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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.

Selling Restaurant Food in a Down Economy

The economic backdrop for U.S. restaurants in 2025 is proving increasingly challenging. On one hand, total eating-and-drinking-place sales have edged up modestly — but the gains are being driven largely by menu-price inflation, not higher foot traffic. NRA+1 On the other hand, consumer behavior is shifting: higher prices, rising grocery costs and broader financial uncertainty mean many diners are cutting back. Nearly 40 % of consumers told a recent survey they’re spending less of their disposable income on restaurants. Restaurant Business Online+2Food Business News+2

This economic squeeze hits especially hard for family-run, sit-down, full-service restaurants — a segment for which casual dining and fine dining have both seen traffic declines. Black Box Intelligence+2SeafoodSource+2 Meanwhile, consumers still crave the experience of dining out — but now they demand more value, more meaning, and more “escape.”

That’s where creative restaurateurs and smart operators — i.e. you — have a massive opportunity. When people cut back on big expensive vacations, they’ll still spend on mini-escapes. So think beyond “just dinner.” Think “a night out that feels like a getaway.”

Why “mini-vacation” dining works now

• People want escape without spending a lot. Economic uncertainty means fewer expensive trips, but that doesn’t kill the desire for novelty, fun, or a break from routine.
• Value + experience = perceived worth. If guests feel they’re getting a lot (good food, ambiance, fun, generosity) for the price — especially compared to eating at home — they’re more likely to come out even when budgets are tight.
• Emotion trumps menu mechanics in tough times. Nostalgia, comfort, and the chance to feel pampered or travel (even imaginatively) can be far more motivating than “just a meal.”

How to turn your restaurant into a “home away from home” mini-vacation

Here are actionable ideas for owners/operators to reframe their offer — and tap into demand even when consumers are cost-conscious:

🎯 Themed Prix Fixe “Getaway” Menus

Instead of traditional à-la-carte dining, offer themed set meals — for example:

• “Bahamas Night” — shared tropical appetizer (think coconut shrimp or jerk-seasoned bites), two entrée selections (fish tacos, jerk chicken pasta, etc.), and a shared dessert (key lime pie or rum-glazed banana foster), all for $39.99 per couple. Serve with island-inspired mocktails or cocktails.
• “Roman Holiday” — antipasti starter, family-style pasta or chicken parm, shared tiramisu — evoking an Italian trattoria vibe, for $2-for-$45 couples prix fixe.
• These bundles promise escapism and ease: no budget shock (fixed price), no thinking about “which appetizer / entrée / dessert.” It’s a deal and a mini-holiday all in one.

💑 Date-Night Bundles & Value Lunch Program

• Date Night / Early Dinner Bundles: Shared appetizer + two entrées + shared dessert for a fixed price. Great for couples — maybe “two-for-39.99,” or slightly higher depending on region/food cost.
• Lunch-for-Two Deals: Sandwich, side dish (e.g., soup, salad, fries), and two drinks for $24.99 for two people — perfect for friends or coworkers seeking affordability and convenience mid-day.

These packaged deals give guests a sense of control and value when wallets are tight.

🎉 Add Entertainment / Atmosphere — Make It An Event

• Live music nights (acoustic, jazz, Latin, depending on your cuisine/theme) — make it feel like a night out, not just dinner.
• Theme nights: “Taco Tuesday Mexico Fiesta,” “Mediterranean Escape,” “Caribbean Friday,” etc — with décor, playlist, and even small details like themed napkins or menu descriptions.
• Occasional seasonal events: “Summer Luau,” “Winter Warm-Up” (comfort foods, warm drinks), “Holiday Escape” menus — giving regular customers a reason to stop by.

📲 Use Smart Digital Marketing & Loyalty Triggers

• Promote the bundles through social media and email as “mini-vacations without leaving town.”
• Loyalty perks: e.g., after 5 “getaway meals,” offer a free dessert or discounted next prix fixe night.
• Early-week or slow-night specials (Tuesdays, Wednesdays) — earlier seatings, discounted bundles — to drive traffic on slower nights.

The Benefits for Independent Restaurant Operators

• You capture guests who are willing to dine out but are more cost-conscious.
• You increase perceived value and emotional connection — it’s not just a meal, it’s an experience.
• You streamline ordering & food cost control: prix fixe menus simplify prep, reduce waste, and help manage margins.
• You build loyalty and recurring visits — when people know they can get a “vacation in town” for $40–$50, they may choose it over other discretionary spending.

Why This Matters Now

Given high food and labor costs — many operators report food costs up nearly 29% over last year, and rising pressure on profit margins. PR Newswire+1 And with consumers telling pollsters that dining out is one of the first places they cut back when money gets tight. Food Business News+2EMARKETER+2

In short: when the economy tightens, people don’t necessarily stop eating out — but they’re more selective. If you can offer value, comfort, and a little “escape,” independent and family-run restaurants have tremendous opportunity to win back those budget-conscious but experience-hungry diners.

The post Selling Restaurant Food in a Down Economy 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.

When Confidence Drops, So Does Dining Out: What Low Consumer Confidence Means for Restaurants

Let’s face it—when people start to feel uneasy about the economy, restaurants are often one of the first places they cut back. Whether it’s skipping the morning coffee run or trading dinner out for something homemade, low consumer confidence can seriously shake up the restaurant industry.

And that’s exactly what’s happening right now.

People Are Feeling Nervous—And It Shows

In April 2025, the Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 92.9. That might not sound dramatic, but anything under 100 signals that folks are feeling more pessimistic than optimistic. The last time we saw numbers like this was during the pandemic.

Why does this matter? Because when people get worried about inflation, job security, or just the overall economy, they tend to pull back on spending—especially on non-essentials like dining out.

🍟 Even the Big Guys Are Taking a Hit

You’d think fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Chipotle would be pretty recession-proof, right? Not so much this time around.

• McDonald’s just posted its biggest drop in U.S. sales since the COVID lockdowns—down 3.6% in Q1. A lot of that is from middle-income guests who are skipping their usual breakfast stop on the way to work.
• Starbucks and Chipotle are also seeing sales slow, especially with their more affluent customer base tightening their belts.
• Domino’s noticed that people are choosing to walk in and carry out rather than order delivery to avoid extra fees. That’s a clear sign people are getting more intentional about every dollar they spend.

Even brands that usually hold strong in tough times are adjusting their game plans.

🧠 People Are Changing the Way They Dine

With confidence down, we’re seeing some big shifts in how people are eating:

• They’re going out less often, especially to sit-down places.
• They’re looking for value—think $5 meal deals, coupons, and happy hours.
• They’re cooking at home more, even for meals like breakfast that used to be easy wins for quick-service spots.

All of this adds up to a big question for restaurant operators: how do you stay relevant when your customers are feeling cautious?

💡 How Restaurants Are Adapting

Smart operators aren’t just sitting back and waiting this out. They’re pivoting fast:

• McDonald’s is rolling out a $5 meal to win back price-conscious customers.
• Taco Bell and Chili’s are leaning into promotions to drive traffic.
• Menu innovation is picking up too—new items that feel exciting and affordable are helping get people back in the door.
• And loyalty programs and great service? They matter now more than ever.

It’s all about showing your guests that you get what they’re going through—and giving them a reason to still treat themselves now and then.

🚨 Bottom Line

Consumer confidence may be down, but that doesn’t mean restaurant sales have to be. The brands that listen, adapt, and find smart ways to offer value are the ones that will come out ahead.

Want to dive deeper? Check out this LinkedIn article for more insights into what’s working and what’s next.

Let’s keep the conversation going.
Are you seeing changes in your guests’ behavior? Have you tried any new tactics that are helping? Drop your thoughts in the comments or shoot us a message. Contact Mark here >>>

The post What Low Consumer Confidence Means for Restaurants appeared first on HotOperator.

It’s often said that people eat with their eyes first. Captivating food photography can entice potential customers, enhance your menu’s appeal, and boost engagement on social media. You don’t need to be a professional photographer to achieve mouth-watering images of your dishes. Here are some straightforward tips to help you capture photos that will make your guests eager to dine with you.​

1. Utilize Natural Lighting

Lighting is crucial in food photography. Natural light brings out the true colors and textures of your dishes. Aim to take photos near a window during daylight hours, preferably in the morning or late afternoon when the light is softer. Avoid using flash, as it can create harsh reflections and unnatural colors. ​

2. Simplify Your Background

A clutter-free background ensures that the focus remains on your food. Use neutral-colored tablecloths or surfaces to make your dishes stand out. Removing unnecessary items from the frame helps prevent distractions and keeps the composition clean. ​lunchbox+3Purplegator+3ChowNow+3

3. Incorporate Garnishes and Fresh Ingredients

Adding fresh garnishes not only enhances the visual appeal of your dishes but also conveys freshness and flavor. A sprinkle of herbs, a slice of lemon, or a dash of sauce can add color and interest to your photos. ​

4. Experiment with Angles and Composition

Different dishes benefit from different angles. Overhead shots work well for flat dishes like pizzas, while a 45-degree angle might be better for layered items like burgers. Don’t be afraid to take multiple shots from various perspectives to find the most flattering angle. ​Cuboh

5. Maintain Consistency with Your Brand

Ensure that your photos reflect the style and ambiance of your restaurant. Consistency in your photography helps in building a recognizable brand identity. Use props and settings that align with your restaurant’s theme and atmosphere. ​

Promote your menu items with mouth-watering photography

6. Highlight Textures and Details

Capturing the textures of your dishes can make them more enticing. Use side lighting to emphasize the details, such as the crispiness of fried foods or the creaminess of sauces. Close-up shots can also showcase the intricate elements of your dishes. ​

7. Use Props Wisely

Props can add context and interest to your photos, but they should not overshadow the main subject. Choose props that complement the dish and are relevant to the dining experience. For example, using your restaurant’s unique tableware can add a personal touch. ​

By implementing these simple tips, you can create appetizing photos that attract and entice your audience. Remember, the goal is to represent your dishes authentically and appealingly, encouraging potential customers to experience them firsthand.​UpMenu+5DoorDash Merchants+5Allrecipes+5

For a visual guide on conducting a restaurant menu photoshoot, check out the following video:

The post Easy Food Photography Tips to Delight Your Restaurant’s Guests appeared first on HotOperator.

The Problem: How to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants.

A problem that most restaurant operators worry about most is: how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants. This has been and always will be an issue for most restaurants because they are always purchasing products. And because of the volume of their purchases, it is very difficult to keep track of everything they are buying.

Here are 7 steps to reducing your food costs (and other supplies) from distributors.

1 – Trust – as in, trust your distributor sales representative.

But verify. In other words, don’t trust them blindly. Keep in mind, foodservice distributors make their money off of markups on products. The more they can charge you, the more money they make.

Also, they have a lot of people supporting their sales team. These people are looking at everything they sell and making sure they get the most money they can out of everything they sell.

A lot of restaurant operators think their sales representatives are working for them. They build close relationships with these people over time. But the sad truth is, those same sales representatives are paid based on sales commissions. And those commissions are based on the amount of money they can make off of their best customers.

As a restaurant operator, your best option is to trust, but verify. Have other sources you can turn to to check prices. It’s also wise to make friends with other restaurant operators and share prices with them. 

2 – Brands – don’t buy private label brands just to save money.

This will impact the quality of your foods overall, and your consistency. When thinking about how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants, operators will be tempted to buy a private label product. This is because private label items are cheaper. And if you listen to a distributor sales representative, they will tell you it’s the exact same quality as the branded items.

This isn’t true, of course. Private label products change from time to time without notice. So, you never know what’s in the box or where it came from. My advice: stick with branded products as much as possible. It’s the only way to know you’re getting the consistent quality your guests have come to appreciate.

 3 – Menu Design services

Never sign a contract that includes your distributor doing your menu with a commitment to purchase attached. You might think you’re saving money, but you’re not. You might also think they are experts. But they are not. You might also think they have your best interests at heart. They don’t.

If you’re looking for answers to how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants, getting a ‘free’ menu from a distributor is exactly the opposite thing you should do. Your distributor is not giving you anything for free. They are using the menu services to leverage higher profits and to lock you into buying a disproportionate amount of products from them.

It’s a way to get you to stop shopping on price. And most importantly, it’s their way of getting you to give up your purchase power.

4 – Social Media Services

Do it yourself, or better yet, hire someone you pay directly to do it for you. Do not rely on your distributor for that ‘service’. It’s not a service, it’s a way to lock you into higher prices. If you’re looking for the best answers to how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants, again, getting services from a distributor is the last thing you want to do.

I can’t emphasize enough that foodservice distributors are not your partners. They are selling you products, and the best way for them to make a higher profit off of your restaurant is to lock you into support services. These services are all based on their getting a higher percentage of your business. And that comes at a much higher cost to you.

5 – Comparison Shop

Check your prices now and again. Distributors do not want you to do that. They hate it when you do that. But it’s the best way to make sure you’re not overpaying. 

If you’re looking to answer the question about how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants? Shop around. It’s fine to make a contract with a distributor. But place your account into review from time to time. And when you do, know that the competitor is going to be looking for ‘lost leaders’. These are items they can lowball in order to get a higher return on other items they are selling you.

6 – Join Social Media Groups

Social media is a great place to join groups and talk about what people are paying for their products. Talk, compare, and get leverage.

Here are a couple of groups that you can join and ask for advice on purchasing power in your restaurant:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RestaurantOwnersAndManagers/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1626680234223669/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantpurchasepower

7 – Pay Attention To Inventory

Spend enough time looking at your inventory, and compare that to sales. Shrinkage and spoilage are two problems that can be solved with the right attention to detail. This is another great way to understand how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants. Restaurant Owner is a great resource for getting advice and education on inventory control.

If you need help coming up with ideas on how to reduce food and supply costs in restaurants, build a better menu, or develop a restaurant marketing plan, give us a call! Mark Laux can be found here: http://www.hotoperator.com/contact-us/

The post How to Reduce Food and Supply Costs in Restaurants appeared first on HotOperator.

How to Take Advantage of Delivery and Carryout Trends in Your Restaurant

According to a recent National Restaurant Association survey, 60% of U.S. consumers say they order delivery or carryout food at least once a week, with 31% saying they order from a third-party delivery service. So, unless your restaurant is completely rural, this is an opportunity that you can tap into to help grow your restaurant business. But before you jump into the carryout and delivery business, here are some things you can do to help you make it profitable, and keep your customers happy. In other words, here’s how to take advantage of delivery and carryout trends in your restaurant.

Start with the right products.

First, do some simple analytics on your current sales, and if you are already selling carryout and delivery, separate those sales reports so you know what people are already ordering. To do this, gather up a product sales report and break it down into a scatter graph for review. In this way, you will have a much better idea of what your customers are already buying from you. Look at least three months to get a good idea what’s working for you and what isn’t.

Part of this research should be to look at online reviews, especially any that pertain to carry out and delivery. What you are looking for are what people are saying about any of your carry out and delivery orders. Also, if you want to get deeper into the minds of your customers, do some surveys with anyone who has ordered delivery or carryout food from you to see what they thought. Oftentimes, it’s what people don’t say that should concern us the most because people think they are doing us a favor by being polite and not saying anything. When in fact, they simply stop ordering from us, and we never really know why.

Be Carryout & Delivery Selective

Next, don’t try to make everything on your menu available for carryout and delivery. Instead, focus on items you know will travel well, and items that are already popular with consumers. When I say travel well, what I’m referring to are items that can be packaged up, shipped across town, and will still taste good. Most consumers understand that products they order for carryout and delivery will not be as good as they are in the restaurant. But they also want what they order to make it home and be better than they would make for themselves.

Research To Find What Travels Well

When you’re deciding what to keep on your carryout and delivery menu, again, do a little research. Make the products up, package them as you would for your customers, and then take them on a ride home with you and taste test them. Get people you trust to do the same thing, and take their comments seriously. The last thing you want is to have unhappy customers commenting on social media and business review websites after it’s too late for you to do anything to make a better product. Many bad reviews can be avoided by simply trying out everything you sell before you sell it.

DoorDash and Grubhub Both Know What Sells

Based on the DoorDash State of Flavor Report and Grubhub’s list of the hottest dishes of 2020, here is a list of some of the top foods getting delivered nationwide. This list is based on the overall popularity and rising trends of food delivery items from both DoorDash and Grubhub. Keep in mind, your market may vary, but it does show what consumers like, and it also tells you the kinds of products that travel well. While not everything on this list will work for your restaurant, some of them will. And what I find most interesting is how simple the items are. There is nothing creative about anything on this list at all.

1 – Chicken Fingers

DoorDash reports chicken fingers and fries as the No. 1 ordered food item for 2020. This shouldn’t be a surprise at all, since fried chicken items travel well, and still taste good, especially when dipped in a sauce.

2 – Chicken Sandwich

Who would have guessed, another fried chicken item? When topped with pickles and some special sauce, you’ve got an item that will taste great after sitting for half an hour or longer. Best of all, it’s easy to make. Just make sure yours has something special to offer that will set it apart from everything else being offered by quick service restaurants nationwide.

3 – Mac N Cheese

Of course, comfort foods are king when times are great, and especially when times are tough. The thing about Mac N Cheese is that it’s a difficult product to make from scratch for most people, so they would prefer to order it out. That and the products in a box from a grocery store are not great when cooked at home. If you have a restaurant that serves anything close to American food, this is a must have item.

4 – Sushi

This was a bit of a surprise, and it’s not for everyone or every restaurant operator to make. But it does make sense, since carryout and delivery foods are eaten immediately, and fresh fish dipped in soy with wasabi will taste fantastic when it’s taken home. If your restaurant is a little more upscale, you could get away with adding sushi to your menu, but again, it’s not for everyone.

5 – Asian Food

Items like Pad Thai are very popular with both carryout and delivery. Something to consider here is nearly every restaurant style can offer an Asian fusion item on their menu. Rice and noodle bowls are relatively easy to make, and travel very well.

6 – Veggie Burgers

Plant-based products are in, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Grubhub orders for plant-based burgers have risen 291%, nearly catching the spicy chicken sandwich and its 299% growth. If you don’t have a vegetable based burger, you need to. Most distributors carry items already prepared for cooking, so this doesn’t need to be made from scratch. But it does need to find a place on your menu.

7 – Mexican Anything

Mexican food in general is a leading choice for food deliveries, with both tacos and burritos topping the charts. According to the Uber Eats 2020 Cravings Report, tacos and burritos were top recipients of both delivery and carryout food requests. Best of all, unless you are an Asian restaurant, you can offer some terrific tacos and burritos with a fusion flair.

8 – Breakfast Sandwiches

A simple egg, cheese and sausage biscuit was the top rising item on DoorDash deliveries, seeing a 2,872% increase in popularity. Easy to make, and fits nearly any restaurant style with a little creativity, putting take out breakfast on your menu makes perfect sense. Even if you only open for carryout and delivery breakfast at your restaurant.

9 – Cinnamon Rolls & Donuts

Food delivery orders for cinnamon rolls rose 205% on Grubhub and 1,450% on DoorDash, and donuts were right behind them. Of course, this isn’t for every restaurant style, but I offer it on this list because of the rise in popularity. If you have a fryer in your restaurant, carnival style sugar donut holes are easy to make, and even easier to sell.

10 – Pizza

Always a favorite, pizza travels well, tastes great and feeds a lot of people. The only downside is the amount of competition because of the number of restaurants that offer pizza delivery already. To make this work, you would need a strong point of difference, and a reason for being in the pizza business. We have seen a lot of sports bars, American restaurants, Greek restaurants and bars get into this business and do well with it. Just keep in mind, while pizza is very profitable, it is divided up among more than one person, so your plate contribution per person will go down when you sell pizza.

11 – Burgers

American’s love their burgers, especially from their favorite restaurant. Getting them home still fresh is key to success here. The best way to ship them off is with simple packaging. Wrap the burgers in a foil and paper wrapper, put the French fries in an open cup, stuff it all into a bag, toss in another handful of fries for good measure, and watch the 5-Star reviews come in.

About HotOperator

HotOperator is a foodservice marketing agency. We love restaurants. We want them to survive. But we can’t do that unless we work together. Hire us to help you romance your restaurant brand.

Mark and Kelly are a marketing team and managing partners of HotOperator. They have been working in the restaurant business since 1989. Contact them through the HotOperator website, or by calling 800-316-3198, or contact Laux here.

The post How to Take Advantage of Delivery and Carryout Trends in Your Restaurant appeared first on HotOperator.

Will Lasagna Save Your Restaurant? Or Will It Be Meatloaf?

Either way, ‘Take & Bake’ may be able to save your restaurant.

In a recent Washington Post article, a construction company/restaurant owner laments that his construction business is doing well, and yet his restaurant is bleeding cash. He’s not sure he can save his restaurant.

“It seems to be two different economies. In construction, I’m so busy I can’t keep up and everyone seems to have thousands in disposable income to spend. But come to the restaurant and everyone is so broke they can’t afford a $5 sandwich,” Workman said.

Rowdy Workman says he has tried everything to keep his restaurant afloat. He’s done discounts, sent out mailers, and yet, when the stimulus package went away, so did his customers. This is happening to a wide range of restaurant operators. At the moment, if you’re not a quick service restaurant with a drive through, you’re probably struggling to keep cash flowing.

As winter approaches, many restaurant operators are thinking about closing up shop. The thought of trying to make the business survive on less than full capacity is daunting. But when Mr. Workman says he has tried everything, our question at HotOpeator is, has he tried lasagna, or meatloaf, or any number of other traveling comfort foods?

How Lasagna Might Save Your Restaurant

And it’s not just lasagna, either. It’s any food that tastes great after it has sat in a car for half an hour. It’s meatloaf, pot roast, spaghetti, broasted chicken and even pork chops in mushroom gravy with mashed potatoes and a side vegetable. But before you go off thinking you’ve been there and done all of that, have you tried those items as take a bake?

What might save your restaurant is a Take and Bake program. The idea is, you make up half sheet pans of lasagna, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, prime rib and on and on and sell them out of your refrigerator or freezer. The consumer takes the product home and bakes it up. Just make sure you offer instructions for the perfect meal, including what wine to serve.

Social Media Might Save Your Restaurant, Too

You need a plan. Once you have all the cool comfort foods figured out and ready to go, you will want to tell the world what you are up to. Most restaurant operators simply do not post often enough, or about the right things.

That’s why HotOperator offers a social media program. To help save your restaurant. We post almost every day based on a social media calendar. That way you always know what’s coming, and your restaurant customers keep you top of mind.

A Take And Bake Menu Might Save Your Restaurant

To get started, plan out a promotional menu around your take and bake comfort foods. And have it professionally written and designed. If you are serious and want to save your restaurant, don’t slop on the menu. A great menu will make people like your food better, complain less often, and order more.

Get A Free Consultation To Save Your Restaurant

Reach out to HotOperator and set up a call with one of our marketing experts. They have been in the restaurant marketing industry since the late 1980’s and may know a thing or two about saving your restaurant. The first half hour is completely free. You can ask them anything you want. Call 800-316-3198, or contact them through their website here.

About HotOperator

HotOperator is a foodservice marketing agency. We love restaurants. We want them to survive. But we can’t do that unless we work together. Hire us to help you romance your restaurant brand.

Mark and Kelly are a marketing team and managing partners of HotOperator. They have been working in the restaurant business since 1989. Contact them through the HotOperator website, or by calling 800-316-3198. or contact Laux here.

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Answer This Question: Is Your Restaurant Food A Commodity?

To better understand if your restaurant food is a commodity, we need to better understand what a commodity is in the first place. According to Wikipedia, in economics, a commodity is the generic term for any marketable item produced to satisfy wants or needs, which includes goods and services.

The more specific meaning of the term ‘commodity’ is applied to goods only. It is used to describe the class of goods for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation cross a market.

Did you get that? Without a qualitative differentiation. That means no point of difference.

Let’s break it down, because this is important to your business.

Without – you know what that means, when you’re without, it means you don’t have that, and in this case, that’s a really bad thing.

Qualitative – relating to, measuring, or measured by the quality of something rather than its quantity, which, in this case, being without means we’re measuring the number rather than the style.

Differentiation – recognize or ascertain what makes someone or something different. In other words, to differentiate is to make one special, different and better.

Why am I telling you this?

Because I was talking to a food distribution executive the other day and he said: “The distribution business has effectively commoditized restaurant marketing for independent restaurant operators, and specifically the restaurant menu.”

And I thought: “Wholly crap! Why would anyone want to do that? Especially someone who depends on restaurant operators being successful?”

Then the answer came to me – you asked them to, my friends. Restaurant operators who do not understand the importance of marketing asked for a really cheap way to market their businesses. And distributors have provided it. You can get a menu for a few hundred bucks. You can get marketing support from most distributors for FREE. Who wouldn’t want that, right?

Would you like to know the downside to that cheapness? I can do that in the form of a question: Why is advertising one of the largest industries in the world? According to Statista global advertising spending was about $563B in 2018. Why would anyone spend all that money on advertising? Really, what could possibly be the reason?

I’ll give it a moment and let that thought sink in. $563,000,000,000.00. And what did they get?

If you think that advertising and marketing communications is a commodity, then all that money was wasted. If you believe the distribution executive I quoted earlier, they got nothing for all that money. May as well have put all the money into a big pile and burned it.

But if you believe that advertising spending gives you a return on investment, then they got a lot. If you believe, like I do, that excellent marketing will return about $6.00 for every $1.00 spent, then they got $3.378 Trillion in return. Let’s see, that’s $3,378,000,000,000.00.

When I put this to the distributor, his answer was: “Well, some of our menus helped some of the restaurant operators, and it’s a step up from what they had.”

Not much confidence. An ‘Okay’ solution will not take your business to the next level. Good enough will not get your business to grow. Saying your advertising spend “May actually help you” is like building a bridge half way across a river. You will never reach the other side, so unless you were just looking for a better view of the river you got nothing at all in return for your investment.

If the everyone in marketing did what distribution is doing to restaurant marketing, many of the products you love best would disappear. The magic would be gone. There would not be a point of difference.

The last thing you want is for your products to be a commodity. Even McDonald’s products are much more than a commodity. The Big Mac can only be gotten from McDonald’s. And whether you love them or hate them, it is a significant point of difference.

Differentiate or die is the best marketing battle cry.

So rattle your swords, pony up and make your products different, special and better than the guy down the street. And think of it this way: If you came across a slot machine that for every dollar you put in, you could get $6.00 back, would you go cheap and put in 50¢ and then wonder why you didn’t get anything back? Or would you put in the buck and then ask: “Can I put in 2500 and get back $15,500.00?”

Mark and Kelly are a design-engineer team and managing partners of HotOperator. They have been working in the restaurant business since 1989. Either can be contacted through the HotOperator website, or by calling 800-316-3198.

Menu Design & Engineering • Restaurant Marketing • Social Media • Websites

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Restaurant New Products: People like what they already know they like, in a new form.

New products are the life blood to the restaurant business. And the key to new restaurant products is to remember people like what they already know they like in a new form. When Burger King launched “New Ribs” in 2013, did that mean ribs are new? Perhaps they’ve never heard of Famous Dave? No, wait, Dave is Famous, it’s even in the name of the restaurant, so they must have heard of him. So it couldn’t be that the ribs are new. McRib, that was McDonald’s take on the rib, and it was new, too. So they must mean something else.

How about KFC with their Cheetos Chicken Sandwich? Is that new? Cheetos have been around since 1948, and the chicken sandwich dates back to the Earl of Sandwich, probably. “The bread-enclosed convenience food known as the “sandwich” is attributed to John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), a British statesman and notorious profligate and gambler, who is said to be the inventor of this type of food so that he would not have to leave his gaming table to take supper.

Does The Product Fit The Brand?

I hesitate to put a link to the KFC Cheeto sandwich, because the link will be gone soon. If you click the link and it is gone, I told you so. By the look of the photos, I can’t imagine it will be around very long. Also, and this is important when launching a new product: make sure the product fits you brand. The KFC brand is, or was, wholesome, comfort foods for carryout and dine-in based around a Southern chicken dinner. Sort of a fat, white guy steals black heritage. The Cheeto chicken sandwich is not that at all. It’s just gross. I can just here some marketing ‘kid’ saying: “Boy’s are gonna love this! Look how the Dorito thingy worked out for Taco Bell.” Except Taco Bell is a teenage boy’s brand. KFC is not. It’s a middle aged, I’m tired and don’t have time to cook, so I’ll give the kids chicken brand that has been overrun by grocery stores with a better, cheaper product. Plus at the grocery or gas station, I can also get eggs and milk, which we seem to be perpetually out of.

How about this: the ribs were new to Burger King. How much you wanna bet that’s what they meant? And if you followed the ribs at Burger King, you’ll know it was pretty successful right up until it wasn’t. And now it’s been gone for 6 years. I’ll bet if they ever bring it back it will be NEW! again.

It’s New To You, And A New Form To Them.

The key to a great new introduction is to package what your customers already love in a new form. There are a number of ways to go about this, but for the most part, you need to make sure what you introduce makes sense for your restaurant business and your concept without sacrificing what you’re already selling. It does you absolutely no good to introduce a new item only to have it cannibalize your current success. The idea is to create new success and maintain your current popularity.

Outback Anecdote

I worked with the fine folks at Wells’ Dairy, Blue Bunny for many years, and they told a story about how they had gone to visit Outback Steakhouse with an idea for a new dessert product. The CEO of Outback at the time came into the meeting and told the group from Blue Bunny before they started their presentation that if they did anything to hurt the Bloomin’ onion business that he would hunt them all down and kill them in the street like dogs. That might be an exaggeration, but the point is: he understood his business was centered not simply on great steaks, but also on the onion that brought in nearly five bucks with every table rotation.

So what’s your onion? What is it that your customers come to you for? If you can’t answer that question first, you’ll want to put off any new product effort until you can.

Mark and Kelly are a design-engineer team and managing partners of HotOperator. They have been working in the restaurant business since 1989. Either can be contacted through the HotOperator website, or by calling 800-316-3198.

Menu Design & Engineering • Restaurant Marketing • Social Media • Websites

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