Background
Cooge Pavilion is a restaurant located in the heart of the city. It specializes on offering a wide variety of casual lunches and dining experiences for the patrons. The restaurant has been in the market for more than a decade now. It has been touted for its unique organist ion which includes three floors, that is the ground, the Mediterranean and the roof. Each of the floors offers its own unique dining experience depending on what the patron is looking for. Perhaps the greatest feature of the restaurant is the rooftop bar, which allows patrons to enjoy a scenic view of the beach as well as offers a wide space for fun including an interesting array of drinks.
People Also Read
Exporting Ford Cars To Japan: Challenges And Opportunities
The Importance Of Tailoring Marketing Strategies For International Markets
Amazon’s Primary And Secondary Markets: A Comprehensive Overview
Marketing strategy
Cooge Pavilion has adopted a differentiation strategy by offering a wide variety of experiences for the average diner. The ground floor for example specializes in pizzas and burger, children under the age of 18 can be accompanied by adults and enjoy this dining experience. On the other hand, the rooftop specializes in adult fun only, with a range of alcoholic drinks and an exciting social interaction environment.
Furthermore, whereas majority of the restaurants located on the beach are highly priced and especially for the boutique restaurants, Cooge Pavilion maintains an averagely priced menu for both drinks and food. This means that the restaurant therefore enjoys a wide variety of loyal customers. This restaurant for example shows a high level of local patrons how the business keep running even when the tourist are absent.
Management
The restaurant has a manager who handles all financial and day to day management decisions. The manger reports to the owners of the organization who then are responsible for the executive decisions. It is important to note however, that the manager often has an upper hand in the decision making. This is because he is more aware of the situations on the ground.
Cooge Pavilion prides itself in offering quality service and food. To ensure this policy is maintained, the restaurant has three executive chefs who are in charge of the kitchens in each floor. A unique aspect of this arrangement is that the chefs often operate on a rotational basis between the three floors. Each executive chef is in charge of ensuring the supply of the best and freshest quality of products. They often meet in the mornings to discuss the menus and supplies for the day.
Day to day operations
A typical day at the restaurant begins at five every morning and ends well into the night. Chefs often take shifts to allow for rest. The morning shift has to handle the breakfast menu which has taken root and is in high demand within the area. At eight o clock, the executive chefs meet with the manager to discuss the menus and any changes to be implemented in the daily schedule. Because chefs are in charge of their own kitchens, they are also expected to hire their own approved staff including the service personnel. This is because; as shown by (Scanlon 1993 ) they can easily identify talent and train them to ensure that quality is maintained in the restaurant. However, every hire needs to be approved by the manager for purpose of maintaining some financial control. At the end of the day, chefs and managers again come together with the supervisors to evaluate the day including challenges experienced with the service delivery and solutions that could be implemented for the future.
Proposed Innovations
Cooge Pavilion has maintained a strong hold in the market. However, with changes in technology, there is need for the restaurant to take into consideration some of the following proposed changes which will allow efficiency in delivery of services.
Electronic menus
For the past decade, all businesses are attempting to go electronic for many reasons. Cooge Pavilion has three floors, with more than a hundred tables for the patrons. While electronic menus may seem luxurious, for this large restaurant they can help speed up the service delivery by handling backlog. Simply, each table will be fitted with an electronic menu which in turn feeds to the main menu an order schedule in the kitchen. The menu will include, what is available in all three restaurants. Each patron will be given the chance to peruse the menu, scrolling through majority of the beverages and food items available. They can then place their order directly or through a service waiter.
Service waiters will be available for any clarification and to assist the patrons in placing their orders. Because the restaurant is taking on a chef driven approach towards the menu creation, the available orders may change from time to time. However, the electronic menus will include as much information as possible on what is available.
Tablets for table and restaurant management
During busy hours, supervisors and chefs are often pressed with regard to the demands that have been put by patrons. Often, confusion reigns and leads to wastage especially where orders are not handled properly. Tablets input with the right software will allow the supervisors to keep track of the tables, the patrons and the orders. This will also minimize chances of waiters and service staff absconding with the payments and fees charged to the patrons. Through this system, the supervisors will keep track of the orders placed in a particular table and can also be alerted of any delays so that he can calm the patrons. The system also sends orders directly to the kitchen. Therefore, service staff do not need to enter and crowd the kitchen space. They can continue taking other orders, and only appear to take their orders when they are ready.
The system is very simple to operate. The menu for the day is input and during installation the placements of the tables is also input. Waiters have access to the system at various vantage points from which they can place their orders. The order is catalogued and immediately sent to the kitchen with an estimated wait time. The supervisor can track all this through the tablet. Once the order is complete, a delivery note is published by a press of the button. The delivery and receipt of the order are published together and prepared awaiting final approval. In case an order has delayed, an alert is immediately sent to the supervisor so that amendments can be made. In addition, chefs can confirm the orders easily through their own system ensuring that the service delivery is quick. The system is completely software, although hardware for operations are needed. It is also as unique as the restaurant itself and can therefore not be duplicated by competitors. Maintenance can be done easily, although professional knowledge of the operations system is required.
Effect of innovations on day to day operations
Electronic menus will increase the efficiency of service provided to the customers. As indicated before, Cooge Pavilion prides itself in quality service provision. With an electronic menu there are less chances of making mistakes and a higher chance of introducing customers to a wider variety of dishes and services in the restaurant. (Gordon and Brezinski 1999) state that often the service delivery staff do not engage customers in trying out the new products available. Because customers are unaware there are newer versions and a variety of more dishes available, they are less likely to try them out.
Both innovations will introduce Cooge Pavilion into a unique possibility. They will allow immediate interaction between the three categories of the restaurant. Bringing together these components has been a matter that the restaurant has considered for a long time. The electronic menu will allow the customers to view all menus including those of other restaurants. They can also order from these menus to compliment the food they are ordering from another restaurant. Supervisors can use the tablets to keep track of the different orders and the location of such orders. This will give the restaurant a new marketing opportunity. For example, families who have come with their children need not confine the choice of their menu to the ground floor because children are not allowed to the other floors, they can order drinks from the top floor to compliment their food.
Effect on management
Perhaps the greatest effect of the innovation will be with regard to ease of cost control and reduction of the same. Because clients can order directly using the electronic menus, fewer service delivery staff will be needed in the restaurant. This will greatly reduce the cost of service delivery while at the same time increasing the efficiency of service provision. Orders can be dealt with quickly and efficiently, yet the number of staff on the floor has been greatly reduced. This reduction will also increase the ambience of the restaurant which is often crowded with service delivery staff carrying trays or rushing to the kitchen to place orders and collect payment.
Secondly, it will be easier to keep track of finances, that is, items sold and payments made. (Mill 2001) states that majority of the restaurant losses come from miscalculations where clients are wither overcharged or undercharged. When clients are undercharged, it means the restaurant directly loses income. On the other hand, overcharging may lead to a bad reputation and loss of clientele who become disoriented with the restaurant. Tablets for table management will allow easy tracking of sales and payments. In addition, the automatic calculation means there are fewer chances of overcharging and disgruntlement. The tablet allows both the chefs and the supervisors to keep real track of the tables at any particular moment.
With this system in place, each order can be confirmed with the delivery and receipt in real time. In addition each item placed on order can be tracked to the individual who placed the said order. This will make the staff highly accountable and responsible for any orders in their name. There is expected to be a significant increase in profits and operational income once these systems are in place and the losses accruing have been handled.
References
Gordon, R. T., & Brezinski, M. H. (1999). The complete restaurant management guide. Armonk, N.Y: Sharpe Professional.
Mill, R. C. (2001). Restaurant management: Customers, operations, and employees. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Scanlon, N. L. (1993). Restaurant management. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
