Restaurant Trade Area Research

This blog is saddened to report the continuation of government restrictions into how you run your business and where you run your business. In this instance, the `how’ would be the government demand to use or not use a particular cooking oil (regardless as to the outcome of the final product - including taste - one of the most important attributes to your customer base) and the `where’ is the new restrictions on where fast food restaurants CAN’T be developed. Can fast food brands eventually be expected to fund the `alternative’ restaurants too? After-all, what’s to prevent a city council on deciding that FF restaurants would be `better’ for the community if they weren’t open 7 days a week?

Today’s Links

California Outlaws Trans-fats and Bans Fast Food Outlets in Defined Area

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2461615/Los-Angeles-bans-new-fast-food-outlets-and-California-outlaws-trans-fats.html 

It was funny seeing the 800 plus article titles on this one — only a few positioned the move on trans-fats with a positive headline title. One can only imagine what may happen if politicians turn their interest againist the industry.

Fast Food Goes To The Movies

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=26&entry_id=28501 

Quick read on the movie tie-in’s currently going on. Specifically tells what each restaurant chain DID on their end of the relationship (T-Shirts for workers, special cups, etc.)

Crowd MOBS Taco Bell Opening

http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/NEWS01/807240408/1002/NEWS01  

This is a wonderful article you don’t want to miss about how folks LOVE getting their fast food. A great counter balance to the desire to BAN fast food elsewhere. ———- One comment however, always be ready for an amazing first opening day crowd and have your operations in order. Remember, one bad experience can turn 15% against a second visit.

Majority Stake in Applebee’s Franchisee Sold

http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=356918&menu_id=1368

I was involved with Applebee’s findings when they had one unit on Memorial Drive in Atlanta and W.R. Grace was the interested party. Want to have a researcher like that - give me a shout - find my number on my squidoo site www.squidoo.com/tradeaareasurveys .

 11.23 For Lunch At Steak and Shake

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/BUSINESS09/807210323/1109/BUSINESS09

Yet, somehow, that is not the ultimate problem? Article covers the challenges to the new company leader.

Having done scores and scores of projects in fast food restaurants over decades - I’ve often advised clients to do `operation ratings’ on our questionnaires. This might involve asking respondents (your customers) to rate things like speed of service, cleanliness of the unit, value for the money and so forth. But, the one attribute that when `crossed’ with frequency of usage that stands out is `friendliness of the employees’.

It seems that in this day and age - despite being told by the media we are off in our own world and don’t want to be bothered - that customers react to friendliness MOST. Since the person who interacts with the customer is the main person to project this image — it is imperative to make sure that person has a friendly engaging voice (at the drive thru speaker) and in-person on the cash register - that the person is one of your BEST employees for eye contact and smiling. (Again, a good clear voice is needed).

In future posts, I’ll tell you specific figures for how often a customer uses a restaurant when they rate friendliness an 8 rather than a 10 — once you know, you will act quickly. Don’t wait - do it today.

Today’s Links

NYC Chains Have to Post Calorie Counts

http://www.bloggernews.net/116809   Yep, right next to the product on the menu, in the same font, must be the calorie count. Logic would suggest that some shift in food orders will be the result of such laws. It would also suggest some erosion of usage perhaps by less committed users of your brand.

Calorie Counts on Menu Boards

http://www.chattershmatter.com/2008/07/20/nyc-fast-food-chains-add-calory-counts-to-menu-boards/  Same story, slightly different slant.

Law to Restrict Location of Fast Food Restaurants in LA

http://thepacker.com/icms/_dtaa2/content/wrapper.asp?alink=2008-16452-821.asp&stype=produceconcepts&fb= In South-Central LA - to improve health of youth. Here the hope is that by restricting Fast Food Brands that `other healthier’ choices will open shop.

Based on today’s links - Government involvement in FF seems just another example of our BIG government.