Operations

Sonny's BBQ CEO reveals how to connect with customers

Sonny's BBQ CEO Jamie Yarmuth outlines current restaurant trends and how to emphasize catering to the consumer who values connection.

February 4, 2022

By Jamie Yarmuth, CEO, Sonny's BBQ

We live in an ever-evolving world, and the same can certainly be said for the hospitality industry. The present is undoubtedly a volatile time — but one where there's never been a greater desire to be with one another, share genuine moments of connection and, most importantly, feel valued as a human being. It's why, as we head into 2022, now is the time to ensure the hospitality industry is serving our consumers like never before — in a customized, deliberate and safe way.

At Sonny's BBQ, we've forever valued kindness: it's at the core of our DNA as a company and has been an ever-present tenant of our business for more than 50 years. We firmly believe in these times the need to do kind acts remains as important as ever. Because kindness is an act of inclusion, and one in which individuals unite as a community. Each interaction must therefore be personalized — so that every person involved, from employee to customer, feels respected and valued throughout the encounter. It's why the role of kindness to each other and to every community we serve is truly vital.

Community, however, it should be noted, is becoming an ever-fluid notion. Where "home" was once a concrete concept, it's no longer simply the place where a day starts and ends. Rather, we live in a time where we expect to be treated as if we were home wherever we go —largely because everywhere we move, from the fitness center to our favorite restaurant, is an extension of our personality, and thereby shifts our perception of what constitutes "community." Superior service, at every inflection point is then ever-paramount. While there are naturally predictive methods to cater to consumers in a more personalized way through data and analysis, success is often as simple as applying the "Golden Rule" to every consumer. Again, kindness is key.

Furthermore, every food item we prepare needs to hit the mark like never before: regardless of packaging, every food item needs to be curated with the utmost attention to detail and care. Additionally, focus needs to be paid to menu simplification and innovation to ensure the best product and best presentation for every dish. And as recent times have taught us, safety and cleanliness are increasingly critical; so much so that visual cues on safety and cleanliness need to be clear and obvious to every consumer.

We also need to be more nimble and adaptable to changing tides within the industry. Quite simply, today represents a new culinary reality — one where food and beverage are available to us in ways we never dreamed of... for better or worse. While omnichannel ordering and payment allow customers to buy and receive food at the touch of a button and alleviates current labor challenges, the need for human touch and experience remains. Consumers are connected 24/7, live in an on-demand world — and this puts an ever greater emphasis on the need for ease and convenience at every step. Plus, this is continually translating outside of the virtual world. It's up to us then to balance this need for human connection with emerging technologies.

And while some of this might seem elementary, the basics have never been more important. Brands need to execute every time. The core experience needs to always deliver.

In short, we can never lose sight of who we're serving — our customer. Expectations may be higher than ever but we as a hospitality industry have never been better equipped to deliver a top-of-the-line experience. Tools from basic, commonsense ones like kindness and personalized-care to an increasing array of technological advancements — are at our disposal.

Will we hit the mark in 2022? We can't afford not to. Our consumers are counting on us to do exactly that.