Alex Oswiecinski

What's one panel you will not miss at the Florida Restaurant Show and Pizza Tomorrow Summit this/next week? Transforming your People from Liabilities to Assets Identifying and evaluating data about your People and learning how to align that data so your People will no longer be viewed as an expense or a negative on your balance sheet, but rather an asset that helps generate revenue and great guest experience. You will change your mindset initially from assuming that all your people are expenses. Identify easy yet often overlooked ways to identify data related to your People's productivity. See evidence showing that simple changes in how your People operate can create huge benefits for them and you! ➡️ Bryan Meredith, Restaurateur Coach WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 06, 2024 11:30 a.m. | Education Alley - Theater 1969 #FloridaRestaurantShow #FLRestaurantShow #PizzaTomorrowSummit #restaurantbusiness #restauranttech #restaurantowners #restaurantmarketing #restaurantindustry #restaurantowner #tradeshow RESTAURANT MARKETING PLAYBOOK https://lnkd.in/e_f73ni9

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Include the cost of delivery in your item price versus separating it out….so says the data presented by Andrew Custage of Medallia who questioned customers on their preferences - here at Food On Demand 2024. What does your restaurant do on pricing delivery? The Digital Restaurant #fooddelivery #pricing

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🙌 Ditch the search! 🙌 EdgeServ POS is the all-in-one solution for restaurants. Advanced features + Easy to use + Unmatched support = Increased efficiency & profitability!! 📈 Ready for a free demo? Let's chat! #EdgeServPOS #RestaurantLife

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𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗚: There are only 2 GTM strategies for restaurant tech companies 🤔 Given the dynamics of the restaurant industry and how SaaS is purchased and adopted, "can they mandate?" will ultimately shape how your business builds out the systems and teams that grow company revenue. Here's what that looks like: 🔽 Software is mandated, top-down approach starting with ENT deals, lean(er) sales org (think Olo) 🔼 Software cannot be mandated, bottoms-up approach starting with IND/SMB deals, massive sales org (think Toast) So which one are you? Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/dbaDuUZ9 #restaurantology #gtm #b2b #sales #restaurantindustry

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Last week, at the end of our monthly meeting at Restaurant Owners Success Club, I asked each member to share their most significant takeaways from the lists they had compiled. Here's the top 10 member learnings from May Restaurant Owners Success Club: 🔹Increase guest count in a tepid market by focusing on incremental improvements to the experience in your restaurants. 🔹Build PPA and make guests happy by taking the zero-proof beverage trend seriously. Sell an $8-$12 item to guests who currently settle for your free water. 🔹Build revenue by getting back into the habit of making sure your menu stays way ahead of the competition. During the pandemic we shortened menus. That time is over. 🔹Attract guests by making sure pictures of people enjoying your food appear in your social media posts. Lifestyle images beat food images every time. 🔹Cater to the work-from-home crowd that no longer has structured mealtimes. Since they need to get out of the house to protect their sanity, develop a between-meals snack menu. 🔹Get more done by “wearing blinders” and focusing on the big things in front of you first thing every day – before you respond to any text, voicemail or email. 🔹Be more effective by realizing that constant annoying staff and vendor interruptions indicate that you have not educated or chosen the right people, and that your boundaries with your vendors must be murky. 🔹Be more efficient by realizing that the inventors of the text message did not create it with complex business conversations in mind. Consider project management software like Asana and Monday.com. 🔹Protect your brand and your bank account. Know the details of your foodborne Illness insurance coverage in case the worst happens. 🔹Schedule your summer vacation to give you as much time away as you can handle – or even more. You have earned the freedom and flexibility others dream about. Your people, if you have chosen the right ones, will get to grow and shine in your absence. ⬇️Over to you. What can you add to this list? Share your answer below. Read my full blog here: https://lnkd.in/gky4YNiJ #restaurateur #restaurant #success #businessadvice

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We are trying a renewed focus on long form content via blogging. This is not your 2010 Blog though, it’s gonnna have embedded podcast clips and video snips and other dynamic interactive elements. *Coming soon. We are repurposing them as email campaigns too. What do you think community? Check out the first one here: https://lnkd.in/gmym7qub #blogging #restaurantmarketing #franchisemarketing #franchiseopportunity #franchising #restaurantsuccess

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Annual report on restaurants and consumers by Alix Parnters offers some amazing insights. Start with summary in NRN or read the full report, totally worth taking the extra time to get the details, click here. https://lnkd.in/g57uT-kd Despite some signs of stability and continuing optimism, many operators know painfully well that things aren’t necessarily rosy right now, and second quarter earnings reflected as much. The consulting firm outlines four strategies to manage changing consumer behaviors that have impacted sales and traffic: Evolving menu offerings Enhancing the consumer experience Investing in employees Implementing balanced pricing https://lnkd.in/gzJ7nhJk #restaurants #consumerspending #trends #offpremises #theopga

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This is interesting... how many of you are here? 'For restaurant brands to unlock CLV, they need a fully-integrated tech stack wherein all systems talk to one another so that they can collect, analyze and act on data from all customers — not just loyalty members.' Anecdotally I'd say very few. While you can hold onto what you know (a broken, silo'd approach- aka 'what's your stack?'), you can also embrace a future where restaurants FINALLY can market to 100% of guests and behave like every other retail/e-commerce business... a unified platform. Say hello to true, transparent CLTV + top line revenue growth. Say good bye to vendor finger pointing, disconnected APIs, painful vendor management, thin margins... Good read, Noah Glass... (I realize I'm slow to respond). Stay focused on the enterprise. Milagro Corporation will help the small restaurant brands crush it. https://lnkd.in/eBRgVb4k

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🎙️ heard at QSR Evoltuon from Wade Allen and Adam Klaers when it comes to how to evaluate tech, here are the questions you should ask: - Does it enhance the guest experience? - Does it enhance employee experience? - Will it drive sales and make us profitable? - what are the integrations like? Almost word for word what I wrote in my blog post last week. If you’re a vendor, know the answers to these questions before you get on the phone. #qsr #fastcasual #conference #restaurantbusiness #restauranttech #restaurantowners #restaurantmarketing #restaurantindustry #restaurantowner

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RIP ⚰ - Comp Sales as a Restaurant Success Metric? Comp sales (comparing top line revenues or sales vs. prior year, quarter, or period) used to be the gold standard for assessing a restaurant’s success. In 2024, when you have to comp sales against 2018 or 2019, maybe it’s time to rethink that measure. We’re in waves of recovery post-COVID, navigating the tides of shifting consumer behavior and rapidly evolving preferences: Generational Shifts 🌐 – Gen Z and Millennials are reshaping the industry. They’re not just after a meal; they want an experience that aligns with their values. They seem to prefer less interaction (Fast Casual?) and yet a customized experience. Traditional metrics don’t capture this tectonic shift. Delivery vs. Dine-In 🚗 – The rise of delivery wasn’t a COVID fad; it’s here to stay. Meanwhile, dine-in experiences must be memorable and unique to bring guests out of their homes. Comp sales alone can’t quantify the value of loyalty generated by high-quality in-house experiences. Service Level and Inflation 💸 – Today’s guests are more understanding of service limitations but are less tolerant of inflated prices that don’t align with value. A laser focus on efficient service and transparent pricing drives repeat visits—not comp sales. The restaurant industry needs to move beyond “comp” to metrics that reflect today’s reality, like customer lifetime value, brand engagement, and loyalty program effectiveness. At Full Course, we believe that real growth is about adapting to these shifts and creating value that resonates with today’s consumer. Talking to dozens of founders this year, we know better than to 86 a potential partner for us because of negative comps. It’s time for the industry to let go of outdated measures and redefine success on terms that honor both profitability and customer experience. What’s your take on the future of restaurant metrics? What KPIs do you look for? #RestaurantIndustry #restaurants #restaurantmanagement #PostCovidRecovery #growth #investment 📷 credit by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

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KFC’s largest domestic franchisee’s restructuring leads to HQ layoffs. KBP Foods’ footprint has grown to more than 1,000 restaurants, including KFC, Taco Bell, Arby's, and most recently, SONIC Drive-In http://ow.ly/Yg0Z105PcLR

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Exciting news from Craveworthy Brands As many of you know, I love to hint at our next big moves. Some might question this approach, but I believe it’s crucial to show my commitment to pushing our team and our dreams to new heights. Our latest acquisition is a game-changer, bringing Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover into our family! This strategic move will supercharge growth for our beloved Soom Soom and The Budlong Southern Chicken providing them an extraordinary platform to thrive. Additionally, it accelerates the expansion for Sigri Indian BBQ, offering immediate opportunities for two to three new locations. We’re also setting the stage to launch Costeño Rojo, testing a few locations to refine our concept further. But it’s not just about growth—it’s about people. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the fantastic teams at Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover. Their passion and innovation are exactly what we need to reach new heights. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together with this incredible talent. Stay tuned. We’re just getting started! #CraveworthyBrands #BusinessGrowth #Acquisition #FoodIndustry #Leadership #Innovation #RestaurantBusiness #Teamwork #Entrepreneurship #BrandExpansion

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📅 Today at 1 PM EST: I’m excited to chat with Kevin Hart from Upside this afternoon! 🎙️ We'll be diving into how businesses can avoid the value menu frenzy 🍔 and, more importantly, how to drive in-store traffic 🛍️ 🚶 . Ill be discussing: 🏆 Success stories from Roy Rogers Restaurants 🎖️ Effective strategies to provide real value beyond blanket discounting 👏 Strategic resource allocation and building loyalty Would love for you to tune in!  👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eBDHTZ7A #RestaurantStrategy #RoyRogers #CustomerLoyalty

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Today, I made our first step toward getting Currently carried by 23 locations of Whole Foods Market in Florida. The process is a bit convoluted (as I'm learning many things are in wine...), but here's generally what's going to happen: -We're already an approved vendor and need to update our new Currently Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc into the Amazon vendor portal, which I did today -This process is now vendor-led, instead of distributor led, which ensures the accuracy of the information (since I won't mess it up but distributors might) -Next steps will be to schedule meetings in October with each store manager, who my Florida distributor has relationships with and update them on our new packaging, design and brand. -Because our story has continuity around environmental cause and goes farther now with being 2x lower carbon footprint and Certified Sustainable grapes, I'm hoping that will be a differentiator -There are in-store display opportunities, and I'm going to work on having our wine setup next to the oysters and seafood. Any WFM general manager selling suggestions are welcome-- I'm new to this! #wine #founderjourney #wholefoodsmarket

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Why is fast casual on fire?  Inconvenience can lose you Guests- experience is undoubtedly how you win them. We know Fast Casual combines the best of two worlds: the speed and convenience of fast food with the quality and experience of casual dining and continues to show impressive growth in sales and traffic. And, there's no sign of it slowing down. Don’t be fooled when you read that consumers don’t want to dine in. They do, especially Gen Z! The issue is that the experience being served up isn’t that joyful!  April 2024 Among Gen Z’s  41% Going out less yet splurging when they do ( +9 vs Total US) 56% Craving more social connections with friends and family ( +9 vs Total US) Thanks for the shout-out in the article Alicia Kelso Nation's Restaurant News “The winners will be the fast casuals that are experience-oriented because many casual dining restaurants are giving up that dine-in occasion in favor of off-premise growth.” #growth #fastcasual #experience #bringmorejoy

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Cannot wait for these amazing learning sessions!!! Not only do we get to learn about asset management and restaurant and hospitality trends…..we get those end of year CEUs! #fhwexpo #assetmanagement #restaurants #restauranttrends #restaurantdesign

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People ask me all the time how they can learn the foodservice business. My answer is: #1 Dive in and start doing #2 Find a mentor with experience (5% of the cost of strategy consultants) #3 Listen to the Titans of Foodservice podcast. Where you can hear directly from both industry vets who know the business, and folks like First Bite trying to change it. Thank you so much Nick Portillo for having me on to talk about how our data and workflow tools are helping sales teams execute in foodservice! Episode link in the comments.

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