I recently returned from spending a week in Moscow, as part of work that we are doing with Rosinter, a large multi-unit operator in Russia. Rosinter is collaborating with a multi-national restaurant brand, as well as developing some of their own concepts.

The majority of Moscow's restaurants are small mom-and-pop places, or restaurants that cater to the new super wealthy. However chains are discovering that there's a lot of pent-up demand for well-run operators offering consistently good food for a good price. McDonald's has been in Russia for quite a long time. KFC, Planet Sushi and Il Patio, a casual Italian concept, are very popular, and often have long lines to be seated. I have to believe that any well-managed, well-run concept will grow. The Russian economy has been growing at 8 ...Read More

Improving the performance of foodservice will be critical to maintaining financial performance in the years to come. Foodservice operators from every segment continue to feel the pressures brought about by growing menu price inflation, rising labor costs and other operational factors that affect their ability to deliver a final product to their customers.

That's why today I present the third and final installment of questions various foodservice operators and their suppliers should ask as they try to become more effective and efficient in the ways they go to market.

Today's points include:

Is the facility designed to meet the operator's financial goals? Make sure the facility has "right sized" resources, and an efficient operations platform to minimize capital investment, maximize throughput capacity, and improve RO...Read More

Here’s the second installment of the considerations restaurants and other foodservice establishments should weigh when trying to increase overall operational efficiencies in 2008. Remember, true efficiencies and meaningful results come about as a result of the direct collaboration between operators and their suppliers.

With that in mind, here are a few more points to ponder:

Are the managers managing? Can you match your management team structure to the types of management tasks and the level of responsibility required for each? Be sure that your managers are doing the work they are being paid for, and not crew work.

Do our people have the training they need? A restaurant is a complex system of equipment, information and people. Even the most well-engineered kitchens will falter without the right people and knowledge. And this knowledge ...Read More

At the start of the New Year most of us think about improvements for 2008. On the personal side, many people's intent is to trim their waistlines. In contrast, many businesses look to expand their bottom lines, so to speak. Given that I am not a health expert, I will steer clear of offering suggestions about how to reduce one's waistline.

What I would like to do, though, is pose a few questions operators should answer as they look to meet their performance-based objectives for the years ahead. These questions may be most appropriate for those working in a restaurant, but equipment manufacturers, distributors or consultants should also tune in to what will make their clients successful.

I feel very strongly about equipment manufacturers' responsibility to share their clients' business challenges. If a supplier does not understand their clients' challe...Read More

Introducing technology in the front of the house is tricky, as we should consider more than cost and efficiency factors. Guest reaction to these changes is a key component in their success or failure. When we change a grill or a fryer in the back of the house, guests are not even aware of the changes. But if you change the methods of ordering, you directly impact the guest’s experience.

My preference is to focus first on the opportunities that have little or no impact on the experience, where there is no negative trade-off to the benefit. Portable credit card readers fit this category as the patron never interacts with the technology while enjoying the benefit. Off-site drive-thru ordering fits the same criteria. The customer arriving at the order point is not even aware that the order-taker is not in the store, or at least we would hope nothing makes ...Read More

In releasing its October Restaurant Performance Index, the National Restaurant Association predicts softening restaurant sales in the months ahead. This was due, mostly, to the fact that participating operators do not have particularly positive expectations for the coming period. Despite the glum outlook, though, operators appear to be in the right frame of mind, as evidenced by the fact that 54 percent said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months. And this key metric remained constant from the previous month.

The economic situation may not look all that great right now, but it will eventually turn around. So, it makes sense to maintain capital expenditures. Should cash-flow tighten up a little, at least foodservice operators can clearly understand what they will invest in once their individual econ...Read More