Food Trucks – What to Consider

Attendees at the NRA show had an opportunity to learn a little bit more about the intricacies of owning and operating a successful food truck. Ross Resnick, founder of the food-truck-locating website www.roaminghunger.com, offered a variety of tips to succeed in this growing foodservice segment.

Since 2009, the number of trucks listed on the Roaming Hunger website has grown 710 percent, to more than 2,300, Resnick said. Food truck growth is anticipated to grow another 260 percent by 2014.

According to Resnick, food truck success depends on many factors, but mostly dependent upon brand differentiation, reasonably sized menu, sales locations, strong media presence and patience when it comes to growth.

He also warns that owning a food truck is not a get-rich-quick type of business. Food trucks are no longer a novelty and must be built as sustainable businesses where customers want to eat frequently.

Lessons Learned from the Health Inspection

September is National Food Safety Education Month, and this year’s theme is “Lessons Learned from the Health Inspection”. The National Restaurant Association is kicking off a month-long initiative to encourage restaurant and foodservice operators to renew their commitment to food safety by raising awareness of the importance of education and training.

National Food Safety Education Month was created in 1994 to heighten awareness about the importance of food safety education. Each year a new theme and free training activities and posters are created for the restaurant and foodservice industry to help reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures. Visit the NFSEM website for more information on how you can implement this year’s activities and materials in your foodservice establishment.

Save Money by Focusing on Energy and Water Waste

Restaurant operators are encouraged to pay increasing attention to the amount of energy their restaurant equipment utilizes. According to a recent article published by the National Restaurant Association, restaurant operators can save money when they know how much profit is getting eaten by fuel costs of inefficient restaurant equipment.

This does not necessarily mean that restaurant owners need to go out buy all new pieces of energy-star rated restaurant equipment. Monitoring your existing restaurant equipment for energy usage is an important first step in sustainability. If you happen to see a spike in energy usage, this could signal a problem such as an equipment malfunction or employees failing to follow recommended procedures, like turning equipment off when it’s not needed.

Restaurant owners are also encouraged to examine the processes in which they perform common tasks. The industry’s “tried and true” way of doing things, may not always be the most energy efficient or cost-effective. The article sites an example of using a three-compartment sink for washing dishes. A lot of energy can go into making sure water used in the sink is kept at a certain temperature, whereas money could be saved over the long-run by using a dishwasher instead.

Although energy or water-conserving restaurant equipment might cost more, the difference is offset more quickly today as utility costs are continuously rising. Plus, many utilities and/or local governments offer rebates and other incentives for buying more-efficient restaurant equipment.

The National Restaurant Association posted a great article this week on how online marketing can boost traffic and sales to your restaurant or bar. If you haven’t taken any steps to market your business via the internet or through email, be sure to check out some of the ideas provided in their article.

Today, there are many free tools available for restaurant and bar owners looking to market their businesses online. One of the easiest ways you can connect with your customers is to send out an email once or twice a month. Emails offer and easy way to implement a loyalty program, build community involvement, and inform your guests of what’s new or changing in your restaurant or bar.

New Smartphone App for 2011 NRA Show

The National Restaurant Association launched a new smartphone app for 2011 NRA Show attendees. The new mobile app is available for iPhone and Android platforms, and allows restaurant industry professionals to get the most our of their 2011 trade show experience.

The mobile app allows trade show attendees to browse the exhibitors by category or locations, view interactive maps of the exhibit floor and see event and education session schedules and speakers. The app also provides public transportation information and schedules to and from the show.

Visit the NRA’s website for more information on where to download the app. The 2011 NRA show is scheduled to take place May 21-24 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

NRA Predicts 2011 Restaurant Industry Trends

The National Restaurant Association recently published their 2011 Restaurant Industry Forecast. The study provides insight into the mind of today’s restaurant consumer and what they are looking for when dining out. Some of the major trends that the NRA projects in the coming year include an increased use of online social networking media and mobile food trucks.

The number of consumers who utilize online social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, and mobile phone applications such as Foursquare and Yelp is projected to increase. The NRA’s study indicates that consumers who utilize applications like Foursquare and Yelp typically dine out more than consumers who do not utilize such applications. The study also concludes that these same consumers, who are already active in the restaurant community, are also more like to use online social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

Consumers’ interest in mobile food trucks will also be on the rise in the coming year. Thanks to reality television shows like The Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race”, restaurant consumers everywhere seem to have an increased awareness and desire for mobile food trucks. The NRA’s study indicates that nearly half of restaurant consumers say they would be likely to patronize mobile food trucks if their favorite restaurants operated them.

NRA Show Stays in Chicago through 2016

This week the National Restaurant Association announced that they will continue to host their annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at Chicago’s McCormick Place for at least five more years.

Due to exhibitor complaints, NRA officials had considered moving the show to either Orlando, FL or Las Vegas, NV. However after further negotiations with Chicago city officials and McCormick Place, a commitment was made by McCormick Place to enhance its service and value at the NRA show.

The 2011 NRA Show is scheduled for May 21-24, 2011. The show features an expansive exhibit of restaurant equipment, restaurant supplies, bar equipment, restaurant furniture and bar stools, and much more from top restaurant manufacturers world-wide.

I’m always happy to see new bloggers in the foodservice arena, and I was especially pleased to see that the NRA has a new (since October—but new to me) blog about the upcoming NRA Show 2009.  It’s called Floored! and in addition to engaging writing, they’ve got good details on the 2009 show.  I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the number and range of products on display at the 2008 show.  I imagine 2009 will be no less impressive.

Speaking of 2009, we here at Serv-U have just sent out our beautiful, glossy new catalog.  If you would like us to send you a copy, just request a Serv-U catalog here.  A word to the wise, however; the downloadable version of this latest catalog won’t be available for a while, so if you’d like to browse the new catalog right away, it’s best to request we mail it to you.  (It’s free!)

Be on the lookout for my favorite new product; it’s on page 59.  It’s a great wine flight holder that comes in a black powder coat finish or a chrome finish.  Very sleek—a unique experience with great upsell possibilities.  (Bet you’ll sell more bottles if you offer these flights first!)  Of course, I love wine, so just about everything on page 59 is pretty great if you ask me.

Cheers to a great start to 2009!

In the mood for some eco-minded reading?  Head on over to www.conserve.restaurant.org, the National Restaurant Association’s new site aimed at helping restaurateurs of all stripes save money (and reduce their environmental impact) by becoming more efficient.  The site is well organized and appears to be updated regularly with improved features and more comprehensive information. 

To tour the site, I suggest starting out reading some success stories; many describe small, simple steps that lead to good results.  Then, try the “Virtual Green Restaurant”—an eye-pleasing diagram of a restaurant with various “green” upgrades in each area (FOH and BOH).  The “Understanding the Issues” tab seems to have the most detailed suggestions for efficient upgrades; most restaurateurs will find at least one or two things that could improve their restaurant’s efficiency without requiring a large expense up front.

Take a few green steps yourself, measure your results, and report back to the NRA using the “Tell Us Your Story” form.  Who knows?  Maybe they’ll even feature your story on their site.

Bonus: According to the New York Times, the federal government may approve tax breaks for efficiency upgrades in restaurants; the article doesn’t go into much detail, but keep checking the Restaurant Guru blog for updates.