EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE GREATER GUEST SERVICE

If you put data to work, there’s a name for your kind.

You’re a New Guard Restaurateur, according to Damian Mogavero, author of “The Underground Culinary Tour: How the New Metrics of Today’s Top Restaurants Are Transforming How America Eats” (Crown Publishing). The book, due out mid-January, illustrates how data can be used to exceed customer expectations at every level – whether it’s a food truck selling tacos or a three-star Michelin restaurant with a 12-course tasting menu.

When a restaurant – or any business – is analyzing data from sales, labor and inventory, the insights can help increase profitability and longevity, says Mogavero, CEO and founder of Avero, a New York-based software company. Avero provides software that integrates with point-of-sale systems.

A New Guard Restaurateur, a term Mogavero coined, embraces technology to provide a great guest experience. Here are some common habits:

Leverage inventory data to order ingredients according to sales patterns. Diners don’t ever hear the words, “Sorry, we’re out of that particular dish tonight.”

Examine server sales data for red flags, such as low counts for wines by the bottle or a drop in dessert sales. This allows the restaurant owner to address the need for training.

Scan scheduling data to ensure that the number of servers matches the level of service required for a quality experience.

Reconcile cost of goods sold with knowledge of the gap between ingredients purchased and actually used.

“The beauty of being a New Guard Restaurateur is the magic of the restaurant and the efficiency of running it come together,” Mogavero says. “I believe that’s the future of our growing industry."