Catering and sustainability: That's what your guests really want

In our Corona emergency measures contribution We have quick measures for restaurateurs to help you continue to generate sales despite the crisis.

An overview of Funding during the corona crisis at federal and state level, can be found here.

Probably the most important concern and recipe for success of a catering establishment is that the guest feels comfortable, comes back and ultimately becomes a regular guest. According to the motto “The guest is king” Restaurants, bars and even hotels tailor their corporate strategy to customer needs in order to serve them optimally. We have summarized 5 tips for your company on how to make your guests happy.

A good selection of food and drinks

From vegan quinoa to juicy steak, your menu should include everything. Because a wide selection of food and drinks in your company ensures you a broad target group of guests. There should also be a variety of drinks, from coffee to quality wine, guests should be able to choose from their spirits. Of course, quality also plays an important role, which should not be ignored. Because if the food doesn't taste good or isn't of high quality, the guest won't come back or become a regular guest.

Ambience and open-kitchen concept

One of the most important feel-good factors for guests is and remains the ambiance of the restaurant or bar, where the first impression is often decisive. For example, attention should always be paid to the cleanliness of the premises and the coherence of the decoration. A new trend: the “Kitchen party” as a catering concept. This seems to be spilling over to more and more restaurants. The guests are curious, which is why more and more restaurants are offering their guests to look over the shoulders of the chefs. This concept not only provides transparency regarding the quality of the food, but also direct contact between guest and host. This increases customer loyalty and the chance that the guest will return is higher.

sustainability

Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important in the catering sector and is becoming increasingly important, especially for guests. Companies should therefore also adapt to customer needs. Measures for a more sustainable catering business include the use of recyclable take-away packaging, the introduction of glass straws and the use and processing of regional food.

5 facts about sustainability in gastronomy

One current study The Center for Sustainable Corporate Governance (ZNU) in cooperation with GV-Praxis and Food-Service contains some important facts about sustainability. A total of 447 companies took part in this survey, including 104 professional restaurateurs.

It is very clear from this study that sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the catering sector, if only for image reasons.

The demand from guests (1) is one of the most important facts about sustainability in restaurants. Generation Y focuses on a balanced, seasonal and regional diet that requires sustainable food in restaurants. In addition, the introduction of a clear waste management system (2)necessary to make maximum use of available resources and to minimize waste. With the change in the lifestyle of Generation Y, their buying behavior is of course also changing (3): Guests are more spending friendly when sustainability stands behind the products. The CO2 footprint also influences (4) The buying behavior of guests using environmentally friendly take-away packaging (5) Trends are set.

6 important tips for more sustainability in your company

Optimum use of resources

A third of our food ends up in the trash. That defines a throwaway society. That is why a closed food cycle is all the more important. These food for thought can help you achieve optimal use of resources for your company. You could think about which foods or dishes cause the most waste, why they do so, and how you could avoid or replace these foods. The more work you put into this, the more sustainable success you will have.

Regionality and seasonality

A topic that is becoming increasingly important to guests. As a restaurant, try to focus your dishes on seasonal and regional foods and communicate this focus. When choosing your suppliers, you should also focus on Regionality Set. Check sources from your region and find out which products are available to you all year round.

vegetarian or vegan cuisine

The fact that meat is one of our biggest environmental sins is nothing new. 15% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by factory farming. However, it is not necessary to convert your entire business to vegetarian or even vegan cuisine in order to improve the sustainability of a restaurant. Make sure you have a small selection of vegetarian or vegan dishes. Your target audience is broadened and your restaurant's image is improved.

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Recycle food and avoid throwing it away

Apps such as Too Good To Go or ResQ are already trying to reduce the amount of food thrown away. These apps have a common goal: to sell or donate unused food cheaply at the end of the day. This makes it possible to make extensive use of food resources and reduce the throwaway behavior of restaurants, supermarkets or bakeries.

Make sure the packaging is correct

Whether it's coffee to go, take-away lunch or a breakfast sandwich - wraps are an integral part of our everyday lives. However, if you pay close attention to the type of packaging, you quickly realize that it is made of plastic in 90% of cases. The fact that plastic is not exactly considered sustainable is nothing new. Guests can therefore bring their own to-go cups, use paper bags or biodegradable packaging for hot lunches instead of plastic bags. Plastic straws should also be avoided and these should be replaced by biodegradable straws.

Online marketing instead of print media

Enough of flyers which, after time-consuming design, still end up in the trash? Then why not contribute to sustainable advertising Socialwave. In the age of digitization, the online presence of companies is becoming increasingly important. Whether positive Google reviews to generate to strengthen the online presence thanks to Facebook likes, via instagram to collect new followers or with WhatsApp marketing Increase customer loyalty: Socialwave helps you do just that. Say goodbye to time-consuming flyer design and improve your environmental footprint at the same time.

The future of sustainable gastronomy

Eco-friendly, sustainable, regional and fair trade: Product descriptions related to sustainability are becoming more and more common in our everyday lives. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that more and more people are turning their lifestyle towards sustainability; on the other hand, sustainability is no longer just a matter of sacrifice. Companies, especially restaurants, can gain an advantage over their competitors from this trend.

Good service

Friendly staff, quick processing of orders and quick service are available for 93% of guests crucial for a good service experience. As a catering business, you should therefore make sure to constantly optimize your processes and work flows. However, process optimization doesn't mean rushing your employees from table to table. On the contrary, waiters should take sufficient care of their guests so that customer needs are met in the best possible way. Make sure that there is enough staff on site, especially during peak hours, so that you can offer your customers optimal service.

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WiFi for guests

Another key factor for increasing customer satisfaction is free WiFi. In order to offer your guests a modern service, free guest WiFi is now mandatory. With Socialwave offer your guests WiFi and can collect email addresses at the same time to do effective online marketing. From collecting positive Google reviews, from strengthening your online presence on Facebook or Instagram to improving customer loyalty via WhatsApp marketing, Socialwave offers you an automated all-round marketing solution for your company.

With our WLAN marketing package, your customers/patients/guests advertise for you, are happy and recommend you to others.