MML University

Having trouble getting started on MyMenuLab? This is your chance!

MML University is held 6 times a week. It's the perfect opportunity to speak live to an expert while watching them create and process products....all from your own computer screen! This isn't just for beginners either...more advanced users have the opportunity to learn and share more tips and tricks as well. Spend 30 minutes with us or stay for the whole hour!
Log in by going to www.mymenulab.com and follow the links.

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New Year's Eve: Advertise Your Party!

It's not too late to create a super simple, but effective advertising campaign for your Christmas or New Year's Eve Party! 10 minutes of your time and you can have a great poster or table tent to let your customers know about upcoming events and parties...it's marketing that pays for itself!
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Fall = Football

With fall right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about your seasonal specials and events. A crowd favorite? FOOTBALL!

Make a super simple Table Tent or Poster like this one and watch the crowds roll in for the Big Game (less than a month away!)

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5 Reasons to use the MML Image Gallery!

1) It was newly updated with even MORE photos!
2) It's easier than taking a photo of your food or beverage before it melts.
3) It's so easy, just click on "Image Gallery" adjacent to the spot you want to add the photo....choose your food category, and pick an image to upload!
4) Food photos are guaranteed to be high resolution and properly sized.
5) Profitablity...customers eat with their eyes before reading the description...if you want to push a high profit item, popbox it with a great photo from the Image Gallery. Watch that item sell like crazy!

MyMenuLab is here to provide you with tools to make the best looking menu possible. Why not make it even easier on yourself?

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Happy 4th of July from MyMenuLab!

Stay tuned for the results from the Labby Awards!
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Photo Opportunities

Menus with great pictures always catch my attention. I am not embarrassed to admit that I have made many decisions at restaurants based on food pictures alone...juicy burgers, fresh looking salads, flame broiled chicken and steaks, cheesy nachos....why not make that work as part of your menu engineering scheme? Check out this menu page from High Tides in Colonial Beach, CA. (Great looking steak page, guys!). This is also a great opportunity to upsell add-on's, as they have with their mushrooms & onions OR to highlight high profit items. Great items deserve a great picture.
The MyMenuLab Image Gallery is full of photos available for upload on your menus, or insert pictures from your library (making sure they are up to lab specs of course!). Reap the benefits of increased sales on your highlighted items!
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Let us build your menu in the lab!

Help! You have inventory to do, a liquor order to complete, servers to train and your chef just handed you the new summer menu items....you don't have time to type it all in? Let us help you! At MyMenuLab we can build your menu into your existing user account. It's fast and affordable....then you get to take the reigns and put your special touches on it! You also get to finish your in-house work and the chef is happy too. Contact us for more info. 866.MYLAB01.
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Small Plates = Profitability

One of the hot new trends in 2009 is the Small Plate menu. (Perfect for those with a smaller appetite, easier on the wallet, better for the waistline....) Many restaurant owners may think "Why put cheaper items on my menu?" but there are a number of reasons this makes sense....Personally, I order off the small plates menu so I can have an appetizer or dessert, maybe both! It's also perfect for those who like to try different items instead of committing to just one entrée. This may seem like commitment phobia but variety is the spice of life, yes? Another good reason to offer a small plate menu is value perception. If folks think they are getting a bargain, they will be back! And they will tell their friends...

These ideas came from one of our designers, Nicole..." offering a lower portion at a lower price point is not only good for the economy but it also plays on the trend of more health conscious eating as our country's obesity rate approaches 60%.

Dessert "bites" like petit-fours, offering a small portion of a desert instead of the big one, charge 1.99 for 1/2 or 1/3 of the size and make a little more in profit margin by sneaking in the convenience fee of getting more variety and a smaller portion vs. 4.99 for the whole piece. Also, less food waste as the kitchen can divide desserts and apps into several orders if your run the promotion only during peak hours.

Create a fun name like - Triple Deal Meal or "Have Your Cake and Eat it Too". Include a mini-appetizer (1/3 size), mini entree (1/2) size and mini dessert (1/3) price for a fixed price (varied by entree.)
Triple Meal Deal - 14.99
Steak Only - 9.99

This is sort of like what the chains are doing but takes it a step further by putting the upsell in the entrée instead of on it's own menu. If people think they can get a dessert and an app for only $5.00 more, I think people would order. This would also encourage people try these "luxury" dining options that some people don't want to splurge on right now. When the economy gets better people will be more likely to order the larger portion if they choose because they've gotten hooked on something during a promotion.

That's my 2 cents."

Thanks Nicole!

Posted by Lab Assistant, Heidi R.

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Marching into Spring at MyMenuLab

Finally, Spring is almost here! At MyMenuLab we're looking even further in to the future.....this is a great time to plan your special menus for April and May. Easter, Mother's Day, Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day are all on the horizon. So, get your Spring cleaning done and get ready to say goodbye to Winter!
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Stimulate Your Own Economy!

The country seems to be obsessed with the Stimulation Package.. and rightly so.

But are you doing all you can to energize your own business?. Often, in a fast paced, crazy time like this, we overlook the obvious.

In this case, I'm talking about your current customers. You've got to find a way to make sure they stimulate your economy. The trick is making it easy for them.

Try a BUZZ Card - have you tried one? Did you know there are tons of great marketing ideas built right into MyMenuLab - so all you need to do is pick one, print them and hand them out.

Create a VIP Club, invite your Lunch regulars back for Dinner Specials, create a Kiddie Credit Card! It's time to get your BUZZ on!
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Menu Jackets now available on MyMenuLab!

Didn't your Mommy always remind you to put on your jacket? Well, HERE'S TO YOUR MOMMY!. We now offer Menu Covers as a part of the product mix on MyMenuLab. If you're looking for a jacket for your Sluggers, or you want to make a little booklet out of your table tent inserts, check out the JACKETS/COVERS tab on the lab. Just note, to keep things cost effective, we're offering a limited range of sizes and only 1 color - black. Also, all jacket sales are final... no returns. So, if you can live by those rules, we've got a deal!Menu Covers (Jackets) help keep your MML pieces clean and protected, but also add a nice look to the design.... like a picture frame!

Remember, like an old Winter coat, you're going to need to replace your jackets every so often... but, we're here for ya!
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Looking forward to Spring... MyMenuLab February (and April!) Calendar

Thank goodness January always goes by quickly!
MyMenuLab is already looking forward to the April showers and May flowers. Too bad the groundhog saw his shadow....
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January... & the Luck of the Irish

So... Happy New Year, Happy Valentines Day... Fast forward to March - You've got marketing to do! January is a great time to regroup. Plan for Spring & lots of growth opportunity! Remember, a little planning can reap big benefits.Erin Go Bragh!
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Where'd December Go?

Good thing we're always planning 2 months ahead, huh?  Look for January's (or should I say March's) calendar next week!   Happy Holidays - which ever month you're in...
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Notes from Table 12......

Question for the Day.... How do you let people know about your specialty items?

Single diners can be an asset, not just a smaller check and tip. I eat by myself several times a week. Sunday I was traveling and stopped at Bailey’s, about 50 miles from home. The regulars in town each have their favorite meal and I am no exception. I had driven several miles out of my way to have their perch dinner. The restaurant was packed, but had room
for 1 at the bar.
It turned out to be a great place to play my game for single diners.
The bartender was friendly—very helpful when a person dines alone—in fact we had mutual friends in the town where I live. My order came quickly, 8 perfectly sautéed perch fillets, baked potato and coleslaw on the side with a slice of piping hot Texas toast covered with a special cheesy garlic sauce. It was just the way I remembered from the last time. My neighbor at the bar asked, “What did you order?” I answered, “My favorite perch dinner. It’s great!!” “It does look good. How about it honey? Shall we get perch instead of a hamburger?” he said to his wife on the other side.” He turned back to me and said, “We’re from out of town. We thought we would come in for a quick sandwich.” “Bailey’s is known for it’s perch dinners. They sell literally tons of perch during the summer. If you’re from out of town, you’ve got to experience it.”
Score two dinners instead of hamburgers. As I finished my dinner the customer on the other side of me said, “I heard you say that what you are having is Bailey’s specialty. What was it? We’re from out of town too. I was going to have a hamburger but that really looks good.” I told him about the perch that can’t be beat. When they were called to their seat they said,, “I understand that your perch dinners are really good…..”
Score two more dinners instead of hamburgers. I checked the menu before I left and found that the perch dinners these people ordered had brought in an extra $20 over the cost of hamburgers for the restaurant. They should have been paying me for eating there. I should tell Bailey’s I would be glad to pose for a “My Favorite” slugger or poster advertising that great perch so people will know about it when I can’t be there…

From the Diner’s Barstool at Bailey’s

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Notes from Table 12......

Hog Wild is the place to go for the best barbeque in town. Not only is the food consistently good with both pork and chicken barbeque on their menu, but the service is fast for the lunch and dinner crowd. The servers are always smiling and helpful. It has casual sit-down facilities but take-out or catering are two of their other specialties. One might ask, “How do you know so much about their take-out and catering services?” The answer is, they have started to use ultimate, in-house advertising.
The first thing you see before you walk in the door are posters advertising specials for eating in, taking out and catering. Their menu is on a chalkboard but as you stand at the counter, small take-out menus are available. They leave nothing to chance.
As I had a delicious pork sandwich with sweet sauce, I began to wonder if there was any other marketing tools they could use to boost business….What if they had fold-up business cards with easy-to-read phone numbers and contact information with a mini-menu inside that are put on your tray as you pass through the line?....Just right for the purse or shirt pocket.
My mind continued the “what if” game. What if they put a postcard-size ‘calendar for the month’ on the table to remind everyone of coming holidays for that month? It could include a place to jot down birthdays and anniversaries, just so you won’t forget Valentines Day in February or your wife’s birthday. They would want you to take it with you so you can remember the monthly important events. What if they had you turn the card back in on the last week of the month, with your name and e-mail information on the back, to get a special coupon sent to you when you come in the following month?
Oh-oh, it’s time to get back to work. I can’t wait to come back to Hog Wild, especially for the food…Another idea before I leave—What if there was a place on the back of the monthly calendar for customers to make a comment or suggestion when they turn it in or what if they…..I’m going to need a new job if I don’t get back to work.

From the Diner's Seat at Table 12

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The specials you serve are a huge opportunity. This was from an article in Restaurant Hospitality Magazine....

More than two thirds of consumers order from specials menus at full-service restaurants, primarily because they perceive these specials offer a better price/value. Customers also look to specials for new and unique menu items.

With so many customers ordering specials, you'd be wise to look at this part of your menu as a chance to boost check averages while creating a point of differentiation between you and your competitors.

On the other hand, if you've been offering a specials menu that is not so special because your offerings change too infrequently, you may not be profiting from this part of the menu as you should.

So, how do you put this information to work? Hmmmm... Isn't this convenient, the solution is right here - at your fingertips!
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If I Had A Million Dollars...

So, are you all familiar with that Bare Naked Ladies’ song, “If I had a Million Dollars"? Well, It’s great, and somehow everyone always knows the lyrics to it. Isn't there a line about Lobster Dinner? If not, there should be...

In this case, using a higher priced feature of the Live Lobster Dinner, it makes the other entrees seem like a huge value. . This technique can also be used in menus….you don’t plan on selling a ton of the higher priced entrées, but it fixes the mind at a higher price point, therefore making the others seem to be a better value.

What could you get with a million dollars?! This day and age….unfortunately, saving it would be the best idea…
.

Submitted by Tressa Mills
Wannabe Rock Star
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Hey! Did we just skip over Christmas?

If we're aggressively marketing, we did... January tends to be a rough time of year - the post holiday blues, etc... so, make the most of any opportunity to celebrate! Keep it simple - target towards CHANGE, Resolutions, Health, Keepin' Warm & the Economy!

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Marketing Calendar for October

Sure, I know you haven't even thought about putting away your Summer clothes... but it's already October! You know what that means? It means you need to start marketing for the December Holidays and events...  click on the calendar to get a closer look

It's time to start promoting Office Parties, Gift Card Stocking Stuffers, New Years Eve Special Menus - the list goes on and on. Am I talking about TV Ads and Radio Spots? No, it doesn't have to be that hard! Spend an hour or so each month and PLAN AHEAD - create a series of Table Tents, Posters, Slugger menus and maybe even Post Cards - to get the word out.

There's no better audience than your current customers - so SPEAK UP! Check in with you later, Lab Assistant

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