The easy answer could be that the current food service operator is not managing the account properly. But, in fact, there are many factors that can potentially affect the annual subsidy amount. The first course of action should be to have an assessment done of your operation. Catering expectations, site population, participation, inflation, frequency of […]
Read MoreIt depends upon the norms in your market and the goals of the food service program. We do not generally advise developing an exclusive relationship if the rest of the market has a long-preferred list because that will create a negative differentiation. Below is a chart that highlights the commonly accepted advantages and disadvantages of […]
Read MoreIt depends upon whether there is an investment requirement, the start-up cost, and the volume of sales activity. A contract with no investment might be as short as 3 years. The average in our practice is 5-7 years. A contract with significant investment might be 10 years plus. Regardless of the length of the contract, […]
Read MoreMaybe. It depends upon the sales potential, the term of the contract, and the amount of the investment. Generally, an investment is only possible in an exclusive relationship.
Read MoreThe number of financially successful true “destination restaurants” within a museum environment are few and far between. Many more fail than succeed. A destination restaurant requires a separate outside entrance, heavy street traffic, and full control over hours, menu, and price points. It also helps to be in an area where there are other successful […]
Read MoreCatering operations are much more profitable than café operations. Options might include considering a short, preferred caterer list, considering an exclusive caterer, bundling the liquor rights with the catering operation, or guaranteeing a certain volume of internal catering. The more catering opportunities an operator can capture, the more likely they are to support an amenity […]
Read MoreThe best location is one the visitor sees upon entry to the museum, ideally near the gift shop, although this is not possible in many facilities. If the café is not highly visible, be sure to have good directional signage and feature it prominently on the website, all maps, and collateral material.
Read MoreA large number of museum café operations are supplied from outside kitchens (called commissaries). This allows the museum to preserve valuable space for museum collections and generally negates the need for a hood and fire suppression system in the smaller onsite support kitchen.
Read MoreWe believe that some kind of visitor food option can be developed for most institutions. Visitor food can enhance the visitor experience, deepen ties to the organization, increase the length of stay, and may stimulate gift shop sales. Smaller institutions can consider a simple kiosk or mobile cart that is weekend or seasonally programmed.
Read MoreYes, we have seen local restaurants included as part of a dining provider’s overall program. For student dining, this can take the shape of product features, periodic pop-ups, multi-day station takeovers, or even semi-permanent residence within a retail location. On the catering side, we’ve also seen the inclusion of local restaurants on the operator’s very […]
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