Anyone own their own restaurant??

[lb81986]

I'm looking for anyone who owns their own restaurant or is at a decision making level at a restaurant. I need to ask a few questions for a Innovation and Creative Thinking course assignment. Let me know if interested and I'll PM you. 

 

[deez122]

I have a small BBQ catering biz called Smoke Masters BBQ, just really starting up. Avg about
2 companies a month so far.

Be more than happy to help if I can...

 

[famenycity1]

my dad owns a restaurant....whatsup?

 

[nightruans]

Originally Posted by famenycity1

my dad owns a restaurant....whatsup?

 

[lb81986]

alright this is good. I'm going to PM ya'll a few questions. If you could fill out, or have your people fill it out briefly, it'd be much appreciated. 

 

[lalph rauren]

yeh my parents 2 and my aunt got one also feel free to pm

 

[corybudden]

why don't you just ask the questions here so we can all be informed...

 

[oh you mad]

Originally Posted by CoryBudden

why don't you just ask the questions here so we can all be informed...

This

 

[young halo]

Originally Posted by Oh YoU MaD

Originally Posted by CoryBudden

why don't you just ask the questions here so we can all be informed...

This

im trying to convice my bruh to open up a BBQ joint 
  

 

[bratz dos]

looking to be involved in the restaurant biz. ill try and help you out.

 

[lb81986]

ok. well i'm still working with my team to formulate the exact questions. but i'll give you guys the general rundown of what we're trying to do. 

me and my innovation team are trying to come up with a software/hardware package that allows dine in restaurant patrons to use an electronic tablet device to view menus, place orders, and pay their checks. there will be a host of other features, but the idea is to try to simulate the dining experience, to the point where a waiter/waitress isn't needed on a table to table basis. right now, we're more focused on the market research and feasibility study rather than logistics and technical components. but until we get the survey questions all finalized, anyone that has some feedback, either from a restaurant stand point or a restaurant customer pov, that would be appreciated. basically, we're trying to gauge how open customers would be to using this a device like this, or do they enjoy the idea of being waited on. and would restaurants be interested in investing in this if it meant more efficient service and potential to save on staffing costs.

 

[inshoekid]

I run 3 of my father in laws BBQ restaurants. I guess I could be considered the owner since he retired and gave them to us. He still gets a cut of the profits and helps out when I'm out of town on other business. I can say I don't recommend the restaurant business to anyone, it is extremely hard to find reliable help and just an all around headache to deal with on a day to day basis. Figuring out portion sizes that make a customer happy but produce the best margin, minimizing scrap, analyzing the cost of each individual ketchup packet and pickle. You have to look at everything to maintain a profitable business. I'm sure the big fancy restaurants worry less on this. But projecting enough operating costs for the slower months while taking advantage of the busier times of year is always a juggle. We have been doing a lot of catering jobs over the last year which has drastically helped our sales numbers.

 

[mplsdunk]

I've been to places where the servers do everything on an iPod touch from placing orders to paying with a card. That sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[inshoekid]

Originally Posted by LB81986

ok. well i'm still working with my team to formulate the exact questions. but i'll give you guys the general rundown of what we're trying to do. 

me and my innovation team are trying to come up with a software/hardware package that allows dine in restaurant patrons to use an electronic tablet device to view menus, place orders, and pay their checks. there will be a host of other features, but the idea is to try to simulate the dining experience, to the point where a waiter/waitress isn't needed on a table to table basis. right now, we're more focused on the market research and feasibility study rather than logistics and technical components. but until we get the survey questions all finalized, anyone that has some feedback, either from a restaurant stand point or a restaurant customer pov, that would be appreciated. basically, we're trying to gauge how open customers would be to using this a device like this, or do they enjoy the idea of being waited on. and would restaurants be interested in investing in this if it meant more efficient service and potential to save on staffing costs.

I've actually ate at a restaurant that had an Ipad at every table.  Your menu was on there as well as up coming specials.  They still kept a wait staff, which took the actual order.  I can't not remember the name of the place but it is in Florida between Bonita Springs and Naples. It was an Italian restaurant.  I'll ask my wife if she remembers the name, we have a condo in Bonita Springs and one of our neighbors took us there the last time we were down there. 

I can tell you that I honestly wouldn't enjoy a dinner with mostly just an interaction with a digital device.  I go out to eat for the entire experience and the interaction with people.  Having to do most of it with a tablet doesn't appeal to me.  Using electronics as another tool, I do like.  But the cost of the device and maintaining the devices as well as the software costs would be the biggest obstacle.  There is only so many times a glass of water or wine can be spilled on something before it needs replaced. 

 

[young halo]

Originally Posted by INshoeKid

I run 3 of my father in laws BBQ restaurants. I guess I could be considered the owner since he retired and gave them to us. He still gets a cut of the profits and helps out when I'm out of town on other business. I can say I don't recommend the restaurant business to anyone, it is extremely hard to find reliable help and just an all around headache to deal with on a day to day basis. Figuring out portion sizes that make a customer happy but produce the best margin, minimizing scrap, analyzing the cost of each individual ketchup packet and pickle. You have to look at everything to maintain a profitable business. I'm sure the big fancy restaurants worry less on this. But projecting enough operating costs for the slower months while taking advantage of the busier times of year is always a juggle. We have been doing a lot of catering jobs over the last year which has drastically helped our sales numbers.

i figured

guy fieri's show make it look easy

  

 

[fog]

If restaurants started using digital service, millions of people would be out of jobs 

Imagine if they had machines cooking your food too

 

[jayt206]

As tablets become cheaper I'm sure more and more waitress jobs will be in jeopardy. It's sad but the truth, I still prefer personal interaction though.

 

[bratz dos]

nothing can replace personal interaction with your server. in my experience, for every bad waiter/waitress there is, there are 3 good ones. plus being seated and a smoking hot waitress comes for your drink order... feelsgoodsir.

also, your idea for tablets may not even be cheaper in the long run than paying hourly wages. how many people would be leaving with a new ipad every night?

 

[mplsdunk]

servers wont be replaced.  it would be cool at one spot you could just hit quick for lunch or something.  but going out with a few people to a nice spot i wouldn't be feeling that idea. 

 

[lb81986]

appreciate the feedback so far

 

[cant break the unbreakable]

I'm not in the restaurant biz but tablets for every table just seems like the dumbest expense. But since more and more people have smartphones I could see how restaurants would allow you to do the same thing if the restaurant made an app for all the smartphones. It would be good to use the app for if I need something, I don't have to wait until I actually see the waitress, I could just text her.

 

[shoedinidc]

would be tight to message the server for items.

 

[mojodmonky1]

Originally Posted by Cant Break The Unbreakable

I'm not in the restaurant biz but tablets for every table just seems like the dumbest expense. But since more and more people have smartphones I could see how restaurants would allow you to do the same thing if the restaurant made an app for all the smartphones. It would be good to use the app for if I need something, I don't have to wait until I actually see the waitress, I could just text her.

In Korean restaurants (both stateside and in Korea) they use a much more rudimentary system to prevent the "i dont have to wait until I actually see the waitress" problem.

Every table is equipped with a button/bell you push for service.  Need a refill on your water?  push the button.  Ready for the check?  push the button.

Its been this way for atleast 20-25 years (probably longer even), as far back as I can remember.

I just dont know how well this would go over in western culture since it seems a bit rude to push a button to beckon a server.

  

 

[cant break the unbreakable]

Originally Posted by Mojodmonky1

Originally Posted by Cant Break The Unbreakable

I'm not in the restaurant biz but tablets for every table just seems like the dumbest expense. But since more and more people have smartphones I could see how restaurants would allow you to do the same thing if the restaurant made an app for all the smartphones. It would be good to use the app for if I need something, I don't have to wait until I actually see the waitress, I could just text her.

In Korean restaurants (both stateside and in Korea) they use a much more rudimentary system to prevent the "i dont have to wait until I actually see the waitress" problem.

Every table is equipped with a button/bell you push for service.  Need a refill on your water?  push the button.  Ready for the check?  push the button.

Its been this way for atleast 20-25 years (probably longer even), as far back as I can remember.

I just dont know how well this would go over in western culture since it seems a bit rude to push a button to beckon a server.

  

Is it like an electronic button that actually makes a ring or buzz noise as soon as it's pushed and you can push it over and over to make noises?  Or is it like a button that operates like those buttons you press to cross the street where you can press it once and no matter how many times you press it again, it's only activated once until it's turned off.  If it's like the first I know that'd be mad annoying and would never have/want a system like that.  That's rude as hell 

 

[mojodmonky1]

^ different places will have different types. typically you find one that just acts like a doorbell and depending on the size of the restaurant, the server can identify which area or table the buzzing/ringing came from. yes, it can be troublesome if you have small children around (or drunken a-holes) who will just button smash over and over and over.

ive seen some other places where the buttons are tied to your specific table. you push the button and there will be a "ding dong" or other ringing noise that accompanies an electric number board that is near the server station. When you hit the button it will make the noise and then your table number will light up on the board letting the server know which table pushed it.

Koreans in general are just rude. This bell system is not universal as some smaller joints or mom and pop places may not have it. In restaurants or drinking houses. (Korean drinking culture is a bit different than Western culture. Instead of going to a physical bar (counter and barstools) where you order drinks from the bartender and either sit at the bar or stand around, drinking is done moreso in a restaurant-esque setting. Barhopping in the US means you hit a bar, have a few beers, then hit another bar, few more beers, repeat. In Korea its more of a slow burn. At each drinking spot you will get a table and sitdown and order some food. This category of food [collectively referred to as anju] is finger foods or snacks and can range from something like popcorn or crackers to cooked rice cakes or chicken wings or stuff like that. The concept of just drinking booze without "anju" is pretty foreign. The bar hopping can last the entire night into the morning as you sitdown and drink/eat for an hour or two before hoppin over to the next spot. Assuming you make it that far, the last spot may even end up being a bathhouse/hostel/bar collabo joint where you can go and unwind/relax by jumpin in the spa or sauna, take a nap (they will have rooms with cots), or just chill out on the couch and watch TV, all while continuing to drink as they serve alcohol at these places)... sorry... long tangent there.

but anyways, in restaurants or drinking houses where they do not have the button system, it is fairly commonplace and socially acceptable to literally holler for a server (just yellin out "hey over here!"), and they will come over.