As troubled restaurant chains continue to feel the pinch, all casual dining businesses begin to worry. However, a crunch can benefit the independents in many ways that you might not have considered. Here are five more reasons to be cheerful.
Those offering good food will reap the rewards
Big-name brands, chains with restaurants across the country, typically offer a lower quality of food. Being able to always supply their signature plates means lowering their own supplier expectations. When one closes, this forces customers to consider new options. They often notice the difference in food quality and will become repeat diners.
It exposes the cracks
From meat scandals to tipping fraud, the big chain units all have managers looking to compete with other restaurants of the same brand. The shortcuts they take to do this have been noticed, and more people are choosing to visit independent restaurants. Stocking your Commercial Cold Rooms with inferior imported products does not win you many fans, and while there are still customers who will eat anything as long as it’s cheap, the margins on these diners are miniscule and not worth attracting. You would need to seat 200 a day to survive.
You may benefit from their panic
The big chains have been seeing big losses and lobby government to help them in terms of premise rent capping and rebates. You don’t need to pay for their solicitors, but you may still benefit from the outcome. When big business stops buying, product prices start dropping. Cold rooms from quality suppliers such as start going down in price.
More room for Food and Beverage establishments
Sadly, in many towns, the retail high street is disappearing and being replaced by online shopping. However, you can’t visit a gastro pub online, and F&B is now being seen as the high street saviour. The small, independent retailers showing their colours in towns and cities need similarly small, unique restaurants to complement the scene.
Chains are simply no longer cool
The generation with the largest disposable income is the generation that is always looking for something different. Simply put, they find visiting brands and chains depressing and uncool and they are looking to try something new. You could be that something new.
