Food Focus

  • Happy hour is back with a fresh look

    October 4, 2023
    Happy hour has made a comeback ever since the end of the pandemic and many people returning to the office, however, it’s looking a little different these days. The concept of smaller portion sizes, appetizers, and beverages is appealing to restaurants and to patrons as inflation and higher cost of living persist. Ranging anywhere from ...
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  • The next generation of diners

    October 2, 2023
    There have been countless studies on the dining habits of Millennials, Gen Z, and even the boomers, but the next generation to watch out for is the Alpha generation. Born after 2010, these school-aged customers are growing up tech-focused, globally informed, and have different likes and needs when they visit a restaurant. These factors make this ...
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  • Concepts to Watch: Stacked, Bergham, Tap & Barrel

    September 29, 2023
    By Katie Belflower Restaurant branding is vital to stand out and attract attention for your business. Every month, in Technomic’s Concepts to Watch, we highlight three restaurants that are demonstrating this across the country. In this edition, we are highlighting Stacked, Bergham, and Tap & Barrel.   Stacked Pancake House Chocolate Banana Pancakes Image Source: Stacked Pancake House Instagram   Facebook: ...
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  • Raise revenues for your restaurant this Thanksgiving

    September 28, 2023
    Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays of the year, so drawing a crowd can fill those seats and help you make this month’s revenue. With the cost of groceries rising nine per cent, and dining costs increasing about 8.8 per cent year-over-year, more people may be choosing to skip the hosting and visit ...
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  • Consumers are still sweet on chocolate

    September 27, 2023
    Chocolate has always topped the favourites list for desserts, with 86 per cent of Canadians having consumed chocolate within the last three months. However, from rising health concerns to flavour preferences, how can restaurants include sweet treats on their menu that will appeal to guests and raise cheque totals? Health vs. indulgence The ever-increasing desire to live ...
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  • Restaurants focus on value during continued inflation

    September 21, 2023
    As inflation and the higher cost of living persist, consumers continue to prioritize value as the try to save their pennies. Off-premise dining remains a popular choice for consumers. In fact, in-person dining decreased this month by nine per cent, with the last three months seeing a steady decline in guest counts for restaurants. As a ...
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  • Give your seasonal menu a fall refresh

    September 20, 2023
    The changing of the seasons is a great time to switch up your menu, adding fall flavours and comfort foods your customers crave. Creating a seasonal menu means that it’s temporary (to be changed with the next season) so it also encourages your guests to visit you and try the menu before it disappears. You ...
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  • October’s best food holidays

    September 14, 2023
    Fall is the perfect time to start celebrating those food holidays that can help your restaurant stand out, attract a crowd, and give you some engaging content to post on social media. Make a list of the holidays in October that interest you most and start planning your menu, décor, entertainment, and more. This month offers ...
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  • Get your restaurant set up for catering

    September 13, 2023
    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 to ...
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  • 5 partnerships that can raise your restaurant revenue

    September 11, 2023
    By Mark Plumlee Teamwork makes the dream work! Collaborations and strategic partnerships are powerful tools that can help your restaurant build community, increase local awareness, and boost revenue for all parties involved. There are a lot of fun and easy ways to create partnerships, and by aligning yourself with like-minded businesses, you increase your reach, attracting attention ...
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  • Trend Watch: Marigold, stinging nettle, ajo blanco

    September 5, 2023
    By Katie Belflower For restaurants and chefs it’s important to be innovate as a way to stand out in a competitive marketplace. Staying up to date on the latest food trends is one way to stay a step ahead and treat your guests to something new and delicious. This latest edition of Trend Watch focuses on three menu trends ...
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  • The first taste of fall has arrived on menus

    August 24, 2023
    As the summer comes to a close and cooler weather arrives, fall’s unofficial favourite flavour – pumpkin spice – is finding its way onto menus earlier and earlier. While fall doesn’t actually arrive until September 23, some QSRs are using back-to-school to launch their fall LTOs in the late summer, starting with the launch of ...
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  • Food holidays to celebrate in September

    August 21, 2023
    As back-to-school approaches and summer weather comes to an end, you want to keep customers engaged and interested in your menu – and returning to your restaurant this September. Celebrating food holidays gives you the perfect opportunity to reinterest your existing guests while attracting new attention to your menu. September’s food holidays make it easy for ...
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  • Restaurant transparency is crucial as inflation continues

    August 15, 2023
    As Canadians continue to face record-breaking inflation, the term shrinkflation has emerged, reflecting when the prices rise or remain the same but the portion or serving size is reduced. This has affected many restaurant menus and diners who might be paying more for less, as operators try to recoup costs and stay afloat. Shelflation is also ...
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  • Back-to-school promos for your restaurant

    August 14, 2023
    As the weather starts to turn, we are reminded that back-to-school is around the corner, so how can your restaurant attract families at this time of year? Fall often brings a hectic schedule for families, so it’s time to sharpen your pencil to create something that will attract diners to your restaurant. A new start Make your ...
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