For restaurant operators, the cost of doing business—and the cost of labor in particular—is almost always top-of-mind. And it’s easy to see why: for the average restaurant, employee salaries and wages account for approximately one-third of every sales dollar, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2013 – 2014 Restaurant Operations Report.
That’s why cutting labor costs—even in small ways—can have a huge effect on a restaurant’s profitability. Menuing items that help operators save on labor and eliminate waste, such as Chef Pierre® pre-sliced pies, is an easy way for operators to optimize their businesses while building incremental sales.
Because they’re pre-sliced, Chef Pierre pies ensure consistency of product presentation and improve speed of service, since employees spend less time plating and serving each slice. They’re also thaw-and-serve, which means operators can eliminate waste by thawing only what they need each day.
In addition, Chef Pierre pre-sliced pies drive sales by offering consumers the indulgent, seasonal flavors they crave—especially the new Chef Pierre Luxe Layers™ pre-sliced pies, which feature on-trend, complementary flavors such as Blueberry with Lemon Meringue, Apple with Salted Caramel, Cherry with Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Mousse with Caramel, each separated by a layer of flaky pastry crust.
Family Table Restaurants
Dean Feltner, owner/corporate manager of the 21-unit casual/family dining chain Family Table Restaurants in Iowa, includes Chef Pierre pre-sliced pies in a pie-of-the-month program at approximately 15 Family Table locations. Since the start of the program, his pie sales have nearly doubled. “It’s been very popular,” he says. “We’re selling more pie, and people like it.”
Feltner also began including two flavors of Chef Pierre Luxe Layers pre-sliced pies—Apple with Salted Caramel and Cherry with Chocolate Ganache—in the monthly rotation beginning in January, and he says customer response has been nothing but positive. “They love the taste and flavor,” he says.
And Feltner’s staff loves how easy the pre-sliced pies are to serve. His front-of-house employees, who are responsible for plating and serving pie orders, don’t have to spend time slicing the pies. “It makes their jobs easier, and it’s a time saving for us,” he says. “We also like to take the guessing out of it, and the pre-sliced pies help you know exactly what each portion price is.”
Trump Entertainment Resorts
Elaine Geri, purchasing agent for Trump Entertainment Resorts in Atlantic City, N.J., agrees. Since incorporating Chef Pierre pre-sliced pies on the buffets in each resort, she’s been able to save labor and eliminate waste. “We don’t have the staff to support slicing individual desserts,” she says. “Using the pre-sliced pies gives our buffet a uniform look, and we have much less waste.”
Geri uses all four flavors of Chef Pierre Luxe Layers in the Trump Taj Mahal resort and player’s clubs. In the Trump Plaza resort, she serves traditional Chef Pierre pie flavors like apple, pecan and cherry, rotating some pie flavors seasonally—pumpkin pie during the fall for example. However, she says that all of the pie flavors are very popular. “That’s what people go for,” she says.
This post is sponsored by Sara Lee Foodservice