To take price or not? How restaurants can deal with inflation

To take price or not? How restaurants can deal with inflation

As minimum wage hikes and soaring food costs take a toll on restaurants, brands are raising prices to offset costs, and some are letting their customers know. But while some operators are taking a big price hike across its whole menu and in every location, according...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

Early in 2020, restaurants had to hit the brakes hard. The industry is revving back up now, but the landscape has changed. Drive-thru is on fire, dark kitchens came out of the shadows, mobile ordering is at an all time high and 90% of consumers say they prefer...
Insights into financial health help restaurants now

Insights into financial health help restaurants now

The pandemic created levels of volatility never before seen in the restaurant industry, and the pressures keep on coming. A year ago, we tracked capacity restrictions, stay-at-home orders and case counts. Now we’re watching commodity pricing, labor stats and the...
Your top restaurant pricing questions answered

Your top restaurant pricing questions answered

At RMS, we field a lot of questions from our clients. In the past 12-15 months, our clients have had new concerns, brought forward by reduced menus, an increasing number of digital channels, labor shortages and supply chain issues. But no matter the environment, one...
Restaurant consumer update: Are we happy yet?

Restaurant consumer update: Are we happy yet?

In May 2020, RMS fielded a survey to assess consumer dining behaviors and perspectives during COVID-19. At the time, no one could have predicted we’d be at this for more than a year. But RMS adjusted, as we all did, and transformed a one-time COVID check-in to a...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

9 Ways Restaurant Operators Can Adjust to What Will Be

There’s no denying COVID-19 has brought many firsts and rapid change. For most, it’s the first crisis that has shifted the lives of everyone on the planet, all at the same time. The disruptions in our collective social environments and lifestyles have been...
The Impact of COVID-19 on Restaurant Consumers

The Impact of COVID-19 on Restaurant Consumers

2020 has been called the “year of irrevocable inflection” for the restaurant industry. We agree and have expanded our data collection to support our clients and the industry as they manage rapid change. Most pointedly, we’ve checked the pulse of consumers with...
The impact of plant-based foods on restaurant recovery

The impact of plant-based foods on restaurant recovery

While the chicken wars flocked to new heights this year, another burger alternative is quietly growing its share: plant-based proteins. Not confined to a drive-thru sandwich, the category encompasses a wide range of grocery and restaurant options, including nut and...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

A Look at 2021 Minimum Wage Increases

In 2020, 21 states raised their minimum wage. On New Year’s Day 2021, 20 more states did the same. Five additional states (Connecticut, Delaware, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia) and the District of Columbia will follow suit over the coming months, in addition to Florida’s...
Restaurant industry update: UK edition 2021

Restaurant industry update: UK edition 2021

We don’t yet know the long-term impacts of the COVID pandemic on the global restaurant landscape. And, in the UK, the bruised and battered industry is being hit by a second, potentially much bigger wave: Brexit. We checked in with our London-based Managing Director...
Drive-thru traffic isn’t stopping: tips for getting your share

Drive-thru traffic isn’t stopping: tips for getting your share

In the most recent episode of Revenue Stream, Revenue Management Solutions VP of Consulting Services Chris Norton and Director of Behavioral Research Dr. Christina Norton talk about drive-thrus and restaurant loyalty trends. What can restaurants do to stay relevant...
Restaurant industry update: UK edition 2021

Restaurant consumer trends in dining 2021

2021 Forecast: Cloudy with a strong chance of in-home dining Product developers and differential calculus buffs have a term: forcing function. The term refers to a function in an equation or system that forces conscious attention upon something. In calculus, it...
What Consumers and Investors Think About 2021: A Power Panel

What Consumers and Investors Think About 2021: A Power Panel

Back in April, a month into COVID restrictions, collectively we imagined that things would return to normal in a few short weeks. Like an overstretched rubber band, we thought we’d snap back. We weren’t quite right. What has stretched? Our creativity, our tech...
Restaurant Update from Asia

Restaurant Update from Asia

In April, RMS reported on the state of restaurants in Asia. Now, seven months later, it’s time for an update. For the sake of this article, we’ll focus on Korea. Unlike the U.S. and Europe, Korea has not had any mandatory shutdowns of restaurants during the pandemic —...
Family dining and the holidays, pandemic edition

Family dining and the holidays, pandemic edition

Back in May, we interviewed diners across the globe and asked them about family dining. We asked heads of two-parent families with two children ages 6-12 to answer the question plaguing the industry at the time, which remains relevant now: What will it take for...
How the stimulus package will impact your sales: a nuanced approach

Predictive Analytics and The New Reality

At the recent MURTEC Restaurant Next event, RMS Chief Strategy Officer Joel Davis shared his views on using data to enhance customer service, loyalty and revenue.  Davis, who leads RMS’ analytics and data strategy discipline, shared insights on WHY and HOW data...
2021 Planning: Financial Data will Repair the Cracks

2021 Planning: Financial Data will Repair the Cracks

In a recent TED Radio Hour episode on resilience, Esther Perel stated, “a pandemic, a disaster, highlights the cracks. It will also reveal light shining through.” While she was speaking to interpersonal relationships, her analogy also applies to our business, which is...
Should your restaurant be considering a subscription program?

Should your restaurant be considering a subscription program?

More than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant industry has been put to the test — and achieved previously unimaginable evolution at a previously unthinkable pace. Operators have coped with a complete revamping of day parts such as breakfast and...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

Restaurant Pricing in the Time of Corona

“Should I take price?” has been the primary question from our restaurant clients of late. Our answer, surprisingly, remains the same now as it was pre-COVID: “That depends.” We remain in the midst of the greatest challenge the restaurant industry has ever faced. Yet...
How to Improve Restaurant Margins With Better Delivery Pricing

How to Improve Restaurant Margins With Better Delivery Pricing

Delivery is on everyone’s mind right now. Restaurants traditionally oriented towards dine-in, have made significant moves to implement delivery options. As restaurants expand this contactless channel, they face a complex environment with higher costs to serve....
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

News from Europe: What does the restaurant industry look like now?

In June, RMS Managing Directors Philipp Laqué, based in London, and Nicolas Bordeaux, of Paris, shared the state of the restaurant industry in Europe and the UK. We checked back in with our European outposts this month, with additional insights from Rosa Blanco-Vegas,...
Restaurant Update from Asia

Dispatch From Asia: What Does Restaurant Dining Look Like Now?

In April, RMS Managing Director Winny Daud shared her insights on Singapore’s response to the pandemic, based on her experience as a restaurant analyst, client partner and Singaporean. We spoke to her again this month to see what’s changed in the restaurant industry...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

European chains face a mixed bag of recovery

When it comes to COVID-19 recovery, countries across Europe have one thing in common: doing their own thing. As a result, pan-European brands face different rules and regulations by country and, in some cases, even among in-country regions. What does this mean for the...
2021 Planning: Financial Data will Repair the Cracks

How to Make Sure Your Restaurant Brand Survives

From immediate response to resolution and recovery, maneuvering a crisis with any sort of certainty can be challenging. With COVID-19, “challenging” is an understatement. Brands had to think quickly to respond to the crisis, without any real historical precedent. As...
Insights into financial health help restaurants now

What Should Restaurants Measure Now?

Historical and comparative data and information guide us, informing both near- and long-term actions. But in these times without historical precedent, we are left with the question: what should we measure now? Information enables conversations—and solutions. RMS CEO...
Update from the United Kingdom: Restaurants Receive Boost from Government

Winning families back for dinner

Insights from in-depth interviews with moms and dads in Germany, South Korea, UK and US As we begin on the road to recovery, RMS is finding ways to shed some light on the dramatically changed consumer attitudes and behavior. In April, we conducted a global consumer...
How fast casual PDQ continued to serve quality to customers

How fast casual PDQ continued to serve quality to customers

Before March 2020, new menus could take a year to launch, with every item in every medium checked and rechecked. But the pandemic changed everything. Fast casual chicken concept PDQ launched a new menu just days after the WHO announced the pandemic, deleting certain...
Restaurant CEOs on Leading Their Brands Now and Beyond Coronavirus

Restaurant CEOs on Leading Their Brands Now and Beyond Coronavirus

On April 29, Revenue Management Solutions and EZ CERT supported Franchise Times’ lively webinar discussion with Peter Cancro, Founder and CEO of Jersey Mike’s Subs, Joe Koss, President and CEO of Culver’s Restaurant, and Chris Newcomb, Co-Founder and CEO of Newk’s...
Sense360 Briefing with Dora Furman

Sense360 Briefing with Dora Furman

Recently our own vice president, Dora Furman, fielded questions from the Sense360 audience about the state of the restaurant industry. Watch the...
Series 4 – U.S. vs U.K. frequent users

Series 4 – U.S. vs U.K. frequent users

The pandemic has affected everyone, however, consumers in the United States and the United Kingdom act differently when purchasing from restaurants in response to COVID-19, yet they have similar concerns. Consumer insights Understanding the restaurant consumer in a...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

Pricing Post Crisis: What Should Operators Consider?

RMS’ Chief Strategy Officer Joel Davis leads our analytics and data strategy discipline and serves as a strategic consultant for many of our customers. He’s been asked a lot of tough questions lately about how to move into recovery – and what to do about price. Below...
Field Report: How is Singapore Responding to COVID-19?

Field Report: How is Singapore Responding to COVID-19?

If there’s one thing that’s been consistent across the globe during the pandemic, it’s how differently each country is handling restaurant restrictions. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, there’s no handbook — government, corporate or otherwise — to help...
Series 3 – U.S. vs Asia frequent users

Series 3 – U.S. vs Asia frequent users

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Your Coronavirus Response Recovery Depends on Data

Your Coronavirus Response Recovery Depends on Data

We’re in a time of great opposites. On one hand, you’re required to engage in the quickest thinking of your career as we rapidly change course to meet the needs of the day. On the other hand, the COVID-19 crisis will begin to subside, and that time will require a very...
Series 2 – U.S. Frequent users

Series 2 – U.S. Frequent users

During the pandemic, frequent users in the U.S. only marginally reduced ‘using’ restaurants, are mostly concerned about lacking social interaction and rely on “Word of Mouth” for their food...
Series 1 – Common consumer themes

Series 1 – Common consumer themes

Recommended for youInfographicsInfographic COVID-19: U.S. Frequent usersApril 2020InfographicsInfographic COVID-19: U.S. vs Asia frequent usersApril...
It’s a disaster. But will disaster insurance cover it?

It’s a disaster. But will disaster insurance cover it?

Circumstances well outside operators’ control are forcing closures, loss of revenue and, in some cases, permanent shut downs. We can all agree that this is a “disaster,” but most business insurance policies only cover catastrophes of the physical kind, and will...
Industry Notes: How restaurants can survive

Industry Notes: How restaurants can survive

These days are truly like none other. When Waffle House, notorious for its record of staying open during natural disasters, closes nearly one-fifth of its restaurants, you know it’s not good. But that’s precisely what’s happened amid the coronavirus pandemic. So what...
A time for ingenuity and relationships

A time for ingenuity and relationships

Plato was right when he wrote, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” particularly now. Robin Blanchette, CEO of Norton Creative, agrees. “What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow,” she says. “The key is not giving up.” Norton Creative is a boutique creative...
A time for ingenuity and relationships

Building carry-out and delivery sales

It is understandable that there is a sense of panic in the restaurant industry. However, you can do things now to mitigate the effect on your restaurant(s). Our partner, Norton Creative, a restaurant marketing and design agency, has shared a number of initiatives that...
Industry Notes: How restaurants can survive

How to manage operations in this delivery-only time

For most restaurants, there have always been three ways to serve guests and make money: dine-in, takeout and delivery. Now that government authorities, in an effort to help flatten the coronavirus curve, have required all dining rooms to close, you’re left with only...
Practice What You Preach: Tech Trends to Integrate in 2020

Practice What You Preach: Tech Trends to Integrate in 2020

2020 starts a new decade. Some say a new beginning. And, according to Hudson Riehle from the National Restaurant Association, 2020 could bring forth a “new business model” for restaurants. We are excited about 2020 not because new things will start, but because,...
The Psychology of restaurant menus: Part 2- Engineering

The Psychology of restaurant menus: Part 2- Engineering

In Part 1 of our look at the psychology of restaurant menus, we examined how consumers react to design and what operators can do to ensure maximum impact for their offer. In this second part of the series, we’re looking at menu engineering. Revenue Management...
The Psychology of restaurant menus: Part 2- Engineering

1, 15, 20, 65, 70, 25, 2 and another 1.

No, this isn’t the algorithm for our newest pricing study. And these aren’t the winning lottery numbers. Instead, these numbers represent an instructive snapshot of the restaurant industry, courtesy of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Marketing and...
Margins, meats and the final mile: 2020 restaurant industry predictions

4 steps to understand customer satisfaction and pricing power

Customer satisfaction is the underlying factor that leads people to keep coming back to your restaurant again and again. The simple fact is this: when restaurant operators excel in running their businesses, diners will continue eating there. High customer satisfaction...
How to incorporate seasonal trends into your menu

How to incorporate seasonal trends into your menu

Every few months, restaurant operators are given the opportunity to refresh their food menus with the change of the season. By incorporating fresh flavors and ingredients to fit the season, restaurants can benefit from the excitement of innovation. A key factor to...
Your top restaurant pricing questions answered

4 Proven Strategies to Raise Check Sizes

While restaurant traffic was down in 2018, many restaurants saw flat to positive sales growth due to increases in average check size. And while many brands raised their prices between 2–­4 percent in 2018, others were able to achieve higher check growth through...
Margins, meats and the final mile: 2020 restaurant industry predictions

5 ways fast casuals can combat rising minimum wages

More states around the U.S. are raising the minimum wage in 2019. In total, 20 states will raise their minimum wage this year, with substantial increases of $1 in some states. For example, Maine’s increase will be 10 percent, Massachusetts’ is 9 percent, and...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

3 Tips to Win the Latest Restaurant Trend

It seems like there’s a new food trend popping up every week. The challenge is this: true concept innovators not only have to take an inspired idea and turn it into an irresistible offering, they must introduce it the right way and at the right time. With new ideas...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

Is Dynamic Pricing Right for Your Restaurant Brand?

Many restaurant operators are taking advantage of dynamic pricing, but is it the right move for your brand? A few restaurants have been successful in executing dynamic pricing as a core part of their strategy, with the most well-known being Chicago restaurant Next,...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

6 Key Ways Self-Serve Kiosks Can Boost Your Sales

Enhancing the customer experience through customization and convenience is more important than ever. While kiosk systems have existed since the early 1990s, their presence in the restaurant industry has increased in recent years as large brands such as Panera,...
5 things to consider when choosing a delivery partner

5 things to consider when choosing a delivery partner

With consumers seeking convenience, it is no secret that the delivery trend is here to stay. The strong drive towards on-demand delivery has led many third-party providers including UberEATS, Deliveroo and Just Eat to enter the market. With a vast number of delivery...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

Generation Z Is Entering the Workforce: Are We Ready?

Just as restaurant managers figured out how to hire and retain Millennials, Generation Z (born after 1995) is looking for job opportunities. They have been described as being smarter than baby boomers and more ambitious than Millennials. Generation Z employees look...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

What smaller chains should consider as they grow

Mine transactional data to understand customers and make smart decisions If you are the leader of a smaller, rapidly growing restaurant, you have to make decisions every day that may have a long-term impact on the concept’s success. Here are just a few examples: How...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

6 Tips to Help Restaurants Combat Higher Labor Costs

Though raising prices from the start is tempting, try these more effective solutions instead More and more municipalities around the U.S. are raising the minimum wage: In all, 19 states raised the minimum wage last year, with some of the largest increases in the...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

9 Ways to Maximize Menu Profitability

Mitigate cost pressures and avoid giving guests sticker shock with these tips Too often, restaurant menus have catchy descriptions, gorgeous photos and an attractive layout, but are missing a key ingredient: They aren’t driving profitability. Certainly, you should...
5 ways to ensure your restaurant takes a bite out of the food delivery boom

6 Tips for Incorporating Applied Analytics Into Business Decisions

Restaurant operators have access to more data than ever. Here’s how to work with it. The adoption of more advanced POS systems in restaurants has led to data becoming more accessible than ever before. In today’s data-driven world, restaurants frequently want to...

Let’s start your recovery strategy

Now, more than ever, RMS is committed to doing all we can to support the restaurant industry. Our team of experts is ready to help put you on a path toward profitability.

Schedule a demo