Creating Dynamic New Marketing with Digital Menus

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If you run a restaurant, you’ve tried your hand at in-house marketing. Maybe you’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of stuffing daily specials into table tents, only to see your customers push them off to the side like a dirty plate. Or you’ve looked into the glazed-over eyes of a customer who is clearly not listening as you list off the night’s specials. If not, then you’ve definitely shuttered in horror at the blatant typo on the event flyer you just printed and planned to tuck into guest’s checkbooks.

Many of these methods are used all over the restaurant industry, from mom-and-pop diners to white table cloth bistros. But these efforts are often overlooked by guests because they’re scattered advertisements that don’t come to guests at the right time.

But if you’re restaurant is using digital menus, you can better integrate marketing to guest’s into the dining experience. And you’ll never have to worry about replacing table tents again.

Here are some tips for using digital menus for marketing.

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Bootleg Liquor and the Future of Mobile Advertising

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Earlier this year, international wine and spirit suppliers began efforts to combat the large and profitable counterfeit alcohol market. Utilizing new technology, they’re attempting to change how consumers interact with products in stores. Suppliers are looking beyond security measures, though. The fraud detection technology also opens up new marketing channels. It’s an interesting two-fold effort that looks to combine two distinct areas: consumer fraud protection and marketing. Industry leaders Diageo and Pernod Ricard have focused on the future of mobile marketing. But will the efforts pay off by reducing bootleg liquor sales and changing how marketers advertise to consumers?
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Must-Ask Questions When Considering New Restaurant Technology

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Questions you should ask restaurant technology vendors, even if you’re not technical

There’s a myriad of new technology solutions, from restaurant iPad menus to reservation systems, point-of-sale solutions and pretty much anything else attempting to improve front or back-of-house restaurant operations. And many of these new technologies can greatly increase your sales, improve the customer experience or make your operations more efficient. But evaluating technology solutions for your restaurant can be downright intimidating, especially if you’re not a tech guru or IT professional. And yet there’s certainly important considerations you need to be aware of with any new restaurant tech product you’re evaluating, whether software or hardware, cloud-based or on-site. So here’s a brief guide to help you out with important questions to ask so you’ll be prepared. Read more

Why Restaurants Use Digital Menus

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Technology is changing the way restaurants operate. From online reservations to mobile apps for ordering and payment, customer interactions with restaurants occur more frequently with the click of the button. The movement towards tech-driven service has had its highest level of adoption in the quick service and fast casual restaurant segment. But full service restaurants are increasingly open to new technology that gives guests more choice and information. One new feature restaurants are using to engage guests and rethink the traditional dining experience is tablet-based digital menus. But what benefits do restaurants find in digital menus? Read more

How Yelp Affects Restaurant Reputations

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Yelp is a polarizing third-party platform for many small business owners. The Internet has become the go-to medium for most consumer research. If you’re a business owner, it’s increasingly likely that a potential customer’s first introduction to your business will be in a list of Google search results, and your businesses’ Yelp page is bound to be at the top.

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Why Restaurant Analytics Are Important

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Food and restaurant tech has surged over the past few years, with consumers becoming the no. 1 adapters to apps like delivery databases Grubhub or Seamless. Now, big chain store behemoths, Starbucks and McDonald’s are creating their own services, launching apps that customers can use to pre-order and pay for items before entering the store.

But for restaurants looking to utilize technology to help bolster business and increase customer loyalty, the focus is on analytics and understanding customer behavior over just simplifying procedure. Read more

5 Reasons Restaurants Should Embrace Tech

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The use of new technology in restaurants is inevitable. Yesterday, NPR published a story about a fully-automated restaurant opening in San Francisco. The quick-service eatery, Eatsa, specializes in quinoa (why?) and tricking hungry patrons into thinking they accidentally stumbled into an Apple store instead of a restaurant.

This is certainly the far-end of the restaurant tech spectrum. It may be the height for some, or the nadir for others.  Uncorkd believes that restaurants should embrace technology for many different reasons.  Here’s 5 of them. Read more

Insta-Opportunity: How Instagram Increases Customer Reach

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It’s no surprise that social media has grown to become a vital part of any business strategy. Instagram, the social media platform that allows users to share photos and videos, has become a giant in the social sharing realm. The endearing part about Instagram is that users can post whatever they please, images ranging from day-to-day activities to professional photographs of memorable moments.

Recently, Instagram released a new version of their “Explore” tab, which has restaurants who were previously uninterested scrambling to join the social media movement.  Read more

Beringer’s Taste Strips Reduce Buyer’s Remorse

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Beringer Vineyards are allowing consumers to taste their wine without opening a bottle. The winery has introduced a “try before you buy” strategy in Kroger stores across 20 states with their edible tasting strips. The technology has taken consumers by storm, as people can now taste the wines before purchase and be more confident in their selection.

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Social Media 101 for Restaurants

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Online interaction is changing the way people live. Social media continues to skyrocket with more and more people using the outlets to conveniently connect with both individuals and companies. In fact, 9 out of 10 restaurants are using social media in order to form relationships with various communities. It’s easy to sign up, but how do restaurants make the most out of their social media platforms? Use these tips to help your restaurant dominate social media channels.

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