April 17, 2023 By Jason Wagenaar
Technology can help with many of the current challenges facing the restaurant industry, from staffing to inflation (the cost of goods and menu prices) to increased competition, and difficult-to-navigate supply chains. With nearly half of Ontario’s restaurants operating at a loss or just breaking even and profit margins shrinking, many restaurant owners tend ...Read more about this post
April 10, 2023 By Matt Parkin
As a restaurant manager, one of the key challenges is hiring and training staff efficiently and effectively, and ChatGPT is a tool that can help. In today’s fast-paced restaurant industry, finding ways to save time while preparing staff to handle various situations is crucial to success. One innovative tool that can greatly support ...Read more about this post
April 5, 2023 As restaurants continue to search for ways to find success amid inflation and labour shortages, many are exploring new revenue streams to boost their bottom lines and avoid raising menu prices. In fact, only 23 per cent of restaurants plan to increase their prices, even though 85 per cent of Canadian customers say they would ...Read more about this post
March 30, 2023 The foodservice industry has been fighting the ongoing labour shortage ever since they were allowed to reopen after the pandemic and many of them are preparing to struggle for the long haul. Last year, 25 per cent of restaurateurs were confident that the labour shortage would end in the next six months, however now, 90 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
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 ...Read more about this post
