Modern Gastronomy Requires Modern Solutions: Discover 5 Steps to Your Restaurant's Success

How can you stand out from the competition? How can you increase your business's profitability? What tools and strategies should you implement? These are questions that keep restaurant owners up at night. However, industry experts have identified several practical tips that may inspire many entrepreneurs and serve as a catalyst for decisions that lead to more effective inventory management, avoidance of hidden costs, and navigating the pitfalls of the modern gastronomic market.

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1. Diversification of Sales Channels‍

Relying on a single food ordering app can be risky. What happens if the weather turns bad, couriers become unavailable, or the restaurant drops in rankings due to competitors' actions? This is a straightforward path to losing potential customers.‍

— In Poland, there are five major food marketplaces, and it's worth collaborating with each of them. This approach helps safeguard against unforeseen events and increase the venue's revenue and profitability. For example, adding four new apps and getting just one extra order per day from each can generate an additional income of 9,000 PLN per month (assuming an average order value of 75 PLN). After deducting app commission fees and food costs, the profit would be around 3,600 PLN per month, which totals 43,200 PLN annually, explains Arek Bielecki, co-founder of Restimo.

2. Optimization of Delivery Areas‍

It's crucial to analyze where the restaurant's largest target group is located—are they residential neighborhoods, dormitories, or office buildings? Locations several kilometers away may seem attractive, but during peak hours, a delivery person could get stuck in traffic, extending the delivery time and potentially causing customer dissatisfaction.‍

— Focusing on the immediate vicinity helps build a loyal customer base in the neighborhood, says Agnieszka Majewska, General Manager at Stuart. — It's also important to tailor the menu to delivery specifics—dishes suitable for on-site consumption may not perform well in a delivery model, unlike meals that retain their visual appeal and taste after several minutes of transport. For instance, a restaurant that serves high-quality steaks and tartares on-site could offer delicious and quality burgers for delivery, adds Agnieszka.

3. Inventory Management‍

Effective inventory management is key to minimizing losses. Modern warehouse systems automate processes, ensure transparency, and provide valuable data, increasing business efficiency and profitability.‍

— Currently available systems monitor product expiration dates, automatically generate orders based on stock levels and historical sales data. This allows restaurateurs to quickly react to approaching product expiration dates and avoid shortages of essential items, says Maciej Durda, HoReCa Systems Specialist at S4H. — Furthermore, efficient warehouse management allows for accurate accounting of individuals responsible for inventory management, enabling quick verification of potential abuses. This provides managers with full control over the flow of goods, minimizing the risk of unauthorized actions and increasing the operational security of the business. Thus, effective inventory management becomes not only a cost optimization tool but also a crucial element in building trust and stability within the company, adds Maciej Durda.

4. Reducing Hidden Costs‍

It is important to pay attention to indicators such as the unavailability of the restaurant in apps, rejected orders due to staff errors, or mistakes in preparation and delivery. Each of these indicators translates into hidden costs.‍

— Regular monitoring of operational indicators is key to minimizing hidden costs, says Arek Bielecki of Restimo. — Even a 10% unavailability of the venue, rejected orders, and errors in their execution can collectively generate monthly losses of around 3,375 PLN, amounting to as much as 40,500 PLN annually (assuming an average order value of 75 PLN). Such situations not only reduce income but also negatively impact the restaurant's image, leading to the loss of loyal customers, explains Arek Bielecki.

5. Optimizing Delivery Costs‍

Costs associated with fuel and car leasing can constitute a significant portion of a restaurant's operating expenses. If, after analyzing these costs, the conclusion is obvious, it may be worth considering using a fleet of vehicles available on demand. This solution can help reduce fixed and possibly unnecessary expenses.‍

— The pay-per-service model for actual courier services allows reducing delivery costs and increasing business profitability, says Agnieszka Majewska. — Since our entry into Poland, we have observed the dynamic development of the gastronomic industry and are eager to share the collected data and insights with restaurateurs, for example, during webinars—the next online meeting will take place on September 18, where, together with experts from Restimo and S4H, we will discuss the most important practices that will help dispel entrepreneurs' doubts and facilitate the management of a restaurant, adds Agnieszka.

Contemporary gastronomy presents restaurateurs with challenges that require a creative approach and innovative solutions. The above practices will not only help increase the venue's profitability but also enable the building of a strong, loyal customer base. Focusing on these areas will allow restaurateurs to increase revenues, minimize losses, and improve restaurant management, as these factors are the foundation of success in the dynamically changing gastronomic market today.