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    And Tricks To Craft The Best Brunch Menu For Your Restaurant

    Posted on by wp-eighty-six-admin

    With brunch menus gaining popularity lately, many restaurants are looking into hopping on the “Weekend Brunch” trend. Yet, this type of service has an infamous reputation in the industry as many restaurants battle to stand out in the 11am-2pm timeslot. So, to help you get your buffet service off the ground, we have compiled a few tips and tricks on brunch menu crafting.

    Stand out while staying true to your brand

    With dozens of restaurants serving traditional brunch staples such as hash browns and croissants, making sure you offer something that can only be found at your restaurant is crucial to stand out from the crowd. It is also essential to stay true to your brand as one service can easily market another – more on that in a bit – and giving a sense of unity to your different menus will encourage guests to discover them all. Proper menu engineering is key to creating a brunch selection that is unique while still reflecting your identity.

    One brilliant way to do so is by crafting brunch dishes with ingredients you already procure or make in/for your other shifts. This method will allow you to blend your signature cuisine into a brunch menu with the added benefit of cutting supply costs! Try to use unique in-house items to elevate well-known brunch dishes. For example, use the pastrami you use in dinner service for an upgraded omelet or your homemade kimchi for croissant sandwiches, the options are endless.

    Implement proper menu engineering

    A lot of businesses treat brunch, especially weekend brunch, like a way to dispose of the week’s leftovers. With its rise of popularity and importance however, your brunch menu should be treated with the same level of importance as your dinner or lunch carte. It is even arguably more essential to focus on your brunch menu: you need to separate yourself from the competition while still staying true to the brunch feel and making sure your guests do not feel ripped off in pricing. Implement menu hacking tricks by using colors, design, and menu real estate to your advantage.

    In regards to pricing, if most of your ingredients are relatively cheap, such as eggs and bread, charging an exorbitant amount for a dish will not go over well with your guests. Conduct a cost analysis and come up with a cost per meal average. Strike a balance between portraying a high-quality image and charging reasonable prices for dishes. Another neat trick you can use to optimize your menu is to partner up with local businesses: procure ready-made desserts from your local pastry shop, or get your bread pre-sliced the way you want it from the nearby bakery… This lowers your labor cost and saves you tons of time without compromising on quality.

    Properly market your brunch

    Making sure your audience notices you is a prerequisite for any successful brunch, one that many brunches fail at. From the get-go, when looking into brunch menu engineering, whether for a weekend brunch, holiday special or seasonal service, tapping into current food trends boosts your chances immediately. Current emerging trends in the brunch scene include comfort food, plant-based and vegan brunch dishes, and fusion or innovative brunch ideas. Also, beware not to forget beverages, a staple in brunch meals: serving specialty coffees, exotic foreign teas and infusions and even wine is a rising brunch trend.

    Another key factor in restaurant visibility is how you market your brunch service. Use in-house advertising to grow existing customers: making servers advertise the brunch service or using standing flyers on tables etc. can capture existing guests into trying your brunch service.

    Stay on the digital

    Finally, do not forget to invest in the marketing powerhouses that are social media and the internet. With the audience for brunches being varied and including a substantial amount of younger people, the most efficient way to increase restaurant visibility and market your brunch service is through boosting stories, posts and videos on social media, spreading a hashtag, encouraging guests to post pictures and interacting with your audience on social media (giveaways, student/group discounts…). You can even offer online ordering if that’s up your alley.

    Make sure you stand out among the sea of Dubai’s weekend brunches by implementing proper menu engineering and menu hacking to craft a cost-efficient yet high-quality menu, offering something unique by staying true to your identity and improving your restaurant visibility by staying on top of trends and properly marketing your brunch service.

    Michelin Guide Is Finally Coming The Middle East!

    Posted on by wp-eighty-six-admin

    The famed Michelin Guide is finally coming the Middle East! In June, Dubai will officially be the first city in the region to be home to the famous food guide. What is the Michelin guide, how did it come to be, and how will it impact the region’s food and beverage industry? Read on to find out!

    History of the Michelin Guide

    In early 1900s France, the Michelin Tire company printed a guide map that targeted bikers and travelers and showcased information such as nearby restaurants, hotels and gas stations as well as some useful instructions like how to change a tire. The guide was aimed at encouraging wider country travel thus boosting the company’s tire sales.

    As time passed, the guide evolved to be more restaurant-focused and raised the bar of the industry, becoming the most renowned food critique guide in the world. Today, it has expanded to 23 countries worldwide, with the top 5 being:

    • France (623 restaurants)
    • Japan (577 restaurants)
    • Italy (374 restaurants)
    • Germany (307 restaurants)
    • USA (169 restaurants)

    Michelin Guide Selection Criteria

    The Michelin Guide awards deserving restaurants between 1 and 3 stars showcasing the quality of the experience, described as such:

    • One Michelin Star: High-quality cooking that is worth a stop.
    • Two Michelin Stars: Excellent cooking that is worth a detour.
    • Three Michelin Stars: Exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.

    Stars are awarded solely based on the food quality as Michelin inspectors visit the restaurant anonymously and rate the restaurant following these criteria:

    • The quality of the ingredients
    • The mastery of cooking
    • The harmony of flavors
    • The personality of the chef reflected through the cuisine
    • The consistency both over time and across the entire menu

    The guide also includes a number of “covers” ranging from 1 to 5, indicating the “comfort and quality” of the restaurant, essentially an indicator of the service level. Being awarded one star is an incredible feat by itself, and restaurants strive to maintain the quality of their food as the guide is renewed every year.

    In addition to the regular star-based rating, the Bib Gourmand will also be implemented in Dubai: this award is given to restaurants that serve high-quality food at a lower price tag, usually serving a simpler style of cooking. The Guide is going to be released sometime in June and will only be available in digital form on the Michelin website and app.

    Gault&Millau also steps in

    As well as the Michelin Guide, it has been announced that another renowned food critique brands is settling in the UAE nationwide; the famous Gault&Millau will launch in the first half of 2022 and will be holding their annual gala, publishing guides and more.

    Make sure you stand out among the sea of Dubai’s weekend brunches by implementing proper menu engineering and menu hacking to craft a cost-efficient yet high-quality menu, offering something unique by staying true to your identity and improving your restaurant visibility by staying on top of trends and properly marketing your brunch service.

    The Impact of the Michelin Guide

    With the Michelin inspectors starting to roam around the Dubai restaurant scene and the guide releasing in June, the question arises as to how this will affect the local hospitality industry.

    It is the dream of countless aspiring chefs to have their restaurants be featured on the guide, there is therefore no doubt that many of them will take the opportunity to double down on crafting the best dishes they possibly can. An overall improvement in innovation, quality of service, creativity in dishes and a resurgence in chefs’ passion is likely to be observed.

    Another likely outcome is the sight of more and more high-end restaurants popping up across the city, with talented chefs from the Middle East rushing to Dubai desperate to have their restaurant’s name featured in the guide.

    Keep Your Restaurant Inventory Under Control

    Posted on by wp-eighty-six-admin

    The core of every successful restaurant lies within two things; menu and service. A good service keeps the customers happy and a good menu keeps them coming back for more.

    A good menu has the customer’s needs in mind and never disappoints by not having an item or ingredient available. The key to achieving this is by Restaurant inventory management, more specifically, your food inventory.

    What is Restaurant Inventory Management?

    Inventory refers to any items that are used for your business. Keeping track of an inventory means that you know exactly how much of an item is in stock and when you need to order new stock. When it comes to Restaurant inventory control, the inventory includes perishable goods, non-perishable goods, spices, alcohol, cooking equipment, linens, worker uniforms etc…

    One brilliant way to do so is by crafting brunch dishes with ingredients you already procure or make in/for your other shifts. This method will allow you to blend your signature cuisine into a brunch menu with the added benefit of cutting supply costs! Try to use unique in-house items to elevate well-known brunch dishes. For example, use the pastrami you use in dinner service for an upgraded omelet or your homemade kimchi for croissant sandwiches, the options are endless.

    How to conduct a successful inventory?

    A good inventory helps you cut down on waste, keep everything in stock and get an idea of what dishes are popular among your customers, however before we discuss how to conduct an inventory, here are some restaurant inventory terms you need to know:

    FEFO: First expired, first out

    Food waste sheet: It is a paper or file that documents the food and the amount that was discarded due to quality, taste, smell or expiration…etc.

    Menu Engineering:0 It is a method used to determine whether the items are overpriced or underpriced, the amount of ingredients that needs to be used, etc…

    Here are few tools and methods to help you keep your inventory checks running smoothly.

    Vendor Management

    Keeping track of the vendors that you deal with and what products you buy from them along with their purchasing frequency helps cut over-ordering or ordering the same product from two vendors. It also helps you compare prices and get a grasp on the quality of each product, thus cutting costs and increasing profits. If this sounds like a lot of paperwork and time, you can check out some apps and online platforms that will help you automate away from the manual hassle.

    FEFO inventory method

    Cut down the waste caused by expired food and keep your kitchen as sanitary as possible with the FEFO technique. It helps you make sure your guests get the freshest food possible and keep your profit margins up.

    Keep a food waste log

    A food waste log is key when creating a food waste sheet, this helps you know how much food you are wasting and why, allowing you order more judiciously in the future and giving you a better idea what items are popular and what items aren’t.

    Check your POS system

    Most POS systems keep track of exactly how much of every menu item is ordered on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. This will help you keep an eye on the popular and least popular items on your menu, streamlining your kitchen prep and giving you a good idea of the product quantities you need to order.

    Invest in an Inventory Management Software

    If staying on top of your inventory sounds like a lot of time, effort, and paperwork, finding an inventory management software that works for your kitchen needs eases the burden off your shoulders and helps you keep everything in one place!

    Elements Of Restaurant Negotiations

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    Negotiating With Restaurant Suppliers

    A good relationship with your food supplier is a pillar of running a smooth kitchen operation. It can help get you on top of the delivery list, acquire the freshest ingredients and benefit from the best prices. However, a good relationship with your supplier does not negate the option of restaurant negotiations, it can actually be key to a good negotiation.

    A good negotiation with your food vendor starts with:

    Doing your research

    Make sure you get to know the market to find the best deals and get a general idea on the average price, the more you know about a product the better you can negotiate. There are many apps that help you scour the market to find the best deals and gain enough knowledge to start your negotiations on the right foot.

    Work on your Supplier relationship management

    Improving on your relationship with your supplier includes several touch points, such as placing your restaurant bulk order consistently and efficiently or even by paying a bigger advance on your orders; the best way to achieve it is with apps that help run your inventory for you and organize your operations.

    Make sure the Supplier cost cut works within your budget

    Usually suppliers charge in two ways: Cost+ Fixed price or Cost + Percentage Cost+ price usually entails paying a fixed flat fee on your suppliers’ cost Cost + percentage means the price varies in proportion to the initial food cost Researching the commodity market price and asking food vendors for a market basket report are also good practices to determine the cost of your supply needs. Astute restaurant managers establish good relationships with restaurant suppliers in order to negotiate the best prices and achieve a stable restaurant business sustainability.

    2022 Restaurant Trends: Revealed

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    2022 Restaurant Trends: Revealed

    Over the past two years, the restaurant industry has gone through its toughest challenges yet. From almost no footfall for while to going digital, restaurant owners and food enthusiasts alike have managed to plough through and adapt to a new normal. So what does 2022 hold for the sector? Let’s take a look.

    Restaurant Digitization

    The pandemic completely changed the restaurant landscape by increasing digital orders. This isn’t only limited to foodies, who have made online ordering apps an essential part of their life, but also the restaurant procurement ecosystem. Now procurement apps such as eighty6 have made restaurant automation far more conceivable.

    PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

    Gone are the days of mass marketing and hoping the general public will like what you prepare without doing any homework. With menu optimization taking the reigns, consumer tastes are now identifiable on a more personal level. Moreover, online apps and social media give foodies the platform to voice their opinions, both good and bad. They are great outlets to make better relationships with loyal customers.

    Diversity in cuisines

    The pandemic saw many food enthusiasts scroll through their social media feeds for endless hours. In essence, they’ve traveled the world through their screens, and a part of the experience was about global and fusion food. Restaurants now need to think of diverse and innovative ways to cater to a more culturally educated crowd.

    Cloud kitchens

    Cloud kitchens, also known as ghost kitchens or virtual kitchens, will continue rising. These are spaces are specifically dedicated to brands, where they create a menu and facilitate order delivery through online applications or websites. Cloud kitchen chains and shared cloud kitchens have become quite mainstream, and with online orders not stopping anytime soon, we see it as an important 2022 restaurant trend.

    HEALTHY MENU OPTIONS

    People have become far more vigilant about their health after the pandemic. From being careful about what they put into their system to opting for immune-boosting foods, restaurants should now think of healthier options on the menu. This includes plant-based dishes, superfoods, and organic ingredients.

    Restaurant concept stores

    To close the gap between retail and food destinations, a new era of restaurant concept stores has emerged. Now consumers can dine and shop all in one place. Stores such as IKEA have been doing this for ages, but now the rest are catching up.

    So there you have it! Restaurant trends to watch out for in 2022. For further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at eighty6.

    Solving Restaurant Supply Chain Challenges

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    2022 Restaurant Trends: Revealed

    To run and sustain a successful restaurant business, restaurant owners will need to think out of the box. In a world that’s constantly changing, your restaurant supply chain needs to keep up. From kitchen logistics to data management, here are some best practices that you can follow.

    Better supplier relationships

    Your supply chain will only improve if the restaurant operations department pay closer attention to building better vendor relationships. Transparency and open channels of communication are a must. Apps such as eighty6 allow suppliers and restaurants to communicate without obstacles, improving relationships and order management.

    PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

    Gone are the days of mass marketing and hoping the general public will like what you prepare without doing any homework. With menu optimization taking the reigns, consumer tastes are now identifiable on a more personal level. Moreover, online apps and social media give foodies the platform to voice their opinions, both good and bad. They are great outlets to make better relationships with loyal customers.

    Digital F&B procurement

    Gone are the days when paperwork was pivotal. Digital procurement apps including eighty6 have created newer and better avenues of order management. Restaurants can find suppliers at a few taps and vice versa. Everything from order processing to payment is done through the app, eliminating the need for middlemen. It’s certainly a best practice to follow for inventory management.

    Restaurant data management

    With so much data available on customers, suppliers, trends, and more, it’s important to keep it everything in a centralized, easily accessible location. Instead of evaluating each data point individually, it makes much more sense to save and analyze each point in real-time to make the right supply chain decisions daily. Restaurant POS systems should now operate on the cloud, where data is stored for life.

    MENU OPTIMIZATION

    Menu optimization is a vital part of kitchen logistics and the restaurant supply chain as it tells you which dishes are the most popular and what ingredients you need to source. It’s not only limited to food but also spans across beverages. An expert F&B consultant can guide you on the best way to design a menu that will garner more revenue.

    ACCURATE KITCHEN STORAGE

    For the sake of food safety and customer health, you must ensure that you have enough storage space for your supplies. A mistake that restaurants often do is over-order, which leads to food wastage and perishables being thrown out. Moreover, because of a lack of space within storage areas, food is often left outside and spoils. Inventory management and ordering supplies at the right time are the best way forward.

    It all boils down to the decisions you make!

    We hope that these points have given you an idea about the best practices for your restaurant supply chain. If you have any more questions, reach out to the team at eighty6.