restaurant Archives - Scott Flood Writing

The kid that saved a customer’s business

October 22, 2016September 21, 2016 by Scott Flood

The quick-service restaurant could be a little slow at times, so I called in my large order and was told it would be ready at 5:45. I walked in the door at 5:46, only to discover that not only was my order not ready; nobody had even begun to prepare my food. The manager … Read more

RESTAURANT SERVER DELIVERS DELECTABLE MARKETING LESSON

October 28, 2015 by Scott Flood

In Louisiana, they call it lagniappe. It’s a wonderful word describing those unexpected little extras we receive now and again. At the Indianapolis B2B Marketers October panel discussion, a restaurant’s server delivered some lagniappe that doubled as an excellent lesson for marketers. Following a delicious lunch at the downtown Ruth’s Chris, the panelists engaged … Read more

MISTAKES, MISHAPS & EDUCATIONAL SILLINESS

May 20, 2015 by Scott Flood

One of the most commonly misused word pairs is flare/flair, but it was distressing to see the Indianapolis Star make that mistake in a recent headline. The item was a brief review of a restaurant that serves Latin American cuisine, and the headline read “Brunch with Latin flare”. I assume they meant that the food … Read more

BUILDING PROFITS WITH RASPBERRIES

May 6, 2015 by Scott Flood

Looking for ways to increase your overall sales? Maybe there’s a way to increase the size of each sale you already make. One effective technique is suggestive selling, which fast-food restaurants do exceedingly well. “You want fries with that?” “Would you like a drink with that?” They don’t do it to annoy you; they do … Read more

GIVE FRONTLINE STAFF THE AUTHORITY TO FIX THINGS

May 16, 2012 by Scott Flood

I called the quick-service restaurant with a large carry-out order, and was told it would be ready at 5:45. At exactly 5:46, I walked in and discovered that nobody had started to prepare my food. The manager muttered an apology and snapped at the crew to get to work, then disappeared from sight.

A smiling teenage employee walked up and said, “Sir, if you’d like to have a seat, I’ll bring your order to you when it’s ready.” I thanked her and declined, primarily because I wanted to watch the kitchen crew prepare my food. I’m funny that way, especially after the cooks have just been scolded.

SOME PROFIT-BUILDING RASPBERRIES

November 10, 2010 by Scott Flood

But suggestive selling doesn’t have to be annoying. Handled cleverly, it can even tell customers that you really understand and care about them. I remember reading about a fine dining restaurant that dramatically improved its per-customer sales in a simple, yet effective, way.