Business

  • Shrinkflation hits restaurant diners

    March 28, 2023
    We’ve certainly heard a lot about inflation in the news lately, but how is “shrinkflation” affecting the foodservice industry? According to Sylvain Charlebois, professor at Dalhousie University, shrinkflation is when a food manufacturer reduces the quantities its producing, but sells the product for the same price. Because this practice is increasing, the Canada Revenue Agency has ...
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  • Restaurants and bars to be hit with Canada’s new alcohol tax hike

    March 27, 2023
    Amid the foodservice industry’s struggle to recover, the Canadian government is getting ready to introduce the largest alcohol tax hike in history. On April 1, the federal alcohol duty is set to go up 6.3 per cent. The yearly increase has always been considered a nuisance for the industry, as alcohol excise duties are imposed at ...
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  • Is it time for a new marketing strategy?

    March 23, 2023
    If your restaurant has been relying on the same marketing strategy for any length of time, chances are, it’s time to shake things up. Staying consistent with your brand and messaging is important, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with your marketing when it needs a refresh. A new marketing strategy means staying true ...
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  • Consumers raise hygiene standards for restaurants

    March 22, 2023
    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 ...
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  • Increasing restaurant revenues and profitability

    March 20, 2023
    By Travis Traini Restaurant revenues are still in the news as businesses continue to try and recover. After the difficulty of operating through the pandemic, restaurateurs are facing new operating challenges including staff retention and labour shortages (especially skilled labour), significant inflation in food costs, economic effects on customer spending, rising interest rates, and increases in ...
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  • Canadian restaurant chains are going greener

    March 13, 2023
    As the recent single-use plastic ban takes effect in Canada, more restaurants are going greener, adjusting their practices to reduce their environmental impact, and addressing consumer demand for higher sustainability from the businesses they frequent. RELATED: Sustainability matters to Canadian consumers With 57 per cent of diners looking for more sustainability from QSRs, some of the biggest ...
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  • Why restaurants should stop using long-form surveys

    March 9, 2023
    By Austin Verner Does your restaurant use surveys to solicit feedback from your guests? Surveys can be an effective tool in connecting with your customers, identifying opportunities for improvement, and building on practices that are working for your business – if you’re doing it correctly. According to reports, 20 per cent of your customers account for 80 ...
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  • Lower wait times to raise your restaurant’s revenue

    March 3, 2023
    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 ...
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  • Conducting interviews to hire the best candidates

    February 27, 2023
    By Matt Parkin When you’re building your restaurant team, attracting enough quality candidates to your job posting is only half the battle. Once you’ve met the prospective employees, selecting the right candidates to hire from your interviews can be equally challenging. Here are some considerations to get the most out of the interview process and help position ...
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  • Attract couples to your restaurant with date nights

    February 27, 2023
    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 ever in ...
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  • Using 2023 trends to grow your restaurant business

    February 24, 2023
    These days, competition is fierce and anything your restaurant can do to set itself apart is an opportunity to grow your business. With 87 per cent of food operators more worried about inflation this year than anything else, what are the industry trends that will help drive success this year, and how can you use ...
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  • What customers are looking for from restaurants

    February 24, 2023
    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 can be ...
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  • Are value items on the menu for 2023?

    February 23, 2023
    As many diners seem to be adjusting to rising prices, some restaurants are introducing value items to their menus to attract those consumers looking to eat for less. While some experts are looking at inflation as a catalyst for positive change, other sources are suggesting that lower pricing can help boost profitability. From breakfast additions to ...
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  • Foodservice today and tomorrow: looking ahead to a bright future

    February 22, 2023
    We’ve spent a lot of time in recent months looking back at the last few years, analyzing the journey, but now it’s time to look at how far we’ve come and ahead to a bright future. With the continued challenges of persistent inflation and labour shortages, it’s important for restaurateurs to get to know their ...
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  • Is there an upside of inflation for restaurants?

    February 22, 2023
    Restaurants continue to struggle with food costs and labour shortages, but some experts are seeing inflation as a catalyst for positive change. David Hopkins, president of The Fifteen Group, sees the situation as a great opportunity for restaurants to tighten their operations and increase efficiency. Adjust pricing to address inflation “Restaurants have always had to face challenges ...
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