14Jul
5 Best Places to Find Local Foods on Mauritius Island

1. Ah Kong Boulette

The ‘Boulette’ which usually comes in a bowl of 5 is simply dumplings customized in the Mauritian manner to add up to the island’s tradition. Situated in the vicinity of Black River at Petite Riviere on the western side of Mauritius is Ah Kong Boulette, known for its variety of pieces of dough. Ah Kong stands out amongst the numerous food outlets and is known for the distribution of its speciality to several restaurants.

2. Chez YOUNGO mo ti baz manzer

In the district of Flacq; the eastern part of Mauritius is found YOUNGO mo ti baz manzer, the best place for ‘mine bouilles’. This famous Mauritian boiled noodle brings ultimate joy to one’s taste buds and the finest of this dish is found at Montagne Blanche. YOUNGO brings to life a perfect ‘mine bouille’ from chassive poulet (chicken) to salmi cerf (deer salmi).

3. Al-Barakat & Bros

Mauritius Island is synonymous with ‘Dhal puri’ which is the typical Mauritian street food found on every corner of the roads around the island. The dholl puri is a soft tortilla made with yellow split peas filled with curries and chilli. Although this food has an Indian origin, it has grown immense fame in Mauritian society and is now a symbol of the island. On the central plateau; the middle point of Mauritius is found in Curepipe where Al-Barakat & Bros is situated. During the cold winter of this town, the inhabitants usually wrap themselves in the warmth of this food outlet’s popular dholl puri considered the best one in the area.

4. Pakistan Hotel

Along the busy streets of Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius is located the famous Pakistan Hotel which is the third most reviewed restaurant in this town. This food outlet provides a variety of oily snacks: Gato Piment; Piment Farci; Chanapuri; Catless; Pudding among many others. Those snacks are mainly accompanied by Pakistan Hotel’s well-known Mauritian tea.
This spot is 100% Mauritian and is a must for anybody who
needs a break from roaming the crowded roads of the huge
town.

5. Bus Snack

The Bus Snack is the food treasure of Baie du cap; the southern part of Mauritius. This food outlet stands out because of the owner’s unique creativity in converting an old bus into the perfect seated eating house. The best thing about its location is the coastal area, the sugarcane and the sandy beaches. As for the servings, one can get any local homemade food at affordable prices.
14Jul
Best Restaurants In Lavington,Nairobi,Kenya : #1 Cheka Japanese Izakaya

If you are in Nairobi then this quaint restaurant in Lavington, Nairobi is a must visit. This is the only Japanese owned Japanese restaurant in Nairobi. They offer a wide selection of aunthentic Japanese cuisines ranging from Salmon Sushi Rolls, homemade Cheka noodles, Fried Sardine, Fresh Tuna, Fresh Oysters and most importantly their imported Japanese sake that makes this place all the more special.

Chekafe Restaurant in Lavington

Its guests are blessed with the option of either outdoor or indoor sitting that are equally quite comfortable. For a chill and calming afternoon be sure to visit the venue. Directions to Chekafe

Moreso, within the same environs is Cheche Bookshop, an Independent Pan African Feminist bookshop, cafe and community event space.The word cheche is Swahili for spark It provides a safe space forward thinkers and creatives to come express themselves. Having opened in 2020, just before the Covid pandemic started, they have been host to regular art, music and film events that bring together veterans and newcomers to the creative space to one venue.

Cheche Bookshop in Lavington

If you are looking to try out new cuisines while enjoying great food and a good book, then this is the place to go.
9Mar
Offline marketing ideas for restaurants

We live in an increasingly digital world, but that doesn’t mean that offline marketing tactics are obsolete. Old-school offline restaurant marketing ideas that have existed for a long time continue to increase sales while also maintaining customer loyalty. Without further ado, here are some methods to attract customers offline.

Hosting Events

Customers are constantly on the lookout for new and exciting experiences. Hosting events at your restaurant is a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition. Inviting a live band, a DJ, or a celebrity singer to perform attracts not only your customers, but also the performer’s fan base. If you’re on a tight budget, you can organize events like Karaoke Night or Standup Comedy Night, in which you can invite your customers to participate rather than just watch a show.

Partnerships

Offline marketing can also be accomplished by collaborating with local organizations and brands. You directly introduce potential customers to your food by catering to the events of another organization. If people enjoy what they eat at such events, they will undoubtedly return to your restaurant for more. You can also increase your customer base by serving as a food sponsor at events.

Participating in Food Festivals

Food festivals provide an excellent platform for both new and established restaurants to market their products and showcase their best offerings to a large crowd. It is an excellent medium for conducting market research and testing for new ideas and dishes. The food festival will help you to connect new customers, stay in touch with your competitors, and to introduce your brand publicity in an easy way.

Coupons and discounts

People will always be attracted to rewards and special deals, and they will drag themselves to your location to take advantage of the benefits of food discounts. You can hand out coupons or handouts to customers to inform them about the concessions you are providing. Customers who visit your restaurant for the first time can also be given discount coupons. You can reward your regular customers and give them discounts if they recommend your restaurant to their close family and friends group. People will always be drawn to rewards and discounts, and you can use them in your offline restaurant marketing.

Support a social cause

People are more likely to be loyal to brands that give back to the community. This is what we call “cause marketing,” which means that businesses that have a cause or do good are more profitable as a result. So, don’t be afraid to promote your restaurant and support causes that are important to you.

Implement these offline marketing ideas for restaurants to bring back old-school methods of promoting your restaurant and make your business a fixture in the local community.
8Mar
How to get supercharge productivity with restaurant management tools and apps?

Every day, advancementsin restaurant software, technology, and services are produced.

Back-office operations are managed by an average of three technology vendors in restaurants.

Accounting, payroll, and business intelligence tools are said to be extremely critical to

50 percent of restaurant professionals. 68% of restaurant professionals evaluate sales reports

on a regular basis, 45 % study labor records on a regular basis, and 32 % review menu reports

on a regular basis.

Your visitors value technology as well. Restaurant guests named contactless/mobile payment availability (34 percent), pay at the table technology (33 %), and online ordering as the technologies that would most enhance their dining experiences during and after the COVID-19 crisis (33 percent). To put it another way, technology enhances both your efficiency and the experience of your guests.

We’ve prepared restaurants management apps list and productivity tools to keep you up to date. Use these tools to simplify your processes so you can focus on what matters most: your guests, food, and crew.

• Avero

Avero provides invaluable insights into restaurant operations and sales to restaurateurs. When combined with your restaurant POS, you gain access to a comprehensive set of solutions such as server performance tracking, inventory management, labor and food cost tracking, revenue management, and more.

• Buffer

Buffer is a social media management app that allows you to manage all of your restaurant’s social media accounts in one place. You can plan and schedule posts in advance, as well as track social media performance, all from your phone or laptop.

• HotSchedules

HotSchedules is a mobile-friendly, cloud-based solution that assists managers in reducing the time, it takes to create, communicate, and manage employee work schedules. It assists you in scheduling the right people at the right time in order to reduce labor costs by up to 2%, according to the app.

• Rockbot

Rockbot, which has over 16 million songs licensed for your restaurant, allows you to play the best background music to create the mood that matches your brand. Control the app and manage what’s playing in your restaurant from any mobile device. Guests can also make requests from your pre-approved music library. The music can be customized, and playlists can be set to play automatically throughout the day. What’s the best part? You don’t have to be concerned about restaurant music licensing fees.

• Zero Hour Health

Zero Hour Health is a crisis management solution that can assist your restaurant in dealing with a wide range of issues, such as foodborne illness outbreaks, violent episodes, workforce issues, and a plethora of other crises. Additionally, Zero Hour Health provides comprehensive COVID-19 clinical guidance and medical direction, including reopening plans, employee health checks, and operating procedures.

• Restaurant Productivity Calculator

This free Toast resource allows restaurant owners and managers to identify gaps in their day and see how they compare to the average restaurateur. Enter the number of hours you spend per week on tasks such as inventory tracking, accounting and reporting, and menu work. The template calculates your time and provides you with concrete restaurant productivity metrics, allowing you to see exactly how much time you spend in the restaurant each week and how you can become more productive.
7Feb
7 restaurant technology trends to watch in 2021

The restaurant industry has traditionally been slow to adopt technology and innovative digital solutions. But in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed that and forced food and beverage outlets to look beyond the traditional. Many restaurants have recently turned to tech, even if reluctantly, to adapt to a new reality. One which includes less dine-in guests, more off-premise and al fresco dining, or plexiglass screens and table dividers, masks and gloves, and lots of sanitizing.

Technology and innovation are what have helped, even saved, restaurants as they transform how they operate to not just survive, but thrive, in this new connected and contactless era. From online ordering, self-checkouts and touchless payments to delivery and pick-up, the F&B industry can no longer afford to ignore the trends that are helping businesses reinvent themselves to remain relevant and competitive.

As it’s predicted that growth in the restaurant industry will be entirely driven by off-premise consumption, using technology is not just about improving operations and service delivery, but also reimagining restaurants.

So, what digital trends and tools should be top of mind in 2021 to stay up-to-date, and even ahead of the competition?

1. Online ordering systems and delivery apps
As restaurants remain vulnerable to imposed restrictions, strict sanitary regulations and even closure, online food orders and contactless home-deliveries have come to the rescue. And this service is here to stay as diners grow accustomed to getting the food they want when, where and how they want it.

Third-party food delivery apps like UberEats, Foodpanda, or Door Dash will continue to be an important solution for those not able to offer in-house ordering and delivery services. But as many diners report a preference for ordering directly from restaurants, we can expect to see restaurants following the lead of larger fast-food chains and investing in developing their own integrated online platforms and apps. Despite the ‘distance’, this digital proximity enables the restaurant industry to stay closely connected with their customers.


2. Contactless payment
Contactless technology is going mainstream, and it’s not just about placing an order online, but also about paying with a smartphone, smartwatch or smartcard via an app or touchless device. New payment technologies have been slowly gaining momentum within the global restaurant industry, but this trend has accelerated with the pandemic. It’s estimated that contactless payments will triple from $2 trillion to $6 trillion worldwide by 2024, and having such options are reportedly extremely important for 34% of customers. With no cash hand, no human contact is required – more hygienic and safer – and it’s quick, instant and convenient. From a cash flow point of view, it’s also more efficient. If restaurants don’t want to be left behind in the coming year, those who haven’t yet done so better invest and plan for mobile and digital payment strategy.


3. Online table reservation system
Booking a table via a phone call is becoming a thing of the past as online table reservation technology takes on new importance. Providers like Eat App, Tablein or OpenTable give customers the freedom to see available slots and make their own booking on-the-go. In turn, by using technology-enabled reservation systems, restaurants can manage seating, waitlists, customer loyalty and dining preferences as well as collect vital client data be it for contact tracing or market insights.

The concept has even been taken a step further. Via its initiative Experiences, OpenTable is offering restaurants the opportunity to propose unique culinary events and dining experiences, beyond standard reservations. Whether it’s Ramen Nights in celebrity chef Hugh Acheson’s dining room, a ‘side-dish’ of line dancing lessons or a fixed-price tasting menu, guests can book their next special dining experience easily, directly and according to what tickles their taste buds. Time to get creative!

4. Digital kitchen ‘boards’
No need to grab paper and pen, worry about smudged printed tickets or run back-and-forth between the kitchen and front-of-house anymore. Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) are a digital menu board for kitchen staff helping restaurants streamline back-of-house operations. Directly linked to the restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system, the screen displays orders automatically according to priority and flagging any special dietary requests. Tracking meal delivery times and monitoring inventory to signal when a product is out of stock, this technological solution ultimately ensures better communication, accuracy, clearer workflows and – being 100% digital – promises a more sustainable kitchen operation.

5. Automated inventory management software
Automating your inventory management means tracking food and beverage stocks, anticipating quantities and even scheduling reorders no longer need to be time-consuming tedious tasks. Very importantly, the implementation of such software in your working process can also reduce food wastage, which is reportedly costing the hospitality industry $100 billion annually. Through cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, companies like Winnow are helping restaurant owners and managers cut food waste and costs and run their businesses more efficiently and sustainably. Partnerships with innovative platforms like Too Good to Go also save restaurants from wasting their food surplus, instead of making it available to users looking for a meal-deal. Saving time and money all while helping the planet – sounds like a no-brainer with sustainability being at the forefront of the global agenda.


6. QR codes
Already a staple in mobile-first societies like China, QR codes are going global and popping up at restaurants around the world. In this ‘no-touch’ era, auto-scanning barcodes with smartphone cameras on posters, tables, coasters, doors or websites allow customers to access online menus, order and pay – without contact – keeping diners and employees safe. This technology, which doesn’t require downloading an app, has also played an essential role in helping restaurants with contact tracing now mandatory in many parts of the world for their reopening during this pandemic. Offering a number of convenient benefits at relatively low costs for restaurants, QR code technology is going to be a ‘must’ in 2021.


7. Air purification technology
As diners return to restaurants, it’s going to be critical to make them feel safe and comfortable. Upgrading sanitization systems through various air purification technologies to promote ‘clean air’ is a growing focal point for the restaurant industry.

Harmless-to-human technology like bipolar ionization, which purifies the air and surfaces in indoor spaces by neutralizing contaminants, is already showing promising results and finding a market for itself. As are systems which make use of ultraviolet light known as effective methods of both air and surface sanitization. While these concepts and products may not yet be mainstream yet, they are fast-becoming the most important restaurant technology of all in in a virus-wary world.
5Feb
The Importance of Restaurant Marketing in the Competitive Restaurant Industry

Restaurants are among the best business ideas and can generate a good income if managed well. However, without a proper plan and a clear implementation strategy, it will not be possible to make it in the restaurant business.

In this post, we explore some of the important restaurant marketing strategies.

Find Out What Food Trends There Are in Modern Restaurant Business

The first step you should take is researching the market. You should have a clear understanding of all the popular restaurant food markets and what is trending in the industry.

The restaurant business moves with trends. Some of the modern trends include molecular kitchen, healthy food, vegan food, gluten-free food, and an open kitchen. The open kitchen has become very popular in upscale areas where people love enjoying the show as the cook prepares the meal.

You should also try offering different types of meals that are trendy and attractive to modern society. For instance, most people today want to eat gluten-free meals, sugar-free meals, and vegan meals. Capitalize on such meals to attract the right customers.

Organize Some Events in Your Establishment

Evening parties and weekend events are a great way to popularize your restaurant. Create events and market them extensively to get people interested in your restaurant.

You can invite local celebrities to grace your events too. You should have at least one day of the week that is themed with parties. It can be live-music evenings too.

Invite Famous People and Bloggers to Your Place

Famous people appearing at your events will attract more people to your restaurant. Even if your restaurant does not serve foods that are the preference of some people, they may just pop in to have some fun time with celebrities. Capitalize on such moment to serve your best dishes.

You can also invite local press and bloggers to review your services and write about your brand in the papers and on high-rated blogs.

Work on the Reputation of Your Place

It is not possible to succeed in the restaurant business without establishing your brand’s reputation. Work on your image through digital marketing including social media interactions.

You should also design an attractive website where potential customers can find out more about your brand. There must be such information as a price, menu info, location, contacts, and social media links.

Make Accounts on Social Networks

Social media is your gateway to the thoughts of your customers. If you want success in your restaurant marketing campaign, you must be willing to invest in social media marketing.

Post visual content such as food recipes, special meals, special offers, announcements and virtually anything that will keep your online followers interested. High-quality photos of your meals will attract more clients than you can imagine. Social networks are the best branding platforms. Respond to your customers’ questions and provide help where necessary.
4Feb
How to Make Videos for your Restaurant?

Video marketing is popular among marketers for one major reason—it works. Want to boost the number of people visiting your site to make reservations? One study found that including your video on a landing page can improve conversion rates by nearly 80%, with 70% of marketers noting that video has higher conversion rates than other […]