Get the Most Out of GrubHub Online Ordering
So you’ve implemented Grubhub online ordering to bring more orders and greater efficiency to your restaurant, but are you doing all you can to capitalize on your investment? Your Grubhub partnership comes with an array of best-in-class technology and tools to grow your business and reach new diners.
Here are seven tips and tricks on how you can make the most out of your restaurant’s Grubhub partnership.
1. Launch promotions
Did you know that restaurants can run their own promotions on Grubhub? Whether the goal is to introduce a new menu item, increase ticket sizes or generate loyalty, promotions catch the eye of value-driven diners. You can tap into loyalty tools to encourage customers to place repeat orders to receive an exclusive reward. The best part? Promotions can be added, changed or removed as you, the restaurant owner, see fit. Experiment with promotions and loyalty tools on Grubhub, and your diners might be checking out your menu more often to see what new offers are available that day.
2. Encourage online ordering through Direct
Modern diners flock online to get their next meal. Digital ordering and delivery have grown 300% faster than dine-in traffic since 2014. These days, diners expect their favorite restaurants to offer online ordering. That’s why many restaurants are turning to Direct, a commission-free online ordering platform. Direct is a branded online ordering platform that can integrate with your existing website. You can customize it to match your restaurant’s look and feel, and access customer data to improve sales. The best part? You won’t pay any additional fees whatsoever — all eligible Marketplace restaurants can join Direct free of charge.
3. Optimize delivery
According to our Grubhub data report, 63% of surveyed consumers report increased frequency of third-party restaurant delivery orders compared to pre-pandemic. Better yet, 90% of surveyed consumers expect increased usage going forward. Offering delivery at your restaurant is essential to capturing this demand.
Grubhub’s restaurant delivery service is perfect for restaurant owners who want professional, knowledgeable delivery drivers but don’t want to deal with the operational overhead of managing a delivery program including scheduling, insurance and tip-outs. For those who do delivery themselves, your Grubhub Account Advisor can help you optimize your fees, minimums and delivery zone to ensure you are attractive to local diners.
4. Streamline point-of-sale operations
Did you know that Grubhub can integrate with your restaurant’s point-of-sales (POS) or ordering system? Grubhub works with all kinds of technology providers to help streamline a restaurant’s ordering and fulfillment operations. Restaurants can increase efficiency by simplifying order throughput to a single system. This integration can help restaurants increase efficiency, update multiple menus in real time and streamline employee training. Streamlining your technology reduces clutter and makes managing your restaurant easier.
Check out what POS systems you can integrate with Grubhub.
5. Analyze your diner data
With online ordering from Grubhub, restaurant owners have detailed access to their order data. Through dedicated, secure accounts, restaurant owners can access their restaurant sales data from a tablet or computer. The customer insights dashboard gives insight into the online ordering habits of specific customer groups. Metrics such as month-over-month order volume allow owners and managers to review the restaurant’s performance, spot trends and identify new opportunities for growth.
6. Promote your online ordering link
Now that you have all the tools you need to process online orders, the last step is to spread the word. One of the best ways to reach customers directly is through social media. Creating and maintaining Instagram, Facebook and even TikTok accounts for your restaurant is a great way to get your cuisine in front of interested customers. Make sure to add a link to your restaurant’s online ordering site like Direct, Grubhub or your website to your social media bios.
You also want to make sure your restaurant is searchable on the web. Creating a website for your restaurant if you don’t have one, or optimizing your website to include a way to place an order is essential in establishing an online presence. 77% of consumers reported they are likely to visit a restaurant’s website before they dine in or order takeout and delivery. Including your online ordering link on your website can prompt customers to place an order. If you claim your restaurant on Google Business, you can customize what link diners are directed to when they look up your restaurant.
Grow your restaurant with Grubhub
At Grubhub, we understand that running a restaurant doesn’t come with a recipe. That’s why we are always looking for the best solutions to help restaurants grow. Whether you use Grubhub for delivery and pickup, or have customized your Direct site to get more commission-free orders, there are many ways you can get the most out of your Grubhub partnership. Is your restaurant not on Grubhub yet? Partner with Grubhub today to reach new customers and grow your business. Sign up now!
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
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.
Sixty hospitality venues join Ponsonby festival month –
Ponsonby’s month long restaurant festival, Eat, Drink, Love Ponsonby, is back for another year and is bursting with the flavors of a culinary melting pot of cuisines, from Bangkok to Bali, Mexico to Malaysia, India to Italy–and beyond.
Taking place from 4-28 May along the length of Ponsonby Road, the popular festival is in its fourth year and is once again highlighting specific food and beverage offers for every appetite and budget.
A record 60 establishments are taking part this year, including bars, cocktail bars, casual restaurants, food court eateries, cafes, gourmet burger bars, hole in the wall snack spots, pizzerias, newcomers to the strip, Ponsonby Road stalwarts and a fine dining establishment–all showing the best of what the popular urban village has to offer.
With offers that fall within three fixed price ranges, $30 & Under, $30 to $50, and $50 & Over, below is a snapshot of what’s on offer in Ponson by this May.
the $30 and Under category features cocktails, gourmet burgers and sandwiches, bento boxes, baos, crêpes, ice creams, kebabs, laksas, bread rolls, pizza, platters, tacos, and more.
The two remaining categories – $30 to 50 and $50 and Over – offer a range of lunch and dinner menus for groups of all sizes. The fixed price ranges help take the guess work out of enjoying lunch or dinner, with hero or signature dishes included in the offer.
A snapshot of some of the participating bars and eateries include Azabu, Bali Nights, Bedford Soda & Liquor, Better Burger, Bird On A Wire, Boy & Bird, Burger Burger, Clipper Bar, Chop Chop Noodle House, Daphne’s Taverna, Dante’s Pizzeria, Dedwood Deli, Dida’s Wine Lounge, El Sizzling Chorizo, Elmo’s, Farina, Fitzroy Lounge Bar, Gaja. Gusto Italiano, Hoppers Garden Bar, INCA Ponsonby, Khu Khu, KOL, Longroom, Mekong Baby, Mexico, Mumbaiwala, Okumnandi, Ponsonby Friends, Ponsonby International Food Court, Ponsonby Road Bistro, Revelry, Sidart, Tokyo Club, The Blue Breeze Inn, The Broken Lantern, The Gyoza Bar, The Hidden Village, Win Win Bar.
Ponsonby Business Association General Manager Viv Rosenberg says she is delighted with the number of participating eaters for the 2023 festival.
“While there are 60 special offers this year, Eat Drink Love Ponsonby is about supporting all the area’s bars and eateries and encouraging people to revisit their old favourites and to check out something new.
“Ponsonby just does it better,” she says. “Whether it’s for a quick café pick-me-up or fine dining cuisine at one of our award-winning restaurants, Eat Drink Love Ponsonby will help people find their next foodie obsession thanks to an entire street’s worth of mouth-watering adventures. The fixed-price menus in the three price categories keep everything simple – and delicious. So, are you ready to Eat Our Street?”
With 60 venues and offers coming to the party for this year’s festival, Eat Drink Love Ponsonby 2023 and their offers can be found at eatdrinkloveponsonby.co.nz. For giveaways and more information follow Instagram @iloveponsonby. All offers are available from 4-28 May and can be booked directly with the restaurants and bars.
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.
Staacy Waaka backs Beef & Lamb –
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is teaming up with rugby world champion Stacey Waaka to encourage Kiwi teenage girls and women to eat beef and lamb more frequently to help prevent health concerns.
It is the first campaign in five years for Beef + Lamb New Zealand and addresses statistics from the last National Nutrition Survey that shows over a third of teenage girls don’t achieve their daily iron requirements and one in 14 women are low in iron.
Waaka says nutrition is incredibly important to her and a big part of her success and what she is about. Therefore, she wants to do what she can to make sure others are doing all they can.
“Our young teen girls and whāhine especially have greater iron requirements than most and being low in iron can really impact their well-being, productivity and energy levels.
“Like me, they’ll get so much more out of life with their iron tanks full!” says Waaka.
The easily absorbed iron in New Zealand beef and lamb can certainly help Kiwis out with that says Beef + Lamb CEO, Kit Arkwright.
“Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health) stats (from October 2022) show women eat less servings of red meat than men on a weekly basis, so we knew we needed to reach that audience with our messaging.
“Who better than a wonderful whāhine toa like Stacey to help us do that,” says Arkwright.
“Plus, if you think Stacey’s a force on the rugby field, you should see her with a pair of BBQ tongs in her hands!”
Beef and lamb are a natural source of protein, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. These nutrients are essential for growth, development, and general well-being.
Waaka says beef and lamb can be part of a well-balanced diet and can help increase your iron intake.
“I’ve learned that one of the best ways to top up my body’s iron stores is through including iron-rich foods, like beef and lamb, in my diet. If you’re like me and love eating red meat you can enjoy it up to three times a week.
“A nutritious balanced diet is personal to me and a super important part of what fuels me as a professional athlete.
“It tastes pretty damn good too!” says Waaka smiling.
How to Create a Compelling Kids’ Menu
Whether ordering in or eating out, mealtimes are often a family affair. Creating a menu specifically designed for kids makes the entire experience much easier for all involved. Does your restaurant have kids meals that have them asking for seconds?
The best children’s menus are both kid-friendly and parent-approved, so here are five kids’ menu ideas to help you please the whole family.
5 menu items you need in your kids meals
What makes a kids meal different from a regular menu is that it’s catered towards kids’ pallets, keeps portions smaller and often comes with a side. Parents appreciate when meals are holistic, keeping in mind nutrients and ingredients. Creating kids meals with a variety of popular mains and a choice of sides keeps kids full and parents happy.
Here are five dishes kids enjoy:
- Mac and Cheese
The gooey combo of melted cheese and macaroni noodles is one no kid can resist, making it a staple on any kids menu. Mac and cheese is the perfect item to let your chef get creative – use fun noodle shapes, combine cheese, add protein or finish with parmesan. Including a dairy-free cheese option or a gluten-free noodle substitute can help make sure this menu item can be enjoyed by all.
Spice up this popular “safe” option with healthy sides like chopped veggies or a cup of fruit. Parents will be thankful for the extra nutrition, and including a free side will make customers feel like they’re getting a good deal.
- Sliders and hot dogs
You can’t go wrong with hot dogs and hamburgers, no matter the season. Make this classic barbecue unique by serving it up in kid-friendly sliders. Offer turkey burgers or veggie dogs to accommodate those with dietary restrictions.
Provide a few sauce options so that the kiddos can dip their bite-sized mains into ketchup, honey mustard or an aioli. Giving kids the power to select what sauces they want can ensure you’re serving them what they like while avoiding wasting ingredients they won’t touch.
- Build-your-own tacos
The best way to satisfy picky eaters is to give them options, and tacos are the perfect food choice. Let kids pick from a variety of fillings, and bring out their choices in separate bowls. Provide a few mini tortillas so that the kids can experiment with their creations. Keep sauce portions small, and try toning down the spice level for young pallets.
- Chicken
While this game may seem basic, the preparation options are endless – keeping all types of little eaters satisfied. Stick to the classics with chicken fingers, or get creative with dino nuggets. You can also size down your most popular adult chicken dish to give kids a chance to try it in an approachable way.
A chicken dish isn’t complete without sides. Give a variety of fun and healthy options for kids to choose from like sweet potato fries, maple roasted carrots, parmesan broccoli or zucchini tots.
- Customizable pizzas
Pizza is another kid-favorite that is sure to be a kids meal hit. Want to take the classic cheese pizza to the next level? Give kids different topping options and create a fun design on the pie with their chosen toppings.
Save money on ingredients and limit food waste by creating an 8-10 inch personal pizza. If you want a healthy take on this quick service classic, try serving flatbreads or whole wheat crusts. Parents will appreciate the nutritional value, and kids may not notice the difference.
How to design a kid-friendly restaurant
Including the perfect kids meal dishes is just the beginning to create a kid-friendly restaurant environment. Here are some other ingredients you need in your recipe for success:
Offer Healthy Options
In kids’ food trends, we’re seeing staple menu items such as macaroni, cheeseburgers and pizza getting phased out in favor of more health-conscious options. Opt for alternatives such as veggies, fruit and lean meat, which are sure to win parental approval. Additionally, consider offering gluten-free or dairy-free options for kids with allergies or dietary restrictions.
Keep with the Theme
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Your kids’ menu doesn’t have to stray too far from your other offerings. Offer some of your staple choices in smaller portions that appeal to younger diners. This is especially important for older children who want to act (and eat) more like adults.
Offer combos (and allow for substitutions)
Allow kids to customize their kids meals by offering combo options. For example, let kids pick out their favorite entrée and two sides from a list of options. The best combo menus make it easy for parents and children to avoid certain ingredients – like gluten or meat – to easily accommodate dietary restrictions. If combos are a bit too complicated for your menu, you can still appeal to picky eaters by allowing for easy substitutions.
Keep it Punchy
Kids can have short attention spans, especially when it comes to making decisions. Long descriptions and wordy phrases can cause them to quickly lose interest. Keep descriptions short and to the point to please parents and budding readers alike. Eating is a full sensory experience. Add fun images to make the ordering experience even easier for the little ones.
Make the food fun!
Fun food for kids is key! There are plenty of ways to bring creativity into kids’ cuisine. Here are a few fun ways to make your restaurant kid-friendly:
- Make shapes out of fruit or faces out of veggies
- Use kid-friendly food coloring to play with color in items like drinks or bread
- Serve up your dishes on fun plates to encourage them to eat their meal to discover what’s underneath
- Pack kids take-out drinks in fun cups they can keep
- Create an interactive kids menu with games, coloring and crayons
- Provide high chairs to make it easy for kids to dine at the table
List your kids meal on Grubhub
Kids’ menu orders have grown 40% each year since 2012, which proves that kid-friendly foods are in high demand. Restaurants that can successfully enter those with little appetite will reap big benefits in the long run.
Are your kids meals ready to go? Partner with Grubhub to get your menu on Grubhub Marketplace so customers can enjoy your food on the go. Ready to reach new customers and grow your business with Grubhub? Signup today!
Ready, get set, say cheese toastie please at 185 eaters! –
Ready to titillate tastebuds around the country, the annual Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover is back for 2023 and kicking it up a gear, with a record number of toasties on offer from Kororāreka to Invercargill.
A firm feature on the culinary calendar, this annual celebration of the humble toasted sandwich keeps growing, with a record 185 eateries participating for 2023 – an increase on last year’s competition which saw a massive 140,000 toasted sandwiches consumed.
With this year’s competition now officially underway, toastie fans can look forward to three glorious months of sizzling sandwich goodness and some fierce competition at the grill, as venues battle it out for the title of the nation’s top toasted sandwich between now and late June.
Open to all New Zealand eateries, this year’s participants range from sandwich specialists, to fine dining restaurants, breweries and food trucks, with a vegan fast food chain, a subterranean cocktail bar, Wellington Airport, the Bluebridge Cook Strait ferry and even a retirement village in the mix.
Competition rules remain the same as previous years. Each toastie must be sandwiched between two slices of bread and able to be eaten by hand if necessary. The toasted sandwich must contain cheese (or an acceptable vegan substitute) and pickles from the McClure’s Pickles range. Everything else is up to the maker’s imagination.
As always originality and innovation are on show in this year’s entries, with smoked eel, gabagool, crayfish, wagyu steak tartare, pork belly, lamb pastrami, smoked prawns, wild deer, beef short rib, braised ham hock, smoked brisket, apple cider pulled pork, and sustainable line caught fish all featuring as hero ingredients.
Equally adventurous condiments range from kawakawa aioli, to blueberry balsamic jam, pinot noir jelly, banana chips, consommé dipping broth, pickle juice gel and McClure’s pickle caviar. While notable breads include gold leaf brioche, ramen noodle buns, pickle brine sourdough and beef fat brushed New York deli roll.
The trend towards vegetarian or plant-based entrants continues, with 10 vegan and 5 vegetarian entries, with ingredients like crispy tofu schnitzel, roasted ‘duck’ cheese, housemade ‘not salmon’, and ‘faux shore tuna’ made from lemon roasted chickpeas on the menu.
Also notable this year is the multitude of cuisines on offer – everything from Korean, to Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Cuban, Jamaican and American – and of course Māori and Kiwiana-style entries.
Last year’s winner, Chef Rich Johns from Rotorua’s Okere Falls Store and Craft Beer Garden, is hoping to take out the top award again with a whiskey BBQ glazed smoked brisket, Swiss, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, leftover pickle chilli wholegrain mustard, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, Pantry D’or pickle brine sourdough brushed with whiskey compound butter and dusted with dill pickle salt. Served with a pickle shot of brine to wash it down – road-trip anyone?
In Ponsonby, Sid Sahrawat’s KOL is serving the ‘Eel-legal Toastie’ – smoked eel mixed with fennel, capers and McClure’s pickles, Evansdale Tania smoked cheese, on white bread toasted on fire in an Indian jaffle maker.
Also in Auckland, Brothers Brewery is offering its take on a ‘Turducken Toastie’ – buttermilk fried chicken, smoked turkey breast, duck bacon and housemade cornbread stuffing, with mozzarella, Swiss cheese, McClure’s sweet and spicy pickles and house made garlic aioli, all sandwiched between crispy buttered slabs of sourdough and served with a beer gravy for dunking. And extra pickles on the side of course for a palate cleanser.
In Havelock North, Te Mata Figs’ The Figgery Cafe has taken its gluten free ciabatta-style bread and packed it with succulent fig molasses hot smoked salmon, McClure’s garlic and dill pickle infused cream cheese and fresh baby spinach, topped with a dollop of sweet and savory green fig jam and served with a crunchy McClure’s garlic and dill pickle spear.
While in Ashburton, The Fine Lion is serving Lumina lamb katsu, McClure’s sweet and spicy pickles, daikon, sour plum, pecorino, sheep camembert and smoked kawakawa kewpie mayo on Harvey’s special bread, all served with togarishi spiced spud skins and a pipette of McClure’s pickle hot sauce.
With participating eateries vying for a spot in the competition’s final round, it’s now up to the team of 30 judges – overseen by head judge Kerry Tyack – to eat their way around all 185 venues, in order to decide which sandwiches make it to the final 12. Finalists will be revealed late May, and after a second round of judging – and more opportunity for the public to sample the judges’ top picks – the supreme winner will be announced 20 June.
Kiwis also have the power to vote for their favorite toasted sandwich with the return of the People’s Choice Award. Voting is open now, with the winner announced late May.
Judge and co-founder of McClure’s Pickles, Joe McClure, says he is looking forward to returning to Kiwi shores in June for the final round of judging.
“Every year I am blown away – 185 entries, what an incredible turnout. I love New Zealand and after three long years of being unable to visit, I can’t wait to get back in a few months’ time to help judge this year’s top toastie.”
As the competition’s toastmaster royale, McClure has a message for toastie fans.
“If you’re a toastie lover like me, here’s your chance to support your favorite eateries and sample some of these very innovative and no doubt delicious toastie creations. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite in the People’s Choice Award.”
With school holidays in full swing, now is also the perfect time to check out a few entries while out and about or on the road, says judge Kerry Tyack.
For a list of competing eateries and a description of their toasted sandwich creations, see below or head to toastietakeover.com.
Previous competition winners include Rich Johns from Okere Falls Store and Craft Beer in Rotorua (2022), Steve MacDougall from Mollies, Hotel D’Urville in Blenheim (2021), Romeo Dowling Mitchell from Hungry Hobos Dunedin (2020), and Joseph Walker from the Hokitika Sandwich Company Hokitika (2019).