Nextep Systems Blog 3 Ways to Make Breakfast Count at Your Fast Casual Restaurant

It's the most important meal of the day. And not just in the nutritional sense.By introducing the breakfast daypart, restaurant chains are maximizing productivity. Rent is fixed overhead, and often, restaurants already have employees come in early to prep the place for lunch. Eggs are an inexpensive ingredient for which consumers are happy to pay an upcharge. When you've got the means - that is, the people, the place, and the profit margin - why not push for more performance out of each location?Apart from increased productivity, breakfast and coffee have also been shown to drive loyalty. In fact, people frequent coffee shops more than any other type of restaurant. So once you've got them loving your breakfast, you're likely to have won over a loyal customer.Here are a few tips to make breakfast a successful and profitable daypart:1. Staff up where it matters, and let tech do the rest.In order to maximize productivity, you need to be able to serve the highest volume of customers with only as many employees as you absolutely need. This is even more true at breakfast than other dayparts because check averages tend to be a bit lower.Technology is the key to minimizing labor deployment without sacrificing service. Whether inside on the counter or outside at the drive-thru, self-order kiosks automate the transactional dimension of the guest experience and free up your staff to be the friendly, hospitable faces of your brand. 2. Give guests the freedom to be creative.As with lunch and dinner dayparts, customizability at breakfast is key. You've already seen success with your key value proposition: you offer menus closer to full-service at speeds closer to quick-service. Why stray? "Build-your-own" meals with better ingredients are a smash hit morning, day, and night.Consider scrambles and hash, breakfast bowls and burritos, yogurts and smoothies. Introducing just one or two new ingredients every so often will open up a world of new combinations, satiating your customers' appetites for novelty.As has been the case with many chains across the US, your breakfast menu may be so popular (and the associated food costs so low) that offering all-day breakfast will be a no-brainer. 3. Make breakfast mobile.Along with streamlined operations and a flexible menu, the last key driver of a successful fast casual breakfast daypart is convenience.How do you make breakfast both tastier and easier for your guests? Allow them to order and pay ahead of time, so that when they pick up their customized egg scramble, they have the time (and headspace) to enjoy it. The popularity of mobile ordering is only just beginning - now is the time to make the most hurried daypart the most convenient. Looking to maximize productivity?Talk to us about how our self-order technology can help you realize your operation's full potential.Contact Us