Nothing beats a warm meal indoors at your favorite restaurant. Even with the cold winter season approaching, restaurant dining remains in full action.

Give your customers the ultimate dining experience that’ll be sure to bring them back. From high-quality uniforms and take-out solutions to delicious, easy to prep food items, tackle cold winter months in ways that save you both time and money.

Let’s take a look at solutions you can use to prepare your operation for the upcoming winter season:

Off-premise dining is just as popular as on-premise dining. To keep your to-go orders blooming and your profits increasing this winter season, secure your customers’ takeout with high-quality disposables.

Consolidated Concepts partners with top manufacturers like Dart, Sabert, Huhtamaki, Fabri-Kal, and StrawFish that give you access to savings opportunities on takeout and delivery solutions. Protect food orders with the right packaging that’ll satisfy customers and give your operation a safe, successful winter season.

Making a good first impression to customers is essential when running a restaurant operation. High-quality uniforms will reflect your brand and please your staff while presenting professionalism and cleanliness.

From slip resistant shoes perfect for battling slippery winter days to customizable uniforms from Cintas that keep your staff looking pristine and feeling warm, you’re guaranteed savings on items that your employees wear every shift.

With uniforms built with moisture-wicking Cool Vent™ technology, your staff can overcome the battle of hot and cold from stepping indoor to outdoor while serving customers through our Chef Works Program.

Warm, comfort foods are key to bringing in profits during the winter season. Keep your customers delighted and back-of-house pleased with quality, easy to prep food and beverage items. We’ve partnered with popular brands to bring you cost-effective food and beverage solutions that are sure to boost sales and help you tackle winter.

Did you know that Barilla is the world’s number one pasta? When you add Barilla pasta to your menu, you’re adding quality, variety, and consistency. Imagine the array of dishes you could create with such a versatile food item that can be enjoyed by everyone, even those with special dietary needs. From protein packed pasta to gluten-free, the options are endless this winter for the perfect, warm, pasta dish.

Another winter staple is a good ol’ bowl of soup. Increase your profits and reduce labor when incorporating Campbell’s soups to your menus! Delight your guests with speed-scratch solutions guaranteed to give them that fresh, homemade taste they’re longing for. Offer soup as a stand-alone or a side to entrees and watch guests line up for this crowd-favorite.

Don’t forget the potatoes! Offer hearty mashed potatoes your guests will love, all while keeping your prep time down, and bottom-line in mind. With Idahoan® Real Mashed Potatoes, you can create signature dishes that’ll thrill both your staff and customers.

That’s not all. There’s nothing better than ending the night with a warm cup of hot cocoa or a rich cup of coffee. Treat your customers and add brands like Folgers 1850® Coffee and Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa to your beverage menus!

Creating a clean and safe environment for guests is key to keeping your restaurant profitable during the upcoming winter months. As a restaurant operator, the last thing you’d want to do is expose your staff and guests to an unsanitary facility, especially during cold & flu season. As a Consolidated Concepts member, you receive exclusive discounts and savings on sanitation products like the Dixie Ultra™ Surface System and Tork® Skincare solutions.

Did you know that cloth towels in the open-bucket environment can lose proper sanitizing strength within 30 minutes? The Dixie Ultra™ Surface System changes everything. Welcome to a new era of surface sanitizing!

Tork® offers a complete line of products designed to meet all your skincare needs for both front and back of house. Whether you prefer foam or liquid soaps and sanitizers, or manual or automatic dispensers, Tork® has the right solution to keep your operation clean and healthy.

Maintenance around the restaurant with hard-to-find items can cause a strain in operations. HD Supply can prepare you for the cooler months with essential items to create a memorable customer experience. Another benefit you get access to is our partnership with Grainger. Take advantage of programs with competitive pricing and savings on all you need to maintain your operation.

Don’t waste any more time, prepare your restaurant today and ensure you’re on the road to tackle a winter season.

Our savings solutions here at Consolidated Concepts are guaranteed to bring your restaurant a clean, healthy, and profitable winter season!

With access to high-quality products and easy to prep menu items, you’ll be able to tackle the winter season while satisfying all your customer and staff needs!

Contact us today!

To run a restaurant operation during the current labor shortage is one thing. Running an efficient one is another. With the continuation of the pandemic and no relief in sight, especially before the holidays, restaurant operators are seeking alternatives to what was once known to them as their traditional, every-day way of running their operation.

There’s no doubt that times are changing, and everyone is doing their part to keep up. These changes are fairly easy to make and will not only help you run a more efficient business, but will also put money back in your pocket.

Let’s take a look at three different ways Consolidated Concepts experts say you can run an efficient restaurant during the current labor shortage:

Technology Can Streamline Processes

Technology has played a massive role in restaurant operators lives, especially since the beginning of the pandemic. From QR code menus and mobile ordering to inventory management, there’s nothing technology can’t do to help streamline your operation.

One way we encourage restaurant operators to implement technology is by partnering with industry experts such as InsideTrack. With the help of their spend management technology, you’ll have access to the most effective data cleaning in the foodservice industry. Data accuracy, consistency, and reliability are guaranteed. Operators like you gain better insights and spend intelligence into your operation.

By embracing spend management technology, you make better business decisions and identify new opportunities for savings and revenue. Data on your purchases is organized into easy-to-read dashboards you can access at any time. InsideTrack members can streamline operations by utilizing spend management, contract management, cost savings, GPO services, and much more—all within one powerful technology software.

Another way experts at Consolidated Concepts encourage the use of technology is by taking advantage of food cost management. Food cost management technology is a great resource that helps operators and chefs manage and control their food cost, inventory, and much more.

Food cost management technology puts time back into your day and helps you figure out any pain points that may be affecting the success of your operation.

Instead of hand-counting each item, you simply upload a screenshot of your invoices and Orderly takes care of the rest. You speed up your inventory process when you implement technology into your operation.

Now you can calculate the cost of a recipe online, too! With solutions such as Orderly, you’re able to build all of your recipes directly into the system. Each time an invoice is uploaded, the technology breaks down each ingredient and updates your prices in real-time.

Technology is key to running an efficient restaurant operation during these times. There’s an infinite number of things technology can do to ensure you’re streamlining operations, putting time back into your day and money into your bottom line.

Using Versatile, Easy-To-Prepare Ingredients

Did you know you could save time and money by incorporating versatile ingredients that are delicious and easy to prep? With products like Idahoan Real Potatoes, your customers will have that homemade taste and authentic feel they’re craving.

With the cold weather here, you can even add quick, savory soups onto your menus with items like Campbell’s Soup. Maybe even a soup base that’s less expensive and more consistent than scratch for you to work your final touches on such as LeGoût Cream Soup Base.

Have you considered pre-made sauces that are free of artificial colors/flavors and preservatives? Save time on prep and create dishes your guests will love with Knorr® Professional sauces. From gravies to sauces, your back of house will be thanking you for putting time back into their busy schedules.

But that’s not all. Who has time to hand-squeeze lemon and lime? Nobody, especially now with the labor shortage. That’s why The ReaLemon and ReaLime juices are great labor-saving ingredients that eliminate the inconvenience of slicing and squeezing. These juices are also a great option for salads, dips, main meals, and even beverages.

When you use versatile ingredients, you save money and put time back into your day while also satisfying your customers’ needs. Work smarter, not harder.

Partnering with Supply Chain Management Experts

Another way to ensure you run an efficient restaurant operation during a labor shortage is by partnering with supply chain management experts like Consolidated Concepts. With the current state of the supply chain, taking control of what comes into your operation seems nearly impossible.

You’ll have access to a fully customizable service that brings instant savings on thousands of items you may already be buying. Our experts help reduce costs, improve quality, and identify areas you may be able to achieve savings and negotiations in. This includes supply chain management, master distributions agreements, managed produce, and contracts.

Our supply chain management ensures maximum profitability and productivity while giving you access to items at the best competitive prices.

Join Consolidated Concepts Today!

If you’re looking to run an efficient restaurant operation during the current labor shortage, becoming a Consolidated Concepts member is a great place to start. As mentioned above, our experts will help reduce costs, improve quality, and identify instant savings!

Get started today!