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Stock pots in the commercial kitchen are a catch-all food preparation item; literally. Stock pots are often the preferred vessels for soups, stews and sauces…and of course, stock or broth. Still, a good stock pot is essential for those home-stewed delights, and a seasoned cook will want one that can take a beating. Stock pots, as simple as they appear, have different features and benefits depending on their size, material and construction. Check out three of our favorite stock pot varieties before choosing yours!

The Royal Industries (ROY RSPT 24 H) – 24 Qt Heavy-Weight Aluminum Stock Pot is one of our top picks when it comes to aluminum stock pots. This size of pot is great for steaming corn on the cob, making mashed potatoes, or throwing together a savory soup. This product is made of durable 3-gauge aluminum, not to mention it’s NSF-approved. This makes it ideal for a commercial kitchen. The aluminum construction of this stock pot makes it ideal for heat conduction for even cooking and heating.

Our next pick is a stainless steel stock pot that comes with a lid. Check out the Update International (SPS-40) – 40 Qt Induction Ready Stainless Steel Stock Pot w/Cover. This 40-quart stock pot is a good size for a variety of items in the commercial kitchen. It’s large enough to make a lot of soup, stew or chili to support a lunch menu yet it will not overwhelm your cooking space. The stainless steel construction is a step up from aluminum, with sturdy handles that reviewers say support as much as 60-gallons of liquid weight! Plus, the stainless steel and aluminum bottom make it “induction ready,” which means cooks can use it on an induction cook top, if they have one.

Looking for something a little larger? Try out the Update International (SPS-60) – 60 Qt Induction Ready Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Cover. With a capacity of 60 quarts, this stock pot makes it simple to prepare vast quantities of your chef’s signature soups. With a diameter of just over 18 inches wide, it won’t take up your entire range top. The bottom of the pot is a specifically sturdy feature, with two layers of stainless steel surrounding an aluminum core. This bottom design ensures better heat distribution while maintaining the superior quality of stainless steel. Hence, it’s also induction ready. This pot is designed to hold up to whatever you can throw at it (or IN it). But don’t take our word for it. One of our customers had this to say about the SPS-60 Stock Pot: “”The pot is built like a tank and will last a lifetime. The lid is also excellent.”

If this list doesn’t get your water boiling, we don’t know what will. Check out our full line of commercial cookware, including many more aluminum and stainless steel stock pot options!

Today’s technology has allowed restaurant marketing efforts to spread into customer’s lives in many avenues of communication. Couple this with the social attachment to dining out and you have a recipe for perfect marketing chemistry. Harness the opportunities to be in the forefront of your customer’s memory and use the following marketing technologies to infiltrate your customer next dining decision.

Review Your Reviews

Don’t bury your head in the sand over negative reviews. Use the good, the bad and the ugliest of reviews to sharpen any areas of service that may be slacking. Next, host parties for participants of restaurant review sites such as Yelp. Invite comment happy customers to your restaurant and provide them with an awesome experience to write about. Build a positive brand awareness for your restaurant in the very places people look for recommendations.

Reserve Tables Online

Consider every guest as a busy individual who doesn’t have a lot of time to call restaurants for reservations. Online reservation services provide customers with the ability to book a table during their commute to work, while waiting to pick up the dry cleaning or while taking a lunch break at work. Companies such as OpenTable allow you to place a reservation application directly on your website, saving you time and staffing on taking each reservation over the phone.

Make Mobile Opportunities

Smartphone users love their apps. Put your restaurant on the technological map with mobile applications that provide reservation services, ordering capabilities and exclusive coupon offers. Help your customers skip the line and get them in your restaurant faster, out the door happier and overall more eager to return to your restaurant again and again. Companies such as Splick-It create customized mobile apps for restaurants to offer mobile ordering.

Be a Part of the Conversation

If you haven’t created a Facebook page, what are you waiting for? Facebook is free, it’s relevant and best of all it helps customers share information about your restaurant with other future customers. Post updates that highlight new menu items, upcoming events and allow customers to post comments about their experiences with your restaurant. Best of all, you can monitor the comments and only need to display the positive things people have to say. Twitter is another fabulous outlet to get the word out. Tweet specials, limited time deals, daily jokes or whatever caters to your fan base.

Accumulate regular customers faster by remaining in their memories. Keep your restaurant’s name, brand and experience in the minds of your customers by reaching into the places they rely on for information.

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On Mother’s Day, many people plan a special meal for their mothers, grandmothers and mothers-in-law. According to the National Restaurant Association, 38% of consumers dine out on Mother’s Day, making it one of the most popular days of the year to go out to eat. Many Americans celebrate the occasion with a special meal, and six out of ten of these people celebrate that meal in a restaurant. For restaurant owners and operators, Mother’s Day is an important opportunity to draw in regulars and newcomers alike to enjoy quality time, pleasant conversation and great food, whether it’s brunch, dinner or dessert.

Today we’re offering a few tips for the restaurant owner or operator as you head into this Mother’s Day weekend. Make moms happy with sufficient staff, proper reservation management and mouth-watering specials.

Avoid Overbooking

Although taking as many reservations as possible may be tempting, overbooking a restaurant on a busy day like Mother’s Day is a recipe for disaster. Be sure you have someone managing the reservation book and the telephone at all times so you know when you can take more reservations and when you need to slow it down. As a helpful guideline, consider booking tables in groups in order to pay special attention to timing. For a Mother’s Day brunch, try booking reservations at 10:30AM, 12:00PM, and 1:30PM. Special seating times like this helps coordinate the masses and structure any unnecessary kitchen chaos as well.

Offer Special Menus or Promotions

Offering specials on Mother’s Day is a key component to drawing guests both new and old. Regulars may want to come to your restaurant because they already love what you have to offer, and a Mother’s Day special will add something even more special. Newcomers may be attracted by a special menu or deal, and return for future special occasions or even everyday meals. Try a prix-fixe brunch menu with sweet and savory options. If you run a bar, try offering free drink specials for moms.

Communicate Menu Changes to Staff

Many restaurants create special menus for holidays or special events. Sometimes restaurant operators will offer special food or beverage items on Mother’s Day, or even come up with an entirely new menu. Whatever changes you make, be sure the kitchen staff as well as the serving staff are all aware. Servers communicating with guests need to be able to speak to the menu adjustments, and the cooks or chef need to be prepared to lead their staff in adequate meal production. Be sure to have appropriate pre-shift meetings or tastings to make the holiday go as smoothly as possible.

Schedule Staff Accordingly

Restaurants should be even more organized than usual for holidays like Mother’s Day, when throngs of customers often crowd restaurants to eat all at the same time. It is essential that you prepare accordingly with sufficient staff to handle the rush. Not only that, but assign waitstaff who are considerate, patient and efficient. Mother’s Day can be stressful and hectic despite all intentions, and a pleasant server can do wonders to make the experience that much more memorable.

Hand sinks are a necessary piece of equipment for all food service facilities. The FDA requires that they be available for employees to wash hands, and local health departments are also likely to have regulations as to how many hand sinks are needed and where they need to be placed. So, if you are opening up a new business you will need to install at least one hand sink, if there is not already one in your facility. However, there are four different kinds of hand sinks. Which one is best for your business? Let’s take a closer look and find out.

Wall-mounted Hand Sink

The most common type of hand sink is the wall-mounted hand sink. These units measure between 10 and 25 inches wide and come with the hardware necessary to mount them on the wall. Most, but not all, come with faucets so be sure to check before purchasing. These units are inexpensive and probably the best option for most businesses. However, some kitchen layouts do not come with the requisite wall space near a water line and drain pipe and therefore installing a wall-mounted sink is not possible.

Within the category of hand sinks, there are three faucet options:

1. Electronic faucets: Electronically operated faucets turn on when the sensor detects motion directly in front of the sink. This is considered a more sanitary option, as employees do not run the risk of re-contaminating their hands by turning off the faucet. It is also more environmentally suitable than using paper towels to turn off the water.

2. Pedal-operated faucets: Pedal-operated faucets work by using a foot or hand-operated pedal. Like electronic faucets, they are a more sanitary option as no contact is required to turn the water on and off. These units are also more environmentally sound than electronic faucets, as electronic faucets can turn on and off when anyone walks by, thus wasting water.

3. Regular old faucet-type faucets: Standard faucets can potentially enable contamination when employees touch a dirty knob after washing. However, this problem can be easily circumvented by making sure the sink and knobs are cleaned regularly. Standard faucets require the lowest initial investment of all wall-mounted hand sinks.

Drop-in Hand Sink

Next up is the elegant drop-in sink. These units are designed to fit into a countertop cut-out area, and therefore don’t require legs or a wall-mount. Drop-in sinks are great for businesses that have lots of counter space, but not a lot of other space in which to put a sink. This type of sink also has a sleek appearance, making them great for businesses where the hand-washing area is visible to customers. When buying a drop-in sink it is important to consider the cut-out dimensions as well as the diameter of the drain-opening. Most units come with a faucet, but some do not. If buying an accompanying faucet, make sure it matches the faucet center dimensions of the drop-in sink (either four or eight inches.)

Free-standing Hand Sink

Free-standing hand sinks come equipped with legs or a pedestal which support the hand-washing area. They are between 12 and 18 inches wide and range from 29 to 34 inches high. These units are the easiest to install, and in addition they are handicapped-accessible. Free-standing hand sinks are more expensive than wall-mounted hand sinks, but are great for kitchen layouts that cannot accommodate the more inexpensive units.

Portable Hand Sink

Lastly, portable hand sinks are movable units on wheels that dispense water from a 5 or 10 gallon tank. Portable hand sinks are great for catering and concessions stands, in addition to hospitals and other health care facilities that need to transport water from room to room. These handy machines come with a water tank as well as a water pump.

That should cover all there is to cover about hand sinks. However, if you still have a question we’ve left unanswered please feel free to drop us a comment and we’ll do our best to answer it!

I know, I know: not another Top Three Fryer Baskets article! But this one is definitive. After this, you will never have to read another Top Three Fryer Baskets article again. Guaranteed.

Update International FB-126PH in Action

So without further ado, I introduce you to Numero Uno: The Update International FB-126PH. This is a rectangular fryer basket, shown in action to the right, that measures 5.35 x 6.5 x 12.88 inches. It features a heat resistant handle, a heavy-duty reinforced frame and nickel-plated wire that resists corrosion. This fryer basket is number one because in addition to being economical, it is also a versatile piece of equipment, able to deep fry just about anything from traditional french fries to the more avant-garde and delicate menu items.

Next: The Browne-Halco 79751. This round fryer basket measures just 8 inches in diameter and is made from nickel-plated fine mesh. It makes our number two spot because of its versatility. Its small size and circular shape makes it great for stove-top deep frying, perfect for establishments that do not have enough deep-fried items to justify buying a commercial fryer. However, it can be used in a commercial fryer and makes a great tool for frying up small special orders as well.

Lastly, I present to you the Thunder Group SLFB007. This is a rectangular fryer basket measuring 5.5 x 13.25 x 4.25 inches, made with cross support under the mesh for extra durability. The reason we’ve chosen it to be number three is that it is one of the few stainless steel fryer basket options available, great for those operators who prefer this material over others.

With a star-studded list like that, I can’t imagine what more one could possibly want in a fryer basket. But just in case you’re looking for something else, click here to check out our full selection of fryer baskets. Enjoy!

We’ve been hard at work building a newer, shinier, bigger FoodServiceWarehouse.com Education Center and it’s finally here! Check it out today and discover even more of the free and in-depth  information you need, all in the same convenient online location.

From marketing trends and how-to guides to the trusted equipment advice customers know and love, we’ve improved the amount and level of information available to you. We even added a brand spankin’ new section, The Chef’s Corner, to help keep your restaurant operating with success.

What are you waiting for? Take a peek…

In a recent webinar hosted by QSR magazine, research company Mintel teamed up with Red Bull to explore the ways in which quick service restaurants can use beverages to increase profits.

Mintel’s Director of Research Consultancy, David Lockwood, outlined four main changes in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry that present great opportunities for increased profits in the beverage department. The new trends were determined by a recent study which surveyed more than 1,800 adults who have been to a QSR at least once in the previous month. Here is a break-down of those changes:

1. Health. Roughly one-third of respondents reported that when deciding which QSR to go to they took whether there were healthy options into consideration. Though this wasn’t the highest ranking reason, it was the reason that showed the highest growth from previous studies. For this reason, adding healthy beverages such as fruit juice, smoothies or green tea can be an easy and inexpensive way to adapt to this change in priority.
2. Freshness. Fresh food came as the second highest-ranking factor for consumer restaurant choice, topped only by best-tasting food. Fifty-two percent of respondents report that they consider freshness when deciding where to eat. This reflects the growing distrust of processed foods, especially among younger customers. Adding fresh-squeezed juices to the menu could significantly boost sales.
3. Tiered menus. Tiered menus, such as McDonald’s dollar-menu, have shown to be very profitable for the QSR segment. Mintel sees this as an opportunity that has largely been overlooked when it comes to beverages. By offering a tiered beverage menu with a few economy options, patrons will be more likely to add a drink to their order than go without.
4. Third place. The “third place,” as Lockwood calls it, is a place where people spend time between work or school and home. The phenomenal success of Starbucks, for example, can largely be attributed to the advantageous way in which they created this type of space. By adding more specialty drinks to the menu, QSRs can also turn their establishments into a successful third place for customers to spend time. Adding free WiFi, comfortable chairs and free refills are other great ways to build loyalty and keep customers returning back for more.

Next, Red Bull’s Category Insights Manager, Guy Wootton, discussed the ways in which he sees energy drinks fitting into beverage profitability at quick service restaurants. Here are the highlights from his portion of the webinar.

1. Ninety-two percent of energy drinkers also shop in QSRs, compared with 85 percent of the general population.
2. Approximately one in six of the general population consumes energy drinks. However, nearly one in three QSR shoppers consumes energy drinks. Most QSRs do not serve energy drinks and consequently lose revenue from customers who are going elsewhere to purchase them.
3. Eighty-one percent of those QSR shoppers that also purchase energy drinks say that they would purchase an energy drink at a QSR if it were available.
4. Seventy percent of those who would purchase energy drinks at a QSR say that their purchase would be incremental, meaning they would purchase an energy drink on top of a soda or coffee. Therefore, adding energy drinks to the QSR menu can be greatly profitable with a very low risk.
5. There are nearly 53 million energy drink drinkers in the US, who consume 91 cans each per year. 92 percent of those energy drinkers already shop at QSRs, with 81 percent purchase intent for energy drinks. If just 10 percent of their visits contain an energy drink at 70 percent incrementality, that results in 1 billion dollars in yearly QSR industry profits.

All in all, adding energy drinks to the menu presents a huge opportunity and very low risk for QSR operators. Additionally, by using Lockwood’s suggestions for offering a tiered menu and creating a third place, QSRs can certainly leverage their beverages for increased profits.

Photo Credit: Flickr Pop Art via Dipity.com

Lately, we’ve been talking a lot about coffee. And we know that to create a successful coffee program in your business, you need to have the right supplies that fit into your budget. That’s why we’re offering amazing deals on all Bloomfield coffee makers and supplies. Serving up coffee makers, tea brewers and accessories since 1933, Bloomfield offers a variety of options for restaurants, hotels and self-serve stations. Check out these bestsellers and score a great deal today!

Cinemagraph credit: Cleancutmedia.com

Kaffii, kava, kape, café and coffee, no matter how it is said consumers around the world will agree, coffee is everywhere and is in nearly every culture. From old men sipping espressos al fresco on patios in Rome to hotel lobbies offering complimentary cups to conference attendees, coffee is a vital part of most successful service operations. The first step in a creating  a coffee program is selecting the highest quality coffee that matches your budget and menu. Next is selecting the right supplies to make it all happen.

Let’s take a look at the different segments of food service and what they need.

Self-Serve Coffee Bar

This is common in hotel reception areas, gas stations and quick serve breakfast and lunch restaurants. The key to a successful self-serve coffee area is to keep a well-stocked service area that has all the accouterments for customers on the go.

Commercial Coffee Makers

First things first, you gotta make the coffee. Commercial coffee makers allow operators to make large amounts of coffee in a short amount of time.

Airpots

Rather than running the risk of spilling coffee and accidental burns, use airpots in place of coffee servers. Airpots operate via push button or lever system and simply dispense coffee directly into the cup from a standing position. It is common to set up several airports in one service area, each with a label, for regular and decaffeinated coffee, hot water or specialty hot drinks, such as cocoa or spiced cider.

Customer Coffee Supplies

This will take up the heft of your coffee station counter space. Condiment pack holders, spice shakers, sugar pourers, stir stick dispensers and condiment station creamers are all excellent choices for a self-serve area. These extras allow customers to act as their own barista, customizing drinks to their preferred taste.

To Go Supplies

Most self-service stations will be for the customer on the go. This will require the proper disposable accessories, such as disposable coffee cups, cup lids, and coffee jackets.

Break Rooms

Coffee in an employee break rooms is as important as a printer with paper. You simply can’t have one function without the other. Set your break room up for easy use and clean up with organized stations.

Break Room Coffee Makers

Break room coffee makers need to be easy to operate, easy to clean and able to make continuous cups of hot coffee throughout business hours. Commercial coffee makers are able to make several liters of coffee at the touch of a button. This is a great solution for high-volume consumption and can keep finished pots of coffee warm for hours.

Organized Counter Space

Keep all the coffee condiments, cups, lids and stir sticks all under control and in one easy to find area. Check out our section, Organizing the Break Room, to stock up on all the right essentials.

Server Coffee Station

Set up your employees for success and safety with a properly stocked coffee station. Keep in mind that busy servers need an area that is easy to reach, free from obstacles and close to seating areas. In addition to a commercial coffee maker, you should consider complimenting your coffee station with the following:

Commercial Espresso Machine

Offer customers more than “cream or sugar?” and train your staff to make espressos, cappuccinos and macchiatos. Supply a commercial espresso machine for your coffee station and add these drinks to your menu. Keep profits rising and provide a one-stop dining experience for your customers.

Espresso Tools

Espresso accessories such as frothing pitchers, knock boxes and packing mats will gear your servers up for top-selling success.

Mugs, Saucers and Spoons

Store coffee shop cups, espresso cups, saucers and spoons within reaching distance to commercial coffee makers and espresso machines. Many mugs (both coffee and espresso) are available in stackable designs, helping you to use every inch of counter space as efficiently as possible.

When setting up a coffee station for your food service operation, visit similar businesses and note what they have in their coffee stations. Also, note what they don’t have and consider ways to entice customers with your take on the everyday cup of joe.

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Over 50 percent of American adults drink at least one cup of coffee every day, which adds up to 150 million regular coffee drinkers. That’s a huge market! Is your restaurant making the most of coffee sales, or could you be doing more to cash in on the nation’s love for coffee?

At last month’s International Restaurant and Foodservice Show in New York, Sherri Jones, the founder of WholeCup Coffee Consulting, gave a presentation on how and why restaurants should leverage coffee sales to boost profits. Here are some of the highlights from her presentation:

• Coffee is often the lasting impression customers take away from a meal, and businesses should make sure to pay as much attention to the quality of coffee as to the quality of the food.
• Many coffee drinkers and dessert-lovers will leave a restaurant in order to get their after-meal treats elsewhere. For a table of four, this can result in $60 to $80 in revenue the restaurant is giving up by not offering high-quality coffee.
• If a restaurant spends $14 per pound of coffee, charges $1.95 per cup and sells 100 cups per day with 50 free refills, at the end of one year there will be a total of $44, 484 in profits. (source)

44 thousand dollars! Zanzibar! That’s a lot of money. And that’s if you only charge $1.95, which is pretty cheap for a fancy cup of joe. So, what’s the best way to ensure your restaurant profits from your coffee offerings? Here are three great tips!

1. Don’t set your prices too low. Setting your prices a little higher gives customers a higher perceived value and the impression that you are serving specialty coffee. Like wine, coffee tastes better when it costs more. You don’t want to set the price outrageously high, either, but avoid the temptation to entice customers to buy with low prices.

2. Don’t offer too many options. Leave the pumpkin spice to Starbucks, you won’t regret it. Offering a simple selection is a good idea for three reasons:1.) You will not waste precious kitchen space with a bunch of unused syrups. 2.) You will further enhance the impression that your coffee is specially selected and need not be jazzed up with peppermint syrup. 3.) Lastly, by keeping it simple you will make sure that you don’t end up losing money by keeping low-selling items on the menu.

3. Choose coffee selections based on your menu. If you are only going to offer a limited coffee selection, be sure that it is the right coffee for your restaurant. If you serve Mediterranean food, consider Turkish coffee. If you serve mostly ice cream for dessert, consider adding a dark, bold coffee to complement it. You will be sure to lure coffee aficionados back for more!

If coffee isn’t on your menu yet, be sure to check out our selection of coffee supplies and equipment for everything you need to cash in on the caffeine!

For more information on coffee supplies, come back here to check out Maggie’s blog post on Friday!