Happy Holidays!

As a French chef once told (yelled) at me one time when he asked why i was working in his kitchen? I replied "i want to be a Chef!" He laughed out loud and said,  "you must sacrifice!" with a bewildered 18 year old look on my face he continued " when your Drunk, Broke & Divorced then your a chef!" "you must sacrifice!" Years later i always remembered those words to remind myself not to let the restaurant business to consume me like it does to a lot of us. Keep a healthy balance of friends and family over the holiday season the restaurant will still be there in the morning!

I hope all my fellow restauranteurs have a great holiday and a Happy New Year!!


Rocky (Not Drunk or Broke, two out of three isn't bad lol)

Early Bird Gets the Parties!!

Getting ahead of the competition for New Years Eve is crucial to getting guest to come to your restaurant over your competitors. Establishing your menu, promotion, entertainment and hours of operation before your competition does allows you to get the early party planners out there who like to have everything wrapped up before xmas. Before you establish your night you have to do your homework here are your study notes:

1. What are the competition doing around you? Make sure your in line with what your competitors are doing or better yet below their price point if you can. Guest shop restaurants to find the best deals and prices.
2. History Homework! - Study your own history from the previous years on what worked what didn't and where you need to improve your business from years past. It only helps you become more efficient and provide a better experience for your guest.
3. Chefs Study the P-mix. - Chefs don't go all crazy on the big day for the most part guest just want great upscale food well cooked! Not Foie Gras french toast with poached duck egg, cured wild boar bacon and truffle syrup (not kidding saw this a few years back on a NYE menu). Look at what sold last year and build around it. Keep in mind that you need something for everyone on your menu, one couple who can't fine anything on your menu that they like can veto your restaurant for the entire party. (P-mix= Product Mix of sold items)

Getting out in front of the holiday clearly gives you advantages over the competition. Simply put think of how many guest call, visit or social media your restaurant from now until NYE 100's ? 1000's? Those are potential NYE guest you can tell and promote your big event to. As always send questions and thanks for reading.

Rocky

The Biggest Day of the Year!!

New Years Eve is usually the biggest day of the year for restaurants and often filling the reservation books and staffing up and some decor is all you need for a big day. However if you do that, your leaving money on the table! On big holidays the key is optimizing your sales, what can you do to take a great day to a record setting sales day for your restaurant. Heres some of my best holiday tips to drive your sales on the big day.

1. Optimize Your Seating - Sitting a 2 top at a 4 top just cost you two seats and two diners sales. Mapping out your reservations properly to fill all your seats is just as important as filling them. Also shy away from large parties (10p or more) they can take up your seating and you can loose a table turn throughput the night.
2. Drive Your Check Average - Creating a set menu for the special day to guarantee a set check average from your customers helps assure you will receive top dollar for the big day. (Note- be sure to add value by upscaling your menu for your guest, they are willing to pay a little more for this day but they want something different then what they usually get at your restaurant)
3. Be Creative - Think outside the box, add some temporary seating, create a late night cocktail party for your dinner guest with a open bar for a set price. Pre sell bottles of champagne by suggestive selling when guest make their reservations all these things add up to $$$

I hope these tips help start your New Years off to a profitable year in 2013!

As always feel free to contact me with your questions.

Rocky