19 June food holidays for your restaurant to celebrate
Did you know 45% of US customers say they’ve tried a new restaurant after seeing a restaurant’s post on social media? That’s why it’s more important than ever to make sure your restaurant is establishing an effective social media strategy to grab customers’ attention. One great way to make your restaurant stand out online is to celebrate national food holidays on social media.
Take a look at these tips on how you can take advantage of food holidays this month and keep scrolling to get the full June calendar.
What are national food holidays?
National food holidays are micro holidays that center around a certain cuisine. They are often celebrated on social media and encourage diners to band together to show appreciation for everything from veggie burgers (June 5) to cannolis (June 16). While these holidays don’t warrant a day off, they can still be fun to observe and celebrate. As a restaurant owner, a food holiday is the perfect excuse to offer an irresistible promotion that will encourage diners to place an order.
Why your restaurant should celebrate national food holidays
Everyone loves having something to celebrate, and restaurants can use food holidays to build excitement around their dishes. Food holidays are particularly popular on social media as diners go online to share what cuisine they’re celebrating. Acknowledging a food holiday on social media by using the holiday’s hashtag can instantly make your restaurant relevant to a wider audience.
Food holidays put specific dishes top of mind. When diners are craving pizza on National Vanilla Milkshake Day (June 20), you want your frosty creation at the center of the celebration. Posting about your food can motivate diners to order from your restaurant. In fact, 53% of millennial TikTok users visited a restaurant after seeing it on the app. Incorporating food holidays in your social media strategy incentivizes hungry diners to check out your cuisine.
3 tips for marketing national food holidays
A successful food holiday marketing strategy begins with a strong digital presence. Modern diners flock online to discover new restaurants and place orders. Digital tactics are important for your restaurant marketing strategy.
To make your national food holiday celebrations as effective as possible, tie them into a larger restaurant marketing strategy that looks at the big picture, not just a single opportunity. A restaurant marketing strategy is a formal plan that documents, tracks and analyzes all your marketing efforts and activities.
1. Pile on promotions
Nothing motivates a diner to press ‘order now’ more than a discount. Rolling out promotions not only attracts more customers to your menu, but also encourages loyalty. Diners are more likely to place repeat orders if they think a restaurant has a good deal. In fact, 81% of consumers would switch restaurants if they saw a good deal. Your food holiday promotions can be the first thing that catches a potential customer’s eye.
Here are some promotion ideas that can get diners drooling for your dishes:
- Discount dollar amounts: On National Smoothie Day (June 21), offer $1 off your smoothies.
- Discounted items: Celebrate National Strawberry Shortcake Day (June 14) by offering 50% off a slice of shortcake when a customer purchases an entrée.
- Discount-themed ingredients: Celebrate Cheese Day (June 4) by offering 20% off all cheesy menu items.
- Free items with purchase: On National Donut Day (June 2) offer a free donut to every customer that orders from your app.
When you partner with Grubhub, launching promotions is as easy as pie. Restaurants that partner with Grubhub gain access to free-to-use promotional and marketing tools that are proven to increase orders and customers.
With Grubhub’s Promotions and Loyalty Tools, you can:
- Run seasonal promotions to make the most of national food holidays
- Offer your customer the right discount at the right time
- Increase your ROI with our advanced technology and huge volumes of restaurant and customer data
2. Highlight online ordering
Getting customers excited about a food holiday is great, but unless you give them an easy avenue to place an order, all that momentum around your dishes will be lost.
Your restaurant’s website serves as the backbone of your digital presence. Your website should have all things a diner needs to know about your restaurant – this includes your menu, hours, location, story and an online ordering platform. Finding a platform that converts curious diners into satisfied customers can be difficult. That’s why restaurants are turning to Direct to reach more customers, drive online ordering and establish their advertising efforts with zero commission costs.
88% of restaurant operators stated a branded experience is very important for sales. With Direct, your restaurant can create an online ordering web page that’s designed and branded to match your existing restaurant’s look and feel. It can be easily integrated into your existing website (if you have one) or can act as your main site if need be. Learn more about how Direct can drive online ordering.
Once your website is up and running, you want to make sure it’s searchable. When potential diners search your restaurant on Google, your Business Profile is usually the first thing to pop up. Claim your restaurant’s Google Business Profile so that you can make sure it correctly displays your hours, address, pricing and website link. When your Business Profile features the correct info and links, it’s far more likely a customer will place an order or come in to check you out.
3. Get social
Nobody will know your restaurant is celebrating a national food holiday unless you spread the word. That’s where social media comes in. TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are all powerful places to establish a restaurant social media presence.
Looking for some tips to make your restaurant pop on social media? Try these ideas:
- Showcase your dishes by posting delectable photos and videos of them on national food holidays.
- Use trending hashtags like #NationalCheeseDay or #NationalDonutDay to reach a larger audience beyond your social media followers.
- Use local hashtags like #BostonFoodie or #NYCeats to connect with customers nearby.
- create a quiz about your dishes to boost engagement with your national food holiday promotions.
- Launch a contest with prizes that relate to your restaurant and die in with your national food holiday promotion.
It’s easy for restaurant owners’ plates to pile up, leaving little time to strategize about marketing. That’s why developing a social media calendar is essential for planning out how you will roll out your promotions.
A social media calendar is a way to organize your upcoming social media posts and promotions by date. Planning posts in advance gives you time to lay out promotions, batch content and solidify your menu to align with your offerings.
Check out these tips on how to market national food holidays on social media.
What social media holidays are coming next?
June signals the start of summer where customers are eager to celebrate everything from veggie burgers (June 5) to ice cream cake (June 27). June also brings Pride Month, Juneteenth and Father’s Day. Last year, over 450,000 orders were placed on Father’s Day. Is your restaurant prepared for this top ordering holiday? No matter what cuisine you’re celebrating, it pays to run a food holiday promotion.
Download our Guide to National Food Holidays to learn how to spearhead your promotional marketing and elevate your digital presence. Use your new calendar to create a marketing plan or amplify your existing one. National food holidays could be your next step toward increased sales and a wealth of new customers.
June national food holidays
June is National Soul Food Month and National Steakhouse Month.
- June 2: National Donut Day
- June 3: National Egg Day
- June 4: National Cheese Day
- June 5: National Veggie Burger Day
- June 6: National Churros Day
- June 7: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
- June 9: National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day
- June 10: National Egg Roll Day
- June 11: National Corn on the Cob Day
- June 12: National Falafel Day
- June 14: National Strawberry Shortcake Day
- June 16: National Cannoli Day
- June 18: Father’s Day
- June 20: National Vanilla Milkshake Day
- June 21: National Smoothie Day
- June 22: National Onion Ring Day
- June 24: National Pralines Day
- June 26: National Chocolate Pudding Day
- June 27: National Ice Cream Cake Day
A 5-star restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist
Next to cooking, cleaning is the most important process in your restaurant. Rigorous cleaning and sanitization helps kill bacteria, which prevents a variety of contact and food-borne illnesses. When the procedure is compliant with federal, state and local food codes, it’s easier to maintain a high restaurant health score, even after a surprise health inspection.
Cleanliness also benefits your bottom line — when diners can enjoy their meals in a fresh, spotless setting, they’re more likely to give you positive reviews and repeat business.
Need help with consistency and accountability? Try standardizing the process with a restaurant cleaning checklist. That way, employees don’t need to rely on memory after a long shift; they can simply work through the list and sign off on each task.
Front-of-house cleaning checklist
The commercial kitchen is often the focus of a restaurant cleaning procedure, but the front-of-house matters, too. Because this is the only part that restaurant customers see, it shapes their opinion of your business. For most establishments, it makes sense to separate the cleaning procedure into daily, weekly and monthly tasks. This ensures high-contact areas are always fresh; it also prevents dirt buildup, so deep-cleaning days are easier.
Before you start, make sure to have common cleaning supplies on hand:
- Cleaning gloves
- Surface cleaner
- Disinfectant spray
- Cleaning cloths
- Sponges
- Paper towels
- Glass cleaner
- Brooms
- Vacuum
- Fool
- Buckets
- Floor cleaners
- Scrub brushes
- Garbage bags
- degreasing solution
Daily front-of-house restaurant cleaning checklist
During each shift, perform these tasks as needed:
- Wipe down and sanitize tables, counters and seats
- Clean and sanitize bathrooms
- Sweep or vacuum floors
- Wipe food and drink off of the menu
- Wipe down condiments
At the end of the day, do the following:
- Clean and sanitize tables, counters and seats
- Clean and sanitize bathrooms
- Clean and sanitize railings and door handles
- Clean and sanitize menus
- Sweep and mop hard floors
- Vacuum rugs and carpeted areas
- Clean streaks, fingerprints and smudges from windows
- Refill disposable supplies
- Wipe down walls if needed
- Take out the trash
- Take out recycling
- Sanitize recycling containers
- Send dirty linens to the laundry
Weekly front-of-house restaurant cleaning checklist
- Clean and sanitize doors
- Wash windows
- Wash mirrors
- Dust light fixtures
- Dust decor and signs
- Deep-clean toilets and sinks
- Dust liquor bottles behind the bar, if applicable
- Clean draft lines, if applicable
Monthly front-of-house restaurant cleaning checklist
- Deep-clean all bathrooms
- Clean and dust light fixtures
- Clean and dust ceiling fans
- Vacuum all carpet thoroughly
Back-of-house cleaning checklist
Cleaning a commercial kitchen requires constant attention — in this fast-paced environment, it’s best to clean regularly throughout the day to prevent big messes. In the process, you’ll increase food safety and reduce the risk of cross-contamination and food-borne illness. Regular cleaning can also improve restaurant kitchen safety, which protects your employees and your business.
As with front-of-house cleaning, there are some tasks you should do every day. Others, you can do every week or month. To help your staff clean efficiently, stock up on these key cleaning supplies:
- Cleaning cloths
- Steelwool
- Scrub brushes
- Fool
- Brooms
- Cleaning gloves
- degreasing spray
- Disinfectant spray
- Surface cleaner
- Commercial floor cleaning solutions
- Commercial dishwasher detergent
- Dish detergent
- hand soap
- hand sanitizers
Daily restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist
During the day, keep the kitchen clean by running through this restaurant cleaning checklist as often as necessary:
- Wash hands frequently
- Clean surfaces before switching foods or dishes
- Clean and sanitize food-prep areas after preparing raw meat
- Wipe up messes
- Clean and dry spills on the floor
- Scrape the griddle
- Brush the grill
- Move utensils and dishes to the dishwashing area between tasks
- Package ingredients safe for storage
- Mark ingredients and prepared dishes with the date
- Run the dishwasher
At the end of the shift or the day, do the following:
- Clean and sanitize counters and food-prep areas
- Clean and disinfect cutting boards
- Degrease and wipe down appliances
- Clean the surface of the ice machine
- Clean and sanitize sinks
- Clean the grill, griddle, range and fryer
- Empty drip trays
- Filter the oil in the fryer
- Clean and sanitize handles and knobs
- Send all dishes, pots and utensils for dishwashers
- Put away clean items
- Send uniforms, aprons and towels to the laundry
- Clean floor mats
- Clean beverage-dispenser heads
- Take out the garbage
- Sweep and mop the floors
Weekly restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist
- Go through inventory and dispose of expired items
- Delime sinks, faucets and coffee makers
- Clean coolers and refrigerators
- Clean ovens
- Boil out the fryer
- Switch out the oil in the deep fryer
- Wipe down vent hoods
- Pour drain cleaner in floor and sink drains
Monthly restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist
- Clean vent hoods and fans
- Clean behind major appliances
- Clean and sanitize the interior of the ice machine
- Empty and clean the grease traps
- Wash the walls and ceiling
- Deep clean the floors
- Clean and sanitize inside refrigerators and freezers
7 Restaurant cleaning tips
Every restaurant will have a slightly different commercial cleaning checklist — a takeout sandwich shop requires a different process than a family pizza place. As you design and implement a custom procedure, use these tips to improve everyday cleanliness.
- Encourage frequent handwashing
Ask your staff to wash their hands regularly to prevent the spread of germs. At a minimum, they should wash before and after preparing food, after coming back from a break or the bathroom and after handling potentially dangerous foods such as raw meat. It’s also important to wash your hands after touching garbage, coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. According to the CDC, the process should involve at least 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap.
- Follow the state food code
In most states, health inspectors visit restaurants one or more times per year and any time someone makes a complaint. To make sure you’re prepared, design your restaurant cleaning checklist to match your state’s food code; the city or county health department can provide a local inspection standards guide.
- Store foods quickly and correctly
Don’t leave ingredients or cooked food on the counter — instead, put them in the refrigerator quickly. By keeping the food below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. And when foods are off the counter and safely in storage, they’re less likely to be cross-contaminated. This can help you limit food waste.
- Store cleaning supplies safely
When storing cleaning chemicals, consider your kitchen layout. Your storage area should be located away from heat, food-prep and storage areas and air intake vents. Ideally, choose a space with ventilation to prevent the buildup of fumes. Keep your restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist in mind, and place items when workers can get to them without interrupting the rest of the team.
- Delegate cleaning tasks
One of the best ways to clean a restaurant is to spread out the tasks. When everyone knows exactly what they’re responsible for, your team is less likely to skip steps. Consider creating individual commercial kitchen cleaning checklists for different employees or teams to streamline the process.
- Focus on daily cleaning
When your employees clean the kitchen and front-of-house on a daily basis, it’s easier to prevent dirt, dust and grease build-up. Over time, small cleaning tasks become a habit that’s tightly woven into your regular workflow.
- Minimize cell phone use
Cell phones are covered in bacteria — in fact, the University of Michigan found that phones are often 10 times dirtier than the average toilet seat. To prevent employees from transferring germs from their phones to food or appliances, ask them to minimize phone use while on the job. If they must touch the phone, ask them to wash their hands afterwards.
The importance of a clear cleaning checklist
A restaurant cleaning checklist is a simple tool, but it can transform your kitchen and front-of-house operations. When employees have a clear list of duties, they never need to wonder what’s been done; it’s easy to identify outstanding daily cleaning tasks at a glance.
This process benefits your restaurant by:
- Standardizing a compliant cleaning process
- Ensuring key areas are cleaned regularly
- Improving food safety
- Helping new employees contributing effectively
- Reducing the risk of missed cleaning tasks, even during busy shifts
- Holding employees accountable for assigned tasks
- Tracking weekly and monthly cleaning jobs
Without a checklist, it’s easy to skip small jobs — especially during busy shifts. This situation tends to have a snowball effect that affects cleanliness, food safety and the customer experience.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your restaurant’s cleaning process, a checklist is a simple and affordable solution. By designing it to match the state food code and dividing tasks among the kitchen and front-of-house staff, you can create a better system with minimal costs and little to no training.
New York lawmaker connected to nonprofit accused of lying about homeless vets being pushed out of hotel for migrants says he’s no longer affiliated with
CNN
—
A New York state assemblyman and former volunteer spokesperson for the nonprofit was accused of lying about homeless veterans being pushed out of a hotel to make room for migrants is no longer affiliated with the foundation, he told CNN.
Republican State Assemblyman Brian Maher said in a statement to CNN he was devastated and disheartened” to learn claims homeless veterans were pushed out of the hotel to make room for migrants were false.
On Friday, CNN reported two homeless men said they were part of a group of 15 who were offered money to pose as veterans and said they were asked to leave the Crossroads Hotel in Newburgh, New York. They claimed Sharon Toney-Finch, a non-profit leader who houses the homeless, was the person who allegedly offered the money and never paid up.
Toney-Finch is the founder and chairman of the Yerik Israel Toney Foundation, which helps veterans in need of living assistance. On Friday, she denied the allegations to CNN, saying she had never offered money to homeless men to say they had to leave the hotel.
CNN reached out to Toney-Finch on Saturday regarding Maher’s statement and did not receive an immediate response.
The situation elevated tensions between the area and New York City, as earlier this week a New York state Supreme Court judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to send asylum seekers to Orange County, where Newburgh is located.
Maher said in his statement Saturday, “I am devastated and disheartened upon a conversation with Sharon Toney-Finch at approximately 3:15 pm Thursday, May 18, where I learned that the information regarding the YIT Foundation about homeless veterans being displaced is false. Their gross misrepresentation of the facts surrounding our homeless veterans is appalling.”
“The YIT Foundation purports to protect and support veterans, but the dishonest claims and fabrication of the facts by YIT does enormous harm to our homeless veterans by creating mistrust,” the statement continued.
On Friday, Toney-Finch said, “I never promised to pay anybody,” adding that she only told Maher that she had homeless veterans who were displaced, not that it was because of asylum seekers.
Maher, who was a volunteer spokesperson for the nonprofit, said he is “no longer affiliated in any capacity with YIT nor offering it any more of my help.”
The state assemblyman called for an investigation into the nonprofit by the New York State Attorney General’s office and the Orange County District Attorney “based on the new information that came to light today,” his statement said.
A spokeswoman for New York State Attorney General Letitia James told CNN Friday the office is reviewing the details of the incident to determine whether they will open a formal investigation.
“While I believed Sharon was telling the truth, I would like to apologize to those who have been negatively impacted since this news broke,” Maher wrote in the statement.
Ghost Kitchens Vs. Virtual Restaurants
Scroll through any major food delivery app and you’re likely to come across restaurants that seem to only exist online. Chances are, they’re ghost kitchens — virtual brands that use delivery platforms like Grubhub to reach hungry diners. Flexible and cost-effective, this business model is an ever-growing trend in the restaurant industry.
Developing a virtual brand is a great way to capture the growing delivery industry. Restaurateurs, chefs, and entrepreneurs will typically launch their virtual brands either through a ghost kitchen or as a virtual restaurant that operates in tandem with their brick-and-mortar concept.
How we talk about virtual brands and delivery-only restaurant concepts can be a bit confusing. The restaurant industry uses terms like ghost kitchen, cloud kitchen, dark kitchen and virtual restaurants when talking about delivery-only restaurant concepts, and all these different terms can make it difficult to understand which model is best for launching your virtual brand.
In this article, you’ll learn the differences between ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants so that you can decide which model will work best for launching your virtual brand.
What’s a ghost kitchen?
A ghost kitchen is a commercial kitchen that makes meals for delivery only. These operations don’t have visible physical presences. Instead, they operate in the digital space. You’ll find their “ghost menus” — menus that are only available for delivery — on food delivery apps. Some even have full-fledged online ordering websites to bring in more business.
Ghost kitchens can operate out of any commercial kitchen. Some use the kitchens in existing restaurants. Others pay for time in standalone commercial kitchens, often sharing the space with caterers and virtual restaurants.
As food delivery has become more popular, so have ghost kitchens. The delivery market in the United States doubled during the pandemic, and it continues to grow even as the restaurant industry returns to normal. Customers have embraced the convenience of apps like Grubhub, creating the perfect environment for virtual restaurants to thrive.
Ghost restaurants vs. traditional establishments
Ghost kitchens and traditional restaurants both create menus and prepare food for individual customers. However, a ghost kitchen lacks the familiar trappings of a typical brick-and-mortar restaurant brand. It doesn’t have a storefront, signs or dining area; there are no front-of-house staff members, and customers can’t stop by to pick up takeout.
If you already operate a restaurant or you’ve always wanted to start one, the ghost kitchen concept is worth considering. The barriers to entry are lower, which means you can get up and running in less time. In fact, many traditional restaurants run ghost kitchens as a way to reach new audiences, try out new dishes or test new dishes.
Before you open a ghost kitchen or add a virtual brand to your restaurant, it’s important to understand what’s involved. You’ll still need to secure funding, find suppliers and obtain permits and licenses. This process might be faster if you already own a restaurant, but it still takes time. Your local health department and business development office can help you understand the rules.
Because ghost kitchen brands don’t have the advantage of a storefront to build awareness, marketing is critical. You can take advantage of your delivery partner’s promotions and loyalty tools to reach new audiences and gain customer reviews. Check out our guide on how to make your virtual restaurant brand irresistible.
Pros and cons of operating a ghost kitchen
Given the costs and risks associated with opening a traditional restaurant, many entrepreneurs consider alternatives such as ghost kitchens and food trucks. As you consider whether a virtual food-service business is right for you, it’s important to take an honest look at the pros and cons.
Pros of operating a ghost kitchen
Some of the reasons people choose to start ghost kitchens rather than physical restaurants include:
- Lower startup costs. With a ghost kitchen, you don’t need to buy property and equipment. Instead, you can lease the space and equipment in an existing licensed commercial kitchen.
- Low operating costs. A ghost kitchen doesn’t require servers, bussers, hosts or bartenders, so you can dramatically reduce labor, hiring, and training costs. Plus, you don’t need to worry about washing customer dishes, maintaining furniture, paying decorators and cleaning a dining area.
- Lower risk. Lower startup costs also mean less risk; if the ghost kitchen doesn’t work out as expected, you’re less invested.
- Maximizes resources. For existing restaurants, a virtual restaurant is a way to get more value from staff and equipment. It helps you increase revenue without investing in additional space.
- Easy experimentation. A ghost kitchen removes the limitations of your current restaurant brand. It’s a safe space to experiment with new food items and cuisines to see what customers respond to. Because the entire operation is digital, you can change up your offerings without reprinting menus.
- Convenient delivery. Food delivery apps are optimized for ghost kitchens, so you can get your food to customers without hiring or managing delivery drivers.
- Low-contact meals. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, diners have been increasingly interested in low-contact food operations. It’s one of the reasons ghost kitchens are so popular — fewer people come into contact with the food.
Cons of operating a ghost kitchen
No business model is perfect, and ghost kitchens also have some drawbacks:
- Limited plating creativity. Because you’re packaging food for delivery, there are several ways to present it beautifully. Instead, you must focus on packaging that keeps the food in good condition while in transit.
- environmental impacts. While ghost kitchens use less energy and materials, they use a higher volume of packaging. If you want to control your environmental impact, you’ll need to find sustainable packaging options.
- tight margins. Restaurants almost always have tight profit margins. With ghost kitchens, you must factor in additional costs for packaging and food delivery fees.
- Challenging brand building. Building brand awareness for a virtual restaurant is often more difficult than it is for traditional restaurants. Because you don’t have a storefront or sign, you have to work harder to reach customers.
If the benefits of ghost kitchens outweigh the cons for your operation, it’s an option worth pursuing. The Grubhub virtual restaurant checklist can help you get started.
Are ghost kitchens the future of the restaurant industry?
Ghost kitchens are likely to be an important part of the restaurant industry in the coming years. While these virtual operations are unlikely to overtake brick-and-mortar restaurants — customers still enjoy the community and connection of in-person dining — they’re gaining a bigger market share.
It’s easy to see why: Virtual restaurants speak directly to the needs and preferences of modern consumers. They’re inherently convenient, allowing diners to use tech trends such as contactless payments, third-party food delivery apps and digital loyalty programs. With the right infrastructure, ghost kitchens can develop sustainable operations that satisfy customers’ desire for eco-friendly dining solutions. Ghost kitchens are here to stay, and if you’re interested in joining the virtual charge it can help to have a partner like Grubhub by your side. Listing your virtual restaurant on Grubhub Marketplace can give your brand instant exposure. As you consider how to expand your existing restaurant or start a new ghost kitchen, explore the ways Grubhub can help you get started.
How to franchise a restaurant like a pro
When you run a successful restaurant, it’s not uncommon to receive franchising requests. The prospect can be attractive — allowing other people to open restaurants under your brand brings in more profit without the work and risk of running other locations yourself. Before you make the decision to franchise a restaurant, be sure to understand the process, the advantages and disadvantages.
What is a franchise?
A franchise is a type of business where a company owner, or franchisor, licenses their company name and brand to other people. These franchisees open their own locations with support from the parent company. In return, they usually pay the franchisor start-up fees and a percentage of the monthly profits.
McDonald’s is an example of a successful restaurant franchise — 95% of the company’s US locations are franchised. Each location has the same decor, branding, menu, and design as other McDonald’s locations, but they’re owned by different franchisees.
Many popular restaurants use a similar model, particularly in the fast-food industry. Auntie Anne’s, Taco Bell, Arby’s, Chick-fil-A and Subway are all franchise businesses.
It’s important to note that a franchise is different from a chain restaurant, such as Starbucks or Chipotle. In a chain, new locations are owned and operated by the parent company. Some businesses use a hybrid model that embraces both franchising and corporate-run branches.
Pros and cons of franchising your restaurant
Like any other type of business, restaurant franchising has both pros and cons. As you decide whether to run a franchise restaurant or an independent restaurant, it’s important to consider both sides.
Pros of franchising restaurants
All restaurants come with a certain amount of risk, but franchises have significant advantages that can help parent companies and individual owners reduce uncertainty.
- Faster start-up. New restaurant franchise owners typically receive support from the franchisor to streamline the start-up process. Depending on the business, this might include guidance on finding property, choosing or constructing a building, buying equipment, designing the interior, hiring staff and creating a menu. These established practices save a great deal of time and money, which means the location can open and start turning a profit in less time.
- Including branding. As the parent company, you provide all the marketing materials and branding elements to franchisees. This process lets you maintain control over the brand.
- name recognition. Franchisees don’t need to worry about building an audience from scratch. Because they’re licensing your existing brand name, they gain access to an existing customer base. This can reduce purchasing barriers and make it easier to secure sales.
- Easier operation. You can provide franchise owners with access to your existing advertising, supplier and support network. With these resources, they can run the business without expensive trial and error. The built-in support is especially helpful if you want to attract owners who are new to the restaurant industry.
- Streamlined expansion. Franchising lets you build your brand without the level of investment that’s required to open company-run branches. While other people run individual locations, you still make a profit.
Cons of franchising restaurants
Franchises don’t operate like traditional restaurants, so make sure to understand the drawbacks before you license your restaurant’s brand.
- Ample oversight. To maintain the integrity of the brand, you’ll need to spend a great deal of time and money monitoring individual restaurant franchise locations. If issues arise, you must manage disputes and pursue legal recourse, if necessary.
- Strict requirements. Before you can franchise your restaurant, you’ll need to establish strict requirements. Some companies look for franchisees with experience in restaurants or commercial real estate development. Others require new owners to have a minimum net worth and the ability to pay start-up fees without borrowing money. These qualifications reduce risk, but they also make it more challenging to find qualified entrepreneurs.
- Fees and royalties. Franchises come with a variety of fees, but even so, it takes time for the parent company to realize a profit on a new restaurant franchise.
How to franchise a restaurant
If you own a successful business, franchising is one way to expand your brand. You won’t own each location, but you’ll still receive a percentage of the profits. Learning how to franchise a restaurant takes time; the process varies but usually includes a few common steps:
- Standardize operations. A successful franchise restaurant is one that can be easily recreated by another owner in another location. Standard operating procedures are key — by standardizing and documenting each process in the business, you can help franchisees maintain the same quality and customer experience. You should have solid, repeatable processes for all common tasks, including ordering, inventory management, food service, food preparation, staff training and reporting.
- Claim your brand. Protect yourself and your brand from legal issues by trademarking the company name, logo, tagline and any other prominent identifiers.
- Build a franchise plan. Work with an attorney, a business analyst, and a financial planner to create a basic franchise plan. These professionals can help you analyze property costs, sales data and financial forecasts. With that information, you can determine the franchise fee, start-up costs and required capital. It’s also important to establish requirements for the owner, property, and equipment.
- File a franchise disclosure document (FDD). Use your franchise plan to create this overview document, which is required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC’s format is designed to provide potential franchisors with all the information they need to make a decision. You’ll need this document whether you’re franchising a fast-food or fine-dining brand; in some states, you must file or register the FDD.
- Write a franchise agreement. Have your attorney draw up a legal contract between you and your franchisees. It should spell out the responsibilities of each party in detail so everyone is clear about what to expect. The document should also explain the consequences if you or the franchisee fails to meet one or more obligations.
- Create franchisee resources. Build a resource library to help guide franchisees through the process of opening and operating a business. You might include information about finding property, choosing equipment, working with preferred suppliers, getting required permits, training employees, handling conflicts and managing revenue. If possible, create a forum or communication system that enables franchisees to support each other.
- Establish brand guidelines. Make sure each franchisee represents your brand accurately with clear, specific brand guidelines. This might include rules for social media, logo files, menu templates and interior design requirements. Be sure to explain exactly when and if franchisees have room for creativity in marketing and advertising and when they must follow established standards.
The cost of franchising your restaurant depends on attorney rates, state filing fees, and the complexity of your operations. Costs could range from $15,000 to more than $125,000.
Is franchising right for you?
Learning how to franchise a restaurant is just one way to grow a food-industry business. You can also expand your current location or open additional restaurants in other areas.
Franchising might be right for you if:
- Your business runs on standard operating procedures.
- Your menu is easy to replicate.
- You have a reliable and established network of suppliers.
- You’ve received numerous inquiries from potential franchise owners.
- You have the resources to manage and communicate with each franchisee.
- You want to diversify your income streams.
- Franchisees can open a restaurant for a reasonable price.
Grow your restaurant with a trusted partner by your side
If you’re hoping to franchise your restaurant, either now or in the future, it’s important to build a solid foundation. Adding delivery or using a ghost kitchen can help you develop recipes, bring in new customers and increase brand awareness — all of which make the business more attractive to prospective franchisees. Grubhub can help; to learn more, sign up for a free trial.
What you need to know about restaurant accounting
Restaurant accounting is a uniquely complex process. Financial transactions pass through a variety of employees, including hosts, servers and bartenders. With all these inputs, a comprehensive accounting process is a must for restaurant owners — it helps you maintain accuracy, stay legally compliant and maximize profits.
Importance of efficient restaurant accounting
Restaurant accounting is the process of recording, monitoring and analyzing a food-service company’s financial transactions. A solid accounting system tracks the restaurant’s finances, providing a clear picture of the health of the business.
Efficiency is critical, especially in the restaurant industry — restaurants often operate on tight profit margins, so every dollar counts. Accurate records help you manage cash flow and calculate the cost of goods sold. That way, it’s easier to make smart decisions about vendor selection, inventory management, menu development and menu pricing.
The transactions at your restaurant involve a variety of unique factors, including tips, sales taxes and sales of non-food items such as gift cards. As you track your finances, you’ll also need to monitor information such as:
- Daily sales
- Payroll costs
- Inventory costs
- Food costs
- Money owed to suppliers
Historically, restaurants used pen and paper to manage their books. Today, most businesses use accounting software to save time and increase accuracy. Some programs even integrate with your point-of-sale (POS) system.
Restaurant accounting methods
Whether you handle your own bookkeeping or work with a restaurant accounting services provider, it’s important to select and stick to a specific method. Most restaurant owners use one of two accounting methods:
- cash accounting. With this restaurant accounting method, you record income as soon as you receive the cash. Similarly, you record expenses as soon as you pay for them.
- Accrual accounting. This strategy requires you to record income when the transaction happens, regardless of when you receive the funds. When you order goods or services, you record them right away — even if the money hasn’t left your account.
Because diners typically pay for their food costs immediately, cash accounting is a popular method of accounting for restaurants. It’s well-suited to smaller businesses; this method tracks money as it flows in and out, making it easier to monitor cash flow.
As your restaurant grows, accrual accounting is a better option. It’s more complicated, but it provides a more accurate picture of your finances. The IRS requires you to use this method if you carry inventory or if your gross receipts for the previous three tax years were more than $26 million.
How to do bookkeeping for your restaurant
An efficient and accurate restaurant accounting system creates a foundation for long-term success. Whether you’re opening a new restaurant or revamping existing bookkeeping procedures, use these steps as a guide.
- Select the right POS system and restaurant accounting software. The best accounting software for restaurants includes programs that connect directly to your POS system. Your daily transactions will flow into your financial records in real time, so you don’t have to spend time transferring data manually. This strategy also reduces the risk of human error. You might choose restaurant-specific programs such as Restaurant365 and MarginEdge or stick with familiar platforms such as QuickBooks or Xero.
- Track sales. Set up your restaurant accounting software and POS system to record sales each day. Every evening, run a sales report that breaks down food and beverage figures. You can also track other KPIs, such as top-selling items, high-performing services and sales trends for each day of the week. This process helps you identify problems, manage sales tax compliance and discover opportunities to increase profits.
- Record accounts payable. Record the money that your restaurant leaves for things such as food costs, inventory management, delivery fees, grease-hauling services, and advertising. Before you pay each bill, review the invoice for accuracy. To make sure you don’t miss due dates and incur late fees, it’s helpful to set aside time every week to settle accounts.
- Pay your employees. Record and disburse to payroll, paying close attention to tips and required state and federal taxes. Most restaurant owners must manage employment taxes for income, Social Security, unemployment and Medicare. You can handle the process yourself or outsource it to a payroll company to ensure you hold the correct amount and deposit the funds on time.
- Create a chart of accounts. This tool provides a top-level view of your restaurant’s assets, debts, revenue, equity, and expenses. You can customize it to include the cost of goods sold (COGS), or the amount of money it costs to make the dishes on your menu. This information helps you plan inventory and adjust the menu.
- Run and review financial reports. Reports help you understand how your restaurant is doing financially. While the specific reports can vary, most restaurants benefit from analyzing the sales report, profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, balance sheet, and inventory management report. Review your reports on a quarterly basis, and make sure to provide them to your tax services company when you pay income, employment, and sales tax.
- Set up a reconciliation process. About once per month, compare your financial reports to the records your business produces: POS sales data, bank statements, loan documents, payroll records and credit card statements. Make sure the two sets of data match; if they don’t, it’s important to find and correct the problem. Your restaurant accounting software is likely to have built-in reconciliation tools to speed up the process.
A partner that understands your business
Accounting for restaurants takes time, but it’s an essential part of a stable and successful operation. To make sure your delivery orders are flowing directly into your POS system and accounting software, partner with Grubhub — it integrates with top POS brands and offers convenient payment options to streamline your financial processes.
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB) Price Target Cut to $16.00 by Analysts at Truist Financial
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB – Get Rating) had its price objective lowered by equity researchers at Truist Financial from $18.00 to $16.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. Truist Financial’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 12.60% from the company’s current price.
A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from $22.00 to $18.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 21st. The Street lowered shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from a “c-” rating to a “d+” rating in a report on Friday, December 30th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a “sell” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from $17.00 to $14.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from $16.50 to $15.25 in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have given a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $17.88.
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Stock Down 1.3 %
Shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust stock opened at $14.21 on Thursday. The Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has a 52-week low of $12.37 and a 52-week high of $26.14. The company has a 50 day moving average of $14.44 and a 200 day moving average of $14.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The company has a market capitalization of $1.78 billion, a P/E ratio of -14.65, a P/E/G ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.85.
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB – Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.34) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by ($0.52). The business had revenue of $319.61 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $309.55 million. The Pebblebrook Hotel Trust had a negative net margin of 6.26% and a negative return on equity of 2.77%. The business’s revenue was up 29.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.06 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that the Pebblebrook Hotel Trust will post 1.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Insider Transactions at Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
In other Pebblebrook Hotel Trust news, CEO Jon E. Bortz purchased 14,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 16th. The shares were bought at an average price of $13.62 per share, with a total value of $190,680.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,108,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,092,349.24. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Jon E. Bortz acquired 14,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 16th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $13.62 per share, for a total transaction of $190,680.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 1,108,102 shares in the company, valued at $15,092,349.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Jon E. Bortz purchased 11,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 22nd. The stock was purchased at an average price of $12.95 per share, with a total value of $142,450.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now owns 1,122,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,531,220.90. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have acquired a total of 39,865 shares of company stock valued at $555,064 over the last 90 days. 2.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Institutional Trading of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Guggenheim Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 58,938 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $855,000 after purchasing an additional 724 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 11.5% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 11,653 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $156,000 after purchasing an additional 1,199 shares during the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. increased its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 27.2% in the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 5,959 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 1,273 shares during the last quarter. Investnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Investnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 280,528 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $4,070,000 after purchasing an additional 1,303 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 38,154 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $632,000 after purchasing an additional 1,305 shares during the last quarter.
About Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
(Get Rating)
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is a real estate investment trust, engaging in investments and acquisitions in hotel properties. Its hotels are located in markets like Atlanta, Georgia, Boston, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, Key West, Miami and Naples, Florida, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, California, Nashville, Tennessee, New York, New York, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington.
Featured Articles
Receive News & Ratings for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Daily – Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts’ ratings for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com’s FREE daily email newsletter.
9 Tips for Becoming an Environmentally Green Restaurant
Sustainability is a big issue for modern consumers — they want to know their money is going to responsible businesses. In fact, 70% of Millennials and Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Modern diners are increasingly motivated to order from sustainable restaurants.
The shift toward eco-friendly and socially conscious practices creates an opportunity for restaurant owners. If you can show a commitment to sustainable operations, you can win customer confidence and create a lasting legacy.
So how can your restaurant go green? Keep reading to find out.
What are sustainable restaurants?
Sustainable restaurants embrace practices that benefit the environment and society while maintaining economic viability. The goal is to create a business model that can be sustained over time without creating a negative impact.
As you can imagine, full sustainability is challenging to achieve. The goal isn’t perfection — if the majority of restaurants make small adjustments, the collective effort has the potential to create powerful, long-lasting change. Restaurant owners are getting on board; according to a 2022 Datassential report, 70% are prioritizing sustainability. Even so, just 41% of restaurants feel their business model is truly sustainable.
Some of the factors that make a restaurant sustainable include:
- Reducing food waste
- Sourcing from suppliers with sustainable practices
- Minimizing wasted water and energy
- Embracing recycling and composting
- Cutting back on carbon emissions for delivery and food transportation
Why restaurant sustainability is more important than ever
Restaurant sustainability benefits the planet and society as a whole; it could also affect the success of your business. It’s a top priority for food-service businesses and suppliers, especially those with a younger customer base. According to the Pew Research Center, 67% of millennials and 67% of Gen Z believe the climate is a top priority. Because these two generations include 140.79 million people, it’s important to consider their preferences.
Consumers are serious about purchasing from companies with sustainable practices. A McKinsey study found that businesses with strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices are growing faster than their less-sustainable counterparts. In this environment, restaurants that are committed to going green and reducing waste may gain a competitive advantage. When given the choice, socially and environmentally conscious diners are more likely to choose a sustainable restaurant over the alternative.
It’s no longer enough to make vague eco-friendly statements. Research shows that 88% of Gen Z customers have a low level of trust in commercial ESG claims. They’re also experts in ferreting out the truth and calling out performative actions. As you build sustainable practices and hire new chefs, make sure they stand up to intense scrutiny; that way, you can avoid bad PR and win the loyalty of young customers.
Tips for sustainable restaurants
Most restaurants have room for improvement when it comes to sustainability. Beyond the obvious options, such as reducing energy use and saving water, there are several industry-specific actions you can take.
Food waste reduction
Food waste is one of the most important issues facing the restaurant industry. The food that’s sent to a landfill each year has significant consequences for the environment and the national food supply — and your bottom line. Adjusting your operations to reduce waste can cut your average food costs by 4% to 10% and reduce your cost of goods sold (COGS) by an average of 4 cents on every dollar.
Some ways to reduce restaurant food waste and increase restaurant sustainability include:
- Redesigning your inventory management system to reduce spoilage
- Ordering according to actual restaurant data
- Donating food to local non-profits
- Composting food scraps
- Serving smaller portions
Don’t be afraid to publicize your efforts on social media, customers are paying attention. In 2022, one report found that consumer awareness of food waste had increased by 39% in just 3 years. When you’re open about the process, it can help customers feel good about dining at your restaurant.
Sustainable food sourcing
The sustainability of your restaurant isn’t limited to internal practices — your supply chain matters, too. Take time to evaluate each supplier to find out if they’re implementing sustainable methods. Any time you add a new vendor, make sure to choose from companies with socially and environmentally safe business models.
Due diligence is especially important when you’re selecting food suppliers; farming and animal husbandry have a big impact on the environment. Keep an eye out for sustainable agriculture practices such as:
- Minimized use of pesticides
- Crop rotation that supports healthy soil and prevents erosion
- Intelligent water management
- Integrated livestock and crop management
- Fair labor practices
Another solution is to source food locally. When your ingredients have fewer miles to travel, they use less energy. And because local farmers don’t need to consider long transit times, they can harvest food later and provide fresher, more flavorful items. In contrast, the food that’s shipped from far away is often cooked with gas or chemicals.
Local sourcing does more than increase food quality at sustainable restaurants; it builds a stronger sense of community. Customers appreciate the chance to keep their money in the local economy and support small businesses they recognize. As a bonus, incorporating locally grown ingredients into a rotating seasonal menu can boost your bottom line. A regular lineup of new dishes gives diners a reason to keep coming back.
Eco-friendly packaging
Each year, Americans send more than 82.2 million pounds of municipal solid waste to landfills. About 28.1% of that waste consists of containers and packaging materials, according to the EPA.
If your restaurant offers takeout and delivery, you can make a difference by switching to sustainable to-go containers. Avoid plastic and Styrofoam; they can take up to 500 years to decompose. Plastic containers often end up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and break down into small pieces that harm sea life. According to National Geographic, the oceans already contain 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic.
Sustainable packaging is biodegradable, which means it breaks down naturally and blends safely back into the ecosystem. Compostable containers are a good solution. Some are made with sustainably farmed sugarcane or bamboo. If you’re concerned about leaks, you can find paper containers lined with a plant-based starch resin. Although these containers still make it to landfills, they break down much faster than traditional options.
What is the Green Restaurant Association?
If you’re looking to help reduce food waste and incorporate sustainable practices, the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) is a good resource. This organization, which has been leading the charge for restaurant sustainability since 1990, is committed to driving change in the industry. It provides educational materials and access to a network of vetted sustainable distributors and products to help you build a better supply chain. The GRA also offers a sustainability certification program; once you become a Certified Green restaurant, the team can help you promote the credential.
The Green Star, which is a MICHELIN initiative, is a different type of distinction. It’s awarded to restaurants that are excelling in the area of sustainability. A Green Star is another vote of confidence for consumers.
Sustainability is a critical issue in the restaurant industry, and it’s likely to become more important in the coming years. By taking action now to improve your practices, you can establish a solid foundation for long-term success. At Grubhub, sustainability remains a priority. With the #CutOutCutlery campaign, diners must opt-in to get single-use plastic utensils, reducing the amount of unnecessary waste generated from each order. Ready to reach more customers and share your restaurant’s mission? Partner with Grubhub today.