Editing Photo Images for MyMenuLab - Made EASY with Picnik

Have you ever struggled to get your food photos to look just right on your MyMenuLab creations? Check out this website: www.picnik.com, a web based photo editing service that is user friendly and FREE. Here are a few of it's features....First of all, did we tell you, it's free?!? All you have to do is create an account, upload photos to your library and start editing. The site allows you to adjust exposure and contrast, retouch images, crop photos and best of all, resize for your menus. (MyMenuLab suggests that photos are 300 dpi and sized to 2700 x 1800 pixels for horizontal images and 1800 x 2700 for vertical images, or a 1:1.5 ratio.) We know that not everyone has Photoshop or a graphic design degree. That's why we provided you with our Image Gallery...but we also know you may want to personalize your menus even more with photos of your food on your tables. Remember to emphasize the stars of your menu with popboxes and photos and you'll be on the road to a more profitable menu!
Read more!

Go Green - Earth Day 2010

Promoting your restaurant as an environmentally conscious business is even more hip than ever, and the Green trend is easy to follow with some of these easy-to-build KISS products on MyMenuLab...posters, table tents, buzz cards and more. These designs are pre-set so you can just add your text and order! Earth Day is coming up quick - April 22nd - what better time to get on board?
Read more!

Easter Promotions

Spring is just about here (hooray!) and that means Easter is right around the corner. So, get your bonnets on and make some super easy and fun Easter posters for your Brunch or Buffet! Planning a special menu instead? How about a slugger or table tent? Sean Altenberg, Sysco Baraboo and Elva Gyorke, Sysco Detroit were both thinking ahead this year with these posters. There's still plenty of time to add that extra touch and promote your Easter festivities. HOP to it! (sorry, couldn't help myself)
Read more!

St. Patty's Day

Now is the time to do some quick marketing projects for your St. Patrick's Day bash. Check out our E-Z Marketing section under Holidays & Events....pre-built designs for you to tweak with your text OR modify the images and designs for your own personalized look! Affordable, simple, quick solutions for your business.
(Besides, you really don't want leftover green beer, do you?)
Read more!

Top Ten Biggest Food Trends for 2010

I came across this on the Comcast.net news page....taken from The Daily Beast Blog.

The 2010 Top Ten Biggest Food Trends are:

1) Organic Chocolate
2) Coconut (water, ice cream, yogurt)
3) Gluten-free Food
4) Exotic Citrus
5) Nostalgic Comfort Food (Oreos, peppermints, meatloaf, mini burgersetc.)
6) Anything Pickled (ginger, green beans)
7) Smoked Fish
8) Bacon Sweets - chocolate or carmel covered bacon - Homer Simpson would love this one. I'm intrigued as well....
9) Tricked Out Popcorn
10) Spicy Snacks

Check out the full story at this link: http://www.comcast.net/slideshow/news-foodtrends/1/

Read more!

Social Media

If you've read up on Restaurant Marketing Trends that are due to continue into the new year, you have probably heard of the term "Social Media". What's the hype about? Business writers from the Miami Herald Niala Boodhoo and Bridget Carey say "For most businesses, if you're not on social media, you're losing out on lots of potential growth. 2009 was the year that sites like Facebook and Twitter became mainstream -- and the growth of people depending on social networks increasingly for information." (posted 1/4/2009)
Sounds like a good idea to me...why not use these social networking sites to help spread the news about upcoming events, post coupons or sell specials? It's a good side-kick for the kind of neighborhood marketing that MyMenuLab is a part of. Your tried and true, loyal customers are like a mini marketing team, and you can bet that some of them are hooked on these Internet networking sites. Plus, they'll be dazzled when they arrive to see your snappy looking specials advertised on a table tent or poster and then tweet about them to their friends.
By the way, here's the definition of Tweet as posted by Wikipedia:
"Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers."
( I really did have to look that up)

Read more!

Thanksgiving Drink Recipes

Top off your green bean casserole with a real treat, certain to induce napping on the big day. (AND, If you are asleep you won't have to have any of Aunt Martha's mincemeat pie!) These drink recipes are great for a crowd and sure to please.


Hot Cider Punch
1 gallon apple juice
1 gallon apple cider
8 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
1 cup sugar
juice of one lemon
Bring to a boil and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Let cool a little and add 4 cups dark rum. Serve in mugs with cinnamon sticks for stirring.
(If you like a hot buttered rum, add a pat of butter on top.)

Homemade Irish Cream
2 cups whiskey
1 pint half & half
1 can Eagle brand milk
1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
Put items in blender (in batches if needed) and blend until well mixed. Chill well and serve over ice or with coffee. Keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Hint: add a touch of peppermint extract or schnapps, or your favorite coffee syrup for a Holiday touch!

Enjoy...and Happy Thanksgiving!




Read more!

Brought to you by the number ??

We want to wish a very special someone a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today. She's so good to us, she even cooked pancakes and sausage for us on HER birthday! Anyone want to join in in wishing Tressa Mills a very happy birthday?
P.S. She's the one on the left.
Thanks Tressa, for being a GREAT boss! Happy Birthday!
Read more!

Waiters World

Are your servers lacking inspiration lately? This is a neat link, not just for them, but for anyone in the restaurant/food biz. Especially enjoyable for any foodie is the "Cool Link for Professional Waiters", for information on wine, specialty beers, food trends, training tips and beyond.

Check it out at www.waitersworld.com
Read more!

Fall Fun

It's my favorite time of year in Michigan...fall colors, pumpkin carving, cool weather, football, comfy sweatshirts, crisp apples and apple cider. With Thanksgiving right around the corner (yikes) it's time to get prepared to market your special feast with a poster or table tent from MyMenuLab. Hey, since you gotta work on the big day, you might as well make it profitable, and a little advertising won't hurt! Or, create your holiday menu on a slugger insert...affordable and EASY!
Read more!

Great idea for Kids Menus!

Looking for an alternative to the Kids Placemats? This slugger was created by Ken McAllister - SYSCO Detroit. Check out the Kids Stuff section for many colorful choices in sluggers, table tent inserts and buzz cards, as well as the traditional placemats!
Read more!

Wedding Bells & More

Does your restaurant have catering or event planning services? A banquet room? Or a fantastic bakery? Check out the Holidays/Events section for themed products to advertise your specialty. Super simple stuff to help boost your business...
Read more!

MML Help Options

We realize here at MyMenuLab that the answers aren't always right in front of you.
So, we decided to break it down for you...check out the new Help Section by clicking on the pink question mark, then choose from tutorials, videos or live help. If you're still stumped, send us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
As always, thanks for using MyMenulab!
Read more!

How long is the wait?

We all want our customers to be happy, from the moment they walk in the door to the ride home and beyond. So, what do we do to make sure that happens in the busy season...you know what I mean, right? We've possibly been in this situation ourselves....You have your whole family on vacation. The kids are crabby, hungry and tired. You're Mother-in-law is WAY past her dinner hour and tired. And you. You are just tired. Everyone is hungry. The only problem is that the wait time at the restaurant of choice is approaching an hour. What would you like to see that restaurant do to help accommodate your party of 8? And what, as a restaurant owner, can you do to make sure everyone is taken care of?
Your first order of business: keep the kids occupied. If the kids are whining, the adults will be....well...whining. If the kids come in and appear rambunctious, have a plan. Have some games, paper, pens, crayons and possibly a snack basket to hand them. When the table of 2 adults and 6 kids DOES get seated, have your waitstaff trained to order the kids meals first (usually a quicker cook-time), separate from the adult meals (takes a little longer to prepare). The kids get fed while the adult meals are cooking and Mom and Dad can actually enjoy their meals while the kids have a scoop if ice cream.

Next, be sure you are calculating your wait times appropriately for your place of business. There is no magic formula. It all depends on the speed and efficiency of your kitchen and waitstaff. If you are unsure, try tracking if for a couple of nights (have an extra door person help you). Calculate the average meal time and go from there. This may help avoid the inevitable "You told me 30 minutes and it's been 45!" (If wait times are typically long, invest in the buzzers that customers can take with them to alert them when their table is ready.) We can't be 100% accurate, but the closer the better.

Lastly, a warm welcome doesn't hurt. The old adage "Killing them with kindness" still works...usually. It's easy to look and sound snappy and stressed out when you have an hour and a half wait, it's hot and chaotic and you are already "over it" for the night. Try not to let 'em get to you...remember, a cold adult beverage is a few short hours away!
Read more!

Summer Drink Recipes!

Woo-hoo! Time for some summer cocktails!

The Mosquito

An interesting variation on the traditional mojito.
6-7 fresh Thai basil leaves, torn up
Juice from half a lime (about 1/2 ounce)
3/4 ounce simple syrup
crushed ice
1 1/2 ounces of light rum
Club soda

Step 1: Place torn basil leaves into bottom of hi-ball glass. Add lime juice and simple syrup.
Step 2: Muddle together with muddler or back a large spoon to bruise leaves and release flavor.
Step 3: Fill the remainder of the glass with ice shards and add rum. Top off with club soda. Serve.
What it tastes like: A smattering of sweetness, but mostly crisp with a perfect hint of basil.

Pomegranate Mojito

6-7 fresh mint leaves, torn up.
¾ ounce pomegranate juice
Juice from half a lime (about 1/2 ounce)
1/4 ounce simple syrup
crushed ice
1 1/2 ounces of light rum
Club soda
Follow same directions as above, adding pomegranate juice at the end. A nice alternative to regular mint mojitos.

Rock Runner

Get your blender out! This is my variation of the rum runner…one is plenty! Two is great…if you are walking!

Fill blender with two heaping cups of ice.
Pour on top:

¼ oz. light rum
¼ oz. dark rum
¼ oz. coconut rum
¼ oz. blackberry brandy
½ oz. banana schnapps
Dash (about ¼ cup) pineapple juice.
Strawberry Daquiri mix to the top of the ice …there should NOT be much room☺ but you know how to make it work!
Blend and serve with tiny umbrellas! Yum!

Read more!

Restaurant Trends in 2009

Check out this link to some interesting trends for the year.

http://www.healthline.com/blogs/diet_nutrition/2008/12/restaurant-food-trends-for-2009.html

I like these because they aren't too "out-there". Good basic trends that don't offend and also make sense.


Read more!

It's all about the kids...

I can recite a standard kids menu without much trouble: Grilled Cheese, Hamburgers, Mini Corn Dogs, Mac & Cheese, Spaghetti, Chicken Tenders and fries, fries, fries....and yes, it's true that these are kid friendly meals to keep your young patrons happy when dining with Mom & Dad. However, according to Stephen Goldman of The Culinary Edge (a San Francisco culinary development firm), getting an edge on the kids market is just as important as getting a leg up with your regular menu. (Restaurant Hospitality, May 2009, p.36) Here are some strategies to help your kids menus stand up to the competition.
1) Give kids some credit. Adult tastes are trickling down to kids menus. How about adding a kids portion of your signature dish on the kiddie menu?
2) Healthy Options: It doesn't have to be spinach or broccoli to be good for them. Try grilling or roasting meats and adding Mandarin oranges or applesauce cups as sides. More kids are going vegetarian these days as well.
3) Make it an adventure. Add ethnic food items or more adventurous choices. Beyond spaghetti and tacos, here are some thoughts....stir-fry, spring rolls (kids love to dip), lo-mein noodle bowls, black bean and rice burritos, chicken quesadillas or chicken satay.
4) Offer a great looking kids menu. Kids love games and puzzles. MyMenuLab has tons of options for Kids Placemats and also a new product: the Bi-Fold Kids menu, a booklet style menu full of games, puzzles, mazes and activites.
Remember, parents will appreciate when the kids are catered to as well as themselves...and they might even be able to enjoy their own dinners!
Read more!

What's your greatest asset?

I was inspired by an article in the Nation's Restaurant News interviewing Chip Roman, chef/owner of Blackfish in Conshohocken (try saying that out loud!), PA. When asked the question "What is your greatest asset?", he responded "The staff". Roman goes on to say "We have extra-great service. A lot of places are cutting back and using managers to do things like bartend and serve. My response is to do the opposite. I hire more staff and take a little less for myself. A lot of people are still going out to eat. With restaurants cutting corners, people with start to notice. People are extra vigilant and will say something about it. I just want to make sure people know we're still trying to give them a great product." (Gise, p.38, Nation's Restaurant News, May 11, 2009)
After noticing the trend in corner-cutting at few of my previously favorite restaurants, I agree....

Value perception goes even deeper than menu prices and selections. If patrons are well attended to, they are more likely to spread the news to others and/or make a return visit. Swift service means your tables turn over faster. If your restaurant isn't fully staffed or if servers are not trained well, your customers (and ultimately you) are the ones who suffer.

Read more!

A Bartender's Perspective

I've worked at a local tavern & pub for over 13 years, which has afforded me the opportunity to interact with folks on the "other" side of the bar. It's not uncommon for these wonderful people to express opinions or offer suggestions about the bar biz and what they would like to see happen, especially after a cocktail or two. Here's a couple that I thought were simple, yet pertinent, especially in today's economy.
1) I often get asked for today's drink specials. While this may not sound like something the bar is going to make money off of (cheap drinks?) it really has an influence on how many people walk through the doors. Personally, I know that business is better during happy hour and on nights we run specials. Plus, your patrons are more likely to stay for dinner afterwards.
2) Folks want something for free (we know, right?). If I had a nickle for everytime someone asks if we have anything to munch on...and if you do, then they stay longer and drink more. So, the bar makes money for the cost of some pretzels.

In the end, it's all about value perception. Once the customer feels they are getting a little extra from you, they will be back...although I would rather believe it's because of the fantastic bar service!


Read more!

Spring & Summer Holidays

Spring is here and summer is quickly sneaking up on us, along with a parade of holidays...what a great excuse to create a poster or table tent to promote your restaurant! MyMenuLab has a slew of holiday and event themes for the upcoming months including Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Father's Day and patriotic designs. This was one of our favorites from Don Juans, and they created it in plenty of time to promote the celebration. Kudos!
Read more!