It’s important for all of us in the foodservice business to always be aware of a few things. First, get out and discover what is new and what companies are doing that you’ve never seen before. Second, find the foodservice providers who really do it right – delivering great food, outstanding service and an engaging customer experience.
How can you identify the winners when you don’t even know where those restaurants are located? Apparently it’s easier than you think. According to George Naddaff (paraphrasing here from his remarks at a conference I attended years ago), “Make sure you stop any time you see the line out of the door at a restaurant. Get in line and see what they’re doing.” Nadaff is famous for Boston Chicken (now Boston Market).
Pay careful attention to the lessons to be learned from every meal you have away-from-home. Please allow me to share my own food and beverage observations and some important lessons for our industry.
- Go to diners in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I’ve always loved diners. Great food and coffee. Iconic design inside and out. Growing up in the New York area, there were lots of really good diners. And – my father designed restaurants and diners. One of my current favorites in the NYC northern suburbs is Eveready Diner on Route 9 North in Hyde Park, NY. The short ribs entrée is reason enough to go there. Another, probably my #1 these days, is Red Line Diner on Route 9 North in Fishkill, NY. Try the Turkey Meltdown – it’s Thanksgiving in a sandwich with turkey, stuffing, cranberry chutney and gravy on the side. LESSON: Create and feature unique menu items – something your shoppers cannot find everywhere. This is extraordinarily difficult in our industry. There are some really creative solutions you can pursue. It’s something I cannot put in an article or blog.
- Go to a diner near where you live. You might have to do some hunting. Odds are it will be worth the effort. Jody’s Diner in Evanston, WY is my kind of place. The Hot Chicken Fried Steak, smothered in country gravy, made for a great lunch. In Wells, ME we found the Maine Diner. The lobster pie and seafood chowder are classics. LESSON: Eat at places where they take real pride in what they do. These are one-of-a-kind experiences. Then, think about how you can capture that same sort of pride in your menu – the food, snacks and beverages.
- Find the best food in town – by asking locals. Burns Street Bistro in Missoula, MT was well-recommended. Their Huevos Rancheros exceeded my expectations. Burger University was suggested to us in Georgetown, TX. Wonderful burgers, fries and onion rings – all perfectly prepared. LESSON: Expand your dining universe – especially related to work. Ask people at the sites you serve where else they get breakfast or lunch. Recognize that you can’t have 100% of their food spending. Go to those nearby places. Soak up the menu, the service and the ambiance. Bring back ideas you can use.
- Go to the movies. We’ve been to the Austin Trails Moviehouse & Eatery a number of times. They were not the first to offer a complete restaurant menu. Nor were they first to provide recliner chair seating. LESSON: When you find a concept being executed very well, see how you can bring that to your business.
- Visit multiple locations of the same restaurant. Might Quinn’s BBQ has been on my list, for a long time, in New York. It was well worth the wait. The brisket, burnt ends and smoked sausage are among the very best BBQ we’ve ever had. We visited two very different locations. First we were at Brookfield Place New York. Located across West Street from the World Trade Center. There are shops and what they call “chef-driven restaurants.” In Brooklyn you’ll find Mighty Quinn’s, on Bergen Street at Berg’n. Their operation here is small scale with a limited menu. LESSON: You do not have to offer the exact same menu at every location. You can still deliver on what your brand stands for with full-scale service or limited. If you take away only one thing, learn how to have different offerings for every situation.
- Have a custom-made lunch. Customization is big thing for your shoppers – especially so for younger people. In Austin, TX we found two places for customized meals. We loved Mod Pizza. They describe it as“…individual artisan-style pizzas and salads superfast. Any toppings, same price.” Create the exact pizza or salad you want from their extensive menu. We had a great lunch at Torchy’s Tacos. Another huge menu and you can customize your order too. LESSON: If you have not experienced a custom-made lunch, you cannot really understand what younger shoppers expect today.
Get out of your office. Learn about what’s new. Learn about the places where your shoppers are going for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
After all, it comes down to selling more stuff.
