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Cold Fold, Long Waits – Britons’ Biggest Hospitality Bug Bears Speed of service and hot food being served cold, are the biggest points of friction for pub, bar and restaurant customers, research from Zonal’s latest GO Technology report in partnership with CGA by NIQ, shows. The survey of more than 5,000 British adults, highlights customers’ biggest annoyances when going out for food and drink and what can be done to fix them. When asked what the top five bugbears are, the following reasons came out on top: 1. A long wait for food and drink (91%) 2. Hot food served cold (91%) 3. Broken promises on a special deal/loyalty discount (88%) 4. Food served at different times (87%) 5. Waiting for their table to become available (86%) Other frustrations mentioned as part of the research include items being out of stock (82%), menus being difficult to use (82%) and staff not having enough knowledge (80%). Respondents also find having to wait to receive and settle the bill (77%) or not being able to split the bill (64%) frustrating. The survey also highlights customer’s top pre-visit frustrations. More than four in five find poor information, such as out-of-date or missing menus online frustrating. Booking platforms are also a point of annoyance, with over three-quarters saying not being able to cancel or amend a booking is their biggest bugbear (77%). Alarmingly, three in five (61%) of those who found it difficult to amend a booking online, said it would cause them to find somewhere else to go or think twice about visiting the venue in the future. This highlights how important the pre-visit element of the overall hospitality experience is. By addressing potential pre-visit bug bears early on, operators can retain customers and avoid losing valuable business. Commenting on the findings, Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, said: “Consumers are becoming more expectant of the venues they visit and demand an even higher level of service, so it’s vital that operators deliver on this. Venues that don’t tackle these issues head on, run the risk of losing customers and ultimately, damaging their bottom line. “Technology can act as a helping hand in supporting operators meet the demands of consumers. Online booking systems and digital kitchen management tools, can help to automate services that would otherwise be time consuming or laborious for staff, allowing them to focus on the most important thing – delivering an excellent customer experience.” Karl Chessell, Director - Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA, CGA by NIQ added: “The large majority of consumers’ visits to restaurants, pubs and bars are happy and hassle-free. But things inevitably go wrong sometimes, and this GO Technology research shows the damage that poor experiences can do to venues’ sales and reputation. From researching a visit to paying the bill, understanding where and how frustrations emerge along the guest journey is the first step towards fixing them, and by getting on…

Here's this week's top tip! This week, this is particularly relevant to hotels, restaurants, cafes, attractions, conference venues, wedding venues etc but it does also apply across all industries. Find out what Mystery Shoppers are looking for when they're judging your business! 👉🏻 customer service 👉🏻 cleanliness 👉🏻 ambience 👉🏻 quality of food and beverages 👉🏻 innovation 👉🏻 use of local produce 👉🏻 hygiene and sanitation protocol 👉🏻 upselling ability 👉🏻 friendliness 👉🏻 reservations / check in / check out 👉🏻 value for money Please like, save, forward to a friend and your stories! ❤️ #mysteryshopper #weeklytoptip #industryexpert #hotelinspector #reelsrockstars

The Importance Of Making Advance Reservations I always wanted to share this with you all as I find it astounding that most people do not have the practise of making reservations whenever they patronise a café bistro or an eatery for a meal with their family. I can understand if there are just two or three of you, but sometimes we get groups of 5 or more on a weekend, without reservations will disrupt certain things for the establishment. Here is a list of things that may happen if you skip reservations at an eatery. [Those who do not take reservations, this does not apply to you.] 1. Securing A Table The most essential reason why you wanna make reservations! Especially on an important day like birthday or anniversary. You do not want to disappoint your party. At the same time, you can indicate your preference like sitting near or away from the toilet, near the windows, baby chairs, a pet-friendly table, etc. 2. Manpower Planning If you have a group of 10 pax or 20 pax, coming in on a say weekday evening when it is usually quiet. You may assume that the place is quiet so no need to make any reservations. But the poor café or restaurant planned only for the minimum staff strength in order to stay lean. Hence service quality will be affected, the employees will be stressed out and some may even quit after that night... just sayin'... 🙂 3. Table Planning This applies to weekends or public holidays when it is super crowded. If you made a reservation, the establishment is able to plan for the next wave of customers and make your table available by a certain time. Table turnovers are very important to have a good sales day for any F&B business. 4. Inventory With reservations, the establishment is able to ensure adequate inventory for your favourite foods, ingredients, supplies for service and also mise en place to be ready for a slam. So you see, if reservations are not made, all of the above will not be done well and disappointments will set in. Then you will probably give one star rating when your food comes out slow, service is slow, your favourite dish is out of stock or worse still, no tables for you. So do not assume the café or restaurant is always empty ya, respect the business so that they can cater for your needs and hunger. 😉 Just sharing. Big Roy

Zonal's latest GO Technology report, in partnership with CGA by NIQ, surveyed over 5,000 British adults to identify the top frustrations for restaurant, pub, and bar customers. Key survey points: 1. Long wait times for food and drinks (91%) 2. Hot food served cold (91%) 3. Broken promises on special deals or loyalty discounts (88%) 4. Inconsistent food serving times (87%) 5. Waiting for tables to become available (86%) The findings reveal that the two biggest friction points are the long wait times for food and drinks and the food being served cold. Other significant grievances include broken promises on special deals, inconsistent food serving times, and waiting for tables to become available. Customers also expressed frustration with items being out of stock, difficult-to-read menus, and staff lacking sufficient knowledge. Pre-visit frustrations are also highlighted, with poor online information and booking platform issues annoying customers. Over three-quarters of respondents were frustrated by the inability to cancel or amend bookings online, and more than 60% said this would influence their decision to visit the venue. Karl Chessell, director of hospitality operators and food at CGA, emphasises the importance of addressing these issues early to retain customers and maintain a positive reputation. He suggests that understanding where frustrations arise along the guest journey is crucial for operators to remedy annoyances effectively and turn negatives into positives. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dVXmrTrH #CustomerExperience #HospitalityIndustry #GOTechnology #RetailSavvy #SavvyInsights

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆? Good service. Why is something so simple, so easily attained and accessible, so hard to produce. Because it’s a symptom. Not the disease. A symptom of a far deeper and more ubiquitous challenge. Here’s Jerry’s story. “Jerry was tired” Not the rubbing your eyes on the way to get coffee when you’ve awoken before your alarm tired. Tired. Deathly tired. The deep breath, after laying with your eyes closed on your bed, not asleep, but asking if you have the strength to even sit up. To stand. The profound question you lie to when plumbing the depth of your body’s ability to take any more. I can do this. Can’t I? But get up he does. Small steps. Leaning forward to all but fall, as gravity is his only propulsion, strength of stride long waned and forgotten. Caffeine doesn’t move him. It’s the sensation of a hot beverage meandering through anatomy that triggers a memory of energy, of optimism and joy. A dark, silent echo of what once was. A gentle ripple upon a pond, where once it was the inescapable force of pounding surf. The lights were on. The delivery drivers had arrived in the dark, dropping the frozen foods into the freezer, the meats into the cold room. Small mercies and kindnesses from once were chefs, who knew how much that meant to Jerry. Delivery dockets neatly stacked, a glance over the produce that he knew all was there. A tiny amount of what was once a booming venue, replacing its stock bi-weekly. The dull glow of the computer screen was next. His pulse skipping a beat, trepidation a sour taste in the back of his throat, like a menthol he once smoked when he was younger. Reviews. imprimatur or opprobrium; which was it to be? He remembered a time when service was sublime, and applause and appreciation abounded. But not now. The food wasn’t bad. The service either. But minor mistakes sullied the shine of what once was. Frequent stumbles and self-harm. Errors that became all too common amidst the cloud of fatigue and the unrelenting pressure of finances and financial performance. A last gulp, he set his coffee down. When he had imagined owning a restaurant, cleaning the toilets himself every morning wasn’t what had first populated his dream. Yet here he was. Just 14 hours shy of the end of his shift, a half day tomorrow his only day off. And that after he closes tonight and opens again just 6 hours later. Great service was once so easy, before the suffocating pressure of everything else, of the everything he hadn’t considered before taking the plunge to own his own business. A wry smile, and furrowed brow as he undertook a daily plunge of a different kind. #restaurantprofitability #restaurants

DISCOVER THE 4 MAGIC INGREDIENTS FOR GROWING YOUR RESTAURANT AND BAR BUSINESS. 1️⃣ Increase the NUMBER of customers- This can be achieved through proper visibility and positioning. Thanks to the Internet and social media which has created a platform for you to publicize your products and services to the global world. In recent time, research shows that social media usage has increased by 6.1%. 2️⃣ Increase the AMOUNT they spend each time they walk in- We call it SPG(spent per Guest) or ASPG(Average spent per Guest), this is where the service attendant's has to be well trained to achieve a high SPG and ASPG, the key factor here is to be skilled in UP-SELLING and CROSS-SELLING.(this will be discussed in full) ensure you ring the notification 🔔 in my profile. 3️⃣. Increase the FREQUENCY at which they come again- This simply means turn over for a lay business person. The jarmain question now is ; how do you achieve this? It has been proven that loyal guest always return to your outlet regardless of all odds. This is another topic that will be discussed separately as it's so vast. Quality service delivery and Guest satisfaction is top of the list. Research has shown that only 4% of dissatisfied guests returns, what happens to the other 96% ⁉️ You already know the answer, cos even that 4% is not guaranteed. 🩸Bonus-Tip- children are most likely to bring their parents back to your outlet when they are been wowed maybe by simply offering them a complementary ballon/chocolate or other side attractions 4️⃣. PRICE (proper pricing) Pricing is key , but before then we have to consider some other factors like C.O.S(Cost of sale) This will help to ensure proper pricing of our goods and services. subscribe to my newsletter for more on this 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dfMu9346 🩸Pro-Tip- goods that are mostly consumed by Ladies are priced a bit higher that items which is mostly consumed by the male gender. DM for further reasons Did you find this tips helpful ? comment or share this post. If you are seeing my post for the first time, I am Kenneth Oscar a Hospitlity service professional, I can help you grow your Business through exceptional guest service delivery. ensure you get connected with me and click on the notification button so you don't miss out on my posts #hospitality #serviceedge #howtomaximizeprofits #restaurantrevenueincrease #businessgrowth

According to a study conducted by the British Hospitality Association (BHA), 78% of #restaurants, cafes, and hotels in the UK now prioritise #freshproduce in their menus, a notable increase from previous years. This trend is not only driven by consumer demand for healthier and fresher options but also by the industry's commitment to #sustainability and reducing its #carbonfootprint. Read the full story in today's unmissable Freshtalk Daily: https://lnkd.in/gTveutDA #UKHospitality #hospitalitysector

Data is like a secret sauce for the food and beverage industry these days. It's not just numbers; it's a recipe for understanding what your guests crave and how to make them come back for seconds. With the right data, you can tailor their experience, from menu choices to personalized offers, turning first-time visitors into loyal regulars. In a world where quality matters more than ever, serving up an unforgettable guest experience can be the difference between a thriving restaurant and an empty one. Here's a short article written by Paul Hadida on how global F&B brands are leveraging data points as a secret sauce to delightful guest experience and incremental sales.

This past weekend, we were surprised by a few visitors. Guests always seem to want to know, "What are you going to study?" when they meet my kid. This is a million-dollar question in our household. Although I disagree, my wife and child believe that having more choices makes them safer. This time, however, my kid is the one who asks, "Why do you feel that way, Appa?" The premise of "less is more" is that simplicity has value and that with fewer possessions, one may do more in their lives. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a pioneer of minimalism, originally popularised this idea. The human experience has revealed that uncertainty can throw off many of the automatic cognitive mechanisms that normally govern rote behaviours. My wife and daughter are firm believers that more options provide peace of mind. This is the one and only area in which my mother shares common ground with my wife. To set the record straight, I propose we examine Gordan Ramsey. My child had a dramatic relapse right away. A question: "Who is he?" In the United Kingdom, Gordon James Ramsay is known as a celebrity chef and restaurateur. Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, his restaurant chain, has been honoured with a total of seventeen Michelin stars. Currently, seven of those awards are in use. In one of his videos titled "Kitchen Nightmares," he cautions us to keep an eye out for a certain trend. Most restaurants that aren't succeeding have menus that are too extensive. Proprietors apparently believe that catering to a wider variety of tastes will increase business. In fact, it makes things far worse. Most patrons will leave with a negative impression of the restaurant. Ramsey suggests cutting the menu down to about ten items from the normal thirty or more. Consider this: enhancing the menu is not the top priority, prioritising the reduction of available choices is. And then he suggests we try to fine-tune the dishes. Surefire success is assured. When things are not going as planned, it is common practice to try a plethora of different solutions. Common blunders in project management include wishing for additional time, money, or resources. All of the above may be true in some circumstances. It has been found, both historically and statistically, that this behaviour only makes things worse. What, therefore, is the proper procedure? Turn things around and REDUCE the choices. In other words, what does that signify? Doing Less is more. It won't be as large of a hit to your problem as you think. In most situations, it will even turn around more quickly than you assessed. Let's assume you decide to start extending deadlines, spending more money, and bringing on more people to the team. Do we ever get out of here at all? In my opinion, you won't be able to stop, and neither will the problems go. At last, my kid asks me a reality-checking question: "What do you say then should I do?" I shrugged my shoulders and declared "Give me a little while longer; I'll be back."

Dear Hospitality Leaders -- As your guest, and speaking for the vast majority of your guests, please listen: Don't make me wait more than I need to. I know it is not hot, yet. But summer always comes. So, just imagine… It’s summertime, and I am waiting outside my favorite spot [your spot]… You are doing such a great job that the waiting line is quite heavy, and I have been wandering outside your restaurant for over 40 minutes. I finally get a table assigned, and the waiter dares to ask, “Can I get you started with a drink?” 'Duh,' I think to myself, 'I’m in Texas. Of course, I want a Margarita!' But instead, I choose to be nice [I always do] to the hardworking #hospitality agent in front of me, and instead, I give her a pleasant smile and order a Margarita On The Rocks [with salt, of course]. The process is repeated with the five other guests joining me that hot summer afternoon. One of them is very indecisive about what he wants, which is killing me. The server goes to take the order from the bar [assuming she has a handheld and was able to fire that order on the spot], and meanwhile, I am salivating, waiting for that order to arrive… Hospitality folks -- As a guest, I am asking you: Please refrain from doing that to me. I want a personal experience. Yes. But above all, I want to be served. And I want to be served fast-- even in a full-service-environment. How can we [guests] get better, faster service? SpotOn already re-imagined [and re-engineered] that process for you. You just have to trust 😉. With SpotOn Seat & Sent, I can order my Margarita as I wait [from my phone], and the second your host assigns me a table, my order fires right to the bar so that your server can greet me with my Margarita in her hands... I get better service. Better service = better tips. Your employees are happier. Your guests are happier... Everybody wins. As a bonus, in that process, you sell one more Margarita per table. Well, 6 more Margaritas -- assuming all my invitees are fun Texan people. And, neither I nor your server have to wait for my indecisive friend to make up his mind. Found this article from last summer, and I got a little nostalgic [I miss my Summer #Margaritas. They taste better in the heat]. It is still as relevant today!