Top 3 Restaurant Challenges for 2019: Solved
The restaurant industry is becoming increasingly complex as overall awareness is beginning to take a more direct role in how consumers spend their money. The advent of social media and constant technological connections are changing the way anyone does business these days, and the foodservice industry is no exception. The most important challenges that restaurants are facing have more to do with sustainable business practices more than they have to do with menu options or even food prices. Small, one-location restaurants have a huge advantage when it comes to the trends that matter most to consumers because they have the flexibility to cater to even the pickiest customers.
When it comes to challenges like localization, social responsibility, and transparency – large restaurant chains are often left hamstrung by the sheer scale of their operations. At Quest, we understand that these trends are important to keep up with, and we understand the challenge they can be. Listed below are 3 major trends that restaurant owners are faced with and examples of how large restaurant operations can apply these trends to their day-to-day operations, to not only draw in eco-conscious consumers but keep them coming back.
Localization:
Many small restaurants are using the “farm-to-table” purchasing model, meaning they only buy locally. Sourcing all of your ingredients locally shows that your restaurant is having an impact of the community they are a part of. Localization can be a serious challenge for large-scale operations mainly because of issues with availability. That being said, localization doesn’t have to be limited to 1-location restaurants. What are some alternative ways that larger restaurant groups can be involved with their local communities?
Social Responsibility:
Social and environmental responsibility is quickly becoming a part of almost any business model. Programs like food recycling and food donation are great ways for small restaurants to show that they care about the environment and the people of their community, but how does a large-scale restaurant follow these popular trends?
Transparency:
Simply telling consumers that you’re doing the right thing isn’t good enough these days. Consumers want PROOF that you’re using the best ingredients and using the most ecologically-minded practices. For a large-scale operation, this can mean a lot of data collection from a lot of different sources. How do restaurant owners not get lost in all the information that consumers want to see?
At Quest, we understand that these trends aren’t just important for making and saving money – they are real ways for big businesses to have a positive impact on the communities they are a part of. We understand that the same concepts that make single-location restaurants so popular don’t have to be limited to small businesses. Contact us today, and let’s see how we can help your restaurant chains stay on track with the trends that are most important to today’s increasingly aware consumers.