Health Benefits of Thai Basil

Thai Basil is a great and excellent source of vitamins and essential nutrients. There are a lot of other nutrients, vitamins and minerals present in Thai basil that are not listed here such as vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acid.

4 Unexpected Health Benefits of Basil

Basil leaves come complete with an array of antioxidants and other wonderful phytonutrients. Some of these phytonutrients, orientin and vicenin, which are in the flavonoid family, have been found to “protect cell structures as well as chromosomes from radiation and oxygen-based damage… Read more at Care2.com

Thai Basil seeds are said to have antioxidants, anti-cancer properties, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Minimal scientific research has been done on basil seeds. Maybe because there’s no huge market for Thai basil seeds yet. But the future for basil seeds looks very promising based on preliminary research.

Are Basil Seeds the New Superfood?

A detailed nutritional study of basil seeds is currently not available. But like other seeds, basil seeds contain all the concentrated nutrients and building blocks needed to grow a new plant. No toxicity or any harmful effects have ever been found for basil seeds. They’re recognized as safe to eat. Their basic nutritional make-up compared to chia seeds is… Read more at EcoWatch.com

Various Skin and Hair Benefits of Basil | Mind Blowing Basil Benefits

Basil makes a lot of sauces and dishes smell and taste extra special. But did you know that it is also being used in traditional healing for centuries now because of its impressive medicinal properties? It’s known to be highly effective against sore throat, fever, the common cold, cough, obesity, stress and even cancer… Watch here

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Health Benefits of Thai Basil syndicated from http://www.thaispices.com

Making It in UX: New User Experience Designers Share Lessons From the Field

Every industry — from tech, to finance, to retail — needs user experience (UX) designers. These master problem-solvers work to create on- and offline experiences that put users’ wants and needs first. Harnessing skills like user research, wireframes, and prototyping, UX designers have a unique perspective when it comes to understanding the interactions between users, […]

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Chef Ramsay Wraps up the Kitchen in Tape | Kitchen Nightmares

Attract More Customers – Enhance the Vibe of Your Restaurant

Bring diners in through their senses – all contributing to the overall vibe of your restaurant.

How does your restaurant make people feel? If you don’t know the answer to that question, consider stepping out your front door for a moment.

Then, come back in – not as the owner, but as a new customer. What do you see, feel, smell? Were you greeted well? Does the staff seem happy to see you, or are they hurried and rushed?

The feeling you had when you walked in is the vibe that your diners get each time they walk through your doors.

It has to do with the culture that you create in your restaurant, and in this article, we’re going to take an in-depth look at it as we discuss how to attract more customers and enhance the vibe of your restaurant.

Let’s look at how you can attract more customers by enhancing the vibe of your restaurant through the five senses – sight, smell, sound, touch and taste.

The Sense of Sight

What do your customers see when they walk in the door? Are they met with smiles, nice décor and a clean, tidy space?

What are their thoughts regarding your décor? Can they tell what you’re all about by how your restaurant looks on the inside?

If not, it’s time to rethink the vibe customers get from the visual aspects of your restaurant. This means what they see from the minute they drive into your parking lot, all the way to their trip to the restroom.

There are a few steps you can take to fine tune the visual vibe you give off.

First, you need a vision. Know what you want your restaurant to “feel” like and let that define how it looks.

For example, are you a sports-themed restaurant, a modern café, a farm-to-table fast casual place or a warm, cozy spot?

Whatever vision you choose, you want to ensure that the theme and vibe carry through from your exterior to your interior. (tweet this)

Don’t leave anything to chance and make sure it all gels for one cohesive look.

Pay special attention to:

• Wall and floor coverings
• Lighting
• Art
• Color scheme
• Furniture style (high tables, low tables, bar stools, banquets – the options are many)
• Table décor (vases, candles, glassware, linens, etc.)
• Staff uniforms
• Hardware
• Dishes and utensils

Lighting adds ambiance and a particular vibe.

The Sense of Smell

Your food plays an enormous part in creating the vibe of your restaurant. It’s what draws customers in. (tweet this)

But did you know the way your restaurant smells also contributes to the vibe?

Consider again the Greek restaurant on the corner, or the classic Italian pizza joint. The aroma emanating from the kitchen is another big part of the vibe of the restaurant, helping to create the culture.

The Sense of Sound

The vibe of your restaurant also includes the sense of sound. What are your customers met with when they walk in the door?

Is your restaurant busy and loud or soft and quiet? Is your kitchen making a lot of noise? Are staff members huddled together in private conversations?

Do you have music playing?

All of these noise makers play in to the vibe of your restaurant. Decide what you’d like it to be and concentrate on making it happen.

When it comes to your music, you can bet what your customers listen to while they eat matters. Today’s diners want the whole experience, and music is part of it.

As with the sights in your restaurant, decide on your music sounds.

This is easy for a restaurant where the vibe is a 50s diner or an authentic Greek restaurant.

But, if your restaurant concept doesn’t lend itself to a musical theme, what should you do?

Consider your restaurant at different times of the day. For example, your lunch crowd may be looking for something to listen to that is unlike what your dinner crowd wants to listen to.

Perhaps your dinner crowd is young professionals who just got off work, but your lunch crowd is retirees. You’ll find the playlist should rotate with the crowd.

If you don’t know right off what music you should play, you can ask your diners. Let them set the tone.

You may know that music evokes emotion and helps people remember things. So, it seems if you have the right music playing, your customers will remember the experience they had in your restaurant.

Your customers will equate your playlist with the enjoyment of eating in your restaurant as part of the total overall vibe. Music enhances the atmosphere, making diners feel comfortable.

You’ll find that if your customers like your music selection, it’s just another reason for them to revisit your restaurant again.

The Sense of Touch

Yes, the sense of touch plays a part in the vibe of your restaurant. It’s actually the texture that contributes.

Think of the texture as the surface area. This could be your table tops, your bar counter and your wall décor.

Think marble tops, granite slabs, rustic wood, carpet, tile, wood floors, linens, draperies and more. It all works to create your vibe.

The Sense of Taste

Your restaurant menu is the catalyst for the vibe of your restaurant.

This is where you’ll start when building out your overall vibe and atmosphere. Your food is the instigator.

For example, you might serve Italian, Greek, American, Chinese, Thai or something else altogether. But, whatever drives your menu also drives the vibe.

So, when organizing the vibe of your restaurant, don’t forget to factor in the taste.

Final Thoughts

To attract more customers, you want to enhance the vibe of your restaurant.

This means that your culture, atmosphere and vibe is unique to your restaurant. To do this, know what your restaurant stands for.

Are you the Italian restaurant where everyone feels like they just walked into their favorite grandmother’s house? Or, are you the hip, modern sandwich shop where diners can feel comfortable eating on their own and escaping all conversation?

Know the vibe you want to give off and focus on achieving it through your ambiance, food, décor and your customer service.

Work with your staff to help them create this culture each time they work. Teach them that this is what defines your restaurant and sets you apart from the competition.

When they buy into your goals of creating the perfect vibe for your customers, everyone wins – you, your staff and your customers.

At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but we’ll integrate your social media accounts on your website. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Eaters Collective and Lisheng Chang

Gordon Shocked at Disgusting Carvery | Kitchen Nightmares

Thai Food Is Superfood!

There are many Thai spices and ingredients in Thai cuisine actually have health and feel-great benefits. Like Thai ginger is great for digestion, turmeric has anti-inflammatory benefits, and lemongrass help treat colds and stomach problems. These are just some of the many healthy Thai spices used in Thai cuisine.

World’s Best Superfoods

Can a soup fight cancer? If it’s a Thai favorite called Tom Yung Gung, the answer just might be yes. Made with shrimp, coriander, lemongrass, ginger, and other herbs and spices used in Thai cooking, the soup was found to possess properties 100 times more effective than other antioxidants in inhibiting cancerous-tumor growth. Researchers at Thailand’s… Read more at Health.com

Authentic traditional Thai cooking methods like steaming and sauteing to avoid overcooking and destroy the freshness and potency of ingredients. Traditional and authentic Thai food is definitely one of the cleanest and healthiest national cuisines that you can try.

Traditional Thai Food: The First ‘Superfood’?

In many ways, traditional Thai food has been ahead of the curb in terms of food trends, specifically the superfood craze that has taken the Western food-world by storm. Thai food’s unsparing use of nutrient dense ingredients like ginger, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, coconut, sesame and chilli makes it perfect for anyone looking to improve or maintain their diet… Read more at PataraLondon.com

Thai Green Curry | Jamie Oliver

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Thai Food Is Superfood! syndicated from http://www.thaispices.com

Salary Strategy: Tips From a Hostage Negotiator

The tech industry is nothing if not competitive. As startups, mom-and-pop shops, and Fortune 500 companies fight for top talent, developers, designers, data scientists, and more find themselves in a mad dash to get in the door. Once they’re there, an offer may be a testament to their technical skills. However, the true mettle of […]

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Chef Ramsey Makes Waiter Cry | Kitchen Nightmares

Pros And Cons Of Al Fresco Dining

Attract passers-by with sidewalk seating.

Everyone likes a party, and that’s what they get with Al fresco dining.

In this article, we look at the pros and cons of Al Fresco dining, and why it might be good for your restaurant.

First, let’s define it.

Al Fresco Dining

The term Al Fresco comes from the Italian and loosely means “in the cool air.”

We use the term to mean dining outdoors.

Interestingly, the Italians don’t use the term for dining outside. In Italian, the expression Al Fresco actually means “spending time in the cooler” or jail.

Al Fresco dining is popular in temperate climates and in the spring, summer and fall months. People enjoy dining Al Fresco when the weather is beautiful. The style is casual, yet festive, with a party-like atmosphere.

If your restaurant has an outdoor patio or outdoor seating, you offer Al Fresco dining.

In hot climates, you might have covered patios or misters to keep people cool. In chilly climates, you might have fire pits or outdoor fireplaces to keep diners comfortable.

Now let’s look at the pros and cons.

Pros of Al Fresco Dining

It’s Trendy:

First, Al Fresco dining is trendy. Today’s diner wants an experience, and they definitely enjoy eating outdoors in a more festive atmosphere. (tweet this)

Increase Revenue:

You’ll attract more diners to your restaurant with outdoor seating.

This is because diners are often more comfortable eating outside. It affects the senses and seems to make the food taste fresher and therefore, better.

Some diners enjoy the view and the fun that occurs when eating outside with friends and family.

Basically, when the weather is nice, you’re adding a whole other restaurant, and with that comes added revenue.

Extra Seating:

By offering additional seating outside, you increase the number of meals you serve each night, thus improving your bottom line.

Enhanced Atmosphere:

Mother nature provides its own ambiance and great views. Plus, when the weather is beautiful, your diners feel more festive.

This merry feeling often leads to them ordering more and higher ticket prices.

The fun atmosphere also encourages more wine, beer and liquor to be consumed which again means more money for your restaurant.

Finally, because the outdoors is the attraction, you don’t have to spend as much money on décor and table decoration.

Cons of Al Fresco Dining

The Weather:

What makes eating outside so enjoyable can be its biggest con.

If the weather is bad, you lose business because you can’t fill your outdoor seating. Your wait times will be longer, and customers may get impatient.

Restrooms:

If you don’t have an outdoor restroom, you increase the load on your indoor restrooms which can increase wait times.

You also have people constantly moving from outside to inside which can be distracting to your indoor customers.

Staff Needs:

This can be tricky. For example, if you staff for a busy weekend night, but the weather suddenly turns stormy, you have too many employees, and you have to let some go for the evening.

Conversely, if you think the forecast is bad, and you don’t staff heavy enough, but it turns out just fine, you can’t meet the needs of your dining traffic.

Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space

If you’ve decided to take the plunge and add an outdoor space to your restaurant, here are a few tips.

• Situate your space to take advantage of the outdoor scenery – think mountains, gardens or other beautiful views.
• Create a beer garden on the patio.
• Have outdoor-only specials to encourage people to eat outside.
• Make sure your kitchen can handle the extra demand.
• Have enough wait staff to take care of the crowd.
• Provide heat and cool when needed.
• Add products to control insects.
• Keep the space clean.

Add plants to make your Al Fresco dining fresh and inviting.

Different Al Fresco Scenarios

You have several options when creating an Al Fresco dining space.

1. Sidewalk Seating – This is one of the easiest ways to take the dining outside. Your customers will enjoy sitting outside in comfortable chairs. Add some umbrellas for shade. You’ll find that sidewalk seating attracts people walking by and encourages them to visit your restaurant. During the evening, add some candles for ambiance.

2. Rooftop Dining – If you don’t have a sidewalk area or a patio, try expanding your space to the roof. Many big city restaurants have rooftop dining. This allows diners the view of skylines or open spaces. Consider adding potted plants or rooftop gardens. Hang lights and add candles for ambiance. Pergolas and attractive awnings add to the décor and protect diners during the day and the evening.

3. Patio Dining – This is the traditional form of Al Fresco dining. Your customers can enjoy the patio at your restaurant where you’ve set up tables and chairs. You might also add a cozy seating area with a sofa and club chairs. Fire pits are nice additions as well. Candles, lights, pergolas and plants also add to the festive vibe.

4. Garden Dining – Dining farm-to-table is very trendy, and diners like to see where their food comes from. This could be in any of the above spaces, or in a large garden behind your restaurant. What is important is that you landscape your outdoor dining area with the fruits and vegetables you’re serving to your customers. Consider raised beds if you don’t have the land. Grow lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and more. Landscape them attractively so they are part of the décor.

Add Ambiance

Whichever route you choose, consider adding a firepit or outdoor fireplace to add considerable ambiance and feelings of comfort. (tweet this)

Lighting is important, so consider candles, lanterns, hanging lights and torches.

You also want to look at adding a water feature such as a fountain or reflecting pool. It could also be as simple as a vase on the table with floating candles or flowers.

Fire and water work well together in a space. They increase the festive feeling and make your guests feel welcome.

Fire communicates warmth, and it’s inviting. Water communicates freshness and cleanliness.

Together, they make dining Al Fresco something fun, festive and exciting for your diners.

Final Thoughts

Adding an Al Fresco dining space to your restaurant enriches the overall customer experience.

You’ll find it adds revenue while increasing your customers’ happiness.

Do take the cons into consideration and make plans to handle them.

In the end, you’ll find an Al Fresco dining space is just what your customers want.

Be sure to add some shade and atmosphere for the total experience. Add some music, and on special nights, bring in live music.

Consider your customers’ needs and make sure they are warm or cool and bug-free to ensure their overall enjoyment.

You’ll soon be reaping the rewards of your Al Fresco space.

At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but we’ll integrate your outdoor menu into your website. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Xochi Romero and Alex Holyoake

Gordon Ramsay’s Angriest Ever Confrontations on Kitchen Nightmares

Rich And Delicious Thai Desserts

Most Thai restaurants don’t offer or serve these Thai desserts. It’s because these desserts can take forever to produce. Some of these Thai desserts was originated from the royal palace in Thailand, where servants spent a lot of time preparing delicate and precious sweets for the royal family. Soon enough, these delicious desserts found their way to the streets of Thailand to be enjoyed by the masses.

7 Thai Desserts You Didn’t Know Existed

Thai people love their sweets, and if you rely on the options that your local take-out place offers, you’re missing out. Usually, ending a meal with a plate of seasonal fruit like papaya, watermelon and pomelo is standard in the average Thai diet, but it’s just as easy for one to indulge in the array of intricate and… Read more at Food Republic

There are a lot of delicious snacks and food found on every street in Thailand, it is really easy to catch yourself nibbling on something at any given moment. It is also very hard to keep the weight off because of this exact same reasoning. However, many healthy Thai food that you can eat without any guilt.

The Top 10 Healthy Thai Dishes

While traveling in Thailand, you will notice that everyone wants to know if you have eaten. Before even greeting you with a ‘hello,’ you will be asked, ‘gin kao ruang,’ meaning, ‘have you eaten yet?’ To be fair, there are so many enticing snacks and food vendors found on every soi (street), it is hard not to… Read more at Culture Trip

Thai Dessert: Trying Thai Street Food Desserts and Sweets. Street Food in Thailand Vlog

Thai Street Food is really delicious, It’s a must to try if you’re on holidays in Thailand. Thailand food markets are one of the best places to buy fresh and authentic Thai food, or to buy groceries and fruit while you travel in Thailand. There are so many Thai dishes on offer and the foods here are cheap, and so… Watch here

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Rich And Delicious Thai Desserts syndicated from http://www.thaispices.com

Gordon Pushes Chef Into a Bull Fight! | Kitchen Nightmares

Why Charge Corkage And What’s Too Much

What you charge depends on the area of the country you live in.

For years, the corkage fee has been a point of contention between restaurant owners and their patrons.

While your guests want the option of bringing their own wine, you, understandably, don’t want to miss out on the profits of selling from your own wine list.

In this article, we look at why charge corkage and what’s too much. We’ll take a look at what your patrons are willing to pay and how much you should charge.

First, let’s define the term corkage.

What is a Corkage Fee?

Corkage is the fee that restaurants charge customers who bring their own wine to a restaurant.

Your restaurant might charge a corkage fee to help cover your service, lost revenue from not selling your own wine and the risks of patrons breaking your wine glasses. (tweet this)

If you sell wine, you know that it’s highly profitable for your restaurant, and it’s not unreasonable to charge a corkage fee to make up for lost profits if you’re going to allow diners to bring their own.

How Much are Corkage Fees?

Typically, corkage fees range between $10-40 per bottle. Sometimes restaurants don’t charge a fee and even encourage diners to bring wine, while others charge $100 per bottle.

According to one expert, corkage fees depend on where you live.

• In Manhattan, New York, the fee averages $15-20 per bottle on average, yet at higher end restaurants, they can range from $30-85 per bottle.
• At exclusive restaurants, diners can expect to spend upwards of $400 per bottle, but this is only at the finest establishments.
• On the other side of the country, in Napa Valley, the corkage fee ranges from $15-20, while restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles start around $10 per bottle.
• Some restaurants charge fees based on the wine. For example, some charge a $10 corkage fee on wines less than 10 years old and $25 or more one wines brought in that are older than 10 years.
  

If you want to completely discourage your patrons from bringing their own wine, then charge a high corkage fee to encourage customers to buy your wine. (tweet this)

When Might You Waive a Corkage Fee?

You’ll find that some restaurants waive corkage fees under certain circumstances.

For example, you might waive one corkage fee if your patrons buy one bottle of wine from you.

You also might consider a $0 corkage fee evening. One evening per month or week, let patrons bring their own wine for free, and on the rest of the nights, only sell your own.

Consider one restaurant that waives its corkage fee on “Wine Wednesdays.”

Another restaurant waives corkage fees on American wines and charges it for all others.

Another instance where you might waive the corkage fee is if a customer brings in a very special bottle of wine and shares it with you.

Now let’s look at why your customer might want to bring their own wine in the first place.

It’s always nice when your guests offer you a taste of their special wine.

The Patrons Side of the Story

You’ll find there are several reasons your guests might want to bring their own wine.

First, the customer doesn’t want to pay your mark up on the wine and brings his own to save money.

If he can buy the same wine you sell for $30 less and pay your $15 corkage fee, he still comes out on the positive side.

Second, your customer might want to bring his own wine because your wine selection is grim.

If your restaurant doesn’t offer a respectable wine list, then you can bet your wine-loving patrons don’t want to drink from it. If you want to encourage people to drink your wine, you have to offer drinkable wine.

Finally, your guests might want to bring their own wine for a special occasion. For example, if it’s a birthday, wedding proposal or anniversary, and your customer has been saving a fine wine for the event, he might choose to bring it to dinner.

In this instance, go ahead and charge the corkage fee with a smile and be flattered that the patrons chose your restaurant for their special occasion.

The Restaurants Viewpoint

Many wine aficionados bristle at the thought of paying for wine at a restaurant. They would rather spend less and bring their own in to your restaurant.

Yet, if you’ve gone to the trouble of hiring a sommelier, and you’ve invested time and money into your wine list, you probably aren’t a fan of customers bringing in their own wine.

We’re going to leave you with some tips on how to avoid problems with the corkage fee so you can make the most of the your own wine list and patrons who want to bring their own:

• Know what your competition charges and use this as your guide.
• Be aware of the general corkage fees in your area.
• A good starting point is $10-20 per bottle.
• Improve your wine selection so guests don’t want to bring their own wine.
• Price your wine fairly to encourage patrons to buy from you.
• If you’re going to allow people to bring their own wine, and you charge a corkage fee, don’t be grumpy about it.
• Be flattered when a very special bottle of wine is brought in. This means your patron values your restaurant above all others.
• It pays to be flexible. You’ll find there are some occasions that merit waiving the corkage fee. A good bit of customer service goes a long way to repeat business.
• Consider waiving the corkage fee if your customer buys a bottle from you and also brings one of their own in. This is a win-win situation as you get the corkage fee without having to buy or store the wine.

Final Thoughts

Finally, it is fair of you to charge a corkage fee because when patrons bring their own wine, you are losing a sale. Consider charging a corkage fee similar to the profit you are losing on an average bottle of wine.

This amount differs depending on the wine, so do your best to be equitable.

Now that you know how to solve the problem with the corkage fee and how much to charge, you’re well on your way to finding a happy medium.

At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but we’ll make sure your wine list shines. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, wine list, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Quentin DR and Janko Ferlic

Gordon Furious When Chef Points the Blame At His Menu | Kitchen Nightmares

How to Break Into a Digital Marketing Career

With digital media surpassing TV as the largest channel for ad spending in 2016, digital marketers are more important than ever. Through clever concepts, smart storytelling, and a keen understanding of audience behavior through analytics, these data-driven brand specialists drive business forward through strategic email, paid search, social media, and beyond. Recent data from General […]

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More Than Just Pad Thai

When we say Thai food, the first thing that comes into mind is Pad Thai but whether it be succulent chunks of grilled pork on a stick or a spicy hot bowl of  Tom Yum soup, we all have to start somewhere. If you’re new to Thai food you have a lot more to explore and discover because Thai cuisine has a lot to offer to stimulate and satisfy your taste buds.

Top 10 Thai Food

Thailand’s food needs little introduction. From San Francisco to Sukhothai, its profusion of exotic flavours and fragrances make it among the most coveted of international cuisines. As a walk through Bangkok forcefully reminds, these flavours and fragrances are seemingly inexhaustible… Read more at Bangkok.com

Thai food deserves an excellent reputation, and there’s nothing as good and authentic as Thai cuisine as in Thailand. You just don’t get the whole ambiance and experience of  Thai street food anywhere else in the world. You can find a number of international food outside their home countries, but with Thai cuisine, You will only ever really be satisfied when you’re eating a hot bowl of soup at a little plastic table on the streets of Thailand.

THE BEST THAI FOOD YOU CAN EAT

Let’s talk about travel and my love of good Thai food. When I returned to Thailand a few weeks ago from being in Cambodia, I went on an eating binge. Cambodia, as much as I love it, doesn’t have a lot of great food. It’s very bland, and I missed the zesty, spicy, and flavorful Thai food. Since I was leaving Bangkok soon, I tried to enjoy as much Thai food as I could. So as a way to remember all the food I ate, as well as make you run off to your local Thai restaurant, here’s a list of … Read more at Nomadic Matt

The Traditional Way to Eat Thai Food – Stop Eating it Wrong, Episode 37

Thai food is one of the world’s most popular cuisines, but not every guest knows the authentic way to enjoy popular Thai dishes. Let Executive Chef/Owner Hong Thaimee of Ngam restaurant show you the best way to eat Thai food (hint: just because you have chopsticks doesn’t mean you should use them for everything!)… Watch here

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More Than Just Pad Thai syndicated from http://www.thaispices.com

Experience doesn’t matter: Industry veterans and aspiring talent are equally qualified to break into digital marketing

We all seek experience. Personally and professionally, experience captures what we’ve done and what we have the potential to do. In hiring, prior experience is used as a shortcut to qualify job-seekers for interviews, job offers, and higher compensation. This shortcut works well in steady fields where the practices of the industry rarely change. If […]

The post Experience doesn’t matter: Industry veterans and aspiring talent are equally qualified to break into digital marketing appeared first on GA Blog.

Gordon Ramsays Funniest One Liners 2.0 | Best of Kitchen Nightmares

How To Draw A Crowd With Instagram

Instagram revolves around photography.

With more than 600 million users on the photo-based social media platform Instagram,  it’s a great place to increase brand awareness for your restaurant with the right strategy.

In this article, we look at how to draw a crowd with Instagram so you can increase your restaurant’s business.

Choose the Right Instagram Name

You want Instagram users to be able to search for you, so be thoughtful when creating your username.

The best option is to use your restaurant’s name to increase the chances people can find you.

Use Hashtags

Use #yourrestaurantname in each one of your posts. This also helps you be searchable. In addition, you’ll want to use a hashtag for signature dishes or drinks.

If you hold regular events, hashtag those photos, too, with the event name.

Other hashtags to consider are: #foodie, #foodporn, #hungry, #foodaddict, #instafood, #chefmode, #cleaneating and #food.

Don’t forget to geotag your photos as well to capture the local crowd.

Take Lots of Photos

Instagram revolves around photos, so it’s up to you to take professional looking photos that make people want to stop what they’re doing and head to your restaurant.

Take photos of everything:

• Appetizers
• Entrees
• Desserts
• Your Dining Room
• Staff Members
• Behind the Scenes
• Diners (with permission)
• Events (before and afters)
• Videos
  

Let your photos tell a story, but don’t forget to include captions and hashtags.

Optimize Your Photos

While you don’t have to hire a professional photographer, you do want to take and share great photos on Instagram. (tweet this)

Try using your phone camera instead of the Instagram app. Afterwards, you can use the app to edit your photos.

Pay attention to lighting – natural light is best for food. Taking photos by a window is a good option.

When it comes to staging your photos, look at not only the plate but what’s around it. The background matters, and you want it to match the theme of your restaurant. Above all, make sure the background area is clean.

Simple shots are often best to highlight the food.

Share Your Instagram Photos

Increase your reach and chances of drawing a crowd by sharing your Instagram photos on your restaurant website and other social media platforms.

You’ll find that Instagram provides options for sharing photos on Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Twitter, Pinterest, emails and more.

People will flock to your restaurant when they see your Instagram photos.

Host Contests

Contests are a great way to get people connected to your brand and your restaurant’s food on Instagram. (tweet this)

They encourage people to engage with you in a personal way. What’s more, by offering prizes, you generate even more buzz while creating loads of goodwill.

For example, you might run a contest asking users to submit their recipes. Lucky winners can have their recipe featured for one week and get a coupon for a free meal.

This gives people a reason to enter your contest while getting the word out to help you draw a crowd.

Take Event Photos

You want to share photos from every special event, fair or festival you attend.

Take photos and post them with event hashtags to let Instagram users know where to find you.

When you post photos from events, you encourage your followers to join you.

Encourage User Generated Content

This is where it pays to get creative.

Your customers are the perfect brand ambassadors, and you want to encourage them to share content on your restaurant’s Instagram page.

Others will feel more confident visiting your restaurant for the first time when they see that others enjoy your food. It’s all about social proof.

Here are a few ideas to get you started generating content from others:

• Create a new dish and encourage your Instagram followers to name the dish.
• Host a contest and give the winner a free meal.
• Ask Instagram users to take a picture of their meal and post it. Give them a specific hashtag to use (your restaurant name is a good bet).
• In your restaurant, add your Instagram user name to your menu and add hashtags under menu items. This encourages your diners to use the appropriate hashtags.
• Encourage reviews.
• Offer coupons.

Share Staff Photos

Your chef is often a mystery to diners, and one they’d like to solve.

Showcase your chef with photos on Instagram. Your customers will enjoy seeing the person behind the food they love.

Share photos of your staff behind the scenes doing interesting and humorous things.

Be Authentic

Decide early on what your brand identity is and then stay true to it. Find your Instagram voice and maintain consistency.

Post photos that work with your restaurant’s theme and menu.

To build brand awareness, you want to share photos that apply to your restaurant. For example, if you are family-friendly, sharing photos of customers drinking and partying isn’t a good idea.

Create a Strategy

Plan your posts in advance to make it easier to publish regularly.

For example, decide which day of the week you’ll share specific things. Don’t forget the hashtags. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Quirky Question Day
• Monday Funday
• Motivation Monday
• Tip Tuesday
• Treat Tuesday
• Wellness Wednesday
• Way Back Wednesday
• Throwback Thursday
• Thirsty Thursday
• Thankful Thursday
• Fun Friday
• Friday Funday
• Social Saturday
• Selfie Sunday

Also, be sure to leave room for spontaneous photos and posts as well.

Share Pics of Your Specials

This is a great way to draw a crowd each day you offer specials.

You’ll find that by posting delectable photos of your daily specials, people will flock to your restaurant.

Consider adding a coupon code with your photo as well as some inviting text and hashtags to encourage day-of business.

Final Thoughts

Ready to draw a crowd with Instagram?

At the end of the day, a picture really is worth 1,000 words, especially when it comes to food. That’s what makes Instagram perfect for most restaurants.

Your customers, current and future, love sharing photos of their food.

When you encourage diners to snap photos of their meal and share it on Instagram, you are leveraging free marketing while building brand awareness for your restaurant and your menu.

If you don’t have an Instagram account for your restaurant, sign up for one today. Start sharing photos and encourage your customers to do the same.

Spend some time each week posting and sharing great food photos on Instagram and start increasing awareness for your restaurant.

At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but we’ll integrate your social media accounts on your website. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Alexander Chambon and Eaters Collective

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Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Thai Food

Thai cuisine is well-know as one of the world’s delicious food, but did you that authentic Thai food can also be great for your health? Thai cuisine has a lot of spices and superfood ingredients that work together to give your immune system the boost that it needs to fight inflammation and promote fast metabolism for a healthy body.

Ingredients that Make Thai Food an Anti-Inflammatory Knockout

In fact, one Thai soup called Tom Yam Goong has even been studied for its unique high antioxidant content and potential cancer-fighting abilities. Here are 7 of the healthiest, most beneficial ingredients found in Thai food, and how to make sure they’re included in your dishes… Read more at The Alternative Daily

Inflammation is part of our body’s immune response that promotes our body to heal itself. It’s what happens when you get bruised or wounded and the affected area turns red and gets a bit swollen. That’s our immune system at work defending our bodies off any bacteria or infection.

Foods to beat inflammation

While experts have always thought anything with an “itis” at the end involved ongoing inflammation – such as arthritis or appendicitis, recent research shows that a much larger number of diseases, including heart disease, certain cancers, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease may also be triggered in part by chronic inflammation. Do your body a favor by including the following anti-inflammatory foods in your diet… Read more at FoxNews.com

Top 10 Superfoods that Prevent Inflammation in Your Body

If you want to get or remain healthy, it’s important to control inflammation in your body by following a healthy lifestyle and diet. Many foods have anti-inflammatory properties that can help prevent and combat inflammation… Watch here

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Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Thai Food syndicated from http://www.thaispices.com

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How to Fail as a Web Developer

Three months into my first job out of college, as a web developer at a financial reporting company, I wiped out every single one of my company’s client records in one command. I had uploaded a script meant to eliminate one client, but quickly realized that it removed all of them and I couldn’t get […]

The post How to Fail as a Web Developer appeared first on GA Blog.