Week 10 EOC: Top Restaurants In Vegas

What restaurant and food service customers seek

Restaurant and foodservice customers buy products, service, and an overall dining experience. To provide excellent service, managers must understand the elements all customers seek when they make restaurant and foodservice purchases

-Products
"I came here for my birthday and everything from the appetizers to the dessert was amazing! They truly made it an experience I'll never forget."

-Service
"The staff is wonderful and we've been there enough that some of the waiters recognize us and stop by our table to chat! The service excellent and the food is amazing! 

-Cleanliness
"Everything was amazing. The cheese board, the signature cocktails to the meal..it was all wonderful. We had a nice very clean table for the family that gave us some privacy and was able to enjoy our time together without the hustle of the bust place."

-Value
"Went for girlfriend's 30th birthday dinner. We were not disappointed. Food was delicious! Experience, atmosphere and server were great. Chef Marisa went out of her way to her birthday special! She's amazing! Five stars!"

-Experience
"We visit Las Vegas annually and ALWAYS set aside an evening to dine here. Food is absolutely delicious! Service outstanding! Never had anything but exceptional experience."

Week 9 EOC: Tipping

Tipping has really impacted the hospitality industry for a while now. It has impacted so widely that it had created a two-tiered wage system that can provide consequences for people. Tipping becomes crucial in hospitality when all staffs are just working not to their highest standards, but to the point where it is good enough to be tipped. It effects the way staffs work and the mentality of how they think. “…It called the practice undemocratic and un-American, arguing that employers, not customers, should pay their workers.”

It isn’t right that some industries provide a wage that is lower than the minimum rate. However, the impact that tipping has on staffs might boost up their service standards because their mentality would think that if they provide better service they will receive tips otherwise they are stuck on living with low wages while working. When tipping is banned in a company ,staffs might start to slack off their work as there is no ‘bonus’ in working harder or providing customers with better service since it is a fixed wage. In upper scale restaurants, tipping an individual is usually restricted so all profit goes to the restaurant. “And most tipped workers are not fancy steakhouse servers; they are women working at places like IHOP, Applebee’s and Olive Garden.”

Tipping the staffs should be banned and wages should be decent. This method allows companies to also gain more profit, even though they are spending more on labour. The average amount that staffs get from tipping contributes more than what the company looses for labour. “Hillary Rodham Clinton supports eliminating the tipped minimum wage.” If tipping the staffs individually are banned, then the profit goes to the company and this way the company gains more profit and they do not loose any money. Staffs will eventually be motivated to work as their minimum wage is high enough and they will still provide service standards that are expected within the company. 

Week 8 EOC: 3 Quotes

This type of training helps ensure consistent quality, reduces costs due to waste, and increases guest satisfaction.(35)

The 4 Ps of marketing are the four key ingredients that managers use to create their own recipes for marketing their operations.(26)

Restaurant and foodservice managers should assess the impact of any market trend that can affect their establishments in the future. They can best do that by keeping up with current events and staying involved in their local communities.(12)

Week 6 EOC: Setting Menu Prices

Price definitely influences the restaurant. It all comes down to what you want to experience or if you are there to eat or simply dine. Customers would pay a lot of money just to experience the nice view or setting of a restaurant and get great service. But other customers would rather go to cheaper places since all they are looking for is to eat. "the purchase decision may not be based solely on the buyer’s individual preferences."

Selling prices influences most guests in decision making because instead of purchasing a $12 soup in a casual restaurant, they could purchase a $7 burger, fries and drink meal at a fast food place. The money that guests are willing to spend and the prices they are selling food for is a strong aspect because if customers are there just to eat, they wouldn't bother spending more money on less food, just because the view is better.

By advertising low prices, it attracts customers from all ranges. "Advertising is one important way managers communicate marketing messages to target audiences. " From lower classes up to higher classes. It promotes specials and cheap meals for families to enjoy. Advertising low prices in a restaurant creates a wider range of potential customers as well as profit. A disadvantage could occur as well when advertising low prices to customers. It could bring their image down since a company that serves middle class food has driven down to advertise cheaper meals. Their image could change to a more cheaper place for customers to go. Also, the more they advertise cheaper meals the more customers would just want to go for the cheap meals. They would not bother spending more than what they can during those promotions. "Like advertising, promotions are designed to increase customer awareness or sales; however, sales promotions usually provide customers with a more urgent incentive to purchase a certain item. "

Week 4 EOC: Chipotle

Chipotle went down and its profit had a downturn as the E.Coli outbreak came with their food. They served contaminated food to their customers which had made some of them severely sick. I think it might be a little hard for Chipotle to regain all their customers back because it is only humane that people would be afraid to suffer from another contamination. When this happened it severely damaged Chipotle's profit and reputation. On of the ways they can easily regain back customers is advertising more. Chipotle can advertise again their fresh and clean produce to ensure customers that all their produce are clean and of no contaminants. Advertising is a very easy method to communicate with the customers so I believe advertising would be the first step for Chipotle to do in order to regain their customers. "An effective advertising campaign can achieve many operational goals: Communicating a message to a large audience, often using a variety of media" 
They can use this form the advertising to also promote sales. "Advertising is often used to create awareness of sales promotions and public relations events."

Sales promotion is a great way to offer customers a better deal and cheaper food. A promotion might help some customers buy their food as its a good deal and once they have bought their product and eaten it and discovered that it is clean and fresh again, they can give the word out to their friends or families and it could also regain their customers back. It would be both giving out good deals and promotions with a free bonus of advertising. "Like advertising, promotions are designed to increase customer awareness or sales"

Another method that could help Chipotle regain their customers is to get the health and safety department to check their food and their kitchen and once they pass the test they can print out their certification for clean food and publish this in their restaurant so customers are able to see and be ensured that they now have no contaminants. This will boost their image and also profit again.

Week 3 EOC: Psychographic Stadium Food

Stadiums usually sell overpriced food just because they can. If I were to design some sort of menu for the stadium, jumbo chilli hot dogs would definitely be one of the options. This meal would be so greasy, large, and the profit I would be making would be very satisfying because the price to buy these in retail when producing the food is very cheap whereas I would be selling these jumbo chilli hot dogs for about $23 each. Customers would still purchase this since they have no choice. It would be the only venue to buy food from. "Some guests may come to an establishment primarily for its products, while others may come because of the service or convenience it provides."

Another dish that might be of a good value in this stadium would just be simple cheese fries. This is so simple and general that everyone in the stadium is likely to purchase this dish. I can cost people $17 for this dish and I would be earning big money. It's simple to make and also very easy for people that are watching the game to consume this without leaving a big mess. We are doing whats convenient for customers to eat while watching the game and this dish would probably be the best selling one out of all. Who wouldn't want cheese fries as a snack? "People need to eat daily to live; however, they want to eat in a restaurant but they do not need to eat in a restaurant."

Drinks might come along as a best seller for example root beer floats and milkshakes with 'real ice cream'. This is so cheap to produce and people would also buy this for the ones that do not want alcohol during the game. I could easily charge $13 a drink. I could also always make this a drinks special and it would attract customers to buy it even more just because they think its a special. "Adding the new beverage item to the operation’s menu, and promoting the fact that it has been added, may influence customers’ buying behavior."

Week 2 EOC: Themed Restaurant

My themed restaurant would be a beach themed restaurant. Firstly, it would be located by the beach with a wide rectangular pool accompanied by a in pool bar in the middle. The bar will serve beverages and alcoholic beverages and these drinks will be served to the customers in a water gun, which will then be poured out into the cup for the customers sanitation to drink from. Straws are also available from request within the customers, and the straws will be in a form of a pool noodle. This creative design of the drinks will definitely be the highlight of what customers want to see. "Marketing focuses on the needs and wants of customers." (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing)

The restaurant will be right next to the pool by the beach and the menu is quite simple and basic. Food can be delivered straight to the sun chairs by the beach and the pool as well. The dishes will be served on water sports activities such as a hotdog would be served on a plate shaped kayak, and a platter of nachos will be served on a plate shaped swimming pool. Popsicles are also available especially on summer days which are shaped as umbrellas and also fishes. This themed restaurant will be able to target customers with an interest in beaches and holiday fun. "One key function of the marketing process is the thoughtful targeting of customers." (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing)

Rules in this restaurant will consist of a swim wear only restaurant. So customers that enter will need to be wearing their own swim wear, in order to enjoy the sun, beach and the pool which is what this restaurant is known for. Uniform for employees in this restaurant will also have to wear swim wear. Floor staff will have to wear red swimming wear portraying as lifeguards, with their trays that are shaped and written on as a wide rescue tubes. Kitchen staff will wear lifeguard T Shirts with their swimwear shorts. Shoes will not be required for the floor staff as the restaurant is outdoor and the flooring is sand. However, kitchen staff will need to wear nonslip flip flops.

Despite the beach themed casual restaurant, service is still acquired to exceed excellence. "All restaurants and foodservice operations should be based on the foundation of excellent customer service." (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing)

Week 1 EOC: Customer Service

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in Melbourne, Australia was one of my best restaurant experiences. This restaurant acquires a three month earlier booking reservation in order to get a seat. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a Michelin Star restaurant located in the Crown Towers Hotel in Melbourne. I went to this restaurant about six months ago and it was an amazing encounter. Heston Blumenthal is a british celebrity chef that also owns the extraordinary three star Michelin restaurant known as 'The Fat Duck'. He was also the judge in Australia's Masterchef.

The service in Dinner by Heston Blumenthal was great, although I expected better. Even though they were skilled and professional, the staff were not that friendly and would judge you with the choices you order like if you are ordering any alcoholic beverages or how many dishes you are going to order. They would only recommend the most expensive dishes on the menu as well as make their money on trying to get customers to order wine. 

Despite their unfriendly attitude, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal had glorious dishes. The food was phenomenal and they all came on time. Like I said, the service was good because as a server they did all the professional things correct, but I prefer a much friendlier staff. It could also just be that one waiter that attended me, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. I spent about $500 in Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and I would definitely come again to experience the flavoursome food.