Stating that the hotel industry was severely affected during the era of lockdowns and mobility restrictions is one of the greatest understatements in history.

Fortunately, those tragic moments are now behind us.

Today, the hotel sector is booming, reaching business levels similar to those of 2019.

While the hotel sector has proven to be resilient, vigilance and preparedness to respond to customer demands and changes in the environment are essential.

In this volatile world, every element of our hotel and every action we take in managing that hotel can add significant value and additional revenue.

The restaurant (or restaurants in your hotel) is one of those elements.

And with the restaurant comes a crucial aspect to care for: the food safety of the customers.

 

 

 

The Hotel Restaurant: A Key Source of Customers and Revenue

Today’s customer seeks unique experiences.

You know this perfectly well.

For many, that unique experience revolves around gastronomy.

In fact, an increasing number of people select their destination and accommodation based on the cuisine served.

But is it necessary to have a restaurant in your hotel?

Doesn’t it involve too much expense?

Is it genuinely important for guests?

Don’t they prefer to dine out?

 

A well-managed restaurant can be a significant source of income for the hotel.

A hotel restaurant, when managed effectively, can be a substantial source of income for the business, attracting both hotel guests and external customers throughout the day (breakfast, brunch, lunches, dinners, etc.).

 

A Restaurant complements the hotel’s offering

In destinations where the weather doesn’t always favor outdoor activities, or in large resorts that encourage guests to stay and enjoy offered activities, a hotel restaurant allows guests to experience complete gastronomic satisfaction without leaving the premises.

 

A Restaurant is a point of differentiation for the hotel

A high-quality and well-rated restaurant can help differentiate the hotel from the competition, a crucial factor in an increasingly competitive market.

 

A Restaurant contributes to creating loyal customers

For instance, the renowned Swedish hotel chain Scandic is known for its minimalist and sustainable hotels, with a unique selling point being an extraordinary breakfast for its customers. For many guests, this breakfast is what makes them return to the Scandic chain repeatedly, resulting in higher occupancy rates and a base of recurring customers.

 

A Restaurant enhances the Hotel’s reputation

The restaurant’s quality can have a significant impact on the hotel’s overall reputation, as customers often write reviews about their gastronomic experiences on travel review platforms.

A well-regarded restaurant significantly contributes to positive online reviews, as people frequently assess restaurants on Google Maps or specialized platforms, thereby enhancing the hotel’s online reputation and brand image.

 

Gastronomic Tourism: Food as a Tourist Destination

Gastronomic tourism is a way of traveling and exploring different places through their culinary culture and local gastronomy.

Gastronomic tourists seek to taste and enjoy typical dishes, drinks, and local products, as well as learn about the culinary traditions and customs of a destination.

Gastronomic tourism includes visits to local markets, wineries, food and beverage factories, restaurants, and other places where food and drinks are produced and served, as well as cooking classes, tastings, and food and wine festivals.

An increasingly popular form of tourism worldwide, gastronomic tourism is a phenomenon that hotels can greatly benefit from by turning their hotel restaurant into a destination for their customers.

 

What Is a Destination Restaurant?

Any type of gastronomic establishment that attracts the attention of tourists or visitors with its innovative and traditional offerings, its ability to use local products and processes, and the exceptional culinary experience it provides.

In a way, such a restaurant becomes the focal point of a journey, and people organize their itinerary with the intention of visiting the restaurant.

 

Food Safety in Hotels: A Key Element for Restaurant Success

Whether you decide to turn your hotel’s restaurant into a tourist destination in its own right or aim to optimise the results of existing restaurants in your hotel, it’s crucial to care for your food safety protocols.

Food safety is essential in any food and beverage establishment, especially in a hotel restaurant, where meals and drinks are served to a large number of people, including hotel guests and external customers.

Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses or food poisoning in the restaurant can significantly impact the hotel’s reputation and its ability to attract and retain customers.

Moreover, non-compliance with food safety standards can lead to fines and legal penalties, potentially becoming costly for the hotel business.

It is crucial that the hotel restaurant implements rigorous food safety practices, including proper handling and storage of food, personal hygiene of employees, cleanliness and disinfection of facilities, and training staff in safe food handling practices.

This not only protects restaurant customers from illnesses but also ensures compliance with legal standards, safeguarding the hotel’s reputation and success.

How do you ensure Food Safety in your Hotels?

With Andy. 

Trusted by major international organised restaurant chains like Starbucks, Goiko, Newrest and Domino’s,  Andy guides teams, streamlining daily workflows, alerting to incidents and issues, and proposing effective solutions that increase productivity, optimise hotel food safety, minimise waste, and reduce costs.

Andy ensures quality work in the shortest time possible, while digitising all relevant actions related to food safety:

 

• HACCP records,
• Expiry date labelling,
• Cleaning and hygiene records,
• Maintenance records,
• Temperature records, and
• Any necessary checklists, ensuring compliance with the law.

Andy also ensures the proper functioning of equipment and facilities in hotel kitchens: from refrigeration and freezing to coffee makers, ovens, utensils, etc. It alerts the team in real time when it detects a malfunction and proposes an immediate action plan.

Supervisors have access to all data from any location, without the need to be present in a specific kitchen, in real time, at any time.

Team training and onboarding processes are much simpler with Andy. Task planning and record-keeping are much easier, and tracking good manufacturing practices for the entire team, including transporters, becomes a 100% intuitive process.

With Andy, all processes in hotel restaurants are registered centrally, digitized, and in real-time, improving productivity and saving costs and time. In fact, we have calculated that with Andy, kitchen employees dedicate 2-3 fewer hours per week to paperwork by being faster and automating information.

The same applies to time management.

Moreover, when employees see that the hotel invests in a digital assistant like Andy, they understand that they are part of a company that constantly bets on improvement and innovation.

A company that advances on the path of ethics and sustainability.

And they will feel that they are part of a team that cares about the well-being of its employees in the long term.

A team that cares about its PEOPLE.

When an employee sees that a hotel implements advanced solutions that facilitate their work, they are constantly motivated to work harder and better.

And that also represents a happy and productive team, considerably reducing the time and money the hotel must invest in finding and training new staff.

In other words, implementing Andy in hotel kitchens responds to customers’ preference for ethical accommodations that care for their employees.

An industry focused on the customer that always requires a human touch in each of its services. A misguided approach can leave a guest dissatisfied and a bad reputation throughout the hotel rating system.

 So, trust Andy to guarantee the safest, most enjoyable experience for your guests! 

👉🏽Try Andy absolutely free during 10 days here!👈🏽