50 Great Ideas
18. Off-peak loyalty
To drive delivery before peak times, Cornerstone Restaurant Group offers loyalty points or perks such as free delivery for orders placed during off-hours. It has been effective, Director of Operations Elizabeth Tomlinson said at the Food On Demand Conference.
50 Great Ideas
50. Formalizing innovation
Starbucks is launching its 20,000-square-foot Tryer Innovation Center with the goal of bringing new ideas to life in 100 days. The incubator-style lab will look at store design, beverage platforms and customer experience, said CEO Kevin Johnson in April.
When guests are seated at Granite City Food & Brewery, each diner gets a coaster printed with an icebreaker such as “What’s the worst lie you ever told your mother?” that the server must ask the guests to answer. It’s one of several things servers have to do under the concept’s new image, designed to be more “fun.”
To build business during its slower dinners hours, fast-casual chain Fresh & Co. in New York City is testing Fresh & Co. After Dark, an exclusive delivery dinner menu that customers can’t get in stores. The curated, scaled-down menu includes composed salads prepped for delivery as well as entrees, a few desserts and small plates.
Around Valentine’s Day, Corner Bakery Cafe created shareable cards highlighting certain menu items. The cards, with messages such as “I Ham Yours” and “Avacadon’t Ever Leave Me,” were shared across multiple social media platforms. “We really drove guest engagement via social during this time,” said CMO Donna Josephson during the National Restaurant Association Show.