and plate their food, they are looking for something special. The plate needs to go out just right and be consistent each time. Beyond that, the guest needs to be excited and satisfied with the entire experience from the moment they are greeted at the door to the time they first see the menu, to the time the food is delivered. If any one of those moments is a misstep, there is a hole in the brand that the guest will fill with criticism. Some of that criticism can emerge as a negative review. And here’s the thing, “positive reviews can encourage an influx of business, while negative ones can significantly impact a restaurant’s reputation and revenue. One research study found that a single negative review can drive away 22% of customers, while three can push the number to 59%.” This is more true of independent restaurant operators because they don’t have a high level of trust and notoriety. They simply are unknown, and people do not like to risk their dinner.

Your Menu is a Tool

HotOperator Design-Engineered

Okay, back to the menu. Take a good look at it and think to yourself: “Does your restaurant menu represent your food?” Thinking further, will this menu make my guests think more highly of my food? If there is any doubt at all, get it serviced. And don’t do what you’ve always done hoping for a different result. 

When you think of your menu as a tool for your ‘salespeople’ to use to sell food, you’ll see your menu as a brochure that represents your brand. You’ll more fully understand that your guests will have a much better idea and experience with your food when your menu is design-engineered properly. 

The Higher The Menu, The Lower The Quality of the Menu?

It’s funny, some of the most horrible menus are from so-called high end restaurants. Almost all of them are a complete disaster. Flimsy slips of paper that come off of a copy machine and flopped on the table without any explanation or introduction. 

A Restaurant Menu You Can Print

This is like your guests start making Béarnaise sauce over filet mignon on their own? It’s a difficult dish, but it doesn’t look that hard when you see it on a plate. How hard can it be, right? It’s just a tarragon-flavored French sauce made from clarified butter, vinegar, shallots, egg yolks and herbs. Simple enough. You can see where this is going. It’s about knowing what you’re good at and leaving the really tough stuff to professionals. You know, like your menu.

Simple Elegance in a Menu is like Béarnaise in a kitchen

Looks easy when it’s done properly. But it’s a bitch to get right when you’re working on it. Staring at the ingredients and getting everything together just right so it doesn’t scramble and make you start over is much more difficult in the process than it is to plate it up.  A great menu is similar. Take a blank piece of paper and make something that’s upscale, beautiful and will make your guests think more highly of your food. 

As an industry, we can do much, much better.

Google Design you can print on your own

Get the right agent to help you. Someone with an experienced staff with menu design and engineering skills. Then, listen to them. It’s easy to think: “But I can save money doing it all myself. Plus, I change my menu nearly every week, sometimes multiple times in a week.” But a great design firm can set the menu up so you can still have a beautiful menu, and change it every week. Hell, every day, if you want to.

Here’s my advice, and I hope you will take this advice: get a professional to work on your menu. Someone with skills and experience. A real high level ‘chef’ in design and writing.

Once Completed, Your Restaurant Menu Will Represent Your Food and Lift your brand.

To get a free consultation, call (920) 420-2076, or click the link!

The post Does Your Restaurant Menu Represent Your Food? appeared first on HotOperator.

Prime Restaurant Turnaround: How HotOperator Helped an Oklahoma Operator Save His Restaurant

We’ve worked with a restaurant operator in Enid, Oklahoma, for more than a decade. Enid is a city of just over 50,000 people and a mostly industrial community. This operator had two successful restaurants: an Italian restaurant called Napoli’s, and a steakhouse called The Landrun. That is, until just recently. This is a short story about how HotOperator helped an Oklahoma operator save his restaurant.

From Steakhouse to PrimeTime Sports Bar?

A few months ago, our contact at the restaurant, Tony, and I had a lengthy conversation about his steakhouse. The problem was, a new Texas Roadhouse had moved into the community and was sucking all his customers away. The quality of service at Texas Roadhouse wasn’t as good, and the atmosphere was much, much better at The Landrun. But the prices were so much cheaper at Texas Roadhouse, Tony’s best customers were willing to overlook the atmosphere and slight downgrade in service to save money on essentially the same steak.

As we looked at options for his struggling business, Tony was thinking about just closing the business down in defeat. But after the call, I did a little digging and discovered that Enid was lacking in sports and entertainment restaurants. When I brought this idea to Tony, he was reluctant. From his point of view, it was an investment in a business that had been bleeding money for nearly six months.

Change Can Be Scary, Right?

But after some convincing on my part, he decided to give it a try. To be fair, it was a significant investment to change the business over to The PrimeTime Sports Bar and Grill. There were the TVs, the drink and dining menus, the website, new furniture, signage, and on and on. But over a period of about three months (the length of time was a result of the beverage license), we were able to transform his business into the PrimeTime Sports Bar & Grill.

We talked them into free popcorn and people love it!

Going Soft to Open

As we got closer to his new opening, we advised a couple of soft opens with lists he had gathered from the local chamber of commerce. This was a list of about 400 people, not including some of Tony’s close friends and acquaintances. We also suggested he have the two events on Thursday and Friday evenings to ensure a high enough turnout. We also advised him to close over the weekend and open the following Monday so that he could work out some of the kinks in the operations.

The first night, Tony had about 200 people show up. For the most part, everyone loved the new atmosphere, food, and service, although on the service side of things, it was more of a display. While a few people ordered off the menu, most people ate the free appetizers and bought drinks at the bar.

The second night saw about 150 people, so slightly fewer. However, that night also saw a number of local drive-bys who stopped in because they saw a lot of cars in the parking lot. Tony was pleasantly surprised at the overall success of the initial soft opening.

But the following week, Tony saw an influx of people and excitement that he didn’t expect. Throughout the week, we maintained a crowd with a 30- to 45-minute wait towards the weekend. It got to the point where Tony had to push back his Sunday opening from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. because he was running out of food.

Don’t you just love honeymoons in the restaurant business?

Our goal as Tony’s agency is to help him grow his new sports bar and grill into a $3M operation over the course of the next two years. We’ve helped him grow his Napoli’s Italian Restaurant into a $2.5M operation, even though it’s in a very poor location in the downtown area. And in the next few months, we’re helping Tony open a new Mexican restaurant called Casa Latina.

If you’re ever in Enid, Oklahoma, look up any of Tony’s operations. He is a very good operator and would love to see you!

Set Up a Call with Mark

If you’re looking to turn your business around, reach out to me here!

The post Prime Restaurant Turnaround: How HotOperator Helped an Oklahoma Operator Save His Restaurant appeared first on HotOperator.