May 24, 2022 By Ralph Zoontjens The term “food marketing” may conjure images of billboards or TV ads, but the restaurant menu is one of the most important touchpoints to engage your customers and keep them coming back. For the past two years, food marketing has been dominated by pandemic-related risk management, but now, restaurants have the freedom to focus ...Read more about this post
May 9, 2022 By David Hopkins It’s difficult to believe it but we’re already more than a third of the way through 2022. Now, more than two years into the pandemic, Canadian foodservice businesses are continually facing challenges while also experiencing new successes and new innovations. Even as we’re only in the fifth month of the year, there are ...Read more about this post
February 17, 2022 By Megan Prevost Everyone has their favourite restaurant. The one they go to when they want to celebrate or need a pick-up. The one that they pick when they can’t think of anything else. How do you think these restaurants become such a staple in people’s lives? Oftentimes, delicious food and a great experience keep people coming ...Read more about this post
February 8, 2022 By Mike Wilson The last two years have challenged restaurants with evolving safety concerns, rules, and diner behaviour and preferences. While sales were down 29 per cent entering 2021, they’re expected to increase 21 per cent in 2022, potentially reaching pre-pandemic levels. Restaurants must continue to be nimble, responsive, and creative to survive and thrive. For many, ...Read more about this post
December 30, 2021 By Sydney Ahmadian You’re excited to earn 23 per cent more income with a great branding campaign. You’ve pinned down your brand story and identity. Now, it’s time to apply your shiny new brand to the four major customer touchpoints: your menus, website, marketing materials, and ordering app profiles. 1. Your menus Menus are prime real estate for ...Read more about this post
December 9, 2021 By Sydney Ahmadian A great brand is pivotal to marketing your business. It helps people identify people, companies, and products. Without it, customers won’t know what your restaurant is all about. COVID-19 sanitized many restaurants of their branding, making now the perfect time to build a stronger brand presence. You don’t have to be a marketing guru ...Read more about this post
November 26, 2021 By Sydney Ahmadian Long before multi-coloured window panes symbolized Microsoft, ranchers used brands to distinguish their cattle from other herds. A brand was a symbolic representation of the rancher’s business, manifested in real life on the haunches of their cows. A great brand acts as a physical or symbolic representation of your business to help you stick ...Read more about this post
July 8, 2021 You’ve pivoted. You’ve survived. Now, it’s time to thrive. By Sabrina Falone All marketing, both traditional and digital, is about sharing your brand’s messaging in a way that creates an emotional response that inspires people to spend money with your company. That’s certainly no different with social media marketing. Social media is a great way to connect and ...Read more about this post
June 3, 2021 By Sylvia Tomczak Influencers, inspiration, and innovation — that’s all part of the Instagram effect. The way we consume media has changed drastically in the last decade, pushing further away from print and closer toward digitally-driven media. As generations like Gen Z are raised on technology and computer culture, the world is continuing to undergo a ...Read more about this post
May 26, 2021 By Jessica Zekry The pandemic has forced restaurants and consumers alike to change their behaviours overnight. Online ordering was a growing trend for several years until it became the only way to keep restaurants afloat and diners served. The value and utility that this service offers has certainly allowed it to make its way into new ...Read more about this post
April 14, 2021 The final chapter of our three-part look at restaurant branding during the pandemic looks at how to build a unique brand identity to stand out in a crowded market. By Doug Radkey Within this series, we’ve learned the importance of a brand guide along with consistent brand messaging, and come to understand the elements of connection along with ...Read more about this post
March 17, 2021 In Part II of our three-part look at restaurant branding during the pandemic, we assess how operators can build a lasting connection with their community. By Doug Radkey In Part I of this series, the word connection was used often. When you are building or rebuilding the essence of a brand, it is all about the connection you build ...Read more about this post
February 17, 2021 In Part I of a new three-part look at restaurant branding during the pandemic, we assess how operators can lay solid marketing foundations By Doug Radkey Hospitality, since the beginning of time, has been about building connections. That right there is not going to change, even with a global pandemic thrown our way. Even though we are seeing the ...Read more about this post
February 17, 2021 By Elizabeth Kelly In the world of sales, upselling is often considered an art, but in the restaurant industry, you need to get it down to a science. For successful upsell programs, consistency is key. Here are four steps to designing an upselling strategy that will increase your restaurant’s revenue: Step 1: Decide on your pairings Put thought into ...Read more about this post
January 21, 2021 A survey suggests one-third of small businesses currently have mobile apps, but 41 per cent plan to build one to support future growth Read more about this post