10 Good Facebook Post Ideas For Foodtrucks

1.) Do a Trivia Contest

Example: Answer correctly, win a free burrito: His government overthrew the only monarch of the 2nd Mexican Empire #AdelitaJeopardy

2.) Remind About Catering

Example: Hey Denver! We are now accepting summer catering reservations. Book your event with us now through February and SAVE 15% on your catering package!

3.) Promote New Items

Example: New item special: chicken curry. Join us ! :) happy Friday

4.) Offer Discounts

Example: Weekly Special - order any entree plate and receive a free can of soda! Show this tweet to the cashier when ordering to receive your drink.

5.) Offer Discounts via Secret Codeword

Example: We will be at Nooch Vegan Market tomorrow for Falawesome Friday 12-4pm. Tell us Our Falafel is Falawesome and get a $2 hummus sampler free with any purchase $6+!

6.) Post Honest Updates to Build Trust

Example: Water pump on the truck just failed! Going to be closed today but will reopen tomorrow! See you then!

7.) Encourage Ordering Ahead

Example: Cold & wet today! Call or text in your order and we'll have it ready for ya :) 503-946-6150

8.) Set Goals

Example: Today we hoped to hit 200 likes and thanks to all our amazing and great supporter we were able to hit 203 likes. Love you guys ;)

9.) Talk up the Food, Duh

Example: Delicious batch of Caramelized Onion and Smokey Blue Cheese Soup is simmering and getting ready for lunch service. Crisp green beans are saucing away in a smoked paprika pickling juice. Maybe it is all of the wood smoke we ingest from the 23rd & Alberta lot fire that is dictating our flavor preferences right now!

10.) Promote Voting in Local Contests

Another successful day at Auraria, sold out once more! Thank you all for your patience today, we hope we've earned your VOTE for Manna as the Best Food Truck in Denver!

Eight Tips for an Effective Restaurant Web Site

1.) Avoid PDF Menus:
Google has a hard time capturing data in PDF format. So even if that's how you sent it to the printers, you'll need to put it in regular text format on your web site.

2.) Ask for Birthdays and Email Addresses:
Ask people for their email address and birthday so you have a reason to send them an email and a discount.

3.) Use Quality Photos Only:
Don't just take photos with your phone and upload them. In fact, you might avoid food photos entirely unless a professional does them.

4.) Update Frequently:
Adding current events to your web page is a sure way to let patrons know that there's always something happening on your site and through your doors. Another reason to update frequently is to assure that your restaurant pops up in appropriate searches. Because Google and others are always reconfiguring the algorithms that determine search results, it's imperative that your codes and tags are properly maintained and updated. Your website is a valuable tool, but only if you set it and don't forget it.

5.) Flash Specials:
Sitting on a bunch of pork tenderloin that's about to go bad? Post a flash special on your site or better yet, via Facebook and Twitter.

6.) Match the Ambiance:
Your site should reflect the same ambiance as your restaurant. Use the same color schemes and artwork too.

7.) Take Reservations Online:
Partner with Open Table or another service to allow easy reservations. Though note that with Open Table set-up costs can be as high as $700 - along with a monthly fee of $199 and a per reservation fee between 25 cents and a dollar.

8.) Enable People to Back Your Business:
People have an emotional relationship with restaurants and often want to feel like they were on the inside of something new and cool. So allow them to give you startup capital in exchange for perks and rewards. And, of course, consider using Foodstart.com - the only community-funding platform designed just for food and beverage businesses.

7 Ways for Restaurants to Use Pinterest

1.) Use awesome photos. Pinterest is a visual bulletin board medium, use it visually.

2.) Start with a photo or video that you just have to share and simply create a board. Over the next few days add some more items to the board until it feels full or at least fullish. 

3. ) Once you have an active board (5 or more items) start sharing your board by adding the links to your website, Facebook, and Twitter. Ideally, these photos will give viewers feel like they are insiders.  Photos to consider: putting up your restaurant’s sign, a great looking, new dish you are considering, or behind-the-scenes photos of the chef and other staff.

4.) Be consistent.  All branding reflects back on you, everything that can be associated with your name is branding, and marketing.Use the Pinterest boards to reflect your restaurant in the most favorable way possible every time.

5.) Promote your Pinterest page with table-top tent cards or a bit of text for the link added to the menu. It will encourage customers to look at previous things you’ve done while they wait for their orders. 

6.) Allow customers to add to your group board. Also, allow them to share their own Pinterest boards (not: you’ll have to follow them to add them). If customers add to your board but the content isn’t relevant, just delete it. 

7.) Stay current…each week schedule some time to add new pics and/or video to your Pinterest board— and take down that Christmas dinner shot before mid January.

5 Tips for Choosing Restaurant Glassware

1.) Make Glassware Distinctive: Match glasses and mugs to the restaurant’s décor, which helps present a fluid dining experience for customers.Consider more elegant glassware for fine dining, or choose casual options for a relaxed and fun environment. Remember that first impressions with customers can make a significant difference in their overall satisfaction level. And glassware is oftentimes the first thing a customer sees when entering a restaurant. Make sure the mugs, glasses, and other glassware on the table stands out. Make your choices pleasing to the eye.

2.) Select Durable Glassware: Choose durableand long-lasting glassware. This can save money in the long run, so select products from a manufacturer with a great reputation. Focusing on lower-priced products alone could actually cost more in the long term as lower-quality items can break, chip, or crack more easily.

3.) Avoid Bulky Glassware: Diners prefer glasses that are easy to hold and handle. And if you want bigger glasses, for items like beer mugs, consider getting them with a handle. Think of your glassware as more than just an accessory. It can function as a focal point a customer’s dining experience.

4.) Use a Wide Selection of Glassware: From beverage glasses with or without handles to large or small coffee mugs, make sure to cover all of your bases. Available products also include soda glasses, dessert glasses, and tumblers. And for fine dining establishments, choose wine and champagne glasses that keep in mind the overall restaurant design.

5.) Find Startup Capital: Need help raising the funds to pay for all this new glassware? Reach out to potential customers and partners through Foodstart.com, the community funding site just for the food-and-beverage industry.

Foodstart - How it works

 

FOR BACKERS

If you're reading this page you probably got an email or Facebook post from a friend saying that a new restuarant or brewery was opening up nearby.  Like every business, these guys need money to get started or expand.  And they see lots of benefits for getting it from friends and friends of friends than the office of a mega-bank.

Here's what to do next:

1) Review the business plan.  Does it make sense?  Do you think they have a shot at it?  If so...

2) Look at the perks they're offering and decide how much you want to put in.  It might be $10 for a long-term discount on desserts or $250 to have a menu item named after you.

3) Submit your pledge (not an actual payment since the business only gets the cash if they're funding goal is reached) using your Amazon username and password.  Yes, the same one you use to buy garden gnomes and UFO Dectectors and whatever else they sell on Amazon now.

4) Tell your friends about the cool business your backing.

5) Assuming you've told enough people about it and they reach their funding goal, you'll get an email in your inbox and a Ownership Card in the mail.  Whenever you go to the business, just present your card and redeem whatever great perks you've earned for being an early backer in the business. Cool huh?

Find a Project

 

FOR BUSINESSES

For business owners the process is really straightforward.  But you’ll need a few things to get started, including a bank account, a working phone, and a business that’s in the food-and-beverage industry. Assuming you got those covered, you simply need to

1) Upload your pitch
You might need capital to buy equipment. Or to expand to another location.  Whatever the purpose, the first step is to post the plan for your project.

2) Pick the Perks
People who are backing you need to get something in return. It might be a cash discount.  It might be a free dessert or the next available table during busy times.  Whatever combination of perks you have available, we have market research to help guide you.

3) Tell folks to check it out
Build buzz by telling people about your new project – we have the tools to help with this too.  Hopefully, they’ll tell people who will tell people who…well, you get the idea.

4) Execute
Assuming your funding goal has been met, cash will be deposited directly to your business’s bank account (less a credit card fee and 4% processing commission.)   And now, unlike your competition, you have hundreds of local people who now have an incentive to see you succeed!

Start a Project