A recent study by BMI and NRG (National Research Group) confirms that music positively impacts the way consumers interact with local eating and drinking establishments. According to the findings, bars and restaurants that feature live music have customers who eat, drink and spend more when listening to music they enjoy, resulting in higher revenues for many business owners.

Out of the 1,000 nationally represented U.S. consumers (1) surveyed across age demographics 21+, atmosphere and music are a big part of what keeps them returning to the establishments that they frequent. When taking a closer look at the data, specifically the responses of Millennials, music is the second most important feature they consider when selecting a bar or restaurant. In fact, it’s something they actively seek with more than half of respondents reporting that they often check the establishment’s website to see if they have live music before choosing where to go.

Music not only drives consumer traffic, but it also has the potential to increase revenue. The survey found that nearly 80% would stay longer if good music was playing, with close to 60% stating that they would buy more food and drinks to continue listening to music that they enjoy. That stat is even higher for Millennials at 70%.

Other findings show that music makes memories, and it has the potential to make or break the customer experience. Eighty-six percent of all those surveyed said that good music at a bar or restaurant creates a more memorable experience, with 89% of Millennials agreeing. Across the board, the younger generations show that music is an important part of the dining experience, with 84% of Gen Z and Millennials noting they are more likely to stay at a bar or restaurant with good music. If the music isn’t right, however, one out of two patrons said they would leave an establishment.

Live music also has very tangible benefits for consumers and businesses by creating ambiance and bringing people together while helping bars and restaurant owners differentiate themselves from competitors. Eighty-two percent said that their experience is more enjoyable with live music and noted that the type of music played tells a lot about the establishment, including helping to establish its brand. People were also more likely to wait for a table and grab a drink at the bar if live music was playing to keep them entertained with 81% of those surveyed saying they’d wait 20 minutes. That number rose to 87% when you just look at how Millennials responded, and 80% of that demographic would also pay for a two-drink minimum to hear live music.

In addition to consumers, restaurant owners and managers were also interviewed, sharing that they saw a clear boost in revenue on the nights that featured live music. An owner with breweries in Colorado and Utah confirmed that customers stay longer and spend more money when a band or DJ performs, commenting, “check averages tend to go up 5-10% … and revenues have jumped almost 25% on the nights that we have live music.” The owner of a family Italian restaurant in Atlanta, GA agreed, noting, “Without the [live] music we didn’t have the linger time, we would close sometimes at nine o’clock. With the live music, we could push one o’clock in a bedroom community. There were more liquor sales, and that’s a 75% profit margin.”

See infographic below, and for the complete survey, click here.

​Do you enjoy vetting software vendors and doing maintenance on your router? For many hospitality business owners, technology may feel like a pesky inconvenience, particularly when it doesn’t work correctly. And it’s very easy to let tech and cybersecurity fall to the bottom of your to-do list, as you juggle the many day-to-day details of running your establishment. 

Restaurants and Hotels are being targeted! No matter the size of your organization, ransomware and cyberattacks continue to grow. Approximately 80% of attacks result from human error. For many hospitality businesses, tech isn’t a strength and cyber criminals know it. While you’re busy creating great customer experiences, bad actors are looking for entry points to nab credit card data and gain access to your financial accounts. 
 
In February 2023, Kroll IR Spotlight Trends reported the Retail/Restaurant sector is the most impacted industry sector so far in 2023. Email Compromise and Web Compromise were the top threat incident types impacting the retail / restaurant sector. In February, threats against the retail / restaurant sector most often involved CVE / Exploit as the initial access method.

Business email compromise results in six-figure loss 
A restaurateur, building out a kitchen area, ordered several pieces of new equipment. With the grand opening date quickly approaching, the owners were eager to get everything completed on time. This enthusiasm led to haste and caused the CFO to miss warning signs of a cybercrime.  
 
A criminal had accessed the equipment supplier’s ordering system and sent the CFO a message saying a supply chain issue was going to cause a shipment delay. However, there was one piece of equipment available if he was able to pay the same day. The email came from a recognized address, and the CFO jumped on the opportunity. He replied to the message, followed the payment instructions, and ended up sending the funds to a bad actor. Money gone. No equipment.  
 
Cyber safety tips  
Cybersecurity professionals talk about “zero trust.” For hospitality businesses, this means slowing down enough to verify requests. If someone asks for money by email or text message, be skeptical. Verify the request by calling a known contact. And if you can’t verify it, err on the side of caution. Do not send a payment, banking information, or credit card details unless you are certain where the money is going.  
 
Further, examine emails for hints of foul play. Maybe the email address is wrong by one letter, or the time stamp is 2:00 a.m. Be wary if the wording sounds urgent, requesting a quick reply. 

Unfortunately, cyber criminals know this. Bad actors are targeting the hospitality industry in an ever-growing number of ways. Here are some cautionary tales, along with cyber safety tips to protect your business.

Free webinar to bolster your knowledge
Risk Strategies is hosting a free webinar on April 25, "Cybersecurity in Hospitality: Don’t get blindsided." Register today and learn about common cybercrimes in our industry and how to prevent them. | Risk Strategies

​While access to hotel financing has increased since the pandemic, finding the right lender can be difficult. This was the challenge faced by business partners Josh Boone and Tim Glover, who recently purchased Bandon Marina Inn, a beautiful 3,950-square-foot boutique hotel located on the Oregon coastline for $2.16 million. 

When Boone and Glover initially explored financing options, the process was slow and arduous. Local lenders made offers, but none fell within their budget. Fortunately, they discovered TMC Financing’s SBA 504 commercial real estate loan. 

The Small Business Administration's (SBA) 504 Program offers below-market, long-term, fixed-rate financing, to purchase, construct, or refinance hotels with a downpayment as low as 15%. 

“We were midway through our original financing package when we learned about the terms of the SBA 504 loan,” explained Boone.  “When we discovered that we only had to put 15% down, instead of the expected 25%, we happily switched to TMC Financing.” 

With the money they saved, Boone and Glover were able to hire additional staff and prepare the Inn to ensure their guests would enjoy their stay.

Bryce Fennell, who administered the SBA 504 loan on behalf of TMC Financing explains that the SBA 504 loan is the most advantageous financing option for hoteliers.  

“Conventional hotel lenders often require a high down payment,” explained Fennell. “However, the unique structure of the SBA 504 loan allows for a lower down payment and can even help finance hotel construction and renovation costs. The best part is, both franchised and independent hotels qualify for the program.”

Josh Boone and Tim Glover are incredibly thankful that they were able to take advantage of the SBA 504 Program.  
“We wasted a lot of time talking with the wrong banks because we were unfamiliar with the SBA 504 option. I’m glad we made the switch to a 504 loan because purchasing real estate is a big step, a step we wanted to take to create a better tomorrow for our families. The SBA believed in what we were doing, and it really helped us paint a long-term picture for success.”

SBA 504 Financing for Your Hotel Property
By utilizing the SBA 504 Loan Program hoteliers can take advantage of below-market, fixed rate financing for the purchase construction or expansion of commercial real estate including equipment and furnishings. Hotel owners can utilize the SBA 504 refinance loan to lower occupancy costs and access cash trapped in commercial real estate holdings. | TMC Financing
​

About
TMC Financing  is the #1 SBA 504 lender in the nation, contact them today to learn more about an SBA 504 loan for your business. 

​Guest Blog | Food Waste Stops with Me

Food waste is a significant challenge for restaurants and hotels. Not only is it bad for the environment, but it also costs businesses money. One aspect of food waste that can be particularly tricky is customer plate waste. Unlike kitchen waste, where chefs have complete control over what goes into the trash, what is left on the plate can be tricky to manage because we don't always get feedback on why certain items are uneaten. However, there are some steps that the hospitality industry can take to minimize customer plate waste without sacrificing service or satisfaction.

1. Monitor 
Monitoring and tracking food regularly left on the plate is essential so restaurants and hotels can identify trends and make adjustments to reduce waste. Consider tracking food waste by meal or day of the week to identify areas of improvement.

2. Adjust
Menu design can play a huge role in reducing plate waste. Offering flexible menu options, such as customizable meals or à la carte options, can allow customers to choose exactly what they want and reduce the likelihood of wasted food. Monitor menu items that are being wasted and adjust their offerings accordingly. For example, if a particular dish, side, condiment or garnish is consistently left on the plate, the portion can be reduced or removed from the menu. This not only reduces waste but also saves money on ingredients.

One of the biggest reasons for customer plate waste is oversized portions. Customers may be hesitant to order smaller portions for fear of not getting their money's worth, so offering a range of portion sizes, ala carte options or customizable dishes and pricing accordingly can help to alleviate this concern. Additionally, using smaller plates can create the illusion of a fuller plate without increasing the amount of food served.

3. Communicate
Sharing with staff the benefits of reducing plate waste can go a long way. Educating staff on portion control, menu design, and food waste reduction can help them understand the importance of minimizing plate waste and achieving this goal. Additionally, staff can be taught to ask customers about their food preferences, allergies, and portion sizes to help guide their meal choices and prevent waste.

By implementing these best practices, restaurants and hotels can minimize plate waste while improving customer satisfaction and saving money. Furthermore, preventing food waste can help to promote a more sustainable and environmentally friendly food industry. Check out this video from the Food Waste Stops with Me initiative for more details and insight.

Food Waste Stops with Me is a collaboration between Metro, the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, as well as city and county governments to help food service businesses reduce food waste.

Visit FoodWasteStopsWithMe.org for more food waste prevention resources or to request free assistance from a local food waste reduction specialist.

​Guest Blog | Healthy Hospitality

We know the importance of having health insurance and its impact on our well-being. Health insurance not only helps prevent and manage chronic conditions but also helps avoid expensive medical bills. 

If you have employees who have health insurance through their state Medicaid program, starting in April they could get an unexpected notice that their coverage will be dropped within 60 days.

Due to a pandemic measure, over the past three years, states stopped checking if people who are enrolled in Medicaid are still eligible. Today, if their income is higher or a child turned 18 for example, they could be disqualified for current Medicare benefits. 

Starting in April and over the next twelve months states are tasked with auditing eligibility. It is expected that Medicaid redetermination will find approximately 15-18 million currently enrolled Medicaid subscribers no longer qualify and will be removed from the program.

Those people will likely receive a notice in the mail and if they miss it, they could find themselves unknowingly without coverage. Don’t let this happen; be a resource for your employees and let them know Medicaid redetermination is happening and they could be affected. During a pre-shift meeting teach them to be proactive and to get help from Healthy Hospitality’s free insurance matching service for hospitality employees. Much like an exchange but more streamlined with live experts ready to help, the free service will ensure employees get the lowest-priced health care insurance plans to choose from and understand the maximum federal subsidies they qualify for. Your understanding of this process can help ensure your team stays insured and protected. | By Leslie Teague, Healthy Hospitality Business Consultant

Employers may request a free break-room poster about this topic and learn more about the health and wellness solutions offered by Healthy Hospitality by visiting Healthy-hospitality.org or emailing Leslie Teague.

Guest Blog | Dell Technologies

Mobile is the New Normal
With February standing as the lone month to celebrate Black History, many Black-owned restaurants are experiencing heightened traffic through their doors. In 2020, people across the country came together to support local restaurants that faced having to close their doors for good due to the pandemic. Among the local restaurants, were Black-owned restaurants that needed a bit more financial support than the average franchise or chain restaurant. Some cities, including Portland, have adopted “Black Restaurant Week” to support the Black-owned restaurants that have been staples in the communities for decades. In 2023, restaurants that survived the loss of business have had to adjust to the industry’s new normal of having more flexible, mobile options. 

During Black History Month, Black-owned restaurants can prepare for the increased business by operating with technology products that will help provide the best service to incoming customers. The average customer prioritizes timely and friendly service, in addition to tasty food options on a menu. To provide the quickest service possible, it is recommended that the technology that is used to run the day-to-day operations is updated every 5-6 years. In a restaurant, point of sale systems are the bread and butter (no pun intended) for payment options. In previous decades, restaurant owners have dealt with only operating business from bulky cash registers and systems that lagged when trying to do basic functions. Those days are long gone. Over the years, Elo Touch Solutions (a Dell Technologies partner), has worked to create quick, modern, and minimalistic models for the restaurants that care about simple and aesthetically pleasing systems. These systems include kiosks and handheld mobile devices, that assist with reducing the length of lines during busy times of the day such as lunch and dinner hours. 

Imagine this:

A busy lunch line that is almost out of the door. There are cashiers up at the front assisting customers as quick as they possibly can, however, the line continues to lengthen which affects the customer service. Customers begin to grow frustrated with the wait time, and tension begins to build. The cooks are doing their best to cook the food and serve it accurately based on each order that was placed. There are few employees tasked with assisting during lunchtime. They pick up their mobile devices and begin assisting customers in line. Having mobile options give the opportunity for more cashiers to engage in one-on-one conversation with each customer, while also providing personal recommendations from the menu that the customer wouldn’t traditionally order. Customers are more likely to ask questions and there’s not as much pressure. 

For the customer that doesn’t have much time during their lunch break, they are likely looking to place an order to carry back to work. Having a kiosk available, gives them an option to place the order independently instead of spending additional time waiting in line. 

Black-owned restaurants have an opportunity to compete with large restaurant corporations. This is the perfect month to embark on a journey of growth, and technology can be used to lead the way. | Lechelle Delaughter, Dell Technologies

Guest Blog | Risk Strategies’ Fournier Group

If you hurry the hiring process to get a heartbeat in the kitchen, you may end up buying yourself a worker's compensation claim. Here are six tips for mitigating this risk in restaurants.

1. Evaluate the ongoing impact of the pandemic
Hiring managers continue to face a talent shortage in the hospitality field. During the height of the pandemic, numerous workers left the industry altogether or relocated permanently to geographic areas with fewer public health restrictions.

To stay afloat and meet pent-up customer demand, many employers began hiring any reasonable applicant, including people without prior hospitality experience. Short staffing also led to quick onboarding, sometimes without in-depth safety training. Frequency and severity of workers’ compensation claims began to climb from avoidable risks such as improper lifting technique, knife injuries, and equipment accidents.

If you’ve seen an uptick in claims, analyze the details to determine where additional training and mentoring could reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.

2. Look holistically at employees’ needs
To maximize margin, some restaurants keep wages as low as possible and hours under the threshold for employee benefits. As a result, many hospitality workers cobble together two or more part-time jobs to cover basic living expenses. They may be working odd hours, seven days a week, short on sleep, and barely scraping by. Tired employees make more mistakes and have more accidents. And when employees are living hand-to-mouth and scared, they sometimes become litigious, which can add to your claim exposure.

To mitigate risk, get creative in helping employees meet basic needs. Though it’s counter-intuitive, investing in the wellbeing of your workforce can boost margin by reducing attrition, absenteeism, workers’ comp claims, and associated expenses.

In high cost-of-living areas, some employers provide subsidized housing as an employee benefit to ensure their people have a place near work to sleep and recharge. Compare the cost and tax benefits against a potential workers’ comp claim, and you may find the math creates a win-win for you and your employees.

3. Choose restaurant workers who fit your culture
Finding right-fit team members starts with articulating your unique value proposition, customer service philosophy, and the workplace culture you want to create. What draws customers to you? Generally, patrons are looking for more than a tasty burger or clean carpet. They may want to create memories, celebrate a special event, have a romantic evening, enjoy music, laugh, relax, build community, or other goals. You want employees who understand your vision and are enthusiastic about bringing it to life.

The old story of the bricklayer applies here. When describing their jobs, do your team members say they are laying bricks or building a cathedral? Cathedral builders are problem solvers, innovators, and people who persevere through challenges to build something great. If they do get hurt on the job, these employees are less likely to prolong a workers’ compensation claim. They want to get back to cathedral building as soon as they can, because they’re excited to be part of your mission.

4. Incent employees to refer their friends for jobs
When people are enthusiastic about their workplace, they’re eager to tell friends and family about open positions. Since employees know their friends’ strengths and weaknesses, they’re in a unique position to identify strong candidates.

Ask your employees, “Who do you know that would be a good fit on our team and enjoy working here?” A formal employee referral program gives team members a chance to create their own community. They earn bonuses for each referral hired. Some employers create a tiered system where employees receive additional dollars once their referrals reach three months, six months, and one year of employment.

Having friends in the workplace increases the likelihood of sticking with a job. Strong employee retention boosts your margin because recruiting and training costs drop. Also, more job experience typically equates to fewer accidents. If a workplace injury occurs, your team’s strong camaraderie can inspire a faster return to work.

5. Create a supportive return-to-work program
When you have the right people on your staff, they often want to get back to work as soon as possible after an injury, because they miss the community and sense of purpose.

An innovative return-to-work program can mitigate workers’ compensation costs, while also protecting against the depression that some people experience when injured. Even if an injured employee is unable to do their regular job, they may be able to contribute meaningfully in a different way. For example, you can provide a chef with a laptop to write down recipes or develop a training manual for new hires. Consider engaging an injured employee as a mentor for a newer team member.

Each return-to-work scenario involves a three-way partnership between the employer, employee, and doctor. You need a clearly defined process for how you’ll work together to brainstorm options and determine creative accommodations.

6. Enlist employees to share their skills and best practices with the team
In one restaurant, an experienced chef honed his knife before every use and was fastidious about knife safety. His supervisor tapped him to train the whole staff.

Each of your team members brings unique skills to the job that could be helpful for other employees. Engaging them to teach and mentor conveys that you value what they bring to the table. You elevate the knowledge of your whole team, and employees feel their contributions matter, which can boost engagement and retention.

When peers reinforce safety, through educating and watching out for each other, you reduce your risk of workplace accidents.

Restaurant risk management involves more than insurance
In hospitality, your hiring decisions and corporate culture can affect your workers’ compensation costs down the road.

Mitigating this risk requires active management — an ongoing process of analysis and innovation. If you view risk management as a transaction, passive purchase, or product you buy once a year, you can end up hurting your bottom line.

Sometimes, managing risks requires behavior change on the part of restaurateurs. This can involve rethinking how you recruit, train, manage, and motivate your team. As these changes produce a better customer experience and safer workplace, you protect your margin and set the foundation for robust profitability.

• Take the helm. Email us to learn how you can gain more control over your risks and costs.
• To brainstorm, reach out on LinkedIn.
• And if you're in Oregon, check out the Hospitality Insurance Program.

The contents of this article are for general informational purposes only and Risk Strategies Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein. Any recommendations contained herein are intended to provide insight based on currently available information for consideration and should be vetted against applicable legal and business needs before application to a specific client. 

Guest Blog | Adesso Capital
​
We hear it all the time: Businesses aren’t filing for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) because of the misconceptions surrounding the program. In fact, less than 20% of eligible businesses have claimed their ERC. Which is why ORLA partnered with Adesso Capital’s team of tax experts to address some common myths about the ERC:

Myth 1: I can’t claim the ERC because I’ve already received PPP funds.

The most frequent falsehood we hear is that retailers, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses can’t receive funds from both the Paycheck Protection Program and the ERC.

This was true at one time. But a change to the CARES Act in December 2020 removed the restriction against applying for both. This vital change went largely under the radar. 

Myth 2: My business has grown during the pandemic. Isn’t the ERC only for businesses that are hurting?

Economic injury isn’t the only condition to receive ERC credits. If your business was affected by operating restrictions or supply chain issues, you’re eligible.

Myth 3: My business was deemed an essential business, so I don’t qualify.

Even essential businesses were subject to reduced operating hours, or reduced capacity. Just about every “essential” business (and that definition varies from state to state) was forced to operate under pandemic restrictions at some point, making even essential businesses eligible for the ERC.

Myth 4: I’m not eligible because employees I had in 2020-21 have since quit, were fired, or were replaced.

The Employee Retention Credit is based on the number of employees on the payroll, not specific employees. Turnover in the restaurant business is common but it doesn’t prevent you from claiming what could be tens of thousands of dollars in taxes you’ve already paid. 

Myth 5: My business wasn’t shut down during the pandemic. 

For much of the relevant ERC time period, businesses weren’t forced to be closed. The ERC covers 2020 but also three quarters of 2021 – a timeframe when most businesses were back to business as usual. 

Myth 6: My business’ sales rebounded in the first quarter of 2021, so I’m not eligible. 

Thanks to a change to the CARES Act, you have the option to look at one quarter prior. This means Adesso can determine eligibility based on lost revenue in 2020. Also, if your business was subject to a full or partial suspension, you may qualify regardless.

The truth is, filing for the ERC is complicated. We would hate to find out you missed out on receiving up to $26,000 per employee because you got some bad advice. Or because you believed the myths out there about the ERC program. 

We know there are tons of things your business could do with the money. Let Adesso take care of the entire refund filing process, from the initial phone call to follow-ups. All you need to do to get started is to schedule a call to see how much you qualify for. 

Guest Blog | Oregon Beverage Alliance

As we near the holidays, the Oregon Beverage Alliance wants to remind you to drink responsibly. Making smart choices – including finding a ride home when you’ve had too much to drink – saves lives.  

The encouraging news is that several pieces of recent data suggest that Americans are drinking responsibly. Consider these data points:

Adults Are Drinking Less
Recent research by Gallup found that only 60% of Americans say that they drink alcohol – down from 65% in 2019 and at one of its lowest rates in 60 years. The number of drinks that Americans report to researchers as having consumed in the prior week is also at its lowest point since 2001 according to Gallup’s research. In fact, those who drink averaged 3.6 drinks per week – the lowest total in 20 years. 

Young Adults Are Also Drinking Even Less
According to data from JAMA Pediatrics, the number of college students who abstain from alcohol jumped to 28% in 2018 – up from 20% in 2002. Additionally, instances of alcohol use disorder have dropped almost 50% in that time period. Combined alcohol and marijuana use disorder has similarly dropped by over a third in that same time.

Demand for Alcohol Treatment Is Decreasing
The proportion of patients admitted to addiction and recovery programs due to alcohol use is declining nationally. Admissions for addiction treatment where alcohol is a primary or secondary cause have dropped 21% and 42% respectively over the past decade, according to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  

Addiction to Hard Drugs Remains a Challenge in Oregon
In a June update to the Oregon Legislature from the Oregon Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission they reported that Oregon leads the nation in misuse of drugs such as meth and opioids.  While Oregon spends more on drug addiction recovery and prevention than 75% of other states, we’re not getting the results our state needs due to lack of coordination and accountability within the Oregon Health Authority and drug addiction recovery providers.

What Does It All Mean?
We know that most people drink responsibly and multiple datapoints continue to confirm that sentiment. As local business owners and residents, Oregon Beverage Alliance members care deeply about our communities. That’s why we invest and create so many jobs here in Oregon. Without question, more needs to be done to address drug addiction and we stand ready and willing to work with lawmakers and stakeholders on these issues.

Guest Blog

If you own a restaurant or hotel and are interested in attracting workers with disabilities, you've made a wise decision. By embracing a diverse workforce, you are committing to greater inclusivity. Additionally, research published in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation suggests that companies that hire workers with disabilities benefit from greater employee loyalty, reduced worker turnover, and greater profits. While you may be clear on the benefits, you may be unclear on how to best attract and hire a more diverse workforce. 

Take care of basic tasks needed to hire workers with disabilities

Before you start recruiting, take care of some housekeeping items. First, if you don't have one, get an employer identification number, which is an important step as you set up a new company. The EIN is assigned by the IRS and you'll need it for payroll. Second, make sure your workspace accommodates disabled persons. For example, you may want to add a wheelchair-friendly bathroom and useful technology, like screen readers—which help persons with visual hurdles. Finally, provide disability awareness training for existing employees, preparing them for the changes ahead.

Institute flexible working arrangements if possible

According to Allianz Care, another way you can make your workplace more friendly to people with disabilities is with flexible working arrangements. For example, you might allow people to work remotely. This can make your business more appealing for persons with mobility hurdles, for example. Of course, not all jobs lend themselves to telecommuting. In this case, offering non-standard working hours or intermittent flexibility if you can't commit to a full-time remote schedule is helpful.

Establish a benefits program that takes people with disabilities into account

When it comes to attracting top talent, you need to think about more than salaries. This is especially for people who are disabled. A benefits package that speaks to your target audience can make a big difference. There are many different types of benefits you can implement to attract workers, such as health insurance, retirement planning support, transportation assistance, and child care. One way to figure out what kinds of benefits workers would appreciate is to ask them outright.

Revamp your recruitment processes

Once you have the basics in place to make your workplace friendly for the disabled, it's time to start recruiting. MIUSA offers tips for writing relevant job ads, such as promoting disability inclusion and noting that you have a budget for reasonable workplace accommodations. 

Develop an inclusive onboarding and career development program

Once you've hired your new employees, the work doesn't stop. Make sure to include them in a detailed onboarding program. Start by ensuring easy access on their first day and leaving plenty of time to introduce them to the office. Then, make sure you have the technology on hand to accommodate their needs. Share training materials in multiple formats if needed, from written guides to videos. As your new workers settle in, make sure to touch base with them regularly to discuss career planning, so you can support their further development.

Reflect inclusivity throughout your brand

When including workers with disabilities in your business, you want to ensure that your brand reflects this inclusivity. You should share it at every stage, internally and externally, ensuring a clear reflection of your business’s diversity and inclusion values. For example, you want to make sure your marketing efforts are just as inclusive as your hiring efforts. This could involve doing things like making sure your website is compatible with assistive devices and using diverse images of people in your marketing materials.

Creating a more inclusive culture in your business by hiring workers with disabilities benefits all involved. The above article provides some tips to guide you through the process. | Martin Block

Guest Blog | Togather Restaurant Consulting

Sustainability is a growing force on the hospitality industry’s horizon. More and more customers are gravitating towards businesses that advocate for greener practices. In fact, a recent study found that 58% of consumers heavily consider the ecoconsciousness of a business when making purchasing decisions. This number represents a viable opportunity to make greener changes and gain a profit while doing so. In fact, most of the aforementioned consumers are Generation Z. By tapping into this market, we can cater to a growing group of young people whose buying power is only becoming stronger. By neglecting this demographic, we potentially lose a large percentage of market share.

There is a common misconception surrounding the accessibility and affordability of going green. Afterall, it’s no secret that compostable paper goods, organic produce, grass fed beef, or free range chicken can get pricey. While the short term cost may seem overwhelming at first, it pales in comparison to the long term cost of potentially losing customers that view this as their primary motivation to patronize a local business. Many studies have shown that Millennials and Gen Z choose restaurants based on sustainability factors and will actively choose to avoid establishments that do not embrace eco conscious practices. Therefore, neglecting to implement these values, and cater to these demographics, will affect your bottom line.

Monitoring food waste is the most cost-effective way to step into the sustainable future. Food waste and food production are the main contributors to a restaurant’s carbon footprint. Restaurants are being encouraged to make choices that positively impact the environment. Not only on their menus, but across the supply chain. Monitoring your food usage, honing your ordering guides so you never purchase more than what you need, and making informed decisions based on the current market, are all great first steps towards sustainability. However, this system works best in tandem with vendors who are also sustainably-minded. In order to provide more transparency to consumers, methods such as sustainable sources, clean ingredient-shopping, and ethical production serve to create a foundation of sustainability. This foundation serves as a catalyst to propel younger demographics to use their buying power, which currently sits at a staggering $140 billion.
 
Many operations are turning to their own backyards for resources. Some of the most successful restaurants in the sustainable market are implementing homegrown produce. This can be as simple as raising your own lettuce, maintaining a small hydroponic herb garden, or canning their vegetables to be used year-round. These practices lend a sense of nostalgia and connectivity to the Earth that Millennials and Generation Z strive to protect. Small businesses have an advantage because corporate establishments do not have the capacity to tap into the level of connection that locally-sourced produce can provide.

When it comes down to it, the consumer wants to feel good about their choices and what they put into their bodies. Creating a tangible relationship between humans and what nourishes them builds trust. This trust is founded upon knowledge that the establishment you patronize cares. Consumers are willing to pay well to have the peace of mind that comes with this knowledge. While making this transition could feel daunting or overwhelming, the price paid upfront is small in comparison to future profitability. Caring about the future and our planet is a driving force for Generation Z. Tapping into their initiative will not only benefit us environmentally but will build lifelong relationships that profit us all. | Kate Ratledge, Togather Restaurant Consulting

Guest Blog | MustHaveMenus

Summer’s coming to a close, and customers are starting to crave cozy fall flavors. Don’t delay — update your bar menu today to include some festive fall cocktails today! 

Crafting a cool-weather cocktail list doesn’t have to be complicated. Plenty of the most popular seasonal flavors — apple cider, pumpkin spice, and even candy corn — translate easily into mixed drinks that your customers are bound to fall in love with!

Need a little mixology inspiration? Keep reading for 8 excellent cocktail ideas and recipes that capture the spirit of the season:

Apple Cider Sangria 
Sangria is a summery punch that’s traditionally made with wine, spirits, and various fruits. Happily, it can easily transition to a fall menu offering with a few simple edits. For example, this recipe incorporates apple cider and ginger brandy into the mix. It maintains the character of sangria, but with a subtle nod to the fall season. 

Bourbon Milk Punch
Bourbon milk punch is a beverage that’s just as comfortable on a cocktail menu as it is on a dessert menu. Featuring whole milk or cream (or both), bourbon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, it almost tastes like melted ice cream — but with a distinct bourbon kick. What’s not to love? This creamy, dreamy cocktail is an ideal addition to your restaurant’s menu all the way through the winter. 

Candy Corn Martini 
Not everyone’s crazy about candy corn. But those who do love it really love it. Give ‘em what they want with a candy corn martini! 

This recipe is jam-packed with satisfying sweetness: it’s made with whipped cream flavored vodka, pineapple juice, and grenadine. But the flavor is only half the fun: the different weights of the liquid ingredients create a “stacked” visual effect so the beverage has three distinct layers that look like the colors of candy corn. This Instagram-friendly cocktail is bound to grab plenty of attention!

Pro tip: Spread the word! A tabletop insert advertising fall cocktail specials like candy corn martinis can draw attention to your seasonal offerings and could increase overall orders.

Caramel Apple Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail traditionally made with bourbon, bitters, and a touch of sugar. In this recipe, it has a fall fling with caramel apples — with delicious results! Apple cider and rich, creamy caramel upgrade the Old Fashioned to cozy autumnal perfection. Finished with fetching slices of green apple, it’s got a fine fall look to match. Don’t miss adding this one to your fall roster! 

Cranberry Mimosa 
The traditional mimosa couldn’t be easier to make: simply mix orange juice with champagne or sparkling wine and voila, you’ve got yourself a brunch classic. Making cranberry mimosas is just as simple: simply swap cranberry juice for orange juice.

The cranberry mimosa may not be complicated, but it boasts a fascinating flavor profile — bright and buoyant, but not too sweet. Plus, it’s visually stunning! This easy-to-make beverage is the perfect addition to your brunch lineup, or as an aperitif, all fall and winter long. 

Honey Pear Sparkling Cocktail 
What better way to kick off a meal than with a sparkling wine cocktail? Here's a recipe that was made for fall: Honey Roasted Pear Sparkling Cocktails, featuring pears roasted in honey and then pureed into a syrup that adds a rich, sweet, mellow flavor to the buoyant bubbles of sparkling wine. Served in coconut sugar-rimmed glass, this is the perfect celebratory cocktail to put customers in a happy mood for the rest of their meal. As a bonus, this recipe is also easy to make into mocktails!

Hot Toddy 
As the weather gets cooler, customers crave comfort and warmth. The hot toddy delivers on both accounts, so be sure to include one on your menu! You can’t go wrong with a classic hot toddy, a simple concoction made with hot water, whiskey, honey, lemon, and spices. Or, you can try any number of variations on it, from a salted caramel hot toddy to a green, matcha-infused hot toddy.

Pumpkin Spice White Russian 
It’s a simple fact: the White Russian, a rich concoction made with vodka, Kahlúa, and cream, is extremely delicious. But it’s even better with a little pumpkin spice. With this fall-themed variety, you get all of the finer points of a traditional White Russian, but with an autumnal accent thanks to pumpkin puree and a warming spice mixture. The resulting beverage makes for a beautiful after-dinner drink with a visually pleasing presentation.

Bring on the Fall Flavors!
Fall is the perfect time to update your bar menu to reflect the flavors of the season. Take a cue from these creative cool-weather cocktail ideas to craft an autumnal menu that’s bound to keep customers coming back!  | Mark Plumlee

Mark Plumlee is the Sr. Content Manager for MustHaveMenus, the internet’s leading design, template and marketing service for restaurants. 

​Guest Blog | Togather Restaurant Consulting

Many people assume that you must be a coder, data analyst, or a tech-savvy professional to collect and use data. Data can be an overwhelming concept, especially when presented with unfamiliar and intimidating terminology. However, when presented correctly, we can view data analytics in a more accessible and understandable way. The current buzz about data and how it is changing business is worth listening to; it is transforming the job market, being used by every technological platform, and is changing the world of business as we know it.

In the hospitality industry, we can break data down into operational and guest data. Operational data includes any data collected by your POS, turnover time, inventory, menu trends, cost of goods, labor reports, and staff performance metrics. Guest data includes customer behaviors, wants & needs, contact info, and demographics. These can be analyzed to uncover patterns, trends, and associations in your operations.

Many people know that their data is sourced from their POS, but operators can also collect data from their loyalty programs, inventory & waste management, kitchen display systems, and other new technology that track restaurant metrics.

But, when you have this data, what do you do with it? In order to recognize and dissect patterns, you need to have it in a structure that is easily analyzed. We call this “data transformation:” taking data, and turning it into an optimized product for business use. But not to fear, we’ve reached a point where your technology does the work for you. Remember to ask your POS representatives the big question – “what can my POS do with the data points it is collecting?” Take a peek at the charts, graphics, summaries, and percentages calculated through your technology.

Only 45% of small business owners analyze their data (airSlate). Analysis doesn’t mean logging in once a month to check your sales and labor numbers. Analysis involves asking the right questions for what you want to know. You must think like a scientist to create hypotheses, but you don’t have to have a Ph.D. to do so. Some examples of questions that data can answer are as follows:

• What menu offerings are most popular based on seasonality?
• Which server is driving the most revenue per hour?
• What marketing tactics drive the highest walk-through rate?
• What is the average lead time for each dish in the kitchen? How does that affect customer satisfaction?

If you can ask these questions and test solutions you will see benefits across your operation. In your marketing, decision-making, revenue, efficiencies, and customer behavior, you will have a competitive advantage. When used the right way, numbers rarely lie.

By 2025, data will be embedded into every decision process in terms of restaurant success. Jobs in the field are expected to grow by 25% by 2026. Restaurants that use big data have 8-10% increased profits, 17% increase in productivity, and improved their products or services by 12%. (PopMenu). If you are in the 55% of operators that aren’t using it to your advantage, now is the time to learn - don’t get behind with data!

Hold your horses though - if we use data, we must ensure that we are ethical about our collection and usage. As the holder of people’s data, you must ask: How are you collecting, protecting, and applying it?

In terms of ethics, your answers should align with four principles:

1. Empathy. Would customers return to the restaurant if you were honest about how you are collecting and using their data?
2. Transparency. Does the consumer understand how I am using and collecting their data?
3. Accountability. Is their data safe and secure?
4. Equity. Are my decisions fair and unbiased?

If the answers are ‘yes’ and the first answer aligns with how you would want your data to be treated, then proceed! If you are using a platform or raw data in a way that you cannot answer ‘yes’ to those questions – you may want to step back and consider if you are providing honest service to your customers. After all, we are the hospitality industry.

As we step forward into the future, we mustn’t let ourselves get bogged down by the learning curve. While it can seem daunting, there are resources available. Data answers a lot of the questions that business owners face. However, data collection is pointless without transformation. We must transform our raw data values into something tangible – something that changes how we do business. Otherwise, our research is useless. We can cultivate a competitive edge if we stay in stride with this rapidly-evolving technological industry. Above all else, we must ensure that our data-driven decisions are ethical and build towards profitability. | Anna Janke and edited by Kate Ratledge, Togather Restaurant Consulting

Guest Blog | Porter

Staff shortages are leaving many of us with no choice but to shortchange the guest experience. Here are 5 ways that you can create positive guest experiences with a reduced staff. 

1. Train + Retain
   It may seem counterintuitive to invest more time in your onboarding program, but helping your team quickly become confident experts in their roles will reduce friction down the road. This will lead to fewer mistakes, questions, and underperformance. The quicker that new hires are able to positively contribute to the guest experience, the more quickly they will grow in confidence — an attribute that leads to better performance and greater retention. The Disney Institute has found that when a staff member has confidence in their leaders, they are more likely to make a positive contribution through their work. So by investing in training, you are investing in better customer experiences and greater retention — both big wins when having to deal with reduced staff.
   
   
2. Stay Positive
   It is very natural for the stress of running a business + the pressures of reduced staff to add strain, complications, and weight to our disposition. That weight we carry trickles down into the interactions we have with staff, which adds weight to their already heavy load as well. As that weight mounts on everyone, performance will drop and retention rates will suffer. By maintaining a positive and supportive culture, staff will become more productive during their working hours, more engaging with customers, leading to better experiences, and better staff retention. Headspace found that 79% of workers feel underappreciated, and while there are a variety of reasons for that statistic, the one clear takeaway is that cultivating a positive and supportive working culture will lead to better results for customers, staff, and your bottom line. 
   
   
3. Reduce + Focus
   Every situation is unique, but most operations can become more focused and still offer a great experience. If you are forced to make tough decisions in light of staffing difficulties, use this opportunity to evaluate what you do best and focus on delivering that very best offering for this experience-driven economy. Maybe that means closing down one day a week so you can deliver a great experience the other six. Maybe it means cutting delivery options and focusing on the on-site experience. Only you know your context, but focusing on making it the very best can allow you to keep the value of your business intact while making the best of the situation with reduced staff. 
   
   
4. Move to Digital F&B Ordering
   Whether you are a restaurant, brewery, or any other venue offering food and beverage, move to digital ordering. Some platforms are clunky and will actually slow down your staff, so choose a platform carefully. Porter is one platform that has been able to reduce staff time by 50 seconds per order. That adds up to 58 hours of reduced labor per month at a small food hall! They also have found orders to increase by 20% in ticket size and tips are up 15%, so you save labor and generate revenue. Win-win!
   
   
5. Go Deep with FAQs 
   If you are answering the same questions on a regular basis, invest some time in a deep and engaging FAQ section to your website. This will save your staff time and offer customers a better experience. Even if you don’t have good news, providing quick answers to common customer questions are appreciated and will improve a customer’s perception of your brand. As you build out your FAQ, be sure to cover all of the common questions, but you can also branch out to add personality to the experience by answering less obvious questions, and you can make it more engaging with playful copy, video explanations, and demonstrations. And to help customers find this section of your site, here are Google’s tips for increasing your FAQ’s searchability. By investing in an engaging FAQ, you will improve the guest experience, increase traffic to your website, and reduce staff time in the process. | Bryan Taylor, Co-founder at Porter

Guest Blog | Togather Restaurant Consulting

The landscape of our industry is in constant flux. It seems that each day we wake up to a new obstacle on our horizon, whether it be rising prices from vendors, competing with the mounting employee wages in your community, or simply tackling the ongoing supply chain issues. Looking at these things from a broad scope can be overwhelming for many business owners. A question that begs to be answered is this: how do we achieve our financial goals when the economy seems to be pitted against us? 

We have seen plenty of restaurant owners scale back their operations lately. Menus are shrinking, hours of operation are dwindling, and table service is becoming a rarity. Many would consider this unavoidable in the current market climate. While these actions have been proven to help mitigate losses, it would be a disservice to ignore additional options for making a profit. Vertical integration is a fantastic opportunity to gain revenue elsewhere within your restaurant. Vertical integration, simply put, is when a company controls more than one stage of the supply chain or production cycle. This creates an avenue of potential income based upon commodities already found within your company. Some examples of vertical integration would include bottling and selling signature sauces that your restaurant produces, creating take and bake menu items for pickup, or perhaps even hosting cocktail classes taught by your bartenders. The possibilities differ for each restaurant or concept, and finding a lucrative vertical for your specific company might look different from your competitors. The key to creating the right vertical for you lies within your unique company. Take a look at the things that keep your regulars coming back and ask yourself how you can make them even more profitable. 

There are numerous benefits to utilizing vertical integration in your business. However, the strongest advantages include sustainability, quality, and increased market share. To help explain these notes, we will be using a hypothetical vertical. In the following scenarios, we will be discussing a fabricated Mediterranean restaurant called “Yamas”. They are pursuing a vertical that markets their tzatziki in bottles to local stores and vendors. Now, we can dive into the benefits of vertical integration. 
​

• Sustainability: When businesses integrate verticals, their metrics for sustainability increase. How is this possible? Put simply, vertically integrated companies communicate more fully and crossover their staff, product, and ingredients. Efforts towards sustainability are more successful overall. This is due to the fact that their efforts are deeply rooted amongst multiple levels and move quicker than a standalone concept, as the order of operations becomes more concise. Consolidating staff and allocating resources appropriately ultimately save your bottom line, all while eliminating the middleman markup regularly found in production. For example, Yamas decided to bottle and sell their tzatziki. By creating a production line that is overseen by the holder of the recipe, and is being created by staff that has knowledge of said recipe, each facet of production is held to the highest standard and is executed by employees that have experience creating it. 
  
  
• Quality: Vertical integrations have a proprietary claim on their concepts, which ensures consistency amongst sister companies and concepts. “Trade secrets” are taught in house, and the ability to learn from within improves the overall caliber of each product. Streamlining your process can only benefit the quality of your creations. Through repetition, insider knowledge, and consistency, we see an elevated standard of production across the board. Our tzatziki line, Yamas, sees an uptick in customer satisfaction when each bottle produced is invariant and refined. 
  
  
• Increased market share: Increasing your market share means increasing the effort you put into sales as a business, and using new or additional strategies to help you get there. The higher the market share, the more stable your business can potentially be. Additionally, this helps deter competitors. It’s difficult to compete with a company that gains access to limited production. By creating a vertical internally, you are efficiently monopolizing your own market. This creates effective barriers for competitors to enter your market. Yamas has perfected their production line and has found an excellent strategy for receiving and maintaining their supply. This helps Yamas to expand their brand recognition and upset the market with leading sales in their community for tzatziki. 

In the end, there are many factors to consider when looking towards vertical integration. Before deciding to take on a project of this scale, ask what is to be gained from pursuing a vertical. Would creating a vertical be realistic for your company? What problem would it be solving? What opportunities would arise from your vertical integration? Can your business support an internal start-up? These questions can only be answered with data analytics, creativity, and ingenuity. Integrating verticals into your business has the potential to elevate your profit margins when executed correctly. While expanding horizontally seems to be an impracticability in a post-pandemic climate, we can always look vertically. | Kate Ratledge, Bar & Front of House Consultant. Togather Restaurant Consulting. 

​Guest Blog | Porter

We’ve all had those moments where digital tools were brought in for “convenience” — contactless check-in kiosks, smart TVs, digital menus — but end up being more frustrating than convenient. Instead of making life easier for your reduced staff, now they have to troubleshoot IT problems. And guests who were previously known by name are suddenly made to feel anonymous. 

Technology that isn’t elevating human experiences is compounding the problems we face in hospitality. That is because most digital tools have been designed to solve a financial problem, rather than trying to both solve a financial problem AND elevate the guest experience in the process. This has been especially true of the many attempts to streamline and digitize food and beverage experiences. 

When we set out to design Porter, a digital F&B platform to elevate the guest experience at food halls, restaurants, and multi-vendor establishments, we followed a design thinking process that you can practice whenever you consider adding a new digital tool or are thinking of rolling out a new service. Here are the stages of the design thinking process: 

Empathy
First, you need to sit in the seat of the person who will be using this tool / service / experience. You don’t start with defining what you are building. You don’t start with financial implications. You start by observing the guest experience and determining how you can improve it.

Rapid Prototyping
New tools need to work, but they also need to elevate how we feel about an experience. By building prototypes and watching guests interact with them — physically and digitally watching them — we are able to not only see how those prototypes work, but also how they make guests feel. We pay attention to what they say to their friends across the table. We can refine later and make our new tool more elegant, but for now we just want to see if it will truly solve a problem before we invest time and resources in a solution. 

Design
When we design to elevate a guest experience, we take that empathetic foundation and the lessons learned while prototyping, and we then design a moment that frictionlessly folds into the human experiences we are trying to improve. If we can make a guest’s experience feel smoother, more personal, and more memorable than it previously felt, then we have a successful design. If not, we need to go back to prototyping. 

Evolve
Once we build a useful tool or service, we can enjoy and celebrate for five minutes, but then we get back to work. We go back to watching, identifying where hangups happen, and discover where the frustrations occur. And then we evolve, because the world keeps moving forward and our tools and services need to adapt to those changes lest they end up becoming another clunky experience. 

Pulling it All Together
If you’re not familiar with design thinking, it is the process that is essentially outlined above, and it was the framework that we utilized to build Porter. As owners of three food halls, we wanted to solve one main problem: long lines. We watched as people would spend the first 10 minutes standing in multiple lines rather than with the people they came to be with. And before ordering a second round, they would again look to see how long the lines were before deciding whether it was worth leaving their friends and standing in line again.

These observations formed the empathy that we used to build some digital prototypes to test at one location. First we built a digital re-ordering tool for patrons who had already opened a tab. This first prototype was designed to simply see if patrons would use technology to solve the long line problem. And they did! The average number of rounds jumped to 3.4 rounds per tab. 

We had empathetically observed, built a prototype, designed the tool, and then went back to evolve as we learned more. Next we added the ability to preauthorize a card so guests could order from multiple vendors on one tab. Then we added the ability to create an account and store payment information. Today, average tickets are up 20%, tips are up 15%, 50% of our patrons use Porter to order, and our staff save 50 seconds per order placed digitally through Porter as compared to orders placed at the counter. 

We continued to observe, prototype, design, and evolve the tool at our three halls until we decided it was a tool that was worth sharing with others who were looking to elevate the F&B experience at their food halls, breweries, and venues. Anywhere that offers F&B, values efficiency, but is also looking to elevate the guest experience can now use Porter — which all started with a simple observation and a desire to solve a problem for our guests. 

So what problem are you looking to solve? | Bryan Taylor, Co-founder at Porter

Guest Blog | My Accounting Team

There are pros and cons for closing books monthly versus using four weekends per period

The Gregorian calendar has been around since 1582. Even then, there was controversy. Some parts of the world waited four centuries to adopt the new calendar. 

It now seems quite natural that we’d split our fiscal years into these same 12 months of the year. But this presents unique challenges for the hospitality industry. Over 99% of accounting is done by closing the books at the end of each month, then comparing this month against last month. Most who use monthly methods know to be cautious about seasonality. It’s obvious you can’t compare July to January. The results can be misleading. But the problems for restaurants go deeper than seasonality. 

To illustrate the challenges, consider this puzzle. In 2022, July has four weekends. August has five. In two years (2024), this will flip! July will have five weekends. August will have four. Many, if not most, restaurants do wildly different business on weekends and weekdays. Some are much busier, while others (for example, a central business district lunch spot) may be almost empty on the weekends. Comparing July and August is like comparing apples and oranges. The variation means that even this June versus last June can be similarly misleading. 

We can all imagine how difficult it was to shift the world calendars ten days back in 1582. This was before the advent of telegraphs, telephones, Internet and computers. Thankfully, modern accounting methods mean there are a couple of ways around this conundrum of extra weekends that comes up with monthly-based accounting. As with most solutions, there is a fast fix and a harder fix. The more difficult way is more accurate. The easier way is less precise. 

Some accounting firms have done both. From experience, we in the accounting world know that both have merits. It just depends on your needs and circumstances.

Let’s start with the most accurate way. Rather than dividing the year into months, we can divide it into thirteen periods. Each period has 28 days. Typically, the periods would be Monday to Sunday. Now see what we did? Each period is directly comparable. Each period has four weekends. Each period has the same number of days. Sure, there are still other seasonal factors. And we also need to manage a 364-day year (the IRS is not going to move away from annual returns any time soon). But these are relatively easy problems to deal with. (Also, the 28-day period also greatly simplifies cash planning, but we’ll save that discussion for another time.)

The above method of thirteen periods with 28 days each is accurate, yes. But it involves some heavy lifting. For example, rent is typically paid monthly, but with the 28-day methodology, every so often, the period won’t include a month end. Just like you may receive a batch of ingredients that are a bit different from the norm, or factors such as humidity or oven temperature can affect products–accountants have to adjust for variations, too. This month’s-end issue requires that we adapt, otherwise our comparability will collapse like a mishandled souffle. So, we record rent daily to accommodate this. 

There are a dozen other similar challenges. For many small businesses, this is overkill. If you need the simpler method, we’ve also done an adjusted month where we reduce or increase revenue and expense amounts to equalize the effect of the number of days and weekends. This has worked well when planning a new restaurant, because targets can be set and analyzed. (Note, these adjustments are purely for comparison purposes.) So, from a formal accounting perspective, we have a regular January and a regular February, and so on. 

If you’ve ever wondered why the irregular calendar months have created problems for accounting and forecasting, you’re not wrong. Think about how hard it was to reconcile all the calendar problems in the 16th century, when scientists and leaders took 37 years to strategize a plan to create the Gregorian calendar–and then it still took years for adoption.

Modern accounting doesn’t have these same problems now. We have tools and tips to address variability. We have the cloud. We have software. When restaurants and the food service industry face the extra weekend problem, we have reliable solutions. If you’re a small restaurant and want to keep things simple, we generally recommend the quicker fix. If you do complex costing and calculations, often the more elaborate solution can provide you with precision and clarity on cash flow and other important data. 

Don’t get lost in the seasonality and calendar conundrum. Talk with an accountant today about how to manage the extra weekends and get a handle of variability.

About:
Bruce Lange is the Chief Financial Officer of My Accounting Team (MAT). He has three decades of experience in Finance and Administration, having worked with organizations from small start-ups to multinational corporations like Oracle. MAT offers simple, secure, scalable cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting services. Contact Bruce and the team at MAT at sales@myaccountingteam.com or 541.844.1484.

​Guest Blog | My Accounting Team

Have you ever wished for a magic tool that forecasts costs and profit—and predicts the future? Since time travel doesn’t exist, there is no instant fix. But restaurants do have an incredibly powerful tool for looking ahead that’s underused: Standard Costing.

You’re probably familiar with the importance of COGS (Cost of Goods Sold). Industry practice often says that this shouldn’t be more than a certain amount (the standard is around 30%). Certainly, COGS data is useful. But there’s another approach that can dramatically increase profits. One accounting tool that is invaluable to running a more successful business based on real figures is Standard Costing. 

Relying on Cost of Goods Sold without getting Standard Costing is like getting a grade on a test, but not being told what was right, and what was wrong. We all need feedback to improve. That’s where Standard Costing comes in. Think of it as a “highlighter pen for profitability.”

Accountants are used to seeing blank stares when we ask, “What are your most profitable menu items?” Few things are more central to profitability. And yet, this data is often neglected. Predicting future costs is not like rent (where you quickly see what the rent hike impact will be). Relying only on COGS percentages may tell you there’s a problem. But that info can’t tell you where to look, or how to fix that problem. This is exactly where Standard Costing shines for restaurant owners and managers. 

So, what is Standard Costing? It’s an accounting tool to plan a more accurate budget. Standard costing lets you increase efficiency, raise profits and look ahead. Standard costing gives you what you need: a detailed understanding of both cost and quantity that go into a menu item. 

For example, let’s say you have a popular dish that uses an 8-ounce portion of chicken. If chicken is $2.50 per pound, the standard cost per plate for that chicken dish would be $1.25. Add up all the components. Now you have the standard cost. Subtract the standard cost from the menu price. Now you have the profitability for that item—at least from a theoretical perspective. We can make standard cost more accurate by adding in additional factors: wastage, shrinkage during cooking, portion control, and theft. Now we have something valuable. We shift from the theoretical to the real cost.

This detail is golden. You can use standard cost to enhance your business model. You can more realistically price menu items. You can investigate wastage. You can also promote certain items based on profitability.

But wait—there’s more. Say you have a business model forecasting COGS will be 30% of revenue, but it’s actually 33%. After analyzing your standard costs, you find that most items are around 30%. But a couple of items are 40%. Now you know what is causing the problem. Now you can decide how to fix it. Perhaps it’s re-pricing. Perhaps it’s revised portions. Perhaps it’s a combination of multiple changes. This is the power of Standard Costing. It’s like a magnifying glass to find and address red flags and potential issues. 

One more problem that Standard Costing solves is the large gap between your POS and bookkeeping data. This is every restaurant owner’s nightmare. You calculate the theoretical COGS from the items in your POS. But what happens when the actual bills are much higher? Where is the disconnect? It could be inadequate portion control, wastage, or theft. 

To solve this problem, you need a starting point. The overly broad analysis that “COGS is too high” isn’t much help. Standard costing, though, provides the data points so you make a few changes and get significant results.

Most restaurateurs understand that menu placement has a significant impact on order frequency. Standard Costing tells you which items are the most profitable, so you and your staff know which items to push. The same logic applies to promotions. Without Standard Costing, you’re guessing. Standards save time. Standards increase profits. Standards find problems. And standards help achieve goals.

Unfortunately, Standard Costing isn’t a magic fix or a “one-and-done” analysis. Material prices fluctuate. Doing this kind of analysis takes time. Most restaurateurs go into the business because they love the business, food, and communities. If sheet pans are more your style than spreadsheets, it may not be your task to do planning and profit management with Standard Costing. But it could be someone else’s.

About:
Bruce Lange is the Chief Financial Officer of My Accounting Team (MAT). He has three decades of experience in Finance and Administration, having worked with organizations from small start-ups to multinational corporations like Oracle. MAT offers simple, secure, scalable cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting services. Contact Bruce and the team at MAT at sales@myaccountingteam.com or 541.844.1484.

Guest Blog | Togather Restaurant Consulting

Gen Z is the first generation to have been raised entirely in the digital age, and there are numerous ways they are changing the world around them because of it. They’re buying more vegetarian and plant-based products, they’re eating local and fresh ingredients, and they’re ordering everything off of their phones. While we still have quite a few years before Gen Z generates their own buying power, we should look at their trending needs now so we can better understand this emerging market. 

Let’s talk about what it means to be raised in the late 90s and early 2000s. These people recall 9/11, the wars in the Middle East, and the economic crash of 2008 as their earliest childhood memories. Whether through reports on climate change, economic crises, or pandemic response, the people in this group have been raised in a tumultuous time. They are looking to change how humans function in society. These young people have hope in their eyes for a better future, and this affects how they interact with the world around them. 

Gen Z is more likely than any other generation to eat a vegetarian meal. Why is that? Statistics have shown that the meat industry is distressing the environment and incredibly expensive. Both the farming of meat and its transport have impacted this. Being raised in an era of political documentaries and environmental awareness, this generation is keenly cognizant of their personal consumption and its impact on the world. Therefore, they’re more willing to replace a meal with a vegetarian option if it means reducing their carbon footprint even the barest amount. So, let’s look at making tastier meatless meals. Great strides have been made in the meat-replacement market. We now have meat-replacement products that bleed hemoglobin-adjacent proteins so that you’re not losing that bit of flavor when you’re chowing down on a plant-based burger. Products like this are selling very well. Having these options excites Gen Z, and they’re willing to dole out an extra $2 for a meat replacement product. Small efforts can be made to integrate these products into your menu, all while easing the minds of a generation that cares about the impact of their dietary habits. 

Eating locally is also at the forefront of their minds. Gen Z is 75% more likely to eat from a restaurant that advertises locally-sourced ingredients (Source). There are a lot of factors for this, but the most glaring ones are the impact that cross-country distribution has on the environment, and the fragility of that supply chain became self-evident during the Covid-19 pandemic. From a young age, these people have had fuel emissions and carbon footprints on the brain, so it makes sense that they would be hyper-aware of how far their food traveled to get to them. Thankfully, food distributors have made it easier for us to shop locally – even large distributors can connect you with regional goods. 

Being raised completely submersed in technology has also impacted Gen Z. Many were toddlers when the first iPhones came out, and now their phones are permanently in their pockets. They don’t go anywhere without them, and the rest of the world isn’t too far behind. This has made dining out a completely different experience than we ever anticipated. Today, QR codes are quite common in restaurants and Gen Z has been the number one fan of this ordering system as of late. While some people prefer a more traditional approach to dining out, this generation is likely to opt for this human-less route of food ordering and delivery. Some restaurants are even looking at automatic food runners to cut down on labor as well.

With this understanding of Generation Z, let’s take a look at implementing these changes in your business. We don’t need to anticipate Gen Z dominating the market for a few years, as most of their buying power is sourced from parents and guardians. We won’t see major shifts in our market until they transition fully into independent life. Slating gradual changes to accommodate them, starting now, will put your business a step ahead of the times. Adding vegetarian meals to your menu, sourcing your ingredients locally, and using the labor-saving advantage of QR code ordering are great ways to draw the eye of this generation. Though young, Gen Z spent $111 billion on eating out in 2021 (Source), and that’s without factoring in alcohol sales. This market is only going to become more viable as Gen Z continues to grow – and we should be prepared to tap into it. | Kate Ratledge, Togather Restaurant Consulting

​Press Release | Khan Properties Group

After 13 years of dedicated service, Masudur Khan, has withdrawn as a member of Seaside Lodging Hospitality LLC, Doel Hospitality LLC, and City Center Hospitality LLC, which operate the Inn at Seaside, River Inn, and the SaltLine Hotel. Khan will be focusing on new business ventures in real estate development and hospitality as the Founder and CEO of Khan Properties Group.  

An award-winning hotelier and developer specializing in the hospitality and multifamily industries since 2009, Khan has grown his portfolio through dedication to providing the highest quality service to the hotel’s guests and developing properties to meet the current and future demands of the hospitality and housing markets. "We are deeply grateful for his skill, heart, and soul that he has put into developing and transforming our Seaside community. Now it's time for him to lead the way with his new ventures" says his current team at Khan Properties Group.

About Khan Properties Group:
Formed in 2020, Khan leads a team of industry experts he has formed to expand into the multifamily development and hospitality markets across the Pacific NW. Khan Properties focuses on a hybrid model of housing and hospitality specializing in renovation and expansion of existing properties as well as new construction projects. Additionally, Khan Properties Group has expanded its real estate portfolio into retail and food & beverage. Khan and his group are exploring partnerships with nationwide companies to further innovate and expand the residential and hospitality offerings in the area. Current projects and ventures include Ocean Crest Resort (Moclips, WA), Gilbert Block (Seaside, OR), and three multifamily developments in Seaside. The Ocean Crest Resort acquisition in Moclips, WA was awarded as a top three finalist for Acquisition of the Year by AHLA at the 2021 American Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS).