In 2001, there were 160 restaurants for every 100,000 Americans. Currently, that number is well over 200. So there are more restaurants per capita now than before and that number continues to grow. This means there are more choices available to the average diner, but it also means there is more competition for the average restaurant owner. This is just one of many factors why full-service restaurant sales have been weak for the past few years. Consumer data shows that Americans still love eating out and so the demand for eating out is still strong. But the question is what type of restaurants? Most of the restaurant growth has been in limited-service and fast-casual concepts such as Chipotle and Panera Bread. 

 

One obvious reason for this shift is economics: most people simply can't afford to frequent full-service restaurants as often as they used to. The second reason is consumer preference for convenience: people don’t want to sit, wait, and be served anymore. The third reason is competition: the food quality of limited-service restaurants is getting better and better, which is chipping away revenue from full-service restaurants. And lastly, running a full-service restaurant is becoming much more costly. From minimum wage increase, to higher employment turn-over rates, full-service restaurants are under assault. Add to that the devastating effects of COVID-19 closures in March and April, full-service restaurants may run the risk of becoming extinct, similar to how full-service gas stations gradually became extinct in the '80s. 

 

The MenuClub team’s mission is to help full-service restaurant operators navigate the rough waters ahead by offering them affordable restaurant marketing products and services that strengthen their image and increase their revenue. My team and I strongly believe that each and every restaurant, no matter the size, has a competitive advantage that is waiting to be discovered. We have been instrumental in helping hundreds of restaurant operators:

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• Find their competitive advantage

• Create an image based on their own core strengths

• Communicate that image to their customers

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Despite all the misinformation about running a restaurant, I find it to be a truly rewarding profession which can also be highly profitable in the right hands and with the right strategy. During my 20-year career in restaurant consulting business, I've had the pleasure of working with hundreds of restaurant operators. I find them to be passionate and among the hardest working people in America. I've always enjoyed listening to their unique stories filled with struggles and accomplishments. I look forward to meeting you and your team some day soon. 

 

Best Regards,

Robert Hedayat

President/CEO

MenuClub, Inc.

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Robert Hedayat has worked in restaurant business all of his adult life. During college, he held various restaurant positions, from the back of the house all the way up to management. By the time he graduated from college, he was in charge of handling marketing and advertising for 11 different food outlets. In January of 2000, he co-founded MenuClub, Inc. with one goal in mind: to help restaurant operators improve their image and bring more traffic to their business. Robert has a bachelor's degree in computer engineering and a master's degree in business administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a professional photographer, an experienced graphic designer and web developer, and an expert in menu design and menu engineering. 

 

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