THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...

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THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
HOW
                                           RESTAURANTS
                                               CAN STAY
                                               AHEAD IN
                                                   2020

THE FOOD ISSUE
       THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS
   INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS
      INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS
                                  THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE | SPRING 1
THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
The mission of the Downtown
                                                                                             Business Association (DBA) is to
                                                                                             support, connect and enrich Edmonton’s
                                                                                             Downtown community. The DBA is
                                                                                             one of 13 Business Improvement Areas

MESSAGE FROM
                                                                                             (BIAs) in Edmonton. Businesses within
                                                                                             the defined BIA geographical area pool
                                                                                             resources and work together through

THE DBA CHAIR                                                                                the DBA to promote the economic
                                                                                             development of the commercial district.

        eflecting back on the last 10 years, it is encouraging to see how much
 R
        Downtown Edmonton has changed. New office towers and condominiums have
altered and reshaped our skyline. Companies new and old are investing and expanding
in Downtown. There are new promenades, parks, restaurants—and there’s a whole new
selection of developments slated to be built in next few years. Around every corner,
I can feel the buzz of a growing urban lifestyle that all great Downtowns have.
    At the DBA we are excited about what is going on, what is upcoming and what is           The Downtown Advantage Newsletter
next in the year ahead. One of our key priorities is to launch a Downtown marketing          is published quarterly by the Downtown
campaign that tells our story to the wider Edmonton community and beyond. Over               Business Association of Edmonton.
the next couple months, we’ll be meeting with various stakeholders and the public
to identify what makes Downtown unique and different from other city destinations.           EXECUTIVE          MARKETING
Whether people do business here, live in the core or come Downtown to visit, we want         DIRECTOR           COORDINATOR
                                                                                             Ian O’Donnell      Kayla Shapka
to deliver an amazing experience and create more reasons to come here and celebrate
                                                                                             MARKETING AND      OFFICE MANAGER
Downtown.
                                                                                             COMMUNICATIONS     Mary Davies
    Under the association’s new strategic plan, we are also committed to engaging            MANAGER
                                                                                                                PHOTO CREDITS
more with our members and gaining a clearer understanding of the issues facing them.         Tracy Hyatt
                                                                                                                Cover: Curtis
We’ll be rolling out industry panel discussions, townhall meetings and professional                             Comeau
development opportunities throughout the year to start the conversation. At last
month’s restaurant panel discussion, we heard from many, new and old, restaurateurs
about ongoing struggles, success stories and what’s working well in this industry and
in our Downtown community. Our annual MBA intern business report will focus on the
‘lifestyle’ of our most urban community and talk about what’s needed, how to double
                                                                                             STAY IN TOUCH!
the population and create an amazing neighbourhood for families, seniors                     DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
and everyone else.                                                                           10121 Jasper Avenue,
    Over the past year, we’ve been talking about the booming Downtown foodie                 Edmonton, AB, Canada T5J 4X6
                                                                                             Phone: 780.424.4085
scene and there’s no better time to get a taste of it than during Downtown Dining            info@edmontondowntown.com
Week running March 11 to 22. Why not go on a Downtown-wide eating spree and visit
just opened hot spots or revisit old favourites? Downtown Dining Week celebrates fine        EDMONTONDOWNTOWN.COM
dining, but there’s a whole other set of fast-casual establishments that can’t be ignored.   LIKE US ON FACEBOOK.
                                                                                             FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
We’ve highlighted a handful throughout in the following pages. Let this issue be your        AND INSTAGRAM:
guide to Downtown.

                                                                                              @DBAYEG

Robert Bothwell
Chair, Downtown Business Association

2 SPRING | THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE
THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
THE NOTEBOOK

                                                                                                                                                        BY THE
                                                                                                                                                       NUMBERS
                                                                                                                                                          Growth of fast food
                                                                                                                                                         restaurants in Canada
                                                                                                                                                              2014–2019

                                                                                                                                                               3.4%
                                                                                                                                                       Total revenue of fast food
                                                                                                                                                         restaurants in Canada
                                                                                                                                                                 2019

                                                                                                                                                        $26 billion
                                                                                                                                                       Growth of coffee & snack
                                                                                                                                                          shops in Canada
                                                                                                                                                             2014–2019

                                                                                                                                                               4.8%
                                                                                                                                                        Total revenue of coffee &
                                                                                                                                                         snack shops in Canada
                                                                                                                                                                  2019

                                                                                                                                                         $5 billion
                                                                                                                                                         Growth of full-service
                                                                                                                                                         restaurants in Canada

                                                                                                                                                               4.2%
                                  SEOUL FOOD
                                   f you think dining at a fast-food restaurant
                                                                                                                                                         Total revenue of full-
                                                                                                                                                         service restaurants in
                                                                                                                                                                Canada
                              I                                                                                                                                   2019

                                                                                                                                                        $35 billion
                                   means sacrificing flavour for speed, you
                             might need a little BUOK Fresh Korean Kitchen
                             in your life. The 30-seat, fast-casual restau-
                             rant is the latest brainchild of Henry Song, an                                                                              Source: Statistics Canada

                                                                                       GRAB-AND-GO
                             easygoing Korean with a fierce entrepreneurial
                             streak. “In the fast-casual space many people
                             just buy franchises. They’re not committed to
                             making food that really tastes great. They’re
                             only committed to making money and having                 Fast casual restaurants exploded last year, serving everything from
                             everything set up for them,” says Song who
                             formerly operated Four Rooms restaurant in                Asian dumplings to plant-based BLTs. A simple guide to some of the
                             Edmonton City Centre.                                     best counter-service Downtown when you’re pressed for time.
                             BUOK channels the flavours and techniques                 AL CENTRO                                      TIFFIN INDIA’S FRESH KITCHEN
                             of Song’s mother into authentic Korean dishes             This beautifully designed room has            It’s love at first whiff when you walk into
                             like beef bibimbap, pork dumplings and kimchi.            emerged as one of Downtown’s hottest          this Indian restaurant that dishes out 18
                             It’s not fine dining. Nor is it fast food. It straddles   “fine casual” counter-service spots.          different curries. On hand are plenty of
                             that space in between quick service (usually              Savoury breakfast paninos, Roman style        standouts from the butter chicken to
                             chains) and casual dining restaurants. “There’s           pizza, flavour-packed salads are just right   chicken fenugreek to goat masala. Made-
                             a place for every type of service but I wanted            for breakfast and lunch. Say yes to a         to-order cauliflower latki and fish pakora
                             to be in a category where I see growth,” says             pre-show cocktail from their extensive        are splendid.
                             Song. In Canada and the US, growth of fast-               drink menu.                                   10404 Jasper Avenue
                                                                                       9892 Jasper Avenue
                             casual restaurants is out pacing every restaurant
                                                                                                                                     LOADED PIEROGI
                             category in response to changing demo-
                                                                                       MELT SANDWICH CO.                             This Jasper Avenue outpost is THE place
Photograph by Heather Muse

                             graphics and dining habits. “There are more
                                                                                       The humble sandwich is elevated to a          to find Ukrainian food Downtown. The
                             people that are single than ever before that              whole new level at this breakfast and         majority of the 12 pierogi dishes are
                             now eat alone. At BUOK, we’ve created a space             lunch-time spot located in the Bell Tower     beyond the classic onions and sour cream
                             where everyone is comfortable, whether they               pedway. Our favourite, the grilled cheese     toppings. Wild mushroom and truffle,
                             come in a big group or all by themselves. and             sandwich and tomato soup, stirs up            Montreal smoked meat and buffalo chicken
                             still have food that’s flavourful.”                       childhood memories.                           offer something for everyone.
                                                                                       10104 103 Avenue                              10815 Jasper Avenue

                                                                                                                                     THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE | SPRING 3
THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
SOUND ADVICE
It’s time to get back to the basics. Restaurant tips for taking your operation to the next level.
| ARTICLE COURTESY OF SYSCO CANADA, FOODIE MAGAZINE

During his 34 years in the foodservice            3. KEEP UP WITH INDUSTRY CHANGES
industry, Greg Prokopowich has seen a lot of      The foodservice industry is changing fast.
changes. But as Director of Business Resources    Millennials and Gen Z-ers are becoming the
for Sysco Canada, Prairies Region, he’s also      primary consumers, driving things like plant-       “Get your staff engaged
seen a lot of the same problems over and over     based menus, wild flavour mashups and the ex-         in your goals and bring
again. We asked him how Downtown food             plosive growth of third-party delivery services.
operators can avoid these profit pitfalls.        “It’s a very new landscape for restaurants, and       the whole staff into the
                                                  owners frequently don’t know how to capital-          conversation.”
1. FOCUS ON SALES                                 ize on these developments,” says Prokopowich.
When doing everything right, says Prokopo-        It’s important to stay abreast of current trends.
wich, restaurants should be realizing an annual
profit of 5 per cent. Yet many do not, and the    4. MAKE AN ACTION PLAN
reason is simple, according to Prokopowich:       As with any other business, a restaurant’s
They are often too focused on saving money        owner can become so caught up in the details,
                                                  they neglect the big picture. In foodservice,
                                                                                                      Sysco Canada is a proud sponsor
and not spending enough energy on driving
sales. When you drive sales, you drive profit.    “the owner is often the cook, washing service       of Downtown Dining Week
                                                  and serve too,” says Prokopowich. Instead, if
2. ENGAGE YOUR STAFF                              possible, owners should have others do the          March 11–22. Is your restaurant
Whether you are a small mom-and pop outfit        day-to-day work so they can develop the             maximized for profitability? Request
or a chain, your staff is your greatest asset.    action plans.
“You’ve got to train and invest in your staff,”       When you come in to meet your local             a consultation with your Sysco
Prokopowich says. “Get them engaged in your        Sysco Business Resources team, you can             Marketing Associate about products
goals; bring the whole staff into the conversa-   learn a range of strategies, from how to drive
tion about strategies and customer experience.    sales to training and engaging staff—and it’s       and solutions for your business.
Start by holding pre-shift huddles to build       all free. “We’re not here to sell you anything
energy and morale.”                               except success.” n

4 SPRING | THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE
THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
THIS IS JUST
  THE VEGANNING
     hankfully, vegan food has evolved beyond rice bowls
 T   and pasta. The dishes are so good, you wouldn’t even know
they’re vegan. And in some cases, they’re not even telling you
there’s no meat. We talked to Shelly Halle, co-owner of Peche Cafe,
to see how business is going at Downtown’s newest vegan spot
located in The Quarters.

Why a fast-casual vegan restaurant?                                          Why so hush-hush about being a vegan café?
Fast casual is where the growth is. Young people are eating out often        It was a conscious marketing decision to sell great-tasting food that
and they want an option that’s affordable, great tasting and convenient.     speaks for itself, not food that fits into a category. We don’t want people
                                                                             to choose us because we are vegan. More often than not, people are
What’s flying out the doors?                                                 thrilled to find out that we’re vegan. When we first opened, we saw a
We make a buffalo chicken that we sell a ton of these each day. We           lot of people dropping by to see what we are all about. We lost some
add our own in-house vegan gorgonzola cheese to the sandwich. The            customers because they’re not into vegan food, but we’ve also seen an
cheese is made from cashews and it’s super creamy and has a beautiful        increase in destination eaters, people coming from further away. It’s been
tang to it. Our best seller is probably our pastries though. We can barely   a balancing act.
keep up with the demand.
  We really try to keep our menu fresh and exciting for our customers.       We heard it’s a whole different food concept at night? What’s
We added new dishes last month like a pickle grilled cheese sandwich         going on?
and a BBQ ribbz burger.                                                      Yeah, at 5pm we switch over to Seitans of Disciples. It’s classic fried
                                                                             chicken but vegan. Double-fried dipped Seitan, one of the oldest fake
You make your own cheese?                                                    meats in the world. Made from washed wheat. The Chinese have been
Yeah, we have a cheese factory in the back with state-of-the-art             making it for over 2,000 years.
equipment. It’s insane back there. Anything we can make in-house,               The first two weeks we opened we couldn’t keep up with the
we do.                                                                       demand for fried chickun. We were selling out every single night.
                                                                             Chickun burgers. Chickun wings. Everything. In the evening, we dim
Vegan or plant based? What’s gives? What’s the difference?                   the lights and project b-movies on the back wall.
Veganism emphasizes animal cruelty and exploitation, implying
that not only have you eliminated animal products from your diet,            Your other restaurant Die-Pie is in Oliver. Why did you come
but you’ve eliminated it from all aspects of your life. Plant-based          Downtown to 97 Street?
means you don’t consume animal products, but you might wear                  We think this area has been underserved for a long time and it has so
leather shoes. Veganism and plant-based are really different shades          much potential. This block should be crazy. This block should be bonkers
of grey. We keep the café 100% vegan. We don’t have anything in here         with the RAM, the AGA and the Winspear all in close proximity. And it
that’s derived from animals.                                                 will be! n

                                                                                                            THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE | SPRING 5
THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
5 restaurants doing
Instagram right

6 SPRING | THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE
THE FOOD ISSUE - HOW RESTAURANTS CAN STAY AHEAD IN 2020 - THE RISE OF FAST-CASUALS INCREASE YOUR RESTAURANT PROFITS INSTAGRAM MARKETING TIPS ...
With Instagram being one of the fastest growing networks, it’s easy
to see restaurants value it for marketing and customer engagement.
Which Downtown Edmonton restaurants are killin’ it on Instagram?
We scoured dozens of accounts and found those who are
winning customers and followers one post at a time. Get more
customers through the door and increase loyalty with these tips.

        Central Social Hall                                                     Al Centro
        @centralsocialhall                                                      @alcentro.ca

         Instagram may be free, but savvy digital marketers under-stand         Don’t be afraid to share photos of your employees—they’re your
         that paid social advertising drives awareness and increases            brand’s best ambassadors. Al Centro restaurant regularly posts snaps
         customers. Why bother spending money when you’ve already               of their employees celebrating milestones, such as birthdays and family
         got 5,000 followers? The reason is that reach, the number of           gatherings. Talking up your staff is also a great motivator and way to
         unique accounts your content is displayed to, is far more              recognize them for their hard work. Not to mention it helps build
        important than followers. (Plus, don’t forget that Instagram’s          community, humanize the business and tell your company’s story.
        algorithms serve up your organic posts to only about 20%
       of your followers) Paid ads allow you to market your content
       to people who aren’t following you. And even better, you can             Sabor
               target specific demographics based on age, gender,               @sabor_yeg
                 interest and location. “You’re not blanketing people that
                                                                                We get it, you’re too busy for Instagram. So why not let your customers
                 wouldn’t be interested in your ad or restaurant, unlike
                                                                                do the work for you? Regram their posts. Afterall, social media is about
              traditional media” says Jesse Kupina, owner of Central
                                                                                sharing. They’ve already eaten at your restaurant, raved about their
Social Hall. You don’t really know who is going to see a billboard ad
                                                                                experience online and racked up dozen of likes from their followers.
or listen to a radio spot. The 109 Street restaurant purchases paid ads
                                                                                About 70 percent of Sabor restaurant’s posts are customer regrams.
to spread the word about new menu items, special events and new
                                                                                “It’s allows us to say ‘thank you,’ and be appreciative and grateful to
restaurant happenings.
                                                                                our customers for sharing their experience at our restaurant with their
                                                                                followers,” says co-owner Christian Mena. Think of it as a glowing review
Wishbone                                                                        in real-time that will influence new customers who are umming and
@eatwishbone                                                                    ahhing about coming in. “More older customers are learning how to use
                                                                                Instagram to shop around. They use social media to decide where they
No matter how many followers you boast, a restaurant’s Instagram                want to eat and what’s going on in the dining scene.”
account is only as good as the quality of its photos. You’ve got less
than two seconds (really!) to grab someone’s attention so every
photo should leave followers salivating. Since opening two years ago,
Wishbone restaurant has gained 5,000 Instagram followers, credited
                                                                                District Cafe
                                                                                @districtcafeyeg
mostly to quality photos that drive customers through the door.
“Whenever we post something on Instagram, I notice that it becomes              Save the dry copy for business presentations. Your Instagram
a big seller for that day, and even the day after,” says chef Lasha Gust.       captions should be short, snappy and reflect your brand’s voice. But
Armed with the restaurant’s point-and-shoot camera, Gust snaps                  most importantly, your captions should stir excitement and strong
most of Wishbone’s photos. Her two biggest tips are always use                  emotions amongst your followers. District Café and Bakery is a brand
natural sunlight (no flash please) and focus on composition. Gust               that’s really figured out how to use Instagram to tell its story and share
takes most of her photographs underneath the restaurant’s skylight              its values. They speak to their followers like they were besties. It’s
or in the restaurant’s back hallway where it has lovely white walls that        light-hearted, witty and clever, but always genuine, which is no different
beautifully reflect light. “I try to use plates like a canvas to show off the   from the in-person experience at District. Finding your brand voice take
food and make sure all the components are highlighted in a way that             practice and it may evolve as your business changes. n
makes people want to eat it,” adds Gust.

                                                                                                              THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE | SPRING 7
A TASTE
OF THINGS
TO COME
A         growing Downtown population,
           changing demographics and the
            rise of quick-service restaurants
has greatly impacted Downtown’s dining
scene in the past year. Key to growth will be
                                                  new people visiting the restaurant who have
                                                  just moved Downtown, and they are out and
                                                  about getting to know the neighbourhood,”
                                                  says Iulian.
                                                     In addition to twentysomethings, many
                                                                                                    order Brazilian sandwiches filled with mounds
                                                                                                    of barbequed beef brisket and topped with
                                                                                                    cheddar cheese. Next door at Tiffin India’s
                                                                                                    Fresh Kitchen, which opened last summer,
                                                                                                    Indian cuisine is a quick, grab-and-go meal
keeping up with a rapidly changing industry       of Bottega’s customers are retirees that          for lunch or dinner before a Rogers Place
and staying relevant with consumers.              have sold their acreages in the surrounding       event. On the south side of Jasper Avenue,
   According to the 2019 City of Edmonton         bedroom communities and are downsizing            government workers and residents of the
census, 12,423 people call Downtown home.         Downtown. “They love the vibe. They               tony neighbourhood frequent BUOK Fresh
By 2023 another 1,400 residential units will      love living walking distance from so many         Korean Kitchen for its flavourful bibimbap
be added with the development of The              restaurants. That’s what attracted them here,”    bowls.
Falcon Towers, Ice District high-rises, the       adds Illuian.                                        “In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a
Clancey on 104 Street and Shift by Edgar                                                            lot of great fine-dining restaurants open in
Developments on 106 Street. More than half        No matter what the residential influx brings,     the core that created a great deal of buzz
of those living in the core are aged 20–39        restaurants will have to adjust their business    about the dining scene here. With a slower
and represent a young, cosmopolitan crowd         practices to adapt to changing trends, says       economy though, we’ll probably see that
who have bought into the urban lifestyle          Patrick Saurette, proprietor of The Marc, and     pace slow down a bit and more fast-casuals
of unmissable arts and culture attractions,       the past chair of Restaurants Canada. Today’s     places open. That’s the one dining category
and a multitude of dining options located         consumers are inundated with food and             where there’s real opportunity for growth.”
just outside their condo doors. This young        beverage choices, requiring businesses to be      says Ian O’Donnell, executive director of the
cohort also spends about 35% to 44% of            nimble more than ever. The same old, same         Downtown Business Association.
their food dollar on food and alcohol from        old doesn’t cut it.                                  Fast-casuals leave a large chunk of money
restaurants, which bodes well for Downtown           It only makes sense that with everyone         on the table and some operators are looking
eateries that have traditionally relied           tightening their belts, Downtown will see         for innovative opportunities to present
primarily on diners coming in from across         more of what Saurette calls “fast but good”       themselves.
the city.                                         spots or what the industry calls “fast-casuals”      Head to Dorinku Osaka at noon and
   “About 60% of our business comes from          —eateries offering counter service, where         you’ll notice something decidedly different
people living and working in the surrounding      people can grab food quickly and for less         about the lunch service. There are no servers
area,” says Flavius Iulian, regional manager of   money than what they’d pay at a fine dining       floating from table to table taking orders.
Bottega 104. Since opening on 104 Street          restaurant.                                       Instead patrons queue up at the till and a
in 2018, the Italian restaurant has seen a           This winter, Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse        cashier takes each order. When the meal is
steady increase in local foot traffic from the    opened its fast-casual concept a Bite of Brazil   ready, a server brings out the food to each
neighboring towers. “Every week, we have          on 104 Street . For under $10, customers can      table. This pared-down, cost-efficient model

8 SPRING | THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE
AS DISRUPTIVE FORCES
CONTINUE TO IMPACT
DOWNTOWN’S DINING
SCENE, RESTAURANT
OPERATORS ARE
CHANGING THEIR
BUSINESS MODELS
AND PRACTICES.

allows the restaurant to schedule less front-
of-house staff during the lunch hour. And
Downtown workers, with a limited amount of
time for lunch, can quickly get back to their
desks in less than an hour. In the evening,
table service resumes.
   The same thing happens at Filistix, a
30-seater Filipino restaurant that opened
on 100 Avenue and 107 Street last year. For
dinner and weekend brunch, it’s table service
and a lengthier menu filled with dishes, such
as chicken and shrimp dumplings, grilled
skewers, fried noodles and chicken adobo.
However, during lunch-hour, just like over
at Dorinku, it’s counter service and a limited
menu designed to get people in and out
quickly.

Restaurant service too slow? There’s an app
for that. The rise of online third-party delivery
services, such as Skip the Dish, Foodora and
Uber Eats, has created an additional revenue
stream for many restaurants. According
to NDP Group, in the 12 months ending in
February 2019, foodservice-delivery sales
reached $3.3 billion in Canada, representing
5.8 per cent of the $57 billion of the total
full- and quick-service restaurant sales. Much
to the ire of some restauranteurs, this tech
disruptor is not going away. It’s here to stay.
   “If people are going to spend money at           Flavius Iluian of Bottega 104 says that their new
my restaurant, does it really matter if they eat    private room, built to host more corporate and
                                                    private bookings, will be a game changer.
here or if they order from Skip?” asks Henry

                                                                                                        THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE | SPRING 9
Fast-causal Tiffin India’s Fresh Kitchen is one
  of a growing number of restaurants offering
  counter service that have opened in the core.

                                                           NO LONGER ARE YOU SERVING CUSTOMERS WITHIN
                                                           YOUR RESTAURANT SPACE. YOU’RE REACHING THEM
                                                                     IN THEIR HOMES AND IN THEIR OFFICES.

Song, owner of fast-casual BUOK.                     Ono Poke’s custom-built food delivery app.       For some operators, 2020 will be about
For many like Song, the appeal of these              Built in partnership with Chow Now, orders       maximizing the space they already have. For
delivery services is that they allow restaurants     through the Ono Poke app are commission-         The Marc, a big change has been in serving
to reach new customers and markets. No               free, allowing the fast-casual to maximize its   corporate functions. When Saurette and his
longer are you serving customers within your         bottom-line revenue.                             wife launched the restaurant nearly a decade
restaurant space but you’re reaching them in            Unlike, third-party services, Hui has more    ago, they promised that they’d never close to
their homes and in their offices.                    control over the app. He can run app-only        the public for a corporate event. Times have
    During the winter months, deliveries             promotions, collect email addresses to           changed and Saurette has realized that he
account for almost 40% of Ono Poke’s                 remarket to subscribers, and take advantage      can’t pass up the guaranteed full house that
business, says chef Lawrence Hui. That               of push-notifications to strategically           a corporate event provides. He’s now taking
percentage drops in half when the weather            announce new dishes or discounts.                full restaurant buyouts for corporate clients.
warms up. “We are winter wonderland and,                Saurette of The Marc urges restaurants           Many restaurants report that they’re also
during those months when we’re stuck in the          to think beyond delivery services and think      seeing a rise in weddings and anniversary
cold, a lot of people don’t want to go outside.      about their overall “digital door” experience.   parties happening on weeknight and
It’s convenience they’re after,” says Hui.           Saurette says that restaurants stateside are     weekend evenings, as consumers look
    But these delivery apps do come at a cost.       looking at how they can outfit their spaces      for alternative venues and ways to save
Many of the delivery companies operate               to accommodate the increased use of              money. There are plenty of opportunities for
on a percentage commission fee that can              technology. “Chipotle is a great example of      restaurants to take advantage of this trend.
be negotiated but only the larger chains             a company that is designing their spaces            This April Bottega 104 will open a 50-seat
are typically afforded lower fees. Smaller           to allow other ways for consumers to             private room to accommodate corporate
independents can pay as much as 40% of the           participate in convenience, fast-food and        events and private bookings. The space isn’t
bill in fees, which is a high cost for an industry   accuracy.” Earlier last year, Chipotle began     even open yet and already the restaurant has
that already has thin profit margins.                testing exterior pick-up windows for             bookings for Christmas. “It’s going to a game-
    On Ono Poke’s back counter, four tablets         customers who place orders online.               changer and a huge source of revenue for
are lined up every day. There’s one for Skip                                                          us,” says Iulian. “We want to fully invest here
the Dish orders, another for Uber Eats, a            Third-party delivery services and fast-          in Downtown because the location is prime
third for Foodora and the last one is for            casuals are obviously not for everyone.          and it’s a growing Downtown core.” n

10 SPRING | THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE
LISTEN TO A
                                     PODCAST
                                  ABOUT HATTIE’S
                                  ROYALALBERTA-
                                   MUSEUM.CA/
                                    PODCASTS

                                                                                            MEMORY LANE

                                                              ALL ARE WELCOME
                                             N THE 1940s, a weary Black traveller had few             all skin colours, from near and far, came for. Edmonton
                                       I     dining options in Edmonton. Discrimination was           musician Tommy Banks raved about Hatti’s chicken.
Photos courtesy of Myrna Wisdom

                                      still commonplace. Blacks faced institutionalized racism        American Black entertainers Pearl Bailer and Big Miller
                                      in a number of pernicious forms—many hotels and restau-         popped by when performing in Edmonton. Hatti’s was
                                      rants refused to accommodate them. One welcoming                more than a restaurant. It was an important social mainstay
                                      place in Edmonton for Blacks looking for a meal was Hatti’s     of the Black community, a meeting place for the city’s Black
                                      Harlem Chicken Inn, opened in 1944. Originally located at       population to share news, stories and meet friends. Newly
                                      101 Street and 104 Avenue (it later moved to where the          arrived Blacks knew they’d be lovingly greeted by Hatti, and
                                      Law Courts now reside), Hatti’s Harlem Chicken Inn was          if they were lucky, pick up work in the kitchen. All were wel-
                                      the best fried chicken joint in the city. Owner Hatti Melton    come. Hatti Melton passed away in 1969 and her daughter
                                      served up juicy, salty, crackling fried chicken that folks of   ran the restaurants for a few years after until it closed. n

                                                                                                                                     THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE | SPRING 11
March 11-22
  $20 2-course lunch / brunch
  $35 or $50 multi-course dinner
  Daily culinary events
  Enter online for a chance to win a Downtown Weekend package,
  including a two-night stay at the JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District
  and two tickets to Miranda Lambert
  edmontondowntown.com

   PRESENTED BY:        SPONSORED BY:

12 SPRING | THE DOWNTOWN ADVANTAGE
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