What’s new in restaurant real estate?

As the foodservice industry continues on its road to recovery, many restaurants and chains are looking at expanding, but what are the possible pitfalls in today’s restaurant real estate? Experts are seeing a significant rise in real estate demand, many looking for multiple drive-thru lanes as part of their expansion. According to Emily Durham, senior […]

The drive-thru evolution

As takeout and off premise dining traffic remains high long after the pandemic, many QSRs are looking to improve their drive-thru service to decrease wait times and boost efficiency. 39 per cent of QSRs report bumper to bumper traffic in the drive-thru, causing longer lines and customer back-up. During the pandemic, when takeout was the […]

Get your restaurant set up for catering

Just as the holiday season approaches, restaurants are seeing an uptick in catering requests from their customers. Although the demand for catering has been recovering steadily since the pandemic, some restaurant chains have seen as much as a 43 per cent increase in this sector over last year. As restaurants get ready to add catering […]

Diners choose pickup over delivery as inflated costs continue

In the last few years, off-premise dining has become so popular, but these days, pickup is surpassing delivery for diners. As prices continue to remain high, this shift could be a result of consumers watching their wallets, attempting to save a few dollars by skipping the delivery fees. Because restaurants don’t typically add a charge […]

Developing a revenue management strategy for your restaurant

With increased costs, supply chain disruption, and labour shortages, making your restaurant as profitable as possible is paramount to your success. Do you have a revenue management strategy that works for your business? Revenue management is a system where you create win-wins for your customers and your business, offering value while protecting your margins. There […]

Getting your loyalty program up to date

With the continued inflation and restaurant costs, does your loyalty program still offer value to your customers and make sense for your business? As your customers’ and your restaurant’s needs change and evolve, so, too, should your loyalty program. And while those changes are not always well received initially, it’s important for restaurants to maintain […]

Using social media to grow your restaurant’s profits

Social media and food go hand in hand as foodies search for recipes, post pics of their dishes, and connect with like-minded diners globally. Does your marketing plan include a social media strategy? If not, it’s time to get social! These platforms can help you reach an untapped audience, announce news, engage with your customers, […]

Are restaurant surcharges a growing trend?

As restaurants continue to look for creative ways to get ahead in today’s economy, some operators are adding surcharges to the bill. While many diners balked at rising tipflation earlier this year, surcharges may be easier to swallow, as the industry starts to make changes for the better. Typically, the surcharges look like a line […]

Breakfast sales continue to rise and shine

As more and more Canadians return to the office, breakfast is gaining momentum for commuters. QSRs are benefiting from increased morning traffic that’s ramping up breakfast sales and boosting their bottom lines. 34 per cent of Canadians don’t want to cook breakfast for themselves, and 40 per cent say they eat outside the house in […]

Are record-high food costs finally slowing down?

Consumers and restaurants continue to battle food inflation, but some costs have started coming down since January, albeit not to pre-pandemic levels. Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Foods Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, recaps the items with the largest price reductions so far this year: Tomatoes (- 38 per cent) Cucumbers (- 31 per […]