Festive drinks

Delicious drinks are a key component of any good celebration and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. Consider curating a special drink menu for this day that showcases Mexican-inspired cocktails, beers, and beverages. Featured drinks can include:

Margarita–Put your bartenders’ creativity to the test and develop your very own Cinco de Mayo house margarita. It can be infused with extra spice, flavor, or a completely unexpected twist.

Paloma–A tequila cocktail that’s packed with zesty lime juice, grapefruit juice, and sparkling water, this concoction makes for a delightfully refreshing drink.

Michelada–This Mexican beer and Clamato cocktail can be made a dozen ways, so make sure your restaurant’s variation is unique, delicious, and a reflection of your brand’s personality.

Tequila–Offer a variety of Mexican tequilas that range in price and taste to satisfy a wide variety of budgets and palates.

Mexican Mule-A twist on the traditional “Moscow Mule,” a Mexican Mule includes tequila, ginger beer, and lime juice—it’s always a crowd favorite.

Other alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages restaurants can serve on Cinco de Mayo may include Horchata, Bloody Maria, Agua de Jamaica, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Mexican beer. Don’t be afraid to create ownable cocktails and drinks that spotlight Mexican ingredients and flavors to impress your guests with unique beverage options they won’t find anywhere else.

Delicious dishes

Of course, no Cinco de Mayo celebration would be complete without an extensive and mouthwatering Mexican food menu. When planning your menu, it’s a good idea to choose items that have ingredient crossover to save on cost and reduce food waste. Below are a few Mexican staple dishes that your chef can put their own unique and festive spin on.

Appetizers

• Homemade guacamole/salsa/Pico de Gallo with chips
• Shrimp ceviche
• Empanadas
• Elote
• Crispy tostadas

Main dishes

• Chicken tamales
• Mole poblano
• Skirt steak tacos
• Pork posole
• Carnitas with Mexican rice and refried beans
• Tortas
• Fajitas

Desserts

• Homemade churro
• Caramel flan
• Tres Leches cake

Outdoor space

Due to constantly shifting COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines, utilizing your restaurant’s outdoor areas is a smart idea. If you have an outdoor patio, rooftop, or sidewalk seating, consider reworking this space for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. This can include renting tents or heaters, depending on the climate in your area. It’s important that your restaurant adheres to state and local guidelines surrounding coronavirus and outdoor dining regulations. If a viable option, you can offer ticketed timeslots that people can sign up for on your website. Limiting party sizes and how long guests are able to reserve a table for will allow the maximum amount of people possible to enjoy your restaurant in a safe way. By having predetermined reservations and time limits in place, guests will understand the expectations and feel safer knowing that your restaurant is following social distancing protocols.

Take-home kits

One strategy that’s seen success throughout the pandemic is take-home meal kits and drink kits. An ideal solution for people who are not quite comfortable dining out yet, your restaurant can assemble take-home Cinco de Mayo kits. This way, your customers can enjoy your restaurant’s menu and celebrate from the comfort of their own home. Your Cinco de Mayo meal kits can feature traditional Mexican dishes (like the ones we previously listed) as premade, ready-to-eat dishes or you can instead include the portioned ingredients so everyone can cook together. Similarly, your restaurant can test offering to-go drink kits. These can have all the necessary, pre-portioned ingredients and garnishes for popular Cinco de Mayo cocktails. It’s a good idea to choose the top three cocktails that typically sell the best on this day to include in your take-home drink kit options this year.

Social media

Now it’s time to let everyone know about your restaurant’s Cinco de Mayo celebration options by posting on your website and social media pages. Include a link to book reservations and disclose any COVID-19 guidelines/restrictions that are required for guests. Consistently post about your Cinco de Mayo offerings a few weeks before the day to give people enough time to plan and possibly order meal kits ahead of time. It’s a good idea to feature professional quality photography of your Mexican food and drink items to encourage social media engagement. You can also promote your to-go Cinco de Mayo meal kit and drink kit options with a link to the ordering page. Overall, it’s important to let your customers, both current and prospective, know exactly how they can safely celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your restaurant this year during COVID-19.

Be sure to regularly visit our free resource section dedicated to advising restaurants on how to navigate the changing rules and regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post Cinco de Mayo promotion ideas during covid appeared first on Rewards Network.

We took a look at some of the top food delivery services to help you decide which ones you might want to incorporate in your restaurant, including:

• Google online ordering
• Grubhub
• DoorDash
• Postmates
• Caviar
• Rewards Network Online Ordering

Download this free e-tool to learn more about the pricing and key takeaways of the major food delivery players.

The post Top third-party food delivery services appeared first on Rewards Network.

In this article, we touch on the primary elements that need attention when you open your doors. Every idea and checkpoint may not apply to you, but our restaurant marketing and operations experts have compiled this document to help guide your reopening efforts.

As you read this guide, remember that in the COVID-19 era more than ever, regulations impacting your ability to open for dine-in service, and how you do it, are hyper-local. Please remember to check state and local regulations before implementing any of these strategies for success.

Ease into full-service dining

When navigating the challenges spurred by COVID-19, it’s easy to feel like you have to jump full force back into dine-in service at the earliest opportunity. Try to resist this urge. Rather, it’s a good idea to start slow and build your on-premise dining business back up steadily over time as patrons begin to feel comfortable dining outside their homes again.

Takeout and delivery can remain a core component of your business and the bulk of your revenue as dine-in service will most likely be limited to start. You can consider ramping up these sales even further by offering discounts on pick-up orders when directly placed through your restaurant instead of a third-party service. By prioritizing in-house and direct takeout and delivery orders, you can start to pull away from any third-party apps you partnered with in order to recoup the maximum amount of each sale instead of giving a large chunk to commission fees.

Due to social distancing and reopening protocols, owners and operators can expect a reduced dine-in occupancy rate. It’s a good idea to put stipulations in place as it pertains to the maximum number of guests allowed per table as well as how many people can congregate in the entrance of your restaurant while waiting for a table. Brainstorm ideas with your staff on how to best plan for a seamless seating experience. This can include limiting the number of people in your waiting area as well as establishing an outdoor area and plan for overflow. Encouraging customers to make a reservation prior to arriving at your restaurant can help your staff accurately gauge the number of guests and appropriate considerations that need to be made on a day-by-day basis.

Set clear and realistic expectations

It’s wise to communicate your restaurant’s new guidelines early and often with your customer base. Have a section on your website’s homepage that explains any pertinent changes that are going into effect as well as a way for visitors to contact you with any questions/concerns. Adding an FAQ section to your site that’s specific to dining in your restaurant during coronavirus can be especially helpful for customers, setting concrete expectations before they come in to dine. Also, you can send an email blast out to your entire contact list and post on your social platforms letting everyone know what to expect when they visit your restaurant after it reopens for limited dine-in service. Consider posting sidewalk and window signage that explains the guidelines and requirements for people entering your restaurant, so that no one is met with any surprises upon entering.

During this ramping up timeframe, restaurant owners can offer a limited menu that features their bestsellers and high profit margin items. Update your website’s menu to reflect these changes, post a new limited menu in your establishment’s front window, and make announcements across all your social platforms. It’s important for guests to be aware of their meal options prior to coming through your doors so you can mitigate expectations and align them with the reality of today’s situation. To continue this communication stream while customers are dining, your staff can place table tents on every table that list the new safety measures and dine-in requirements. This may include points such as requiring diners to wear a mask anytime they leave their table, alerting people that condiments are only available upon request, and the maximum number of guests allowed per table. By establishing the guidelines and dine-in parameters up front, restaurant owners are able to proactively plan for a successful dining experience for all parties — guests, staff, vendors, and management.

Prioritize safety above all else

Safety and sanitation are on the top of everyone’s minds these days. It’s crucial to remain rigorous with your restaurant’s sanitation routine to prevent any staff or guests from being infected with or spreading COVID-19. Consider scheduling a deep cleaning service at least once a week to ensure that every area from floors and tables to kitchen appliances and walls are disinfected and cleaned to the highest standard. It’s also a good idea to plan for your staff to have longer dinner/closing shifts so that they can extensively clean the restaurant each night.

Small prevention measures can go a long way not only toward mitigating the risk for infection, but to put guests’ minds at ease too. Add hand sanitizer and/or disinfecting hand wipes at each table, in the bathroom, and at various stations throughout the restaurant, making it easy and convenient for patrons to sanitize multiple times during their visit. Section off the tables that are not being used due to social distancing and clearly delineate between the waiting area(s) and dining sections of your restaurant. Other procedural changes may be enacted to bolster safety and sanitation measures such as discontinuing high-traffic guest areas like salad bars, buffets, and beverage service stations. Finally, ensure that your carry-out and delivery procedures include no-contact options and that you’re using tamper-evident food packaging.

Prior to reopening for dine-in service it’s a good idea to have an all-staff education meeting to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Explain that your top priority is their health and the health of any people that come through your doors. Drive home to your employees how important it is for them to maintain a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, regularly exercise, and take care of their mental health during these unpredictable times. Other staff safety and health guidelines can include:

• Discouraging unnecessary travel
• Regular temperature checks
• Requiring masks for all employees and customers
• Instructing your staff to wear gloves at all times
• Mandating that sick employees stay home
• Regularly washing/sanitizing hands throughout shift
• Keep employees at least six feet from one another

If you’re looking for tips on how to maximize the safety of your staff and guests, a great resource is the National Restaurant Association’s “COVID-19 Reopening Guidance” that provides restaurant owners with a framework on how to safely reopen their doors during these times.

Manage your menu and costs

One of the most important facets of reopening dine-in service is determining what dishes will be on your new limited menu. To do so, you can run a report to unearth which selections are the most popular as well as which items garner the highest profit margins. Try to keep your staples and most well-known dishes as intact as possible to maintain brand recognition and customer satisfaction. It’s a savvy idea to apply these same principles to your takeout/delivery menu, along with taking into account which food items travel best, to ensure continuity across all dining avenues.

Continue to work with your suppliers and vendors to find strategic ways of keeping your in-house inventory small. Also, regularly run a cash flow analysis to see what areas of the business are performing well and where further optimization is needed. Creating out-of-the-box opportunities for revenue is a key differentiator among restaurants nowadays. Take stock of the overflow ingredients your establishment has on hand and determine if assembling take-home meal kits is a viable option. Some restaurants are also opting to open online “grocery stores” that sell pantry staples such as flour, eggs, milk, bread, and condiments directly to consumers. The more outlets a restaurant owner can create for the public to support their business, the better a chance they have of coming out of the coronavirus era as financially unscathed as possible. To learn more about aligning supplier orders to your new normal and other best practices for preparing your restaurant to successfully reopen, check out our blog, “How restaurants can successfully reopen in the coronavirus era.”

Leverage technology and your web presence

Make your current technology work better for your specific situation as you navigate reopening dine-in services during coronavirus. Automated ordering systems, including mobile ordering apps and cashless payment options, are an effective no-contact means to place and cash out guests’ orders. Other tech-forward approaches to reduce staff to guest contact, while keeping customers informed and comfortable, can include:

• Texts/phone calls when tables are ready
• Regular web updates that announce pertinent information
• Weekly email blasts to discuss any changes, rules, modified menu items, etc.
• Ability to make reservations online
• Large-print online menus that reflect real-time availabilities

When it comes to any brand’s social media platforms, transparency is key. Determine a posting schedule and cadence that accounts for about two to three posts per week. These can be informational, alerting followers that you’re open for dine-in service and of any new promotions you’re running, or more fun and informal, featuring mouthwatering food photography and snaps of your restaurant and staff in action. Social media is also an effective real-time outlet for businesses to share what measures they’re putting in place to adhere to coronavirus guidelines and best practices as it relates to health and safety. Continue to encourage engagement by posting questions, polls, and timely information as it relates to your restaurant’s latest happenings and offerings, directing readers to other resources on your website. Finally, because Google and other general sites may not have the most up-to-date information on your restaurant, it’s a good idea to frequently check your channels to answer comments, reply to questions, and address direct messages.

In addition to posting on your website and social channels, you may want to alert your local media that your restaurant will be open for limited dine-in service. When connecting with public relations and media professionals, try to curate a unique angle to allow your email/phone call to stand out from the others they receive each day. If you have done something exceptional to take care of your staff during this time or if one of your team members has a particularly noteworthy story, this can be a great approach to take. Assemble a strong library of marketing materials that includes logos, photos of your restaurant and dishes, as well as photos of staff to share with the media when the time comes. If you have the capabilities, consider creating your own video content such as cooking demonstrations and how-to recipe videos as these can be a great addition to any media package.

Since most people are not currently adhering to regular office hours, it’s a smart move to extend dine-in promotions and happy hours to times of the day that are typically off hours. For example, you can try offering a special lunch deal 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and then extended drink discounts 8 p.m. – close, enticing patrons to make a reservation at your spot during these time slots. Again, getting creative and testing different promotions and ideas can fuel and funnel revenue through different arms of your business so that your bottom line isn’t hinging on only takeout/delivery orders or solely dine-in dollars.

Control what you can

The coronavirus pandemic has produced many uncertainties and challenges for the restaurant industry that seem to ebb and flow daily. As a business owner, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by just the idea of reopening your restaurant’s dine-in service. It’s important to focus on the aspects of your business that you can control such as staff/guest safety requirements, setting clear expectations for diners, increased sanitation efforts, new menus, takeout/delivery protocols, and communication efforts. By taking a slow and steady approach to dine-in service during COVID-19, restaurant owners can set themselves up for continued success and consistent revenue streams, while boosting their brand recognition and customer satisfaction goals.

Take a look at our free e-tool, “Coronavirus Era: 13 Restaurant Marketing Tips” to discover restaurant marketing strategies and tactics that can help your business during COVID-19.

The post Opening your doors for dine-in service during COVID-19 appeared first on Rewards Network.

However, there are steps restaurant owners can take to help ensure the health of their staff, and to reinforce for customers that ordering food from a restaurant is safe.

Health precautions for employees

Employee health is always important, but it’s now absolutely critical for restaurant owners to make sure that they and their staff are following best practices when it comes to hygiene.

To ensure that your healthy employees stay that way, consider following these precautions at your restaurant:

• Instruct any employees who feel sick to stay home. No exceptions.
• Take the temperature of staff members when they report to work to make sure they don’t have a fever, one of the early warning signs of a potential COVID-19 infection.
• Remind employees to follow CDC guidelines by frequently washing their hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently, especially high-touch areas.
• Require employees to wear masks, gloves, and to maintain social distancing—staying at least six feet apart from one another.
• Routinely clean and sanitize cooler and insulated bags used for food deliveries.
• Protect your delivery drivers by offering contactless deliveries. This means drivers can call or text customers to alert them when they arrive, then simply leave the food at the customer’s front door, eliminating the risks posed by a face-to-face interaction.

Try to make time for regular staff meetings to check in with employees and make sure they feel safe at work, and address any concerns they may have. Encourage your staff to share any extra safety tips they may have implemented on their own that could benefit other team members. This can help build camaraderie and boost morale during a stressful time for staff.

Keeping customers safe

Help protect your valued guests and help them feel secure in placing an order at your restaurant by implementing these policies:

• Limit the number of customers you allow in your restaurant at one time. Establish designated pick-up zones for customers to help maintain social distancing between employees and customers.
• Encourage adequate spacing between customers waiting in line to place or pick up an order, and request that they wear masks while inside your establishment. Depending on your area, this may already be required by city and/or state ordinances.
• If you have your own delivery drivers, train them on proper hand washing techniques. That way you can feel confident that everyone in contact with a guest’s meal is following proper safety protocols.
• If you allow pickups from third-party delivery drivers, consider providing them with hand sanitizer as well as sanitizing wipes for their takeout bag.
• Allow customers to pay (and tip) in advance to minimize their contact with your staff while picking up their order, or placing a delivery order.
• If customers do pay inside, encourage them to use the tap-to-pay option (if you’re POS system supports that). Otherwise, provide each customer with a new pen to sign credit card receipts. After each use, pens should be placed in a designated area so they can be disinfected before the next use.

One way you can set customers’ minds at ease is by being upfront about what precautions your restaurant is taking to keep them safe. You can post this information on your website, social media, and/or in an insert in the delivery bag. Sharing a few photos of masked, gloved employees on your social sites can demonstrate your commitment to safety, and give customers a chance to feel that they are still connected to your staff, even if they can’t enjoy a meal in your dining room (for the time being).

While we’re talking safety, if you’d like to learn some helpful tips for choosing and safely maintaining equipment for your kitchen, download our free e-book, “Restaurant Equipment: Keeping it Safe, Efficient, and Profitable.”

The post Restaurant takeout and delivery safety tips in the coronavirus era appeared first on Rewards Network.

But with women across multiple professions managing these challenges, not to mention the rising influence of women wine consumers, why don’t we don’t see more women wine professionals influencing what we’re drinking?

Outdated perceptions about wine, including who drinks it and who sells it, may be skewing the field toward men but this view might not last much longer. If market and consumer trends are any indication, the wine industry is headed for a significant image make-over.

The Changing Faces of Wine

There certainly isn’t any doubt that women wine professionals are as capable as their male counterparts. But even though the numbers of women working in wine are increasing, antiquated perceptions of who is (or should be) your sommelier or beverage director still persist, both among employers and customers. More often than not, that perception is still of a man, probably white, catering to other men with big expense accounts.

The lingering assumption that there’s always a man behind the wine list is not only outdated, it also doesn’t represent the majority of customers actually drinking wine. Research from the Wine Market Council indicates that women comprise 57% of wine drinkers in the U.S., and a stunning 83% of total wine purchases.

Women are also driving demand for different varieties of wine, led in part by millennials, who already account for 36% of wine drinkers. Millennials have more adventurous palates, and drink wines from not just from California, but also from Oregon, Washington, and New York. They are also more likely to try bottles from lesser known areas, such as Greece, South Africa, and South America.

This more open approach indicates that millennials are also less likely to hang on to old stereotypes about wine, including who best represents the industry or who should be drinking what.

More than a Matter of Taste

Certainly, the wine industry is not the first male-dominated profession with women as the primary consumers. The fashion industry is full of men who are lauded for their women’s designs. But consider, for a moment, how the industry might look with more women wine professionals front and center.

A change in attitude and approach toward customers might be one difference. While undoubtedly extremely qualified, women will more often emphasize dialogue with the customer, rather than highlight their credentials as a wine authority. There may be more listening to customer preferences and goals for the meal, and more back-and-forth discussion on wine choices. By contrast men, who also take into account customer preferences, are more likely to demonstrate their vast knowledge and tell the customer directly what to drink.

Differences in how men and women view and taste wine could also influence customer recommendations. Men more often gravitate toward big names and flavors, matching preferences for strong flavor profiles. Women, on the other hand, are thought to have more sensitive palettes than men and the ability to recall what they’ve tasted much faster. This could lead to a more nuanced understanding of wine and ultimately, more finely tailored recommendations and higher customer satisfaction.

How Restaurants Can Support Women in Wine

First and foremost, publicly support women wine professionals, especially if they work in your restaurant! This might seem obvious but when facing inappropriate or critical comments from a customer (“Can I speak to the wine guy?”), the authority of female employees can be undercut by deferring to the customer. If you have a professional, competent woman in the job (and we’re guessing you do!), make it clear to your customers and staff that she is there do her job, and will do it well.

Foster mentorship for women who are interested in wine. Networks for women in the industry are stronger, and a growing number of women are seeking out leadership roles in the industry, both as managers and owners. Encourage women to meet with these professionals on a regular basis.

Likewise, encourage continuing professional development, such as sponsoring wine certification courses or arranging special staff tastings, to broaden knowledge and deepen skill sets. These opportunities should go beyond wine, to include the business foundations of the industry.

Supportive actions like these signal to women entering the industry that they have a viable career path, combining not just in-depth knowledge and tasting skills, but also business and customer savviness. The more support women receive from other industry professionals, the more likely we’ll see women not only as an integral part of the wine industry, but also as leaders and changemakers.

The post Sharing the Bottle: Supporting Women Wine Professionals appeared first on Rewards Network.

Some cities have a thriving BYO culture such as Philadelphia, where strict licensing procedures and a high tax on alcohol has prompted many restaurants to let customers bring their own wine. In other areas, such as San Francisco, proximity to local wineries encourages restaurants to be more open to BYO due to popular demand.

Even if BYO isn’t the norm, many restaurants will allow customers to bring a personal bottle, usually for a fee to cover the cost of opening and serving your wine. Depending on the restaurant, corkage fees can be as little as $10 or upwards of $50 or more, though $20-$35 seems to be the median range. In cities that embrace BYO, some restaurants will even have corkage free days. Whether you’re a BYO regular or new to the term, below are a few considerations to keep in mind about corkage for both customers and restaurants.

BYO Considerations for Customers

Call the restaurant ahead of time to find out their BYO policy. This is not only considerate, but it also gives the restaurant a heads up if you’ll need special glassware or plan to bring several bottles. This is also a good time to find out how much the corkage fee is and if there are any stipulations, such as a bottle limit or not bringing a wine that’s already on the restaurant’s list. You might also learn that BYO is not legally permitted in that state, such as Delaware, Ohio, or Wisconsin, in which case your call will have saved you from bringing the bottle, only to find you can’t legally enjoy it.

Offer your server, sommelier, or beverage director a taste of your wine. Presumably, you’ve brought a bottle that is both special and not on the restaurant’s list, so they’ll likely be interested to know how it tastes. They’ll be appreciative of the nod to their profession and they might discover something they love!

Don’t be cheap with the bottle you bring! It’s disrespectful to both the restaurant and the professionals who work there, implying that they don’t know how to do their job and that you don’t know how to appreciate their work. Depending on the restaurant’s corkage fee, bringing a cheap bottle won’t necessarily save you much in the end. A good rule of thumb is to never bring a bottle that costs less than the least expensive bottle on a restaurant’s wine list.

Don’t argue about the amount of the corkage fee. It’s true that some restaurants purposely charge an exorbitant fee to discourage customers from bringing their own bottle, but it’s at the restaurant’s discretion to allow BYO or not. Restaurants are also considering their investment of time, effort, and money into putting together a great wine list that complements their menu.

BYO Considerations for Restaurants

Don’t make a customer feel guilty for bringing their own wine. It sets a bad tone for the customer’s meal and could ultimately reflect poorly on the restaurant. While honoring the customer’s request, also consider highlighting interesting bottles on the wine list that may have been overlooked.

Closely consider your beverage mark-ups, and whether your wine list is offering something customers wouldn’t normally find in a store. If customers consistently see high mark-ups on average, mass-produced bottles as if they are hard wines to come by, don’t be surprised if more customers bring their own bottles.

Make sure your staff knows your restaurant’s corkage policy and can explain it to customers. If questions about corkage don’t arise very often, it’s certainly understandable that your staff may need to seek clarification. At a minimum, they should be aware of the concept and whether or not your restaurant will allow BYO.

Protect your tips. Remind your servers that it’s not enough to just be OK with a customer bringing their own wine. They need to be as attentive about catering to that situation as any other. Customers may perceive that their level of service is decreased if they have to repeatedly ask for a corkscrew or extra glasses or a bucket of ice. And if they feel like the service is less than normal, the amount of tipping will surely follow.

The post Corkage: What to Know When You Bring Your Own Wine to a Restaurant appeared first on Rewards Network.

What follows are descriptions of 20 different cuts of pure beef you’re likely to see described on a local restaurant menu. Vegans need not apply (but rest assured, we have you covered too).

Bonanza cut

Just conceived this year in a scientist’s lab at the University of Nevada, the Bonanza cut is traditionally one that gets tossed in with the spare cuts to be ground. However, this quarter-moon shaped cut — left on the ribs after the flank steak is cut away — rivals the filet mignon for juiciness, marbling, and tenderness. It’s a small, but mighty addition to the high-end cuts chefs are always on the lookout for.

Brisket

Brisket is generally a larger slab of meat cut from the breast of the cow that benefits from longer periods of cooking time (thanks to its tight connective tissue and one-sided layer of fat). Braising or smoking loosens the meat to a very tender consistency, perfect for barbecuing or serving sliced au jus.

Chuck

Located near the neck and shoulder area of the cow, the chuck can be a little tough given the amount of work it does as a muscle. But with all that work comes flavor, as the economical cuts that come from the chuck — the chuck eye roast and the flat iron steak — become exceptionally tasty, especially when braised or slow-cooked.

Filet mignon

Considered the height of richness and perfection in both tenderness and presentation, the filet mignon is the cut of beef all others aspire to match. Taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin — a snake-shaped cut of meat running alongside both sides of the spine — the filet mignon, when cut properly, is no more than 500 grams per animal. It’s not necessarily the most flavorful cut on its own, as it’s taken from a non-moving part of the animal, but its enhanced preparation generally compensates for that.

Flank steak

A tough, long, and flat cut of meat taken from the abdominal muscles of the cow, the flank steak is typically seen in dishes like the London Broil and in Asian or Mexican-inspired stir-fry and fajitas.

Merlot cut

Located in the heel round just between the shank and the bottom round, the merlot cut is similar in shape and size to the flank steak, but has a finer grain and is much more tender than its tougher cousin. While the merlot cut is fairly economical compared to similarly tender cuts of beef, it’s not readily available in grocery stores, more often found at specialty butchers and on restaurant menus.

New York strip

A cut of steak from the short loin of the cow, the New York strip is particularly tender and does not include the bone as would its neighboring cut, the T-bone. There is a thick layer of flat running along one long edge of the cut and some fine marbling throughout, but no larger interior pockets of fat.

Oyster steak

Also known as the spider steak in Australia and the Pope’s eye in the United Kingdom, the oyster steak is a fairly new craft cut that sits right inside the hip on either side of the cow. This small, semi-circular cut has a web of fat running through the muscles and can be prepared most easily with a quick pan sear.

Pichanha

A very popular cut at American restaurant juggernaut Fogo de Châo — and in Brazilian cuisine in general — the pichanha is referred to as the sirloin cap most often in the US, residing right at the tip of the cow’s tail alongside its lower back. Most often it is grilled with the outer layer of fat still attached, preserving its juiciness and full flavor when sliced onto the plate.

Porterhouse

The Porterhouse is a larger version of the classic T-bone steak, taken from the larger part of the tenderloin. In order to officially qualify as a Porterhouse according to the USDA, the steak must be at least a one-and-a-quarter inch thick, making it a fairly large portion sometimes served to two.

Prime rib

One half of the rib portion of the cow, the prime rib is cut from what’s known as the “prime” area along the ribcage: the 6th through 12th ribs, leaving the tougher meat along the 1st through 5th ribs best served in dishes like pot roast. The ribs themselves are trimmed of the fatty cap, leaving the bones clean and exposed. The prime rib can then be roasted whole and sliced apart for serving in thick pieces.

Rib eye

The rib eye is what’s left behind when a chef removed the prime rib meat from the bone, no longer roasted in standing rib roast form. Unlike prime rib, the rib eye can be cut from any bone in the ribcage, and is most often pan-fried or grilled.

Round steak

The round of the cow is also known by a much less neutral sounding name: the rump. Because of its location just above the back leg, the round steak can be a very tough cut of meat. As a result, this low-fat cut needs to be braised or slow-roasted to tenderize imbruing out its true flavor.

Shank

The shank of the cow (or any mammal) is its upper leg and remains one of the toughest cuts of meat possible due to the overall activity it exerts daily. Because of this, any cuts from the shank are best cooked slowly and over long periods of time, such as the braised veal shank found at the center of a dish like Osso Bucco.

Shoulder tender

A much more difficult cut of meat to extract for many butchers, the shoulder tender arises from much the place you’d imagine in the chuck portion of the cow, right above the shoulder joint. Thought to rival the filet mignon in tenderness, the shoulder tender is a much less expensive cut and can often be found on menus roasted or grilled, then cut into slices.

Sirloin

Best grilled to perfection, the sirloin cuts — including tri-tip, top and bottom sirloins, and filet of sirloin — come from the back of the cow, just past the loin. It is one of the most popular cuts of meat for its tenderness and overall taste.

T-bone

Smaller than the Porterhouse and only required by definition to be one quarter inch thick, the T-bone is much as you would imagine. A T-shaped bone is accompanied by two pieces of meat, one on each long side of the bone — otherwise known as the tenderloin and the strip. Expert chefs must be careful when grilling the T-bone as the two sides are rarely similar in size and can easily lead to being over- or under-temperature on one side or another.

Tripe

Not your typical muscle, the tripe of the cow is simply its stomach muscles with the lining removed. Depending on which of the three stomach chambers the tripe is taken from, its shape and consistency will vary. The first produces a wide, flat, and smooth piece of meat, while the second takes on a honeycomb type structure and is yellow in color. The third resembled a white netting of sorts. Most frequently found in American restaurants in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean-style cooking, the tripe is fairly affordable and adds a different texture to soups, stews, and stir fry.

Tournedos

Small and round pieces of meat cut from the very end of the tenderloin, tournedos are the perfect size for experiencing “haute cuisine” in all its glory. Known for smaller portioning and creative pairings of protein and sauces decoratively fashioned on the plate, haute cuisine finds the perfect centerpiece in this tender portion of beef.

Vegas strip steak

A newer cut of meat “hidden” among the chuck section of the cow, the Vegas strip steak is an oblong piece of marbled beef weighing about 14 ounces when butchered correctly. When separated from the chuck that surrounds it, this steak is free from gristle and connective tissue, leaving behind a tender cut rivaling much more expensive pieces of meat in flavor and quality.

But enough about beef. Have you heard about the latest trends in menu meats for 2017? Download our free ebook to read up on that — and so many more trends for this year — in our latest eBook “Restaurant Menu Trends in 2017”:

The post What’s Your Beef? 20 Cuts of Beef and How They Differ appeared first on Rewards Network.

Still, Filipino cuisine is dynamic on its own, with bold flavors of coconut, citrus, slow simmered marinated meats, and mildly sweet notes. There’s a lot to explore in this cuisine, but it can be difficult for non-Filipino diners to know where to start. Here are ten items that can be a strong start to a rich cuisine for any curious eater.

Lumpia

The Filipino version of spring rolls, this crepe-like lumpia wrapper has a savory filling, usually with pork, beef, or shrimp and vegetables like cabbage, green beans, bamboo shoots, leeks, and carrots. While there are unfried variations, many love fried lumpias for the great crunchy texture of the wrapper as they bite into it.

Chicken Adobo

This dish has the chicken marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic for several hours. The chicken is pan fried until it develops a nice brown crust, then the marinade is added into the pan to create a thick glaze before the chicken is served with rice. “Adobo” refers to the vinegar marinating process originally used for food preservation, and while many other cuisines have incorporated the technique in different ways, it’s believed to have originated in the Philippines.

Ube

Subtly sweet with earthy notes, this purple yam is a key ingredient in a wide variety of Filipino desserts, from cakes to jams to ice cream. The mild sweetness of the root vegetable makes it perfect for those diners who want to enjoy a pleasant end of a meal without worrying about a sugar bomb in their mouth. More than anything, ube desserts are most recognizable for that striking color — when we say it’s purple, we really mean it’s purple.

Pancit bihon

“Pancit” refers to any type of Filipino noodle dish, but the most popular and common is pancit bihon. Bihon noodles are an especially thin rice noodle that’s stir fried with soy sauce, a citrus element, some fish sauce, a protein (chicken, shrimp, pork, and Chinese sausage are all very popular), and a mix of vegetables.

Atsarang Labano

This pickled radish is more of a condiment than a dish in itself. However, the atsarang labano brings a balance of sweet and acid notes to a variety of dishes, including fried fish and noodle salad. The radish is often pickled with carrot or onion.

Sisig

Also known as “sizzling sisig,” pork sisig features meat from the pig’s head (including the ears and snout) marinated in vinegar and served with chicken liver. This indulgent, fatty dish is often served on a sizzling plate and topped with a raw egg, making the egg whites cook right on top of the food. While pig’s head is traditional, you can get really creative with this dish. For instance, San Francisco’s Elena Una restaurant offers you a choice of oyster, tofu-mushroom, or bagnet (crispy pork belly) sisig!

Sinigang

This pork soup owes its distinctive sour flavor to the tamarind fruit as one of the main ingredients (although it can also be made with guava or a “sinigang mix” powder that’s sold specifically for the dish). Tomato, onion, and garlic round out the flavor components of the broth, although daikon radish, long chili pepper, taro, bok choy, kang kong leaves (also known as water spinach), cabbage, and other vegetables can be found in sinigang as well.

Bibingka

With the holidays upon us, it wouldn’t be right to leave off this holiday dessert. Traditionally served at Christmastime in the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Philippines, the bibingka is a coconut rice cake that’s mildly sweet. While another tradition includes cooking the cakes in special terra cotta pots and banana leaves with hot coals surrounding it (giving the bibingka a pleasant charred crust), modern cooks can replicate that caramelization by placing a nearly done bibingka under the broiler.

Halo-halo

Sometimes spelled hulohalo, halo-halo is a mix of evaporated milk, shaved ice, and various other layers. The dessert can include fresh fruit, sweet preserves, plantains, or even a scoop of ube ice cream on top. No matter what the flavor components, the most important thing to remember is freshly shaved ice to give it the right texture.

Arroz Caldo

Arroz Caldo is the Philippines’ version of chicken congee and a true comfort food. Rice and bone-in chicken are simmered until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the rice has broken down into a porridge consistency. Green onion, calamansi (a particularly sour citrus) juice, and fried garlic can be added to deepen the flavors. It’s often a mid-morning snack, but could also be a light lunch.

Want to explore another cuisine from the other side of the world? Check out our comprehensive glossary of Indian dishes now:

The post Sweet and Savory: 10 Filipino Dishes You Must Try appeared first on Rewards Network.

No matter! We have an easy glossary for all you foodie adventurers that want to learn about what they’re eating and why — or maybe just don’t want to sound dumb in front of the waiter. Rest assured, however, servers in restaurants of all styles are used to questions and are generally happy to oblige. But if you’re on the shy or curious side, this list is for you:

Aloo

[a lu]

The Indian word for potatoes, most often found in aloo gobi (spiced potatoes and cauliflower), aloo palak (curried potatoes and spinach), and aloo tikki (Indian version of a potato pancake).

Biryani

[bih ree ah nee]

Mixed rice dish, often combining spices and some type of meat with rice, and partially fried. It is generally the central part of a meal, not a side dish.

Chana

[chah nuh]

The Hindi word for chickpea, most often found in chana masala (chickpeas with onion, chopped tomatoes, garlic, chilis, ginger, dried mango powder, and garam masala).

Dal

[dahl]

Dried split lentils served in a stew-like consistency with spices alongside roti or rice.

Garam Masala

[gah ram mah sah luh]

An Indian spice mix consisting of cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Ghee

[gee]

Clarified butter used to prepare many different Indian dishes. Ghee is prepared by simmering butter on heat until the milk fats separate from the butter’s watery residue, leading to a nutty taste and aromatic flavor.

Gosht

[gahsht]

A Persian word meaning “meat,” most often used to refer to lamb or goat in a dish, such as saag gosht (lamb with spinach) or gosht vindaloo (hot, spicy lamb).

Gulab jamun

[goo lahb jah muhn]

Milk solids that are heated until separated from its water content, then rolled out into a doughnut dough and deep-friend as small balls. This dessert item is served warm, soaked in a syrup that incorporates green cardamom and rose water.

Kofta

[kahf tuh]

Minced or ground meat served most often as a meatball mixed with onion and other spices.

Korma

[koar muh]

Meat or vegetables served in a curry sauce consisting of yogurt, cream, garlic, ginger, coriander, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder.

Kulcha

[kool chuh]

A round North Indian flatbread made from wheat flour, made either in a tandoori oven or skillet.

Kulfi

[kouhl fee]

Often described as “traditional Indian ice cream,” kulfi is a frozen dairy dessert available in flavors such as cream, rose, mango, cardamom, saffron, and pistachio.

Lassi

[lah see]

A savory or sweet drink blended from yogurt, water, spices, and sometimes fruit. Salted lassi can contain roasted cumin, while sweet lassi are flavored with mango, strawberry, rose water, or another sugar.

Makhani

[muh kah nee]

The Hindu word meaning “with butter,” most often associated with the popular rich, creamy dish made from butter and a combination of curry spices. Served in the sauce is often murgh (chicken), paneer (cheese), or dal (lentils).

Masala

[mah sah luh]

Masala refers broadly to any spice mix used in Indian cuisine.

Mattar

[muh teh]

A vegetarian tomato sauce that includes peas as its main ingredient, often paired with paneer.

Mulligatawny

[muh lih guh taw nee]

An English soup that originated in India during the era of its British colonization, mulligatawny is a curry soup, made most often with chicken, vegetables, apple, and rice. Its name literally means “pepper water.”

Murgh

[moorg]

The Hindi word for chicken, most often seen in murgh makhani (butter chicken), murgh tikka masala (chicken in a tomato-coconut cream sauce), or murgh korma (curry chicken).

Naan

[nahn] or [nan]

A pita-like flatbread, leavened and baked in a tandoori oven. It is often triangular in shape and brushed with butter, with crispy spots where bubbles form in the hot clay oven.

Pakora

[puh koar uh]

An Indian-style fritter of potato, onion, cauliflower, spinach, or paneer, dipped in chickpea batter, deep fried, and served as an appetizer.

Paneer

[pah near]

A non-melting fresh cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice until the cheese curds are separated from the whey. It is then compressed until solid and cubed for inclusion in dishes like mattar paneer (cheese with peas), makhani paneer (cheese in butter sauce), or saag paneer (cheese with spinach).

Papadum

[pa puh duhm]

A thin, crisp wafer made from lentil or chickpea flour, fried or cooked with dry heat. Papadum are typically served at the beginning of a meal, with chutney or a combination of chopped onion, tomato, and herbs.

Paratha

[puh rah duh]

An Indian and Pakistani unleavened flatbread consisting of layers of cooked dough held together by a brush of ghee or hot oil.

Pulao

[pull laow]

A one-dish rice pilaf cooked in broth with mild spices and vegetables.

Raita

[ry tuh]

A condiment often used to cool the palate, raita is a yogurt-based sauce, most often paired with cucumber, coriander, mint, or carrot.

Rogan josh

[row guhn joh-sh]

An aromatic lamb or goat dish cooked in oil at very high temperatures, rogan josh is often bright red from the high chili content.

Roti

[row dee]

A round, unleavened flatbread made from wholemeal flour, also known as chapati.

Saag

[sag]

Any leaf-based Indian dish, although most often spinach, as in saag paneer (cheese with spinach) and saag gosht (lamb with spinach).

Samosa

[suh mow suh]

A pyramid shaped dumpling, filled with a combination of spiced potatoes, onion, peas, lentils, or ground meat, and deep-fried until crisp and brown. This is a popular appetizer, often served with tamarind or mint chutney as an accompaniment.

Tandoori

[tan door ree]

Any dish prepared specifically in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay or metal oven with heat generated by charcoal or wood fire. Of all the dishes cooked in a tandoor, tandoori chicken is the most common, marinated first in a spiced yogurt sauce that gives it a trademark bright red color when cooked.

Tikka

[tee kuh]

A marinade made from aromatic spices (including coriander, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, garam masala, ginger, mint, and chili powder) and yogurt, often used on chunks of boneless meat before cooked in the tandoor oven.

Vindaloo

[vin duh loo]

A classic curry dish known for being especially spicy and hot, made from vinegar, sugar, ginger, spices, and chili peppers. This one is not for first-timers unless you have an iron palate!

Confused about your local Mexican food restaurant menu too? We have an easy glossary for that, as well!

The post Indian Food Glossary: 32 Words to Demystify a Restaurant Menu appeared first on Rewards Network.

While there is no right or wrong way to put together your list, there may be some approaches that make more sense than others for the specific atmosphere and/or clientele of your restaurant. Regardless of how you approach the fun of putting together a wine list (and it should be fun!), below are a few things to keep in mind as you taste your way to a great list.

Is Your Wine User-Friendly?

Your wine list should be appealing and approachable at first glance. How the information is organized — and even what font you use — will be a factor in maintaining your customer’s interest. Also consider how someone who may not be very familiar with wine will be able to navigate your list with relative ease. Usually wine lists start off with sparkling wines, moving on to whites, reds, and lastly, dessert wines (if available).

Categorizing the wines by easy-to-identify groupings, such as by country or region (USA/Napa Valley, France/Bordeaux) or by varietal (Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon) will help customers identify the types of wine they like more quickly and with minimal frustration.

Regardless of the grouping you choose, wines should be listed progressively, with the lightest wines listed first, followed by medium-bodied and full-bodied wines. For example, in the reds category, you might list your wines in the following order: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Syrah Merlot blend. This will make the list easier for diners to peruse and pair with their meals.

You could also sub-categorize within each grouping with descriptors indicating the intensity of the wine, such as “light and fruity” or “big fruit and full-bodied.”

Message on the Bottle

Along with clear organization, how much information to include about each wine is also an important consideration. At a minimum, you should list the wine varietal, the wine’s producer, the region of origin, and the vintage date, such as: Shiraz Cabernet, Penfolds Koonunga Hill, South Australia, 2015.

You might also consider adding brief tasting notes for each of the wines. While this may be cumbersome for more extensive lists (see below), a bit of descriptive information will give customers a sense of the wine’s style and personality, and empower them to make a choice without feeling like they are at the mercy of the wine director or server.

This is especially true if your list features wines made from less well-known varietals or regions. Even just a few words, such as “off-dry, light and fruity” or “full-bodied, plum and spice notes” can tell a customer a lot about a wine. You might even include gentle suggestions about food pairings, such as “goes great with fish” or “complements rich foods.”

More is Not Always Better

There will be varying schools of thought on this but generally speaking, no one likes to feel like they just got handed a homework assignment after asking for the wine list. There’s a lot to be said for a targeted, thoughtfully chosen list of wines that are well-organized and can guide the customer though the options.

You might also consider whether your servers and bartenders can navigate and manage a voluminous wine list, especially if you don’t have a dedicated beverage director who can serve as a point of contact for both staff and customers.

If you know your customer base relishes the challenges of combing through a multi-page tome for hidden gems, then by all means go for it. Otherwise, if there are truly special bottles that you would like to have on offer that may not be for everyone, consider offering a reserve list.

Consider Your Brand

When it comes down to task of actually choosing which wines make the cut, you’ll certainly want to consider the tone, atmosphere, food, and clientele of your restaurant, and have the wines you select be an extension of that vision. If your restaurant focuses on modern plates and you cater to an adventurous crowd, you might want to feature wines that from regions that aren’t well represented, such as Greece, Israel, or South Africa, or unusual styles, such as orange wines. If your restaurant is more oriented toward Mediterranean-influenced dishes, you might showcase Italian and Spanish wines.

While there are many thematic directions you can take with your wine selections, keep versatility in mind. Make sure at least two wines on your list pair well with each dish on the restaurant’s menu. Not every wine on the list need be specially selected for the food, especially if your restaurant’s menu changes regularly, but having a few solid pairing recommendations will send the message that some sincere thought was put into both the food and the wine.

Find the Right Price

In addition to name or grape recognition, price is often a driving factor for how customers choose their wine. No one likes to look at the wine list and feel like their only option is to buy an expensive bottle. Likewise if someone’s looking to splurge, it’s no fun if there’s no room to explore.

Include a selection of wines in every category at a variety of price points to accommodate a range of budgets. This is also a chance for your beverage director or sommelier to demonstrate that outstanding bottles of wine don’t have to come with an outstanding price tag.

How a restaurant determines the price can be done in a number of ways. Many in the industry use a mark-up of three times the wholesale bottle price, while others consider pricing in relation to the cost of entrées. Also pay attention the cost of wines by the glass, making sure it’s cheaper to buy the bottle than several glasses of wine.

That Personal Touch

Your servers and bartenders will be the first and best advocates for your wine list, so be sure they know what the wines taste like! Customers will have a much more satisfactory experience if their server can confidently describe the wines and guide the customer through the list.

As always, tasting is key to deepening your knowledge of wine. Taste your wine to develop a great wine list, and encourage your staff and customers to do the same!

Want a cheat sheet on how to train your staff to sell wine?

The post Putting Your Best Grape Forward: Developing Your Restaurant Wine List appeared first on Rewards Network.