how to reopen your restaurant

How To Reopen Your Restaurant? Hospitality Experts Weigh in

As part of a detailed industry report on the restaurant industry in 2020 (which you can find here), Big 7 Travel talked to industry experts from around the world. Here, we’ve included excerpts from interviews with two US hospitality consulting firms. They give invaluable advice on how to reopen your restaurant during Covid-19, in terms of what’s worth paying attention to – and what’s not.

This is an excerpt from Big 7 Media‘s 100-page report on The Future of the Restaurant Industry in 2020. 

This detailed report provides current operational guidance and insight into emerging hospitality trends for 2020-21. We investigate the trends that are impacting the industry, both currently and in the future. You will learn: how to increase sales, current and future trends, supply chain issues and more.

See here for more information & pricing options.

The Future of the Restaurant Industry in 2020

Expert Advice on Reopening Your Restaurant During Covid-19:

Clark Wolf – Founder, Clark Wolf Company

Clark Wolf Company is a food, restaurant and food business consulting firm. Founder Clark Wolf is one of America’s top restaurant consultants and is a regular contributor to Forbes.com.

Know Your Brand & Collaborate

“Be who you really are. Whatever you decide, and how you do it, will tell a very watchful public who you are and what you value. Start there. Collaborate. It’s always been a collaborative industry but now more than ever team work is vital. In your house, your street, your town, your industry.”

Tackle Tough Issues in Advance

 “Address those tough issues you’ve been wanting to avoid. Do you have to raise the prices to survive, or maybe cook something else with a more sustainable margin?”

Get to Grips with Social Media

 “Get tech savvy yesterday! Times up. Figure out what you need and learn it, get help, implement and continually adjust. You do it with food and drink. Do it with tools.”

Be Wary of Third-Party Delivery Apps

 “Only work with partners who have your best interests at heart. Delivery apps like GrubHub and Uber Eats have proven to be parasitic so find and employ other solutions and speak out loudly if you’re being mistreated.”

Guidelines for Reopening Your Restaurant

Jim Coyle – President, Coyle Hospitality Group

Coyle Hospitality Group is a market leader in brand compliance, and market research exclusively for the global hospitality industry.  To date, Jim Coyle has developed and deployed quality/brand measurement programs for over 500 hospitality companies worldwide.

Listen Closely to Guest Feedback

“Solicit guest and market feedback constantly.  Cataclysmic shocks to the system like Covid cause aftershocks that occur rapidly and often afterwards. Today, your customers may need all your staff to have masks to gain trust. That could very well be an anachronism (or an outright negative) in a few short weeks… Stay focused on the timeless principles of trust, value and convenience. Be fun.”

Pay Attention to The Mood of the City & Fellow Businesses

“Use your own eyes and ears to observe the local behaviour indicators. For instance, the number of commuters emerging from your local subway stop will be an undeniable indicator of economic activity. What other local businesses were doing really well at your peak? Talk to those people. A liquor store, a flower shop, and your local Starbucks will experience immediate trend changes in discretionary spend.”

Don’t Forget Your Core Brand Values – Even While Pivoting

“There may be some new opportunities based solely on the fact that some competitors are now out of business. But be careful not to abandon the brand that made you successful because you’re chasing a trend. Almost certainly, the pendulum right now is at its furthest point from where it was three short months ago. It will swing back closer, not farther away.”

Big 7 Media Report: The Future of the Restaurant Industry in 2020 – Download Here

Table of Contents:

  • Introduction
  • Restaurant Industry Overview
  • Covid-19: Steps & Barriers to Reopening
  • Produce Supply Chain: Impact on Menu Model
  • Key Trends & Developments in Restaurant Sectors
  • Food Delivery Trends & Technology
  • Marketing & Social Media
  • Beverage Trends within the Restaurant Industry
  • Looking to 2021 – The Future
  • Endnotes
Sarah Clayton-Lea

Co-founder of Big 7 Travel, Sarah created the company through her passion for championing the world's best food and travel experiences. Before her career in digital media, where she previously held roles such as Editor of Food&Wine Ireland, Sarah worked in the hospitality industry in Dublin and New York.

Contact [email protected]

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