Think about all the restaurant trends that have emerged over the decades. Drive-through windows. Fast casual. Salad bars. The value meal. Frozen yogurt. Not every trend over the years has stuck, but each required hospitality training to successfully execute. For example, the first wave of drive-throughs required a different approach to customer service than employees were used to at the front counter. Workers had to be taught to maintain the frozen yogurt machine and reminded to ask if diners wanted to upsize their meals. Restaurants of all sizes and categories set or react to trends, and their employees must adapt.
The situation hasn’t changed in 2016. Restaurants still rely on innovation to (hopefully) boost profits. The difference is that the training methods are innovating as well, thus allowing companies to teach their employees more effectively and in less time. Here are four restaurant industry trends that require top-notch hospitality training:
1. The limited-time item
Menu items featured for only a limited time are nothing new to the restaurant industry. But unlike in the past, these promotions are major events, with heavy advertising and a social media presence. Companies stake much on the success of limited-time menu items because if successful, more diners will go out of the way to visit the restaurant, thus boosting sales. Hospitality training is important because if customers are disappointed by the special menu item, they won’t make an effort to return and order another. However, if the item is everything advertised and more, diners will keep returning—with great frequency because they know eventually, the delicacy won’t be available. Mobile training software provides an excellent means to train employees to prepare and serve a limited-time item. Time is important, and such a solution delivers training content immediately.
2. Custom orders
More fast food and fast casual restaurants are giving their diners the choice of placing custom orders, such as a build-your-own burger option or a “secret” menu that only savvy customers know about. For employees used to preparing food a certain way, such deviations can be a tricky to adjust to. Your hospitality training to teach your workers these adjustments must be solid; otherwise, customers won’t get what they ordered and the kitchen can fall into chaos. This is another area that mobile training software can help. Employees can watch videos on tablets to learn the ins and outs of new processes and the secret menu.
3. Retail options
Another trend the industry is experiencing is restaurants also becoming retailers. The foray may be as simple as selling t-shirts and secret sauce, or as advanced as having full-service deli, fish, or dessert counters for shoppers to bring a restaurant’s offerings home. The move isn’t surprising, considering more retailers adding dining into their stores, but it does present a hospitality training challenge because restaurant employees must become salespeople as well.
4. Fresh choices
The trend toward offering and promoting fresh ingredients has not slowed down; if anything, it’s picking up even more speed. This is great for diners and potentially great for restaurants’ reputations (and profits), but on the front lines, the transition can be difficult. Employees who are used to simply getting a bag of fries from the freezer and pouring them into the deep fryer must now learn to efficiently peel, slice and season fresh potatoes. Top-notch hospitality training via tablets can deliver this knowledge in an impactful yet not intimidating way.
How has hospitality training helped you keep up with the latest restaurant trends?
