Best ways to keep kids entertain in a restaurant

 Going out and eating with your kids doesn't always have to be a hassle. Believe it or not it is possible to have an enjoyable meal and kids that behave all at the same time. While most restaurants recognize the importance of entertaining kids, simple crayons and placemats to color on doesn't always do it. Learn how this simple tips can help your restaurant put and keep a smile not only on the kids' faces but on their parents too all the way through dessert.
1. Close to windows- this is the best free advice we can give. When you are sitting a family with kids especially if they are young, make sure your stuff is train to sit them close to windows where kids can observe what's happening on the street at all times. This trick works great especially if your restaurant is on a high-foot traffic area.
2. Robot activity placemats- these are disposable placemats that feature friendly robots on the front and games and puzzles on the back.
3. Wikki Stix- they are non-toxic completely free of allergens and lead sticks made from yarn and coated in a colored wax. They easily can be made into about any shape imaginable and since they can be reused again and again wikki stix can be the beginning of endless fun.
4. Brainquest or Scrabble- these games in travel sizes are not only entertaining but highly educational.
5. Make your own restaurant game- you can easily work with your local printing company or collaborate with a company that specializes in games for kids and create your own restaurant game like "I spy" or your very own restaurant trivia game where you can teach kids to recognize the names and shapes of all the ingredients that would go into creating their meal for example.
 Remember whatever your restaurant decides to use as a kid entertainment make sure it is fun and engaging.

Grubwithus-what it is and what it can do for your restaurant

 Grubwithus is a "social meal experience" created by two college friends. After working at different corporate jobs, starting their fare share of businesses, and relocating to a new city, the duo discovered that majority of their college friendship base had dwindled. And this is how the idea of Grubwithus was born. Ever since testing their concept of "social meal experience" at a dinner in Chicago, which by the way resulted in a smashing success, the pair has managed more than 7,000 restaurant reservations. Grubwithus, which takes a cut from participating restaurants, is worth watching because it presents a different business model for restaurants. The company drives traffic to eateries by providing people with a new way to socialize and by building sustainable relationships with the restaurants themselves. Grubwithus represents a return to old fashioned conversations over a meal which some people crave, and not to mention that it is great way to get to know people if you are new to town. Usually dinning groups are limit to groups of ten to keep the meal cozy, and people who reserve early pay less. They also have launched an iPhone app, so customers can book meals on the go, browse through profiles of fellow diners, and even chat with them before and after the meal. In addition the partners recently devised "create your own meal" feature, so customers can use Grubwithus to set up their own bookings. This option will enable the company to expand beyond the seven cities that is currently operating where anyone can host a dinner in any neighborhood and in any restaurant. Who knows, if you take advantage of this fairly new company and the opportunity that it presents, next time it may be your own restaurant hosting a social meal experience!

Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie

   This great tasting smoothie can not only make a delicious breakfast or a sweet treat on a late afternoon but it provides an excellent boost to your energy level after exercising.

Ingredients:

• 1 small (ripe) banana, cut in half
• 1/2 cup(s) (low-fat ) milk
• 1 tablespoon(s) creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 3 ice cubes

Directions:

In blender, combine banana, milk, peanut butter, and ice cubes; blend until mixture is smooth and frothy. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Tips:

1. For a thicker, colder smoothie, cut peeled banana into chunks and freeze up to a week in a self-sealing plastic bag.

2. If you're lactose intolerant, substitute milk with no sugar added soy milk.

Courtesy of Good Housekeeping

Time management tips for restaurant entrepreneurs

 For restaurant owners who have more than one business, time management is of the utmost importance. Find out how this tips can help you as a restaurant owner oversee your restaurant businesses and still find time for your personal life.
1. Keep a day to day to do list of your daily tasks close at hand by syncing your list with all your

Caramel Popcorn

  If you are a fan of sweets, then you should try this caramel popcorn which is not only great for any holiday or occasion but also makes a creative gift.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 quarts popped popcorn

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Keep popcorn warm until you are preparing the sauce.               
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Place popcorn in a large bowl, pour the caramel sauce in a thin stream over the popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.               

TIPS:
1. For softer, chewy, shiny version of the popcorn bake only for a few minutes.
2. You can add peanuts, walnuts, or almonds for an even sweater treat.

Courtesy of BS4U2C

3 Ways to boost your productivity as a restaurant owner with tech tools

 As technology continues to advance restaurant owners should start thinking about working smarter not longer. Thankfully the devices we found can help you amp up your output and increase your efficiency as restaurant owner.
1. Monitor your restaurant remotely- D-Link HD Media Router 3000 minimizes over-the-air traffic by turning power outlets into possible network connections. This router allows everything from monitoring your restaurant to viewing your restaurant's site visits.
2. Never miss a call by routing all your calls to one place- Plantronics Calisto 835 is a desktop speakerphone device that uses Bluetooth to connect to your cellphone, USB to hook up to your computer and phone line. It even comes with clip-on microphone to allow you to take calls no matter what you are doing.
3. Think, speak, or text on your feet- Motorola Elite Silver is a headset packed with HD-audio and dual microphone to block background noise if you think better on your feet. The free app that comes with the headset reads messages aloud and allows users to reply or initiate new text by speaking. This devise travel case also doubles as a charger.

10 Commandments of how servers can increase their sales

 Like anything else in the restaurant industry, there are rules to selling especially when it comes to the art of up selling. To ensure sales success in your restaurant, whether you are just starting or an established server, here are ten of our commandments for sealing the deal and increasing sales.
1. Know your menu- we can't stress enough how important it is to know what you are talking about when you are describing a dish or up selling one. Knowing your menu will not only make you credible in the eyes of your guests but will keep you authentic when it comes to helping your guests in their decisions.
2. Communicate clearly- no one will take you seriously if you don't communicate clearly and confidently. You can practice by recording yourself and then playing it back to ensure your communication is coming across as you intended.
3. Make and maintain eye contact- if you want to be believed it is crucial to make eye contact with your guests. It suggests interest in them and their needs and projects confidence in yourself, the product you are offering, your services, and in what you are suggesting.
4. Always carry all necessary server tools- at all times be prepared it won't be good for your sales if a guest order a bottle of wine but you find yourself without a wine opener and the guest takes it as a sign that he/she should not be ordering a whole bottle. Always carry your tools, matter of fact if you can have a back up too.
5. Use humor- any humor that can make people feel good or inspired is always great when introducing specials to your guests. Everyone loves a good story, and people are more likely to buy when they are less serious. You will sell and up sell more if you can get your guests to lighten up and laugh.
6. Ask more than once- if you are told "no" figure out a way to circle back and ask in another way for a "yes". This doesn't mean you didn't listen, it just means you are sold on your view more than you are on your guests.
7. Check on your guests- leaving your guests after you serve their food or drinks doesn't mean your job is done always make sure the dish they ordered is just as good as they expected.
8. Always treat any other restaurants guests as your potential customers- regardless of the circumstances always treat a guest as your own potential customer, a simple "hello", "how are you" , or clearing their table can make a world difference.
9. Be positive- no matter in what mood the guest are or how they respond, keep your own mood light and maintain can do attitude throughout the conversations. When you go negative due to the customer being negative there's only one outcome and it's not good. Remember negativity succumbs to positivity.
10. Always smile- this is not just about your attitude but also about your physical manifestation. Practice smiling and do it until you can disagree with a smile, negotiate with a smile, over come objections with a smile, and sell with a smile. Smile at all times this is the secret to success.

How restaurants can beat slow periods after the holidays

 For many restaurants after the holidays sales slow down even in a good economy, and sometimes as a result even employee morale may plummet. To help your own restaurant bottom line, here are couple suggestions:
1. Explore- the beginning of the year is an excellent time to take a survey or poll. This is a great way to show your customers that their opinion matter by letting them shape your plans for 2012 that can be anything from your menu to your marketing campaign. To up your winter traffic, you can give out limited time deals for those who participate in your surveys.
2. Network- organize or attend network events where local business owners participate. You can share ideas or collaborate your efforts and offer a package deals as a reward to a joint effort contest.
3. Freebies- you can offer for example basic cooking techniques classes for free or any other classes that will fit your restaurant goals. Once classes are completed, you can opt for paid advanced classes. This is a great way to increase your sales since so many people nowadays want to learn or expand their cooking skills.

How restaurants can protect their social media information

 Protecting your restaurant social media presence has never been more important these days. Since your social media activities are a valuable currency, you should protect all your information from blog posts, to your restaurant's videos, to links, posts, and any other information you have ever shared through out any of your social media networks. Here is how your restaurant can easily do this:
1. ArchiveFacebook- this is a free Firefox tool that allows you to save actual web pages from Facebook, photos, messages, notes, and other Facebook information directly to your hard drive.
2. TweetBackup- another free tool which offers archive of up to 3,200 of your tweets and the people or brands you follow. The best thing about this service is that it doesn't require your Twitter password to do any of your daily back up.
3. BlogBackupr- this free service offer daily back up of your restaurant blog such as Blogger, Wordpress, Tumblr, etc. without having to install any software.
4. YouTube downloader- yet another free program that will allow you to download your restaurant's videos from YouTube including HD and HQ videos, convert them to other video formats like MOV or MP3 files, and then easily save them on your hard drive.
5. Backupify- they offer regular backup of your social information on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and others. You can easily save online profiles, messages, Google apps, and more. The price of their services very from $4.99 to $19.99 a month.
6. SocialSafe- with this service you can create an online and offline searchable digital journal of your entries and photos of both your Facebook page and Twitter account. You can also back up sites such as Google+ and Viadeo for only $13.99 a year.
 Save you social information at all times, and you may end up saving your restaurant's future.