Best new restaurant concepts you should know about!

Breaking into the restaurant technology and market can be extremely challenging and keeping a restaurant open can be even more difficult. With such a turbulent climate, uncontrollable factors and just the difficult nature of keeping consumers happy and interested, running a successful restaurant can be a challenge even for the most business-savvy and innovative people. It’s hard to drive down around and not see a new restaurant opening up or an old one that has closed its doors for good. Enough with the negativity about the industry because if you’re running one, you know the challenges already, so let’s talk about the things can help improve your success. One of the most promising aspects of the restaurant and bar industry as a whole is the innovation.

Is consistency the key?

There’s a saying from the popular movie Burnt about an American chef’s quest to earn the coveted Michelin stars that goes, “consistency is death.” While consistency does have its place in the restaurant industry like with service and quality, however, to keep customers coming back when more, newer options are available, consistency can lead to failure. Let’s take a look at some of the revolutionary trends that are hitting the industry.

What are the new restaurant concepts

Maybe you can pick up a new idea to try and incorporate into your business plan from these new emerging restaurant concepts to increase your success.

1. Big Name Recognition – while this may seem to be a long shot but if you can get a recognizable name to partner, sponsor, endorse or any other verb that fits with your restaurant that can be huge. Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse, Paula Deen and even Mark Wahlberg have put their name behind multiple restaurants and concepts. Now, I’m not saying you should try to land George Clooney or Kayne West but a smaller, more localized name that could be a help to generate some new buzz and business for you.
2. Eatertainment – customers need to be constantly entertained can probably be blamed on the fact that they have handheld video/game/internet devices at all times. More and more restaurants are beginning to incorporate games to draw in customers. Corn hole, ping pong, lawn chess, darts and even fowling (a combination of football and bowling) are being brought into restaurants to bring in those customers looking for more of a hangout atmosphere rather than just somewhere to eat.  
3. Customization/BYO – Burger King started this theme with their old motto, “Have it your way.” By allowing customers to customize and create unique meals and drinks the way that they want creates a new level of involvement and excitement. More restaurants (typically fast causal) are allowing customers to truly create exactly what they want to eat.
4. Niche Appetites – Gluten-free seemed to have come out of nowhere and perhaps many figured it wasn’t going to last but even the most skeptic critics have been proven wrong. Appealing to a variety of specialty consumers can really help open up your doors to new diner preferences. Vegan, gluten-free and a variety of other diet preferences should be considered.
5. Street Foods – corn dogs, nachos, gyros and other foods that hold a special place in our hearts and stomachs have become extremely popular. Now, don’t think that you’ll increase your business by offering a plain Jane corn dog on your menu because customers are looking for unique ways to incorporate those foods that they love. So, think more along the lines of a distinct twist on a traditional corn dog.
6. Food Trucks – some restaurants are trading in their seats and booths for a mobile kitchen to bring their food to the people. Food trucks offer extreme flexibility but also a variety of new challenges.
7. Craft Brews and Artisan Spirits – there is a new breed of adult beverage connoisseurs that have emerged since the rise of small, craft breweries and distilleries. More and more people are looking to try new tastes that are unique to wherever they’re at. This kind of fits with the consumer theme of “buy local.”
8. Show You Care – endorsing and supporting special causes is a great way to generate excitement about your establishment. Holding nights where a portion of proceeds support a cause that you and your business care about is a great way to create a reputation that people will be happy to support.

Do you need to step up your restaurant concept game? How much do you really earn? Calculate potential increase in revenue for your restaurant now!

While I mentioned above that it is crucial to be flexible and willing to change with the times to compete with best new restaurant concepts, it is also important to continue to provide that consistent service and quality that will keep people coming back. At Glimpse, we help restaurants and bars capture more revenue, eliminate costs and improve their customer experience through the use of digital images and POS transactions. To learn more about why Glimpse is right for your establishment, please visit https://glimpsecorp.wpengine.com/contact/ for a free demo.