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The restaurant industry is an ever-changing landscape with growing competition, and it requires restaurant operators to stay ahead of the game. In the United States, many restaurants strive to be ranked among the top 100 independent restaurants in the country. It is a great honor for any restaurant to make this list, and as such, there are a number of factors and considerations to take into account before investing in technology solutions, menu development, customer service, and other ways of improving a restaurant’s business.
Using data to understand what strategies are driving the success of top 100 independent restaurants is key. With analysis from Brizo’s foodservice market insights platform, restaurants have access to granular information about the food industry, enabling them to make informed decisions. With Brizo at their side, restaurants can assess the impact of increased brand visibility, menu engineering, and a range of other topics, uncovering valuable insights to drive their growth.
Achieving top ranking among the best restaurants in the US requires analysis of the data to understand exactly what is working in the foodservice industry. The following are the top 10 things to consider for restaurants looking to rank in the top 100 independents:
1. Improve Brand Visibility
Enhancing the visibility of your restaurant is critical to achieving top ranking placements on the top 100 independent restaurants list. Customers need to be able to find your restaurant and learn more about its services and offerings. This means having an engaging website, taking advantage of local listing sites and directories, optimizing your restaurant’s page for various search engines, and investing in digital marketing campaigns to increase your restaurant’s visibility.
2. Menu Engineering
Menu engineering helps restaurant owners understand the best options to put on their menus to drive higher sales. It involves researching the ingredients, types of dishes, and pricing that customers are most likely to buy, as well as positioning items in a way that highlights their potential revenue. By using restaurant market analytics, restaurants can obtain a better understanding of what their customers desire and craft specialized menus that are earning high revenue.
3. Consistent Quality
In order to maintain top rankings on the list of the best restaurants in the US, operators need to ensure that customers are consistently receiving a high-quality product and great service. Providing consistent quality will help your restaurant stand out from the competition and ensure that your customers keep returning. From checking the freshness of ingredients to on-site training of staff, restaurant operators should employ measures to ensure that their product and service are highly satisfactory.
4. Customer Service
Improving customer service should be a top priority for restaurants looking to rank in the top 100 independents. Customers should enjoy top-notch service, from the moment they make their reservations to the time they leave the restaurant. This includes talking to customers and resolving their concerns promptly, providing speedy services, and going the extra mile to make sure customers are happy.
5. Online Ordering
Restaurants should focus on providing their customer with an excellent online ordering system so they have options to receive meals and have them delivered, and also for take-out orders. Restaurants need to ensure their online ordering system is intuitive and easy to use, secure, fast, and available on various mobile platforms.
6. Innovative Technology Solutions
Today’s restaurant operators need to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology solutions in order to remain competitive. Investing in scalable software solutions like an online ordering system, digital customer loyalty program, restaurant enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can improve efficiency and flow of tasks and transactions. It assists in providing beneficial insights to help restaurant operators make informed decisions for their business.
7. Kitchen Efficiency
Kitchen processes are critical to the success of any restaurant. Improving kitchen processes, from the quality of ingredients to the equipment used to prepare food, can help restaurants maximize their profits. Using data to address risk factors associated with health and safety practices in the kitchen can also help restaurant operators stay compliant with industry regulations.
8. Special Events
Restaurants may create special events to increase customer visibility and create a buzz. Special events can also be used to build relationships with customers and introduce new offerings. It is also important to create digital marketing campaigns to attract new customers’ attention. Events can be used to create an online presence that can be used to drive repeat customers.
9. Delivery Services
With the delivery services market rapidly growing with online delivery apps, restaurants must focus on offering delivery services, either through their own delivery team or partnering with an online delivery provider. Restaurants should take into account delivery costs, service quality, delivery location, and time when considering investments in delivery services.
10. Analyze the Market
Restaurants must be aware of the competitive landscape and the factors that are influencing customer behavior. This means analyzing data to identify opportunities and gaining insights into customer trends and preferences. Brizo’s platform allows restaurants to access market insights and make more informed decisions.
