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Building Your Bridge to Inflation Success with Less
It’s no secret, inflation has increased the cost of doing business. Food manufacturers and restaurants across the country are being forced to raise prices and do their best to trim their operation costs. Affinity Group is here to help. We’ve got the inflation-based insights you need to make sure your business stays on the right path to success.
Hear from our Experts:
Audit Your Offerings
Analyze your menu and give key consideration to factors such as sales, costs, and all the resources that go into making every dish. It’s also important to consider how your customers feel about each dish to make sure you’re not eliminating a signature dish. From there you can adjust accordingly.
Labor Savers
Master the art of cost control with cutting-edge software that not only tracks shifts, but also ensures accurate and fair wage calculations for the time invested. Introduce an organized scheduling system to navigate the perilous waters of overstaffing, ensuring each shift is a well-calibrated masterpiece. Streamline your kitchen by optimizing prep work efficiency – the fewer cooks, the better. Take stock of your equipment arsenal; are you equipped for peak efficiency?
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Size Matters
Revisit your menu analysis with a critical eye. Identify the culprits contributing to wastage and strategically trim portions of those dishes. Immerse your kitchen in the art of portion control by training cooks to meticulously measure or weigh each plate. Elevate perceived value through creative food presentation, using garnishes to fill the plate without bulking it up. Uncover subtle ways to reduce food amounts without compromising noticeability—thinly slice tomatoes or sausage for a sly portion cutback that won’t go unnoticed.
Value Added Versatility
Elevate your kitchen efficiency by exploring ready-to-heat foods that come complete with all the necessary prep work. Ensure consistent quality by opting for items like precut and seasoned chicken filets, streamlining your cooking process. Dive into the world of convenient choices, such as pre-cut and pre-washed produce, to save valuable prep time.
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Prep Steps
Investigate the essential ingredients and time investment needed to bring your culinary creations to life. Enhance your kitchen workflow by strategically utilizing different spaces, ensuring an efficient cooking experience. Are you equipped with all the necessary tools to embark on your culinary journey?
Mix Up Your Menu
Clear your menu of less popular and low-margin dishes and deploy savvy marketing tactics to spotlight the hidden gems with high-profit potential. Explore the strategic placement of best-selling dishes to maximize sales. If you truly believe in the value of certain items, devise creative ways to enhance their promotion. Encourage your staff to champion and recommend your most high-profit dishes that have yet to steal the spotlight.
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More Tips For Success:
Scan Sales & Control Costs
Review each and every item on your menu. What sells the best and what gets ordered the least? How much do all your ingredients cost, and how much are your time and labor costs to make each menu item? Another important factor to consider is: how much of the dish is gone to waste afterwards? You may be able to reduce your portion size.
Make a Wish List
Curate your inventory with flair by arranging items in order of popularity or past sales success. Strategically prioritize the more sought-after items to maximize your profits. Dive into online reviews to glean valuable feedback, gaining insights into your customers’ preferences and pinpointing what resonates with your core audience.
Online is a Lifeline
A robust online presence can help steer a wave of hungry customers your way. In today’s increasingly digital world, the vast majority of modern customers prefer ordering their food directly from your website. Ensure your business details—address, phone number, and mouthwatering menu—are easily accessible. If online ordering is your secret sauce, flaunt it by placing the button front and center on your website. Bring your dining experience to life by featuring customer posts that capture the magic of their time at your establishment.
When it comes to navigating today’s challenging landscape of inflation, it’s more important than ever for restaurant operators to fortify their operation through strategic measures. From meticulous cost control with advanced software to optimizing kitchen efficiency and embracing ready-to-cook products, each step contributes to financial resilience. As your culinary journey continues, remember that Affinity Group is with you every step of the way. Our team of experts have the in-depth knowledge of the foodservice industry you need to help drive your business and emerge stronger and more resilient as you continue Building Your Bridge to Local Sales Success!