Menu Development Best Practices
Menu Development Best Practices
Menu development is crucial for restaurants to cater to customer preferences and stay competitive. A well-designed menu can increase sales, retain customers, and differentiate from competitors. Discover the key factors to consider when designing your menu in our blog post.
Why Menu Development is Important
Menu development is not a one-time process; it is an ongoing effort that requires regular evaluation and refinement. Restaurants must keep up with changing food trends, customer preferences, and competitor offerings to remain relevant and competitive. A well-designed menu can help restaurants increase sales and profitability by attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. Moreover, a menu that is easy to navigate and understand can enhance the dining experience and reduce wait times, resulting in happier customers.
Factors to Consider When Developing a Menu
To create a successful menu, restaurants should consider the following factors:
- Customer Preferences: Understanding customer preferences is critical to designing a menu that resonates with them. Restaurants should conduct market research and analyze customer feedback to identify popular dishes and ingredients. Additionally, restaurants should consider the dietary needs and restrictions of their customers, such as gluten-free or vegetarian options.
- Food Trends: Keeping up with food trends is essential for menu development. Restaurants should monitor emerging food trends and incorporate them into their menus to stay current and attract new customers.
- Profitability: Profitability is a crucial factor in menu development. Restaurants must price their menu items appropriately to ensure profitability while remaining competitive in the market. They should also consider the cost of ingredients and labor when creating their menus.
- Seasonality: Seasonality can significantly impact the success of a restaurant’s menu. Restaurants should consider seasonal ingredients and adjust their menu offerings accordingly to attract customers looking for seasonal dishes.
- Restaurant Brand: A restaurant’s brand should be reflected in its menu. The menu should align with the restaurant’s ambiance, mission, and overall brand identity.
Crafting a Winning Menu: Strategies for Successful Menu Development
Best Practices for Successful Menu Development
- Keep it simple and focused on your restaurant’s strengths.
- Offer a variety of dishes with different flavors, textures, and dietary options.
- Use clear and concise menu descriptions that are easy to understand.
- Avoid overcrowding the menu with too many options, as this can overwhelm customers.
- Consider seasonal and local ingredients to keep the menu fresh and exciting.
- Include pricing that reflects the value of the dish and the overall dining experience.
- Continuously gather feedback from customers and adjust the menu accordingly.
- Highlight specials, promotions, and featured dishes to encourage exploration of the menu.
- Ensure the menu is well-designed and easy to read, with appropriate font sizes and spacing.
- Regularly update and refresh the menu to keep customers engaged and interested.
Conclusion
Menu development is a vital component of the restaurant industry. Restaurants must create and refine their menus to cater to customer preferences and stay competitive in the market. By considering customer preferences, food trends, profitability, seasonality, and restaurant brand, restaurants can design menus that resonate with their customers and help them achieve their business goals. Regular evaluation and refinement of the menu are necessary to ensure continued success and growth in the restaurant industry.
Ready to elevate your restaurant experience? Digitalise your menu with Mastertaag!
Enjoy the benefits of reducing printing costs and making your menu easily accessible to customers on their devices. With our easy-to-use platform, you can update your menu in real-time and promote specials and events effortlessly. Streamline your restaurant operations and enhance the customer experience by signing up for a free Mastertaag account today!
How Digital Menus are Solving the Staffing Crisis
How Digital Menus are Solving the Staffing Crisis
The hospitality industry has faced numerous challenges in recent years, and one of the most significant has been a shortage of staff. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this issue, leading many restaurants and hotels to struggle to find enough employees to keep up with demand. However, there is a solution that can help businesses overcome this challenge: digital menus.
By implementing a digital menu, businesses can reduce their reliance on wait staff to take and deliver orders. Customers can simply scan a QR code to access the menu on their own device, place their order, and even pay without ever having to interact with a server. This not only reduces the workload for staff but also eliminates the need for additional staff during busy times.
Mastertaag is one of the best digital menu solutions out there for restaurants and hotels. With our platform, businesses can easily create a customized menu that is both attractive and easy to navigate. Our platform also includes features such as order management, staff access, and analytics to help businesses streamline their operations and improve their overall efficiency.
One of the main benefits of using a digital menu like Mastertaag is that it can help businesses reduce costs associated with hiring and training new staff. By utilizing a digital menu, businesses can reallocate their resources towards other areas of the business that require attention, such as marketing, customer service, and improving the overall customer experience.
Additionally, Mastertaag’s digital menu solution is SEO-friendly, ensuring that businesses can increase their online visibility and attract more customers. With the ability to update menus in real-time, businesses can easily make changes to their offerings and promote specials or seasonal items.
In today’s fast-paced world, technology is constantly evolving, and businesses that fail to keep up risk being left behind. This is especially true in the hospitality industry, where customers have high expectations for convenience, speed, and personalized experiences. By embracing modern technology, such as digital menus, hotels and restaurants can not only meet these expectations but also gain a competitive edge over their rivals. Digital menus not only enhance the customer experience but also help businesses streamline their operations, reduce costs, and increase efficiency, making them a crucial tool for success in the hospitality industry.
In conclusion, digital menus are a game-changer for the hospitality industry, especially during a time when finding and retaining staff is a challenge. By implementing a digital menu solution like Mastertaag, businesses can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance the overall customer experience. As technology continues to advance, it’s clear that digital menus are here to stay, and businesses that embrace this technology will have a competitive advantage over those that do not.
Restaurant Trends 2023 by MasterTAAG
Restaurant Trends 2023
As we move into 2023, the restaurant industry is expected to continue to evolve and adapt to the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a few trends that are likely to shape the industry in the coming year:
Hospitality Trends 2023
- Increased focus on delivery and takeout: With many people still hesitant to dine out in person, restaurants will continue to place a greater emphasis on delivery and takeout options. This will likely include a greater use of third-party delivery platforms, as well as the development of in-house delivery and takeout systems.
- Emphasis on outdoor dining: As the weather warms up, many restaurants will be looking to expand their outdoor dining options to accommodate customers who are more comfortable dining outside. This could include the use of tents, heaters, and other outdoor amenities to create a more comfortable dining experience.
- Growth of virtual restaurants: With more people ordering food online, virtual restaurants are expected to become more popular in 2023. These are restaurants that only exist online and operate out of shared kitchens.
- Increased use of technology: Many restaurants will look to incorporate more technology into their operations to improve efficiency and customer experience. This could include the use of mobile ordering, digital menu boards, and contactless payment options.
- More creative menu options: With more people staying at home and cooking for themselves, many restaurants will be looking to offer more unique and creative menu options to entice customers to dine out. This could include a greater focus on global cuisines and more use of locally-sourced ingredients.
- Health and Wellness: With more people becoming health-conscious, there will be an increased demand for healthy and organic food options. Restaurants will need to cater to this trend by offering more vegan, gluten-free, and low-calorie options on the menu.
Overall, the restaurant industry will continue to face challenges in 2023, but it is also expected to adapt and evolve in response to these challenges. With a focus on delivery, outdoor dining, virtual restaurants, technology, and creative menu options, restaurants will be well-positioned to meet the changing needs and preferences of their customers. MastertTAAG can help you with staff shortage by using a smart digital menu for your business. Open you free account today: www.mastertaag.com
Hospitality Summer Trends 2022
Hospitality summer trends 2022
Hospitality Summer Trends 2022: in an ever-changing and adaptive industry, what changes are we set to see this summer? As we hopefully come to the end of the global impact of the covid-19 pandemic, currently, hotels and restaurants are going through the biggest period of change in its entire history.
It is imperative for hospitality businesses to adapt to industry changes to stay on top. Therefore, the purpose of this blog is to identify the upcoming industry trends and provide details of these changes.
With that being said, lets take a look into what changes are set to occur this summer:
Hospitality summer trends 2022
Key features for your hotel or restaurant
As seen in the graphic below, four key changes are set to take place this year. These changes are regarding:
- An increase in solo travellers
- Travel with purpose
- Technology integration
- Personalisation
Why are these trends important for your hotel or restaurant?
Hospitality is an industry that is constantly changing and adapting in nature. The effects of the covid-19 pandemic make this statement even more truthful and relevant. For hospitality businesses to thrive, they must be aware and adapt to industry changes to stay at the top of their game.
So, how can they do this? Firstly, it has be aware of the key changes and trends in the industry. Here, we have provided you with four of the most relevant in the hospitality industry. If you would like to hear more details about these trends, then why don’t you contact us?
Author: Jesse Lipperts
“Reinvent the menu experience”
3 tips to address staff shortage
The past two years, the hospitality industry has seen a lot of changes. Many restaurants were allowed to stay open only under strict measures, and some even had to close. This was a major setback not only for the restaurant owners, but also for the staff. Part of the staff was fired and had no job elsewhere. According to Statista, roughly 62 million jobs were lost in the hospitality and travel industry worldwide. Fortunately, restaurants are now allowed to open their doors again, but many are now faced with a problem: staff shortages. A lot of the former staff is not coming back due to the uncertainty that is now going on within the industry, so how can we solve this problem? Therefore we have 3 tips to address staff shortage:
Set priorities
First, examine where your guest experience is suffering due to a staffing shortage. This could be in the kitchen, at the front desk, or in service. Select the most important areas, those with the greatest impact on guest satisfaction, and look for ways to solve the problem here first. Then work your way down the list.
Manage expectations
Guests often like to know what they can expect in advance, and this can be managed well by mentioning the current situation when booking. Specify which services are currently limited or unavailable. This prevents disappointment during the visit.
Use the latest technologies
Nowadays, technology helps to streamline and automate countless processes in the hospitality industry. And during the pandemic, it was used to deal with staff shortages in the hospitality sector. Keep in mind that the goal is not to replace people with machines. Instead, new technology should support your team by making their jobs easier. Let technology take over repetitive and boring tasks so that your staff has more time for the more important work of providing a great guest experience.
These examples can help you:
- Book online: Today’s guests like to make reservations online. It is easy and fast, and guests can immediately see whether a table is available. This not only makes a welcoming impression, but also leads to more reservations. And the biggest advantage is that you don’t have to constantly be on the phone taking reservations.
- MasterTAAG digital menu: One of the tasks of the staff is to collect the orders. This is a task that consumes a lot of time. By using a digital menu you remove this task and you can deploy your staff elsewhere. MasterTAAG is a digital menu that allows your customers to view and interact with your menu, order and pay directly from their mobile devices. Streamlining the operation of table service, you will see a huge improvement in efficiency and stress management for staff and management. Try the DEMO here! If you want to know more about MasterTAAG, this video explains it in more detail.
Get your restaurant or hotel ready for a better future today!
A shortage of staff can have many consequences for your hotel or restaurant, including bad reviews from guests and overworked teams. However, there are ways to deal with the problem. Obviously, there is a lot to consider and it is clear that the problem will not be solved tomorrow. But it is important to take up new technological solutions now and to invest in new as well as current staff.
Valentine’s Day – Top 5 most popular cocktails
It’s that time of the year again – Valentine’s Day. 14 February is just around the corner as couples frantically organize romantic plans with their significant other.
As is standard these days, a romantic evening featuring food and alcohol is a must on this special day. This is especially true given covid restrictions have been eased already in 2022.
Therefore, it is imperative that your hospitality venues are prepared for this sudden surge in demand.
In this article, we will walk you through the top 5 most popular cocktails for couples on Valentine’s Day:
Top 5 Valentine’s Day Cocktails
1. Raspberry Daiquiri
This bright-red, fruity is always popular, regardless of the time of the year. Consisting of fresh raspberries, lime juice and rum, this drink is an absolute essential for any menu on Valentine’s Day.
2. Classic Bloody Mary
A true Valentine’s Day classic. This refreshing beverage is made up of vodka and topped up with tomato juice and is furthered seasoned by Tabasco, lemon juice and Worcester sauce.
This marvelous cocktail is guaranteed to be a favourite at any hospitality venue on Valentine’s Day.
3. Cherry Crush
Possibly the tastiest drink on the entire list, the cherry crush cocktail is a delightfully refreshing concoction.
The dark-red drink has tones of cinnamon and ginger provides the tart cherry-based flavor with a bit of punch.
4. Frozen Pomegranate Margarita
The frozen pomegranate margarita mocktail is not just an tasty drink, but is also relatively good for you, too. The pomegranates are packed full of antioxidants and vitamin C .
The cocktail also contains flavorful seeds and lush, both of which provide this drink with a fun and fresh twist.
5. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cocktail
This drink is notoriously pink and very pretty to look at for loved-up couples. At first site, this may look like the sort of drink an eight-year-old would create if given free-range of the kitchen.
However, do not let that put you off! Consisting of fresh strawberries, strawberry vodka, cream and chocolate syrup, this drink is especially appealing to younger couples.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all cocktail-lovers
We hope these cocktails inspire your hospitality business to provide couples worldwide with an amazing Valentine’s Day experience.
These are some of the tastiest and prettiest drinks in the world and are sure to leave your customers satisfied and impressed.
If you are a particular cocktail fan in general, then why not find out how to make some at home.
Author: Cian Richardson
“Reinvent the menu experience”
Open your free account today at MasterTAAG
MasterTAAG’s QR code menus now include a brand-new timer feature
MasterTAAG has integrated a brand-new timer feature to its QR code menus.
The innovative timer feature allows your hospitality business to choose what time specific items or category of items appear on your automated menu.
Read on to find out more about this new feature, and how it can benefit your bar, restaurant or hotel.
How does the timer feature work?
The new timer feature allows hospitality businesses to control what time certain items and item categories feature on their digital menus.
For example, customers generally consumer croissants and cereals for breakfast in the morning. Therefore, it makes little sense to have these items feature on your digitalised menu after noon.
Our timer feature allows you to select what time of the day you would like these items to appear on your QR code menu.
To find out more about how to use our new timer feature, click on the link to view the tutorial video.
How does the timer feature improve the QR code menu experience?
The new timer feature will make your automated menu more organised, which is a key element of customer satisfaction.
For example, what if a customer ordered a croissant after noon but were later informed that they were not available at that time? This will likely upset the customer and is far from the ideal or most efficient scenario.
Our QR code menus now eliminate this possibility, which will undoubtedly improve the customer’s experience and increase customer satisfaction.
Moreover, the new feature provides your hospitality business with a more sophisticated and modern menu. In an ever-increasing technological industry, a feature like this will aid your business’ image and helps you to keep up with and even exceed the experience your competitors can provide.
Your staff will also greatly appreciate our new timer feature. The feature eliminates the possibility of invalid items being ordered, which increases the efficiency of your business’ operations.
Errors are also significantly reduced by our new timer feature. This reduces the stress levels of staff and allows them to work in a more comfortable environment. Resultantly, staff are now able to work in a more efficient manner and perform to a higher quality. This will undoubtedly lead to a greater overall customer experience.
How can I use this feature at my hospitality business?
If the new timer feature sounds of interest to you, then why not get a new digital menu with MasterTAAG?
MasterTAAG is the only automated menu service that offers this efficient, innovative feature.
To access this brilliant new feature, click on the link to register for the MasterTAAG premium account.
Alternatively, you can try the free MasterTAAG account here. If you like what you see, then you can sign up for the premium account later and access our brand-new timer feature.
Author: Cian Richardson
“Reinvent the menu experience”
Open your free account today at MasterTAAG
Emily Ellyn interview: My experience interviewing the celebrity chef
“Reinvent the menu experience“
Duration: 5 minutes
Last month, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with celebrity chef Emily Ellyn. Emily offered some interesting insights into her love for food growing up, her career, life in the hospitality industry post-covid, the future of QR code menus and tips for inspired chefs.
Having spoken to Emily prior to the interview, I already knew how much of a character she is and how entertaining she would be. Emily is also very experienced in her field of work and has so much wisdom to share with the world.
That being the case, I conducted my research and prepared my questions in a way to fully uncover these marvelous traits of hers.
The result was, predictably, amazing. I felt so entertained and fully engaged throughout the interview and was left captivated and enthralled at the same time due to her infectious personality and humour, as well as her expert knowledge.
Today, I would like to share my experience of interviewing Emily Ellyn and provide some details about Emily and what she does.
Does this sound of interest to you? If so, then feel free to read on.
Who is Emily Ellyn?
Emily is an American celebrity chef based in Orlando, Florida. She is a chef educator and recipe developer who has previously won competitions such as Cup Cake Warrior and Cutthroat Kitchen. Emily has also featured on the Food Network and HGTV on US television and runs her own website. She posts articles, video tutorials and recipes to help her followers learn and improve their culinary skills.
Boasting nearly 12,000 Instagram followers, Emily aids so many aspiring chefs and shares her recipes with keen cooks all over the world. Emily loves to add a fun twist to her recipes and make them original, a feature that has proven to be very popular amongst her followers.
However, there is so much more to Emily than meets the eye. As a result, I prepared my questions for Emily in such a way as to dig a little deeper and uncover some expert opinions and insightful stories about Emily. However, there is so much more to Emily than meets the eye. Subsequently, I prepared my questions for Emily in such a way as to dig a little deeper and uncover some expert opinions and insightful stories about Emily.
My experience interviewing Emily Ellyn
Within seconds, it became apparent Emily is an energetic, unique character. Bursting with personality and a distinct, 1950s dress sense, I knew this would be a fun and enjoyable interview.
Not only was Emily entertaining and a joy to interview, but she was also incredibly insightful. Throughout the interview, Emily and I discussed topics such as:
Emily’s love for food growing up
Her career
Future plans
Social media’s role in the hospitality industry
Tips for aspiring chefs
Future of US hospitality
Technology in the hospitality industry
Future of QR code menus
Listening to Emily’s story was truly fascinating. For anyone looking to achieve great things in not just the hospitality industry, but in all aspects of life, it is key to understand how others before us achieved the goals we have set for ourselves and to learn from their experiences.
I was enthralled by Emily’s early culinary memories. It was particularly interesting to hear about how she developed from a little girl with an interest in cooking to the successful chef she is today. Most people, including myself, perform better when they have motivation and an end goal set for themselves. Listening to Emily will definitely leave you inspired and ready to do just that.
Perhaps most fascinating of all though, were the insights into the industry Emily provided from an expert’s point of view. She and I discussed a number of topics, ranging from technology in the hospitality industry to advice for aspiring chefs.
Emily offered alternative insights into a variety of topics that perhaps the majority, including myself, had not previously considered. Emily consistently viewed topics from different angles. This us all the chance to interpret certain subjects in a completely different way and learn something new.
Where can I find the interview?
Emily is a very glass half-full kind of person. This absolutely shone through in the interview, making it a fun and enjoyable experience for me and hopefully you, too.
So if you would like to hear more of what Emily has to say, then feel free to either click on the video above or click on the link below to access the full interview:
We hope you enjoy the interview and feel free to share your thoughts with us on our social media pages.
Author: Cian Richardson
“Reinvent the menu experience”
Open your free account today at MasterTAAG
MasterTAAG Referral Campaign: Invite 3 friends and get a free premium account on us
“Reinvent the menu experience”
Duration: 5 minutes
MasterTAAG is offering hospitality businesses the chance to win a free premium account as part of our new Referral Campaign. Does this sound of interest to you and your business? If yes, then read on and see how you can receive a free premium account with MasterTAAG today. You can click here to claim your free MasterTAAG account now
Why do I want a MasterTAAG premium account?
Our premium account gives you access to multiple additional features that will help your business to stand out in an increasingly competitive industry that is hospitality. Here are a few examples of what owning a premium account with MasterTAAG can provide for you:
QR code with logo
Click & Collect
Customer rating
Order Management
Promo Window
There are many more features of the premium account that can help your business run more smoothly. To find out more, come back again next week and read our new blog. This will go into more detail on the benefits of owning a premium account with MasterTAAG.
Who is eligible for the Referral Campaign?
If you have received either an email notification or an in-app push notification from MasterTAAG, then you are eligible for the Referral Campaign.
Unfortunately, this promotion is currently only open to users who receive an offer from us. However, there is no need to worry if you have not received one yet. We will be releasing more promotions in the future which you may be eligible for instead.
Who can I invite for the Referral Campaign?
You are required to invite 3 friends who either run or influence a hospitality business such as a restaurant, bar or hotel. These businesses cannot already be using a free QR code menu and must not have used MasterTAAG before.
How can I invite friends for the Referral Campaign?
You can fill in your friends’ details using this link or you can search for the Referral Campaign on our website and sign up from there.
So why not refer 3 friends and save your business £299 a year on our essential premium membership? Use the link above to sign up today!
What is #loveyourmenu?
#loveyourmenu is our brand new hashtag as we look to promote the use of free QR code menus for hospitality businesses all over the world. We here at MasterTAAG believe every business and its customers should love their menu. The use of QR code menus can increase your business’ efficiency and productivity, as well as being more convenient for your customers.
MasterTAAG aims to encourage businesses to move forward and improve their operations and would like to make it as simple as possible for you and others to find us.
You can use our hashtag on multiple platforms such as:
Like what you hear? Then why not join the conversation and use our new hashtag to get all the latest updates on our free QR code menus.
Google
Twitter
Instagram
Facebook
Linkedin
YouTube
As the world changes and technology usage increases, it is paramount now more than ever for businesses to keep up with the latest trends. Implementing free QR code menus for your business is the perfect way to begin this modernising process.
So, don’t get left behind and remember to #loveyourmenu
Don’t forget, if you would like to participate in the MasterTAAG Referral Campaign, please click here to sign up.
Author: Cian Richardson
“Reinvent the menu experience”
Open your free account today at MasterTAAG
Contactless Digital Menu via QR code keeps workers and customers safe
Keeping workers and customers safe during COVID-19 in restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services
The UK is currently experiencing a public health emergencyas a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, it is criticalthat businesses take a range of measures to keep everyonesafe. This document is to help you understand how to worksafely and keep your customers safe during this pandemic,ensuring as many people as possible comply with socialdistancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where2m is not viable, is acceptable). We hope it givesyou freedom within a practical framework to think aboutwhat you need to do to continue, or restart, operationsduring the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand howimportant it is that you can work safely and support yourworkers’ and customers’ health and wellbeing during theCOVID-19 pandemic and not contribute to the spread of thevirus.
We know that many of these businesses are currentlyclosed, by government regulation, for their usual service -this guidance will be useful for those businesses as theydevelop new ways of working or to help prepare for the timewhen they are able to reopen. The government is clear thatworkers should not be forced into an unsafe workplace andthe health and safety of workers and customers, and publichealth, should not be put at risk.
This document sets out guidance on how to open workplaces safely while minimizing the risk of spreading COVID-19. It gives practical considerations of how this can be applied in the workplace.