Three social media platforms you should be using

Using Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and others, you can not only effective market your food and venue but go behind the scenes, highlight your employees, promote special deals and interact with customers in a way never before possible.

Instagram is perhaps the most important social media channel for foodservice, with more than 400 million posts tagged #food. It’s well known that people ‘eat with their eyes first’, and research from Social Media Today shows 30 per cent of millennial diners actively avoid restaurants which don’t have a strong Instagram presence. Make sure you set your Instagram up as a business account, which gives you access to useful analytical data and lets you create ad campaigns.

Your Instagram should showcase food, staff, venue ambience and customer satisfaction using visually striking, colourful imagery. It’s important to choose a colour theme which complements your photos, and you should also be thinking about how all your posts look together in grid format. An Instagram planner like Preview can be a big help in getting started.

Facebook is also a great marketing tool, one whose audience now skews slightly older. People are more likely to visit your Facebook page for information on business hours, location, menu and to scan customer comments than look at food photos. Make sure there’s a link to your online ordering platform and that any negative comments are answered and/or deleted. Facebook is primarily used to highlight chef’s specials, promotions and extended opening. You can also curate original content by reposting food or community-related information which may be of interest to potential customers, as well as examples of local media giving your business a favourable plug.

TikTok is a relatively new social platform which lets you talk directly to customers via short videos and live videos. It’s ideal for positioning your brand’s personality, introducing new menu items, showcasing happy customers and encouraging active comments. Plus you can repost your TikToks on Instagram Reels. 

Reaching out to social media influencers can also help boost your profile. Offering them exclusive meals, working with them on collaborative menus or themed events, and livestreaming their experiences are all ways to potentially engage with their followers.

Fire safety - are your premises up to par?

Fires can be devastating for any business, but commercial kitchens are particularly at risk due to the presence of open flames, electrical wiring, cooking oils and cleaning chemicals in a relatively confined space.

That’s why all foodservice businesses should have a written Fire Safety Plan which employees know to follow. This should include everything staff need to know in the event of a fire starting, including:

• How to use a fire extinguisher using the PASS technique:
  Pull out the pin at the top
  Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire
  Squeeze the handles to release extinguishing agent
  Sweep the nozzle from side to side while maintaining your aim at the fire’s base  

• Your fire evacuation plan. One staff member per shift should be assigned as Evacuation Supervisor, whose role is to contact emergency services, make the call to evacuate and get everyone safely out of the premises. This person should also know how to switch off power and gas in the event of an emergency.

As part of ensuring ongoing Fire Safety, you should make sure exits are easily identifiable, check corridors, fire escapes and hallways are always accessible and obstruction-free, train and educate new employees on evacuation procedures and the use of fire equipment, and give long-time staff annual refresher training.

Other useful tips include:

• Don’t put water on a grease fire as it makes grease splatter, spreading the fire further

• If you’re using a woodfired pizza oven, clean it regularly to remove all ashes

• Make sure there is no smoking in or near storage areas

• Keep flammable liquids tightly sealed and stored in well ventilated areas away from any source of flame

• Ensure premises are kept clean and never mix cleaning chemicals

More information is available from the Fire & Rescue service in your state.

Reduce your energy costs and improve sustainability with efficient solutions

Improving operational efficiency in this way not only ensures a more sustainable future for your business – it also contributes towards better sustainability outcomes for our society as a whole. Investing in regular preventive maintenance to ensure your equipment is operating at peak efficiency is a wise move that pays dividends by reducing your energy costs and equipment downtime. Here are some steps you can take:

• Identifying machines and appliances which are not functioning efficiently and taking action now can prevent more costly problems later. Preventive maintenance is typically scheduled based on usage – the more frequently equipment is used, the more often it should be serviced.

• Equipment failures in kitchen equipment are most commonly due to wear and tear – for example, worn belts or damaged rollers on conveyor pizza ovens. Thermostats in fridges, freezers and ovens often become less accurate over time, leading to greater energy consumption than is needed. They may also suffer from condensation and leaks, further reducing efficiency. Regular inspection and maintenance, such as cleaning refrigeration condenser coils of dust to prevent them clogging, and cleaning exhaust hood filters to prevent grease build-up, will extend equipment life and maximise performance.

• A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) uses computer software to keep track of maintenance tasks and helps you plan, monitor, report and optimise maintenance – ensuring a better, more sustainable outcome for your business.

You can further reduce energy costs by:

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