Ken Burgin

Restaurant Productivity

Increase Your Sales

Increase Dessert Sales

How to Make More Money with Dessert Sales

The lack of dessert sales in most restaurants and cafes is positively unAustralian! Considering how profitable they can be, this needs to be fixed immediately – it’s usually the result of unattractive appearance, poor sales skills, the wrong menu placement, or prices that are too high relative to main course items. Desserts can create a strong first and last impression, and there’s money to be made when you mix sugar, air and water with flavour!

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Restaurant Systems

Hospo Reset’s Product of the Week

Every week in the Hospo Reset Newsletter, we share a product or service that’s caught our eye – for kitchen & beverage management, staffing, facilities management, marketing and overall productivity. This is not an endorsement, please do your own assessment of suitability for your business. Here’s the list so far, and it’s updated every month. Food, Menus and Kitchen Management Restoke manages back of house functions like recipes, menus, ordering, work lists, staff training, plus

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Community Support

Podcast 20: Building Community Support for your Local Cafe

Every cafe owner likes the idea of building ‘community support’ and having loyal local customers, but how do you make this happen? Ken Burgin interviewed Mike Matich from Crooked Spire Cafe in Perth, about how he’s built strong local support in his area. What makes it a place that appeals to everyone in the community, from street people to tradies, families and office workers – including the local Member of Parliament? His enthusiasm for business

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Profitable Cafe

How Can Automation Make Your Cafe More Profitable?

You’ve seen the videos – hot, fresh pizza from a machine, a robotic arm that cooks perfect fries, or a cocktail robot with flashing lights. No people = no wages – sounds like a good move, but what will the customers think? If their priorities are consistent quality, speed and value, more automation can help you achieve that. I talked with cafe owner Matt Lucas of the Coffee Pedaler cafes in Gundagai and Tumut NSW

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social media marketing

Podcast 14: Smarter Marketing for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Celebrations

In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Mark Khoder from YourSocialChef. He develops and manages social media and marketing campaigns for a wide variety of cafes, restaurants and food brands. As you will hear in the discussion, he is 100% focused on getting the best return on investment, to help your brand and income grow. There’s no shortage of social media options, and it’s easy to be excited by the latest ‘shiny object’ – but

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Wine List Profits

How to Increase Wine List Profits and Popularity

The wine list is an essential part of your restaurant or hotel beverage service, so let’s apply intelligent design and business thinking to increase profits and ensure it appeals to the greatest number of people. Covid has given us time to rethink menus, and customers have come back with less money in their pockets. The popular Aussie BYO is now available in fewer restaurants, and there needs to be a rethink about the wine range

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Online Events for Restaurants

The Future of Restaurants & Cafes after the Pandemic – Podcast Interview

It was great to talk with hospitality industry expert Michelle Pascoe on The Michelle Pascoe Hospitality Podcast, about what I see as the future of restaurants, cafes and foodservice after the pandemic storms settle. I’ve already shared some of my thoughts on how we should expect a tough and demanding summer and the importance of having a Plan B for the next Covid Lockdown. But people still want to eat out, share time with friends

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Rise Menu Prices

How to Raise Restaurant Menu Prices without Negative Pushback

Inflation is back, following dramatic rises in energy costs, wages and all the food & beverage supplies we purchase. Operators still holding the price of meals to what they were 12 months ago are bearing the brunt of massive increases in the cost of ingredients. And profitability is suffering. Setting prices is approached with fear and anxiety by many restaurant and cafe operators, but it’s a unique opportunity to use your marketing and financial skills

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Restaurant Marketing

3 New Restaurant Marketing Opportunities in November

With business turned upside down in the pandemic, we need every excuse for a party or promotion. There are three from the retail space that can easily be adapted for restaurants and cafes in November – just add imagination and stir! Hopefully, you have a buildup for Christmas parties, but there’s no reason not to add these three extra promotions as a booster. Singles Day Restaurant Marketing – 11 November Think of it as the

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Hospitality Events Calendar

Calendar of Hospitality Industry Events and Promotions

Keep up to date with cafe, restaurant and foodservice trade fairs, webinars, industry conferences and events in Australia 2022 – 2024. Plus important dates for customer promotions – think outside the square! More events are also available on the Restaurant Marketing Calendar for Social & Environmental Issues if you want to celebrate and commemorate important social themes. ? Check the weekly discoveries on Hospo Reset – information & inspiration for restaurant, cafe & foodservice operators.

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