Each year, our colleagues at Restaurant Business compile 50 of the greatest ideas to come out of the foodservice industry. To make the cut, the idea must be new and innovative, but also help drive sales. We’ve culled the list to bring you some ideas that could easily be translated to c-store foodservice.
Sandwiches by ’chute.
Jafflechutes, a pop-up restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, came up with a buzz-worthy way to deliver its toasted cheese sandwiches: by attaching them to small parachutes and floating them down to customers waiting on the sidewalk below. The recipients had placed orders on Jafflechutes’ website and were then directed via Facebook to a spot to wait for their meal.
Simplification Sells.
Slashing items from the menu not only created operational efficiencies at IHOP, but it also allowed room on the menu for popular items to shine. The new design uses realistic photography (pancakes are imperfectly stacked), color coding and combo suggestions to upsell the food, moves that boosted sales about 3%, the chain reports.
Brown-Bag It.
At Brown Bag Seafood in Chicago, guests check off their selection on a brown-bag menu and hand their order to the cashier. It then becomes the carrier for their food.
Connecting With Seniors.
Lexington, Ky.-based Fazoli’s offered members of the American Contract Bridge League free Italian Lemon Ice with the purchase of an entrée every Wednesday from 2 to 5 p.m. in June. The chain promoted its stores as a welcoming place to gather and play, boosting traffic during an off -peak time.
Pillars of Throughput.
In third-quarter 2014, Chipotle Mexican Grill increased its throughput by six transactions during the peak hours of lunch and dinner, compared to third-quarter 2013. The secret of its success is a strategy Chipotle has dubbed the “four pillars of throughput”:
- A dedicated expeditor: Stationed before the cashier, he or she sees to drinks and side orders, and bags items.
- A linebacker: This person keeps ingredients on the line stocked so other workers can focus on customer orders.
- Proper mise en place: The chain spends hours prepping food so each order can be ready in seconds.
- Aces in their places: Staffing each position with its best employees during peak periods.
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