Rob Lynch is named President and CEO of Papa John’s

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Rob Lynch is named President and CEO of Papa John’s
Rob Lynch Head Shot.png

The election of a fresh President and CEO was announced Tuesday by Papa John’s International Inc. Rob Lynch(left), who has been President since 2017, of Arby’s pizza brand. Lynch takes over from Steve Ritchie who had been working since July 2015.

“At this crucial time in the development of the company, I am pleased to invite Rob to Papa John’s,” said Jeff Smith, president of the Board of managers of the Papa John’s.

Related: Papa John’s shows Shaquille’s approval agreement. “The firm is perfectly adapted to Papa John’s by drawing up its next section, as its proved history of transforming organisations and acknowledging its development capacity for distinct products. I also want to thank Steve Ritchie for his constant CEO management of the previous year and a quarter. The company’s job stabilizes Steve and Papa John’s is greater today. Our business is ongoing. For over 20 years, we all appreciate his devotion to the business and hope that he will succeed. “Lynch broke off his job for him in his fresh position.

John Schnatter, long the face of Louisville, Kyrgyzstan’s Papa John, with accusations of races and other inflammatory observations, a very general public departure last year. Since then, he has retired as CEO and committee of directors, but the fight has persisted.

Papa John’s recorded 5.7 times decreasing revenues in the same-store business for North America and a 3.8 percent decline in the whole of the same-store business for the second semester finished June 30.

The attempts to revise the brand included the funding of $80 million for disturbed national franchising companies and their nominations. A cooperation with Shaquille O’Neal, a former basketball star, including marketing deals and placing O’Neal in nine establishments in the Papa John region of Atlanta in a joint venture.

“I am humbled and happy to operate with this excellent squad to create Papa John the world’s greatest pizza business,” Lynch said in a declaration. When he was director of marketing before becoming President, he performed a major position in converting Arby’s. Jim Taylor was appointed to President of Arby’s substitute Lynch as Chief Marketing Officer.

“Papa John’s has the industry’s most appreciated pizza, extremely committed crew employees and franchisees that have proved to be resilient and committed, as well as the company’s lengthy record of development at the forefront of the food services world. I look forward, collaborating with Papa John’s group leaders, franchises and company associates, to constructing on these weaknesses. Papa John’s has over 5000 places around the world. Papa John’s greatest days are due.”

6 Business Lessons Learned from Working with World-Leading Restaurant & Hospitality Brands

Restaurant Tech Editors
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6 Business Lessons Learned from Working with World-Leading Restaurant & Hospitality Brands

By Merilee Kern, MBA

Expert insight on tactical, actionable ways food service, hotels and other hospitality businesses can create smarter, safer, socially responsible kitchens that increase efficiency, productivity and profits

Accidents in commercial kitchens are an all-too-common occurrence, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting nearly 200,000 food service industry injuries in a single year—accidents that often result in lost days of work, job transfer or other employee restrictions that all have a tremendously negative impact on a restaurant or hospitality business’ bottom line.  

Human resources aside, kitchen fires are another shared bane of the restaurant and hospitality trade, with the U.S. Fire Administration reporting “cooking” as the cause for the majority of fires during the 3-year reporting period. During that period, an estimated 5,600 fires each year resulted in a staggering $116 million in property damage—entirely preventable, unplanned and oft-debilitating company expenditures. Then there are costs relating to other typical safety issues like the notorious slips and falls, burns and other such calamities associated with hot oil—a key culprit that, itself, racks up an oppressive glut of Workers’ Compensation claims.


While such statistics-driven safety concerns in the food service and hospitality realms are nothing new, technological innovations and other modern and strategic means of contending with such issues is a landscape that changes monthly and weekly, if not daily. Solutions are needed, both physical and ideological, that can readily result in far smarter, safer and more efficient kitchens to enhance morale, reduce staff churn, bolster profitability and elevate industries at large.

With this in mind, I sought insight from hospitality and food service c-suite strategist Jeff Kiesel—a former GE executive and current corporate CEO of Restaurant Technologies, Inc. who’s earned a reputation as an industry innovation and safety voice of authority. Given that his firm boasts a roster of multi-billion dollar customers that includes titans of industry like McDonald’s, KFC and Marriott Hotels, I asked if he could share some of the key business lessons he’s learned from working with world-leading brands. This is what he had to say:

  • Customer Insights:  World-class food and hospitality companies make many of their business decisions based on laser sharp, analytics-driven insights that veritably impact the activities of all departments in the organization to one extent or another—at the corporate office as well as each site within their portfolio.  They’re keenly aware that offering, and ultimately selling, a product or service is the net result of having first built a strategically-crafted, risk-mitigated relationship—one that continues to be honed based on key data points well after a deal is closed.  Their own internal sales activities aside, the best companies in the world also demand tangible evidence demonstrating how their offerings are impacting their customers.  Successful companies know, in specific terms and even from various viewpoints, facts that are germane to the kind of solution they offer. Things like if their offering is saving customers money; how its impacting employee, customer and vendor retention and referrals; if it’s increasing operational efficiencies, productivity or creating a safer work space.  Such profiling of both prospects and existing customers—or perhaps even lost accounts to the extent possible—can be a determining factor that sets your operation apart from its closest competitors. In today’s market where competition is typically neck and neck, activities are best driven by data-induced insights that are optimally developed with a robust CRM software solution. The best run companies in the world vigilantly maintain a true and holistic understanding of the value they proffer within the marketplace.
  • Metrics-Minded Technology Innovation: Much of the equipment and technology found in the food service industry centers around reducing costs, improving efficiency, ensuring food quality and helping managers better handle their teams. However, this technology is viewed with eye toward what will provide the best return on investment and improve an operation’s bottom line. To achieve this, the highest caliber operations focus on technology that’s easy to implement, scalable and also provides metrics that are of primary interest to restaurant executives–things like customer visits and staff costs as well as employee retention through job satisfaction. As with the customer insights discussed above, analytics relating to equipment, hardware, software, applications or any other tech-forward procurement must be easily discernable, providing evidence-based numbers and trend patterns on things like what it costs to continue operating the old way versus what it would cost to implement the new technology. Top-tier food service operations don’t make assumptions, but rather data-driven decisions based on key learning on multiple fronts. In doing so, the most successful companies are able to demonstrate the value of a tech-driven solution within 30 days of deployment.
  • Safety: Sixty percent of Workers’ Compensation incidents in restaurants are related to the handling of cooking oil—including burns, slips and falls or back strains. Those companies utilizing a closed-loop oil management system allows food service employees to safely and easily dispose of used oil and fill a fryer with new oil with the flip of a switch. While the bottom line is always top-of-mind, world leading brands ensure employee safety is of the utmost importance and paramount among all. By eliminating one of the most dangerous restaurant kitchen tasks, these corporations take proactive, preventive and multi-faceted measures to best assure staffers are not at risk for oil-related injuries like slips, falls and burns.
  • Operational Excellence: Companies successful at a global level also ensure that their management teams at every level, from the c-suite to the front-line, understand their role in ensuring their kitchen teams are trained, enthused and working cross-functionally while adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) around cleanliness, food safety and food preparation. They have a lot on their plate, needless to say. According to the National Restaurant Association, the hospitality turnover rate was more than 72 percent in 2015, an increase from 66.7 percent in 2014. It’s an uphill battle. However, high caliber companies utilize proven technologies and protocols, and implement methodologies allowing managers to establish an ever-safer, simpler operating environment where they can focus more on cultivating people, both employees and customers, and less time on administrative tasks.
  • Strengthening the Workforce: World-leading restaurant and hospitality brands understand that thoroughly onboarding team members into a company’s culture, with an understanding of its history, purpose, vision and strategy as well as job-specific training, is mission critical. A one-to-one relationship based on trust and candor establishes a path to on-the-job achievement and even growth as staffers evolve in the organization, taking on bigger and more complex roles. For the employee’s part, ongoing training and education as well as an investment in active listening, understanding and ideation is key for proffering loyalty and attaining career advancement. Large successful corporations purposefully and deliberately focus on strengthening employees relative to both relationships and skill level. Cultivating an employee base that’s enthusiastic, well-trained and well-equipped to do their jobs, also understanding why they are doing any given task, creates an environment of respect that will foster higher accountability and ownership by employees.

  • Corporate Citizenship: Successful food service corporations worldwide understand the extent to which their company impacts its community–whether that community is the municipality where it resides, or the industry it serves. The news cycles are faster than ever before, with social media driving demand for information at a rapid pace. This creates a heightened need for a focused work culture that, while talent-driven, carries with it a ton of heart. These companies take their hospitality mandate and corporate social responsibility program quite seriously. As an effective way to fulfill this need, they consistently participate in philanthropic projects. Whether that be establishing and continually contributing to an educational foundation offering merit-based college scholarships to employee family members as my own company does, donating goods or providing services pro-bono, or literally picking up litter in the neighborhood park, successful global companies wholeheartedly embrace corporate citizenship and make it a foundational pillar of their organizations.

Kiesel’s takeaways from working with top global restaurant and hospitality brands makes clear that a holistic approach to business—one that keeps talent cultivation, character and efficiency top-of-mind—creates team loyalty and support, and fosters increased market share. As well, Kiesel is eager to underscore that a company’s culture is nothing short of imperative for building a successful, growth-oriented operation, noting, “The investment is in the long-term success of our clients, for sure, but in gaining the loyalty of our people within the company, as well.” Indeed.

Branding, business and entrepreneurship success pundit, Merilee Kern, MBA, is an influential media voice and lauded communications strategist. As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List International News Syndicate,” she’s a revered brand and consumer product trends voice of authority who spotlights noteworthy marketplace change makers, movers and shakers. Merilee may be reached online at www.TheLuxeList.com. Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.

Sources:

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh.htm https://www.rti-inc.com/benefits/restaurant-and-employee-safety/ https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/snapshot_restaurant.html https://www.rti-inc.com/benefits/restaurant-and-employee-safety/ http://www.restaurant.org/News-Research/News/Employee-turnover-rate-tops-70-in-2015



New experience of the retail outlet

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New experience of the retail outlet

Supermarkets use robotic alternatives to satisfy customer requirements for fast purchasing and distribution in-store. The Giant Eagle grocery chain has lately announced intentions to introduce a computer vision and a machine-learning scheme to shop free. Other food businesses in the meantime, using compliance stations fitted with artificial intelligence instruments and robotics for quick order preparing, tried to satisfy requests for rapid shipment.

The August Automated Retail Tracker examines all the recent techniques used for the supply of more solid, fast service in supermarkets and distributors.

Around the Automated Retail World

Fast-food chains also seek to speed up order preparations around the automated retail world. Recently McDonald’s started researching robotics that could operate their fryers. The company’s growth remains the automation pattern, which included a experiment of an automated system that can accept speech instructions.

Kodak Moments is also working to promote retail with a photo printing kiosk that was newly launched. The systems are intended to provide distributors with a cost-effective and easy for them to scal in-store picture facilities.

The test of The Fitting Room, a retail omnichannel shop which was a self-service kiosk for putting instructions in combination with physical clothing for trials, seemed to have a beneficial effect for the company. Fashion distributors who tried omnichannel products last year revealed that this stream has led to lower returns and enhanced revenues.

For all the latest headlines, download the Tracker.

How remotely adjustable interactive power selling kiosks

Interactive power sales kiosks give distributors precious possibilities to service clients without the need for assigned employees or large ground area. However, such alternatives miss much of their effect if the retailer offers value or the wants of its clients alter. According to Bhushan Mehendale, Vice President Engineering at the kiosks device growth and leadership platform supplier Esper, the pertinent kiosks require charging technology that can manually modify machine tasks depending on weather, moment of day and more.

Mehendale describes the need to manage distant kiosks and the manner in which they can increasingly help companies in this month’s feature story.

Deep Dive: The Compete Against Living Giants Generation Z consumer pickups in store

Helps Retailers are looking for their products to be quicker than most facilities. In their quest for customers to satisfy themselves by furnishing items within hours of internet buy-in, internet pick up (BOPIS) sales models, distributors are progressively precious tools. BOPIS also helps distributors to catch businesses and active practitioners from agricultural clients. Deep Dive this month examines how automatic BOPIS alternatives like demand collecting stations enable shops to perform stronger against e-commerce retailers and markets.

About the Tracker

On Tracker, the World-net Payments electronic retail tracker acts as a bi-monthly room structure covering latest stories and developments, as well as a folder that shows important participants in the sections comprising the expansive automated retail industry.

Brex Technology Partnership Teams With Magento

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Brex Technology Partnership Teams With Magento

In a press release on Thursday 22 August, the credit card company Bresx announced that it is cooperating with Adobe’s Magento Technology Partner programme.

A free credit line, 60 days paid conditions of use and interest free finance are included in the benefits of a Brex eCommerce credit card. This collaboration forms portion of a increasing range of Magento commercial technology suppliers.

“We are convinced that eCommerce credit cards from Brex can provide true value as Magento Technology Partner,” says Brex co-funderand co-CEO, Henrique Dubugras. “Magento is powerful and diverse on the eCommerce market.

Brex can now seamlessly be applied to people who are searching for transfers and short-term funding alternatives for Magento. Magento clients can also benefit from all of Brex’s advantages, including greater loan limitations, immediate internet underwriting and tailored rewards for online retail companies.

Ryan Murden, director for business development at Magento, added, “We are happy to accept Brex as a fresh Technology Partner for Magento. Since its introduction in February 2019 Brex has expanded quickly and has introduced several delivery alliances, among others MDS, Payoneer and Plastiq, as well as a series of incentives that is particular to the retail internet sector through technology, transport and marketing.’ Their alternative provides our retailers creative finance and payment capacities.’

Brex announces in June that it has received $100 million in risk financing, which gives the enterprise an estimated $2.6 billion. The fund round has been guided by the Kleiner Perkins Digital Growth Fund and all current significant investment funds, including the Y Combinator Continuity, Ribbit Capital, DST Global, Greenoaks Capital and IVP, have participated.

Brex said the financing was used to improve its item by extending its commercial expenditure and award offering and to join fresh verticals. Some months after Brex collected 125 million dollars, offering it a prior estimate of 1,1 billion. Brex said it would use the financing to increase its brand.

On 30 August the Great Britain Bake-off Returns to Netflix

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On 30 August the Great Britain Bake-off Returns to Netflix

Next Friday will probably be the most important point for a certain subset of meat enthusiasts who also enjoy tact, courtesy and very British people. Because next Friday, August 30th, The Great British Baking Show returns to Netflix for series 10 (or collection 7 here in the U.S.).

But let’s hope you’re sitting down, because there’s been a major development: for the first time ever, episodes will run week-to-week, with new episodes coming to Netflix three days after airing in the United Kingdom. In other words, we’re going to be able to watch the Great British Baking Show in real time instead of binging over the weekend.

GBBS spoilers here in the US have been easily avoided–don’t do the display for Google until the semester ends. But now we are all in danger of a casual colleague spoiling the recent occurrence of an alarming rain bottle. We recommend that you attempt as careful and intelligent as Howard when Deborah inadvertently steeled his custard and prevent spoilers when debating fresh stories this autumn.

Skills, not Occupation Titles, are the new measurement for the Employment

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Skills, not Occupation Titles, are the new measurement for the Employment

The ascent of tech is presently changing the work showcase, prompting the computerization of certain occupations and errands from one viewpoint and the rise of new sorts on the other. Proactively getting ready for this new reality requires an inside and out, granular comprehension of these progressions and their effect on occupations and business. LinkedIn information can give extra knowledge on this by adopting an aptitudes based strategy to work showcase examination.

Abilities are the new money on the work showcase. Abilities show request and supply at a more nuanced level than occupations, whose required aptitude and abilities are changing progressively rapidly, and degrees, which are frequently officially obsolete when they are acquired. The present pace of alter requires following the course of an abilities based, as opposed to degree-based work showcase, which is a considerably more unique variable. Utilizing abilities as a variable of investigation gives an amazing asset in helping policymakers get ready for the future while building versatility in the present day.

In light of these movements, LinkedIn has built up the Skills Genome – another measurement, which enables us to bridle that scientific capacity to increase a progressively granular comprehension of work market patterns and improvements. Utilizing aptitudes data given by LinkedIn’s Economic Graph, a computerized portrayal of the worldwide economy dependent on information created from 630 million individuals with in excess of 35,000 abilities internationally, the measurement enables us to characterize and examine the exceptional aptitudes profile of different sections of the work showcase. We can utilize it to recognize those aptitudes that are progressively common in one fragment contrasted with others. These portions can incorporate a topography (for example a city), an industry, an occupation type (for example information researchers), or a populace (for example ladies).

In China, for instance, we analyzed the elements of advanced aptitudes crosswise over two of the most financially dynamic and open locales: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Yangtze River Delta. In a report on computerized economy and ability advancement in the previous, we found that China’s Greater Bay Area has a general net inflow of ability outfitted with computerized aptitudes, and Shenzhen is a computerized ability center in the Greater Bay Area. We additionally found that ability in the area essentially studied fund and specialized fields of study, and has universally useful aptitudes, for example, venture the executives and initiative, with a generally low degree of joining of advanced aptitudes. Delicate aptitudes like administration, initiative and exchange rank higher in this area, paying little mind to abnormal state abilities or computerized gifts.

In a comparable report for the Yangtze River Delta Region, we found that Shanghai assumes a significant job in preparing and creating junior-level ability with differentiated aptitudes to help different locales. We likewise found that the main 10 quickest developing positions in the previous four years are altogether viewed as middle of the road and senior administration positions covering client administration, showcasing, money, items, activities and different capacities. Abilities that have seen the most keen increment can be isolated into four classes: (1) utilitarian aptitudes, for example, advertising and client administration; (2) delicate power aptitudes, for example, initiative; (3) computerized aptitudes, for example, web-based social networking; and (4) esteem included abilities, for example, English. The classes of aptitudes show that the Yangtze River Delta district is progressively open to the more extensive world and has turned out to be progressively connected to computerized openings.

Have you perused?

These are the most significant aptitudes you should be fruitful in the cutting edge working environment

This is the essential aptitude businesses state is getting increasingly hard to discover

Which nations are best at pulling in high-gifted specialists?

Discoveries like these are progressively profitable as our general public gets ready for the eventual fate of work. Policymakers might need to utilize these abilities profiles to decide future vocation ways for individuals in occupations declining in fame. Instruction and preparing suppliers will most likely adjust educational programs to the rising abilities patterns. What’s more, as decent variety turns into a progressively basic goal, aptitudes profiles of individuals from various foundations can illuminate endeavors to close holes and diminish obstructions.

Shopify Becomes Canada’s Top 10 Biggest Public Firms

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Shopify Becomes Canada’s Top 10 Biggest Public Firms

Shopify has become the 10th largest publicly-traded company in Canada.

The company is up another 1.34 percent in premarket U.S. trading to reach $380. It now has a higher market cap than eBay.

Last month a KeyBanc analyst said that Shopify could eventually rival Amazon in gross merchandise volume.

Josh Beck wrote in a note to investors that the online marketplace has received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback from developers, partners and merchants at three recent conferences. He also raised his 2020 revenue price target from $300 to $350.

He said Shopify revealed an “impressive array of product launches” for its eCommerce platform, including “complex” shipping innovations like automation capabilities, as well as features for multi-currency use and better developer tools. The company’s market share, he said, could grow three times in five years to 9 percent.

And just this week Guggenheim Securities analyst Ken Wong said that Shopify ’s new fulfillment-network initiative is being well received by its partners.

“Most vendors reacted favorably to Shopify’s fulfillment ambitions, emphasizing merchant scale, customer trust and the potential to coordinate and simplify complexity,” he wrote, according to Barron’s. “Beyond the direct top line benefits of fulfillment, our conversations suggest that merchants typically see a noticeable uptick in [Gross Merchandise Volume, a measure of sales].”

He added that the company’s ability to expand  “could be significant.”

“Fulfillment operators indicated that Shopify’s standing as a trusted partner in the [small- and medium-size business] community should not be underestimated, unlike Amazon, which we believe most merchants tolerate as a partner,” he wrote.

Shopify also recently announced that merchants can chat with customers through Apple Business Chat inside of Shopify Ping.

“And it’s as simple as using the Messages app on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. With just a few clicks, the Messages button will be featured on every page of your online store, and any visitor can quickly ask for product information, and easily and securely pay for products with Apple Pay right within the conversation,” Shopify said in the announcement. “This new feature brings Apple Business Chat to Shopify’s 800,000+ merchants around the world.”

Manhattan’s Heated Slice Fights Got A New Competitor

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Manhattan’s Heated Slice Fights Got A New Competitor

When Roman Grandinetti & Co. opened Regina’s Grocery in 2017, it immediately made some noise in the crowded conversation about Italian combos and chicken parms. It’s the sort of place that feels like it’s been around for a long time, maybe just recently refreshed, if you didn’t know any better. (It might even trick a family member who texts you about this old-school place, leaving you to break the news.) Really, it’s a love letter to Italian delis, one that exudes a nuevo-old-school charm dressed up for a new generation and with hefty sandwiches that deliver. While Regina’s was co-owner Grandinetti’s first formal foray into the food world, he’d actually first been plotting a move into that other crowded, equally sacred corner of the Italian-American food world: the slice shop.

On Saturday, Grandinetti, along with Karoosh Bakhtiar and Nima Garos (who run Raise Hospitality, the company behind JaJaJa), opened Manero’s Pizza, a small Mulberry Street slice shop with a tin ceiling, a Tiffany lamp, and a disco ball. That disco ball is a nod to Saturday Night Fever, whose main character, played by John Travolta, is named Tony Manero and goes to the Bensonhurst pizzeria Lenny’s. That’s the pizzeria the restaurateur grew up frequenting and calls his “after-school” slice shop, though he’s since expanded his horizons.

A slice.  Photo: Grub Street

“I’m a huge fan of Mama’s Too. I don’t think anyone can really touch that kid,” he says. Asked about other pizzerias, he cites L&B — “obviously my second neighborhood place … Spumoni Gardens is where I grew up” — along with new-school places like Williamsburg’s L’Industrie and the Lower East Side’s trendy Scarr’s.

Those are places where Grandinetti likes to eat his pizza, but as for the slices he’ll serve? He describes them as a hybrid of the Neapolitan and New York styles; more specifically, he wants the crust to have the “gumminess” of a Naples pie with the size of a New York slice. The sauce is made with DiNapoli canned tomatoes (“We’re more into the purée,” he says), which are not cooked prior to being ladled onto the crust. The mozzarella comes from some friends in Brooklyn, Grandinetti adds, but he’s not trying to create a mystique around his pizza like others who whisper about secret this, secret that. “There’s no mysteries,” Grandinetti says. “I’m not very big into secrets. I think we use a very limited amount of ingredients. We keep it super-simple and that’s it.”

On the regular menu, they’re keeping it pretty straightforward. There’s a plain slice, along with a margherita and marina, and then a hot sopressata, white, and square. Is it an L&B-style square or perhaps a Mama’s Too style, you might ask? “It’s more of a Manero’s-style square. It’s a bit different. But it’s definitely inspired by L&B,” Grandinetti says. It’s thick, bready, and upside down (with the sauce on top). There’s an optional add-on of burrata, which is added cold before you’re served, and Grandinetti says they’ll do “collaborative” pizza specials and “some nouveau-slice-joint stuff.”

Beyond slices, the menu consists of a few drinks (Coke products and espresso), garlic knots, and pinwheels. The pinwheels will be a special a day, maybe with broccoli rabe cooked by Grandinetti’s mother, a dessert version, or a vegan option. The slice shop itself is small, the same size as Regina’s but with an electric oven taking up half the space, and there’s no seating. But it’s only half of the plan Grandinetti, Bakhtiar, and Garos have for Mulberry Street: Right next door, they’re opening a full-service restaurant that they hope to be bubbling marinara sauce in by December.

Add some burrata. Photo: Grub Street
With soppressata. Photo: Grub Street
Whole pies are available, too. . Photo: Grub Street
Garlic knots! Photo: Grub Street

Step up. Photo: Grub Street

The Undeniable Power of Websites and Social Media Within The Hospitality Industry

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The Undeniable Power of Websites and Social Media Within The Hospitality Industry

Numbers don’t lie: There are 4.1 billion Internet users in the world. Over 4 million blog posts are published on the Internet every day. Over 500 million tweets are sent every day. Over 5 billion Google searches are made every day. There are approximately 1.94 billion websites in the world. And not surprising, Google is the world’s most visited website, followed by Youtube and Facebook. And statistics from 2019 show that there are 3.2 billion social media users worldwide. All of these numbers continue to grow.

OK, so now that we have that out of the way, what does this information mean to you? Hopefully not much because your business is already engaged in social media and has a strong online presence that stems from an awesome and responsive website, strong search engine optimization, and active content.

But, since I am all for information reinforcement, and even more interested in keeping up with the most current site and social practices, let’s establish some baseline strategies and become better acquainted with some solid information from some of our top marketing professionals; NY based firm Enormous Creative is a powerhouse when it comes to generating brand awareness across numerous platforms. CT tech company GoNation has taken digital marketing for small businesses a step further by creating their own high-tech platform which puts the business in the driver’s seat while engaging the consumer. And Box 8 Creative in New Haven is the creative team behind developing well over 100 food and beverage brands throughout New England. You heard it here first!

Websites

There are no excuses for not having a thoughtfully designed and fully optimized website these days. The competitiveness of the web design industry has made it much easier to engage with talented and accessible web companies who truly stand out as being client and result-focused. Same goes for social media managers. We are functioning in their generation’s wheelhouse after all. Be sure to work with a company that not only evolves with their industry but who has experience with your industry. In the case of my firm, we’ve kissed quite a few frogs along the way, but ultimately have found our princes who are innovative, fearless, communicative, and meticulous about what they do, and they specialize in the hospitality industry.

We see websites becoming far more streamlined knowing that retention is low – is less best?

Enormous: If done correctly, less can be more. A website has all the information a visitor will need, but if it is not obvious for them to navigate, then we lose them. This is why many websites have become very streamlined or simplified. Balancing functionality and aesthetics is the key, and we only have a few seconds to make an impression before the visitor moves on.

Our goal is to get them interested and to dive deeper into the website. The experience must also be effective on all devices. On average globally, nearly half of a website’s traffic takes place on mobile devices. Having a streamlined experience on mobile is beneficial due to the data and screen limitations that those site visitors may have.

What’s your tactical approach when creating a website for a restaurant?

GoNation: Because of social media, smartphones, and the speed of the web, customers are being trained to expect easy access to every type of information. Restaurant menu items, events, accurate hours, and photos on are no exception. So why is it so difficult to find this information and so challenging for the business owner to update it? Traditional technology and current methods of building a website do not focus on the critical data that the consumer desires. Therefore the simple needs of a restaurant website are not met. We have designed a platform which organizes restaurants’ most important information so it can be accessed and shared easily. We focus on three simple principles when we create a restaurant website. First, the site has to be mobile excellent. Second, it must showcase and promote brand experience. Third, it has to have real-time content that can be easily updated.  And of course, having the best SEO is required, as no site should function without that. Our technology is built to incorporate that on autopilot.

How best to maintain brand integrity across both site and social platforms?

Box 8: Today’s customer is more visual than ever. You need to sell your company at every visual touch point. Your website should be able to convey your concept, style, and energy directly from your homepage.  Your site, physical space, and social media platforms all need to have the same feel. Matching and supporting icons and graphics, style of photos, and messaging are important. Consistency is the key to brand recognition and ultimately brand loyalty.

Where do you feel most websites and the process in creating them tend to go wrong?

GoNation: Websites can go wrong in many ways. From lousy design and not meeting the necessary standards in SEO, to poor user experiences such as sites with PDF menus, unprofessional photos, and stale information because it is too much work to update the website or the “web guy disappeared.” Owners have been wronged too many times by big companies and local developers. Here are a few lessons learned every owner should adhere to:

1. Always put the domain name and all social media accounts in your name under an email you plan to always have access to. NEVER let anyone own your domain and always have the login info safely stored.

2. If you are paying more than $1,500 upfront on a single restaurant website, you are burning money.

3. PDF menus and jpeg images of a menu are outdated. Customers do not want to spend their time stretching documents to read what you are selling. Nobody wants to download a pdf to their android phone. PDFs should only be there for supporting real data as an option and for desktop viewing or printing.

4. Build the best mobile experience first, and then worry about a desktop. If you are not mobile, you are losing money.   

5. Take the time and accept the costs of creating great content. High-quality images, quality designed logos, videos, and so on. This should be incorporated into your business plan and budget. A million-dollar restaurant to build is no good if you can’t promote it!

6. Use a professional cloud email service and email marketing program. Avoid housing your business email on a company’s personal server or allowing your customers’ email addresses to reside in someone else’s database.

How important is running monthly analytics for both site and social?

Enormous: Performance analytics is a powerful resource. Being able to look over data and see what pages or posts are receiving the most engagement, or the times of day that visitors interact with a website or a social post, allows us to improve upon our performance and be ahead of the game as site and social creators and managers.

Social Media

This is where being old school will indeed get in the way of your competitive edge and will have you struggling to stay relevant in an evolving industry. No longer a point, shoot, and post platform, social media has proven itself to be a driving force for influencing consumer decisions.

There’s some buzz about social media platforms taking the place of traditional websites?

Enormous: Websites will always have a place. Social media is a great form of engaging with your audience or promoting your content, but a website is the foundation of your business that keeps it all together. Using both platforms in tandem with each other creates the ultimate weapon to make your business truly shine for SEO and Google rankings.

What are some common brand missteps within social media platforms that can dilute your brand?

Box 8: I’ve seen so many great brands diluted by showing the wrong versions of their brand marks as their social icons. The customer needs that visual recognition (consistency!) to be carried throughout all forms of communication. The biggest missteps are cropping a logo, which often happens within an Instagram icon.  Another big one is forcing a picture of a dish or restaurant space to fit within an Instagram or Facebook circle which is just far too small to give the proper visual link to your brand identity. We always take a recognizable element to tie them all together whenever possible, such as an icon or brand mark.

What are some dos and don’ts when posting to social media?

Enormous: DO know your platform. Between Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, the way to engage or post content is different. Twitter is about real-time engagement and updates; Instagram is all about the imagery, Insta-Stories, and how to effectively use hashtags (while this is obvious, many people still don’t use the right hashtags or use too many broad hashtags); and Facebook is a bit of a combo between the two (No hashtags though. That’s not as effective on Facebook). Having an image with less text means that you will be able to reach more people to look at your posts/boosted posts. Speaking of which…

DO utilize promotional tools. Boosting content is the cheapest form of advertising in the market. Being able to customize how you are going to promote a post on Facebook or Instagram makes all the difference.

DON’T focus so much on the number of followers or likes you have – DO focus on building a quality audience. You want to attract and appeal to people who are genuinely interested in your business and its offering and who have the geographical capability to become an actual customer.

DON’T sweat the haters. Most people just want attention. Ignoring them speaks louder than engaging them.

Back Yard Burgers Selects Qu for Its Innovative and Modern Enterprise POS Software

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Back Yard Burgers Selects Qu for Its Innovative and Modern Enterprise POS Software

BETHESDA, Md. — Back Yard Burgers, an iconic burger brand headquartered in Nashville, TN, has selected Qu™, an enterprise POS software company, to replace a legacy system across its 28 locations and 4 states in 2019. Qu’s open, API-first POS system provides integrated order management across channels, while unifying operations and brand experiences—moving operators closer to much-needed guest insights for sustainable growth.

Driven by the upcoming launch of its new prototype and recent capital investment, Back Yard Burger needed a modern POS to enable faster ordering speeds and guest service required by the quick service brand. The first priority will be to fluidly align their omni-channel ordering channels—particularly web, mobile, and kiosk. Back Yard Burger also selected Synergy Suite for back office functions like inventory control and payroll, which Qu will integrate with directly.

“We evaluated multiple enterprise POS platforms during the selection process conducted by ConStrata Technology Solutions, but Qu stood out for its open integrations, conversational ordering interface, and optional hardware choices as well as the team’s strong vision for the future of restaurant technology,” said Scott Shotter, CEO of Back Yard Burgers. “We’re looking forward to a great working relationship with the team at Qu.”

Qu’s open and flexible enterprise POS software is purpose-built for quick service and fast casual restaurants, enabling an easier transition off legacy POS, while integrating disparate systems and delivering more dynamic experiences to satisfy the modern guest. With its need for speed and uninterrupted service, Back Yard Burger was particularly attracted to Qu’s offline capabilities that ensure continuous in-store operations and reliability even when the cloud goes down. The direct integration with KDS will allow orders to flow and burgers to fly, while backing up in-store terminals during offline periods.

“Our partnerships with forward-thinking brands like Back Yard Burgers underscore the dire need for unifying order channels to deliver exceptional guest and food experiences,” said Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu. “Our mission is to provide faster, smoother pathways for brands to scale quickly, while driving healthier bottom lines.”

“Ultimately a brand like Back Yard Burger needs a backbone for open integration built on a one source of truth as well as a built-in ‘data scientist’ to give us predictive data points. That’s the north star we are aiming for with Qu by our side,” said Shotter. “Less time fussing over our technology problems means more time engaging and satisfying our guests. That’s the ultimate goal.”

After successfully rolling out the corporate stores in 2019, Qu will be offered to Back Yard Burger’s franchisees company-wide in 2020.

About Back Yard Burger

Started in a grocery store in Cleveland, Mississippi in 1987, today Back Yard Burger has 50 locations across 11 states. The mission has remained the same: to serve a burger that’s just as good as the one you’d grill in your backyard — maybe even better. Back Yard Burgers is the place to go for big and bold backyard taste with 100% Black Angus burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, milkshakes and more. Learn more at www.backyardburgers.com.

About Qu

Qu is on a mission to transform restaurant POS from its current fragmented state into a unified experience for enterprise operators and guests. Our data-centric foundation works at the critical intersections of ordering, production, and brand to help solve the technology crisis operators are in today. Laser-focused on quick service and fast casual restaurant success, our mission is to constantly apply speed, flexibility, and innovative thinking to deliver unified food experiences that drive healthier bottom lines.

Providing the industry’s first connected platform powered by one common core, Qu makes tangible those lofty ambitions for data-driven guest experiences. Based in Bethesda, MD, Qu is backed by leading Silicon Valley investors that have also backed Google, Uber, and Dropbox.

Learn more at www.qubeyond.com.

About ConStrata

ConStrata provides technology services for the global foodservice, hospitality, and retail industries from both the operator and supplier side, helping them select, optimize, and differentiate their mission-critical technologies to improve efficiency and maximize return on investment. ConStrata is a leader in predicting key industry technology trends and coupling them with operational knowledge. Learn more at www.constratatech.com.

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