Consumers raise hygiene standards for restaurants

These days, consumers are looking for higher levels of hygiene from the businesses they frequent, including the restaurants they visit. In the past, a quick swipe of the table with a damp cloth did the trick for many, but consumers now want to feel like they are entering a safe and sanitized environment when they […]

A look at today’s rising menu prices

As rising food costs continue to make headlines, many restaurants have raised their menu prices to help find a balance and offset their increased expenses. Rather than simply upping prices across the board, it’s a good time for restaurants to evaluate their margins, engineer their menus, and adjust pricing to better the bottom line. RELATED: […]

St. Patrick’s Day menu ideas for your restaurant

By Mark Plumlee Everyone’s a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, which means that it’s the perfect time to create a specialty holiday menu inspired by the Emerald Isle! Irish beer and whiskey are a great start but don’t stop there. Be sure to add plenty of Irish and Irish-inspired dishes to round out your […]

Fast-food restaurants face competition from convenience stores

The fast-food market is becoming even more competitive, as convenience stores continue to get attention in this space. With persistent labour shortages, supply chain delays, and the significant growth of off-premise dining, many stores are expanding, capitalizing on higher food margins to help grow their profits. Can convenience stores deliver what diners are looking for? […]

Lower wait times to raise your restaurant’s revenue

As a restaurateur, prioritizing your guest experience is vital in garnering return visits, and longer wait times could be hindering your restaurant’s success. Nobody likes waiting, and your diners are no exception. In fact, a study of 94,000 diners found that the revenue of a popular restaurant increased by 15 per cent when wait times […]

2023’s top trends add flavour and colour to restaurant menus

Each year we see new colours, flavours and ingredients topping the menu trends list, so what’s in store for 2023 menus? Experts predict everything from global influences to splashy colours to nostalgic favourites, and more. Try out some of these top 2023 trends at your restaurant to stay current, get your customers talking, and appeal […]

Canadian diners are ordering more items off the menu

According to Technomic’s latest report, the last quarter of 2022 showed diners are ordering more off the menu, even as menu prices saw an increase of about six percent across the board. Only the kids’ menu category saw a decline in menu counts, finishing off the year with numbers down 2.2 percent overall. According to […]

Restaurant design for the post-pandemic consumer

By Tom Nightingale Perfecting your restaurant design can be tricky but it is a vital step for attracting and retaining customers. How can restaurateurs ensure they are appealing to the contemporary consumer and providing an atmosphere and aesthetic that diners want to experience? Datassential’s Trendspotting report offered a lowdown on some key and emerging trends in […]

Attract couples to your restaurant with date nights

By Mark Plumlee Now that Valentine’s Day has passed, it’s time to celebrate anniversaries and date nights for the rest of the year. Many couples struggle to find time to plan a special evening, but your restaurant can help with easy and romantic options, while also promoting and building your business. With tougher competition than […]

What customers are looking for from restaurants

By Megan Prevost If customers from 2019 time-traveled to today and stopped in at their favourite restaurants, they would immediately recognize some key differences. Over the past few years, the restaurant industry has morphed, at first changing out of necessity and quickly becoming more of a matter of preference. Because of this ongoing evolution, it […]