One of the biggest hurdles restaurants must overcome as they accelerate on the road to recovery is attracting repeat customers. Traditional lead generation methods like loyalty programs and social media advertising won’t cut it in the restaurant industry since it’s quite a different beast. A new blueprint is necessary for reaching today’s restaurant consumers, and Byte has three proven strategies that don’t require any help from delivery apps. Let’s dig in!

1. Grab & Go

Pre-packaged, ready-to-eat food and drink items often sold at a self-service fridge in grocery stores, hotel lobbies, university campuses and more. Once upon a time these items were perceived as a second tier food option (ew, is that from 7-11?), but Millennials’ hectic modern lives have reversed this misguided perception. Walking into a grocery store to pick up a fresh sandwich and smoothie takes mere minutes and doesn’t require waiting while food is prepared. Raise your hand if you’ve ever walked into a coffee shop and walked right out because the line was too long! The convenience of grab & go is unmatched for hungry people on the move. In fact, when retailers were asked for the best ways to “fight competition in prepared foods,” 65% of retailers answered: grab & go. Well, then. That settles it!

Modern customers value convenience as much as food quality, especially during the workweek. Fifty-five percent of millennials report that convenience is a top consideration when buying food. It’s no surprise that they are driving the popularity of online ordering and delivery. If you own a restaurant, you’ve probably partnered with an online delivery company–and seen how quickly they eat your profits.

2. Enhanced Take-Out

Nothing brings change faster than an economic shock. In the Before Times, many restaurants (especially fine dining) didn’t offer any form of takeout, but that quickly pivoted when the pandemic forced restaurant closures overnight. For many in the food industry, quickly spinning up a robust takeout strategy was the only option for survival during the precarious early days of the pandemic. Compared to grab & go, takeout still offers an opportunity to get in front of customers, build rapport and social capital—all which foster customer relationships that lead to repeat business. Picking up takeout is convenient, thanks to online ordering, and it doesn’t require a restaurant to pay delivery fees. No wonder many restaurants are sticking with takeout options, regardless of when the pandemic passes.

3. Step Inside the Office

Leveraging tools like Byte’s unattended stores allows restaurants to bring their brand inside the office, getting them in proximity of a hungry and captive audience. Restaurants can easily stock Byte stores with fresh breakfast and lunch fare, drinks, and snacks. Since customers can pay with credit cards and instantly get their meals, the convenience of this option is unparalleled. Restaurants can enjoy the competitive advantages of Byte’s unattended stores, which keep customers coming back throughout the day, and it’s a marketing win since it keeps their brand front of mind. Plus, Byte fridges cost a fraction of opening a new restaurant location.

Taste the freshness in every Byte

As of March 2020, the way we eat has changed forever. Grocery stores and restaurants have been forced to adapt to a new world order surrounding how we serve and deliver food. After the pummeling the restaurant industry took due to the pandemic, securing more customers goes beyond social media ads and expensive third party delivery apps.

Customer loyalty—especially when it comes to eating—is about more than just yummy food. People expect convenience and they won’t settle on food quality. The best way to attract repeat customers is by meeting them where they are. Integrating into a customer’s workday can mean presenting fresh food at the office, getting creative with grab & go options, or even quick takeout items that don’t gobble up an employee’s lunch break. Byte offers restaurants direct access to customers and a long-term competitive advantage, thanks to our smart software and convenient food stores. Come on, grab a Byte!

If you’re interested in learning more, we’d love to talk to you – email me directly at megan@bytetechnology.co to schedule a call.

The post 3 Ways Restaurants Can Improve Customer Acquisition and Boost Retention (Without Relying on Delivery Apps) appeared first on Byte Technology.

Employees working extended hours present an untapped opportunity for restaurants to reach a captive audience and meet the growing needs of on-the-go workers. Employers and their staff both value convenience, and with Byte’s impressive technology, the need for third party delivery apps and standing in line to order is eliminated. Restaurants can expand their reach by selling into workplaces to generate off-premise revenue and become a viable strategy for growth (especially in the covid-decimated restaurant industry).

Convenience culture

Millennials have (finally!) become the biggest segment of the labor force, and given their hectic lives, they appreciate convenience. 52% of millennials say they would pay more for high-quality, ready-made meals that are actually healthy. There’s a tremendous opportunity for restaurants with this demographic of hungry customers.

Companies understand that employees staying on-site for lunch saves time and increases productivity. They’re incentivized to offer employees the convenience of fantastic food in the office that doesn’t require putting on a jacket to head out in the rain to order a sandwich and watch someone make it. Delivery is another option favored by busy companies and staff, but it’s often expensive, inconvenient and cumbersome. Not to mention, restaurants “hate” delivery services for a myriad of reasons, so they’re aggressively seeking out alternatives.

The dream team

Thanks to Byte, restaurants have an opportunity to develop a long-term growth strategy, in conjunction with workplaces, to bring their food directly into offices. For context, there are 2.4M offices with 20+ employees, making up over 100M people in the US, according to the census. Suffice to say, the market is huge!Restaurants can get creative and offer grab-and-go options, delivery, catering services, and using unattended stores to embed their products in the workplace. Grab-and-go occupies a sweet spot in workers’ dining habits because they get a break from their work, but don’t have to wait for their order to be prepared. In fact, if you’re interested in a well-executed brick and mortar concept exclusively dedicated to grab ‘n go, look no further than Proper Food.

Byte Technology-powered stores are the most economical way to make the workplace part of your restaurant’s business strategy. It generates revenue off-premise and automated alerts notify the restaurant when a product should be restocked. Best of all, office workers see and buy food from the fridge all day long, keeping your brand top of mind from 9 to 5. 

The future of office food

Having food in the office is a perk that employees appreciate, but many companies struggle with the logistics and cost. While giving employees free lunch can certainly boost employee morale and productivity, most companies cannot afford it or it may not be part of their company culture. That’s why providing grab-and-go options in brick-and-mortar stores, delivery services, and unattended retail in the workplace is essential for restaurants.

The most innovative way for restaurants and food retailers to target workplaces is through embedded retail because it doesn’t require an honor code or human attendant. Restaurants place a small, unattended store in a local office and fill it with prepared food and drinks of their choice. However you decide to bring the workplace into your restaurant’s growth strategy, you’ll gain access to a market hungry for your presence. Yum!

If you’re interested in learning more, we’d love to talk to you – email me directly at megan@bytetechnology.co to schedule a call.

The post The Workplace: Another Revenue Stream for Restaurants appeared first on Byte Technology.

In that time, 92% of restaurant traffic has moved off premise. Few businesses were prepared for the battle we’re facing. Like millions of Americans, our team is now working from our kitchen tables, baking bread and watching entire states swing open and closed like old western style saloon doors. We’ve been busy talking to those on the ground to understand the steps they’re taking to safely get employees back to work and students back on campus. Here’s what we’re learning: 

Workplaces:

Cafeterias used to be a point of socialization, gathering, and informal run-ins with coworkers. They are now points of heightened risk.

As a result:

• Many corporate cafes will be closed as more employees work from home and non-essential catering employees present unnecessary risks.
• Employees will be encouraged to stay in the office during breaks and lunch to minimize the use of elevators and points of congestion.
• All meals will be unitized and to-go. They’ll be chilled to extend shelf life and packaged to-go for pickup.
• Family style dining and community coffee pots where employees are encouraged to congregate and spend time socializing won’t be allowed.

Universities:

Similar to workplaces, university cafeterias are transforming in order to limit the risk of spread of COVID.

• All self-service salad bars, breakfast bars, coffee bars, etc will be closed.
• Similar to workplaces, there will be a move to unitized, to-go meals.
• Seating will either be eliminated (takeout only), on a reservation basis, or moved into outdoor tents.
• Campus administration is limiting traffic within corporate dining halls and is looking for safe, non-contact point-of-sale solutions to deploy in more places around campus.

It’s clear that “health and safety are front and center, and that includes how employees access food,” said Tom Larance, JLL’s head of experience management. There’s no question that food is central to office culture. Offices will look for innovative, safe ways to continue feeding their employees. Many may rethink budgets, resulting in subsidizing a smaller portion of the food cost or just specific categories of food like “healthy meals.” It’s clear that non contact solutions will be part of the path forward and businesses are getting creative with how they open. 

With businesses and lifestyles changing so rapidly, we believe that people need a healthy, better-for-you option readily available now more than ever.

Coolgreens is one Byte Technology client that is leaning into  using kiosks as distributed points of sale. In April, Coolgreens was required to close their restaurant dining rooms. So instead, they deployed smart fridges throughout the Dallas Ft. Worth area to drive convenience and push their products to the customer. VP of Business Development at Coolgreens, Mary Beth McGehee, shared “now that we’ve seen success with our newest locations, we have expanded our selection criteria as we go forward throughout the Metroplex. With businesses and lifestyles changing so rapidly, we believe that people need a healthy, better-for-you option readily available now more than ever. With Coolgreens Markets located in high-rise residential and office buildings, people can be more health-conscious without having to leave their office or residence.” 

While vaccines seem to be progressing well, we are optimistic there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Non contact, distributed points of sale like Byte Technology kiosks are certain to continue playing a role as the economy reopens – and beyond.

The post The Evolution of University and Workplace Dining in the Face of COVID appeared first on Byte Technology.

In this interview we discuss how Byte Technology kiosks allow CPMC to:

• Provide 24/7 access to quality fresh food, snacks and drinks
• Extend the operations of their cafe operations without added labor
• Generate additional revenue of over $10,000 a month

“I don’t have to add any extra labor. It’s pure revenue coming out of the program. I easily bring in over $10,000 a month on these machines.”

By embedding using Byte Technology fresh food vending kiosks, CPMC drives additional high margin revenue, increases access to fresh meals and, ultimately, delivers customer happiness. They use the Byte Dashboard to make restocking and management of the kiosks easy, and ensure they are stocking items that people want.

Enjoy the interview and check out additional Byte Technology success stories here.

The post Byte Success Stories: Fresh Food Vending at California Pacific Medical Center appeared first on Byte Technology.

Anna’s story is an inspiring one that originates with the health journey of her husband and continues to evolve as she uses the Byte platform help her business enter new channels. Anna understands that proximity is power, and that by embedding a Byte Technology kiosk within consumers’ daily lives she’s going to help drive sales – and wellness. 

The post Byte Success Stories: An Interview with Thrive Juicery appeared first on Byte Technology.

Tell us about Simply Good Jars.

Simply Good Jars was founded on the ethos that we all need better, faster + easier access to the better options we all want, but often are too hard to find in our busy lives. We also wanted to approach business as a conduit towards challenging the status-quo + unbelievable wastefulness of single-use packaging, typically used for transporting quick food options. Through a chef-crafted approach, we produce and distribute fresh, delicious + healthy options right where our customers live-life.

Can you tell us about your Beyond Zero Waste initiative?

Zero waste is a wonderful goal, but we thought how much better would it be if we could go beyond zero? The idea came from Simply Good Jars founder, Jared Cannon wanting a real solution that extended beyond the SGJ organization.

As part of our Beyond-Zero Waste program, we encourage our customers to return empty jars back to us when finished to be cleaned and reused. For every single jar that is returned to us, we help to feed someone in need. This allows our customers to take a step beyond reducing waste + making more impact in their local communities.

What drove your decision in packaging?

There were many factors, but specifically for our product we wanted our packaging to mirror our brand standards of transparency (see-through), ease (portability) + durability (reuse). In the restaurant industry we use 32 oz plastic quart containers, that we wash and reuse; so the idea spun out of every-day use cases during my 18 year career growing fast-casual eateries + running massive foodservice operations from hotels, high-volume dining, fine-dining and quick service.

What were some challenges you ran into with the reuse program?

As you can imagine, early on it was pretty easy to do; but as we scaled business levels, we had to ensure that our business practices around our sanitation protocols allowed for confidence in our processes. So, very quickly, we started adding expenses for things like random lab-swab testing, proper containers to allow fast-drying and sanitation, in addition to the massive operation that is requires to wash 10,000 jars per month. So, like everything in #startuplife it’s all about iterating and ensuring that we anticipate everything as we charge forward in our mission to eliminate single-use plastic waste.

What are key operational components that must be in place to support a packaging reuse program?

As mentioned above, implementation of a reuse program centers around practices to ensure safety, sanitation and ideal processes. So, things like having lab analysis done multiple times per week, ensuring that proper sanitation practices are in place along with the proper facilities. And that’s just at the sanitation facility level. When transporting RPC’s (returned plastic containers) you cannot marry RTE foods with RPC’s as a process flow, so ensuring the supply chain is built to handle the collection process is also key.

How do you think about margin impact when it comes to this program versus using single use plastics?

For us it is more about redefining what profits should truly mean to an organization. We are doing far better things for the planet, our communities and our customers that have far larger impacts for the incremental costs of reuse over discarding.

For companies looking to reduce their reliance on single use plastics, what recommendations do you have on how they get started?

Just do it. Like everything else you will learn as you go. It’s all about learning and iterating. With that said, you must truly believe it’s the right thing to do, or you will never succeed. For us this has never been a marketing stint or strategy or way to entice or attract customers; it’s been about redefining profits, doing better business and taking a stance against the status quo to end the concept of single-use plastic in our world, simply because it’s the right thing to do.

The post How Simply Good Jars delivers on convenience without adding to the plastic problem appeared first on Byte Technology.

Hosted by:

Megan Mokri, Founder and CEO at Byte Technology
Elease Dimond, Client Success at Byte Technology

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