How do I configure a menu for several locations?
July 05, 2024
Whether you're running a franchise network or a chain of establishments with plans to expand into franchising, centralized menu management has a real role to play in optimizing your organization.
Because beyond the customer experience, multi-site catering faces very specific challenges :
➔ Ensure centralized coordination to maintain group coherence, while preserving the autonomy of individual establishments.
➔ Optimize centralized purchasing to negotiate advantageous supplier rates, while taking into account the storage capacities of each sales outlet.
➔ Standardize prices to offer a consistent customer experience, while adapting rates to the particularities of local markets.
➔ Centralize data management for better decision-making, while respecting the specific differences and performance of each facility.
These points illustrate the delicate balance that multi-site catering chains must maintain between centralization and local adaptation, in order to optimize their operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Implementing centralized menu management improves organization by ensuring consistency and uniformity of offerings across all sites. It optimizes purchasing and inventory management, reduces costs, and enables rapid adjustments to local markets. In short, boost operational efficiency and customer satisfaction while supporting network development.
We suggest a 5-step guide to set up centralized menu management at your points of sale
Step 1: Define your needs, constraints and expectations
Prior to configuring menus for a multi-site catering chain, it is important to analyze the overall constraints of the group, while integrating the specific needs of each establishment.
✔︎ Analyze the figures for the various sites: Analyze sales, identify popular products and define trends by point of sale.
✔︎ Adapting prices : Study the prices charged in the catchment area, adapting promotions and offers according to seasonality and the calendar of local events.
✔︎ Take into account the logistical constraints of each site: Include procurement, inventory management, etc. in your analysis.
This analysis enables us to determine the common elements to be preserved and the adaptations required. The next step, define clear objectives for centralization: improved menu consistency, cost reduction, inventory optimization, etc.
Step 2: Choosing the right digital solution
Choose the right solution is fundamental to efficient day-to-day menu management. Opt for a solution capable of centralizing menu creation, modification and distribution, while allowing local adjustments.
The software must correspond to your specifications established in step 1.
Better still, we've put together a checklist of essential features so you don't miss a thing!
✔︎ A centralized back office to manage menus for all sites from a single interface
✔︎ Flexibility in configuration, with the possibility of adapting menus, products, options, prices, etc. to the specific features of each outlet, while maintaining consistency across the group
✔︎ Simple user rights management, to give managers autonomy over their establishments and teams over operational management, while maintaining an overall vision of the Group.
✔ Smooth integration, with your POS software and other platforms in your day-to-day operations
✔︎ Support available, to guide you through the various stages of configuration
✔︎ Advanced reporting, to assess menu performance at group level, and within each sales outlet
Step 3: How does it work?
If we say "menu heritage"?
Menu heritageThis is the key functionality that enables the network head to create a standardized product catalog (a menu), and deploy it across the entire network. Any changes made to the main menu can be easily updated and automatically propagated to all outlets.
For example, the addition of a new dish, a price change or the introduction of a special offer can be managed from head office, ensuring greater consistency and responsiveness.
Multi-site menu management goes beyond simply centralizing decisions. It also implies the ability to personalize and adapt offers according to local particularities.
For example, Thanks to its access rights, a franchisee can modify certain aspects of the menu to better meet the needs of its customers, while respecting the guidelines defined by the franchisor.
This approach offers a number of advantages for both franchisor and franchisee.
✔︎ Ensures a consistent customer experience across all points of sale, reinforcing brand identity and loyalty.
✔︎ Provides the flexibility you need to adapt to local differences
✔︎ Improves the overall profitability of franchise networks who can better control costs and optimize inventories
Step 4: Train your teams
The success of centralized menu management depends largely on your teams' involvement and mastery of the solution. Training is therefore an essential point not to be overlooked.
✔︎ Schedule initial training : Develop a comprehensive initial training program for all new employees, covering the technical aspects of the cash register software and the multi-site solution.
✔ Focus on continuing education : Organize regular training sessions for all employees to keep them informed of new procedures, system updates and review certain basics if necessary.
Before full deployment, carry out pilot tests at a few sites to identify any problems and adjust menus and processes if necessary.
Step 5: Deploy, analyze and adjust
After successful testing, roll out the new menu configuration across all sites. Implementing centralized menu management is not a one-off task, but a process that evolves over time.
✔︎ Analyze data : Use advanced reporting features to analyze sales, customer satisfaction, etc.
✔ Asking for feedback : Plan regular meetings with your teams to identify opportunities for improvement.
Do you know what 15 franchise networks have in common? We do!
We work with leading foodservice companies such as Pizza Hut and Les 3 Brasseurs, Krispy Kremeand Flunch (for whom we develop custom features!).
Each franchise network benefits from our expertise in efficiently managing their menus and operations.
If you have specific requirements, our solutions are designed to adapt to your particular needs and ensure consistency and effectiveness for your brand. Shall we talk about it?
