Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR Archives - Page 16 of 16

Clients Who Care: PDQ

December 19, 2014January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, Case Studies, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PRcharitable giving, chicken tenders, PDQ, PDQ Fresh, PDQ Fresh Food Fast, PDQ tenders, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, Restaurant PR, St. Petersburg PR, Tampa PR

In the spirit of holiday giving, “Clients Who Care” is a blog series that recognizes some of the recent acts of kindness and caring demonstrated by Clairemont clients. We hope these stories inspire you to be charitable this holiday season and throughout 2015. Happy Holidays!

Having worked closely with PDQ throughout 2014, we know that it is a company that gives back to its communities on a regular basis, not just during the holidays. Charitable giving, school and community sponsorships and helping neighbors is part of PDQ’s culture. It has been an honor to assist in many community initiatives here in the Triangle for this Tampa-based, growing restaurant brand that’s actively engaged everywhere it has locations.

Last Friday, PDQ got involved in local toy drives in more than one location. PDQ Durham helped Sean Maroney and WNCN #stockthesled, while PDQs in Tampa participated in WILD 94.1‘s toy drive and PDQ St. Petersburg 102.5 The Bone. In each case, PDQ asked the radio stations, “What do you need?” In Durham, the answer was to meet the goal of 1,000 toys as the end of the drive was quickly approaching. PDQ team members and their families went shopping at 9 p.m. and helped WNCN exceed its goal! Similarly, Orlando from WILD 94.1 said they needed bikes. PDQ delivered bikes! In St. Pete, 102.5 needed toys and food for its volunteers. PDQ delivered its famous hand-breaded chicken tenders for everyone onsite and donated $500 in toys.

We admire our clients at PDQ for their dedication to helping good causes and for their ability to move quickly when community organizations have immediate needs. Our holiday hats are off to you, PDQ!

Reply Already!

July 28, 2014January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, Social Media + Influencer EngagementPR Agency, Raleigh PR, Restaurant PR, Social Media

Kaitlyn Goforth, Clairemont’s wonderful intern, explores the importance of responding to your customers and maintaining a dialogue on social media.

As a PR agency, we manage social media strategies for a variety of clients. Effective social media demands careful attention, especially for restaurants where repeat business relies on word-of-mouth reviews. When an organization posts something on social media, it bares itself to criticism, praise and everything in between. In many cases, customers can reply to posts unrestricted, making social media a proverbial minefield to navigate.

In general, restaurants can respond to a social media comment in five ways: by ignoring it, deleting it, defending themselves, issuing an apology or apologizing and offering a solution. Obviously, the last option is often the strongest strategy, but that doesn’t always happen in the restaurant business. Large chains receive thousands of tweets a day, and small companies often don’t have the manpower to consistently manage social media accounts. However, restaurants cannot afford to ignore social media’s burgeoning clout anymore, especially with trends such as the “eat and tweet” movement.

So what does creative conversation with a restaurant look like? To answer that question objectively, we took a look at three brands that are not Clairemont clients.

1. Chipotle – This popular “fast-casual” chain has a three-person social media team that responds to almost all social media comments individually. Joe, Rusty and Myra sign their names after they have responded to “humanize” and personalize conversation. In addition, Chipotle uses social media as a way to communicate internally and regularly congratulates employees on promotions and jobs well done. It’s not just a burrito store; it’s a supportive family.

2. Morton’s Steakhouse – Before researching for this blog post, I had never heard of Morton’s Steakhouse, despite the fact that there are locations all over the world. After reading about this great use of social media, Morton’s is definitely on my radar to try. This upscale, trendy steakhouse listens to customers and fans on Twitter – and responds. Businessman Peter Shankman was boarding a plane home to New York City when he tweeted:

To Shankman’s surprise, a Morton’s employee was waiting for him at Newark Airport with a to-go bag full of steak, shrimp and all the fixings. Shankman immediately tweeted a photo to announce the yummy surprise.

With more than 150K followers on Twitter, this was great publicity for the Morton’s since the story went viral! But more importantly, this “act of kindness” exhibited how listening and responding to customers can go a long way in the restaurant industry. Read Shankman’s entire story, which he titled “The Greatest Customer Service Story Ever Told, Staring Morton’s Steakhouse.”

3. Starbucks – Brad Nelson, a former Starbucks barista, runs the company’s twitter account, and he’s knocking it out of the park. He personally responds to the majority of DMs and mentions that Starbucks receives. In October, Starbucks announced the launch of “Tweet a Coffee,” a way for followers to send a five-dollar digital eGift to another Twitter user. This not only boosted social media engagement with the company, the program also encouraged customers to spread the Starbucks love while increasing sales. The coffee chain also uses humor to give their followers a giggle for the day (nothing bonds us together like a good laugh!), as seen in this recent haiku:

Chipotle, Morton’s and Starbucks are all setting a great example about how restaurants and other similar companies can turn tepid tweeters into life-long fans.

How does your favorite restaurant use social media to engage with customers?

Radiant Orchid: Fashionable Food?

July 9, 2014January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Fashion, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PRColor of the year, fashion, Food Trends, Pantone, pantone color of the year, Restaurant PR, style trends

When Pantone announced its 2014 Color of the Year, mags, blogs and morning shows exploded with the Radiant Orchid color wheel. Trendy DIY segments ran the gamut from refurbishing the sitting room (Cosmic Berry-hued walls) to reviving your couture (pair with shades of buttercup and mint).

Designers revamped our rides with plum Dodge Challengers and a magenta Bentley. And not to be outdone, Sephora spotlighted a collection of fuchsia lip stains and lilac nail varnishes for a splash of Hollywood glam.

Don’t tell, but there is a secret segment of laymen stylists that pursue trends beyond wardrobe design. We strike an unlikely balance of fashionista-meets-foody. (Don’t judge: your mouth waters too when the “hot light” is on at Krispy Kreme). We’d love to blend our passions of couture and cuisine, fashion and flavor, style and savor. A true debutant dining experience.

Lucky for us, we’ve uncovered a host of delicious ways to incorporate Radiant Orchid into one of our favorite household hobbies: making the menu. Don’t think of it as purple food; consider it a fashionable foray into a stylish culinary adventure.

Here are a few fun favorites to tempt your taste buds:

Blackberry Angel Food Cupcakes from FakeGinger.com

Lavender French Macaroons from PlantFoodFabulous.com

Purple Yam Pie from DameDayne — Purple Yam Pie from Dame Dayne

Lavender Collins by Little Things Favors

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt from Simply Recipes

Enjoy your sweet treats! What would you add to the list?

Surprise & Delight: Le Meridien Tampa

July 2, 2014January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PRCustomer Service, Le Meridien, PDQ, PR, PR Agency, Restaurant PR, Starwood, Starwood Preferred Guest, Tampa1 Comment

Last week I had the pleasure of returning to Tampa to visit again with our clients at the PDQ (People Dedicated to Quality) corporate office. As our local PDQ restaurants wrapped up their rounds of the company’s annual employee shake competition, I was excited to get to Tampa to hear what “our stores” in North Carolina are up against in the way of competition from the other PDQ locations. Check out the coverage our Clairemont team secured to learn more about PDQ’s shake contest: N&O, Cary Magazine, WRAL Out and About, Fayetteville Observer and Durham Magazine.

Since we started working with PDQ earlier this year, there have been more shake breaks in our office than we probably want to admit. My point is, I can get distracted by one shake… like the current feature shake, Key Lime Pie. See, I just did it. I got distracted. So can you imagine how hard it is for me to focus when I’m thinking about 20+ shake flavors?!? Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice that the Le Meridien in Tampa only been open for few hours when I booked my reservation through the Starwood Preferred Guest website. That’s right. a few hours.

There was something really fun about walking into a grand opening you weren’t expecting. Especially since we plan so many grand openings for our clients, it was interesting to see it unfold from a guest perspective. I learned upon check-in that I was there on the hotel’s second day, and while I had only booked one night (due to not yet knowing if the location was convenient to my meetings for the coming days) after seeing how beautiful this hotel was and receiving such excellent client service, I extended my reservation. I’m so happy I did! Here are the stand-outs that will make Le Meridien my first choice anytime I’m in Tampa:

Friendly, helpful, passionate staff. WOW these people. Sure, it might be easy to be excited during the opening, but I suspect that when I visit again later this month and the months to follow, it will be the same experience. From the woman who so warmly greeted me at check-in (the only name I didn’t get – next time!) to Jason Lutrell (recent PR grad – congrats!) answering my many questions and expertly fixing one tiny thing that wasn’t 100 percent perfect to the beautiful and friendly Colleen at the bar, the service was excellent. At checkout, Evanlee said she liked my usage of the word stow instead of store. Before our conversation ended, I was off to a business extravaganza instead of a normal ole business meeting — what a fun start to my day! But I wasn’t out the door until Julius made me the most delicious chocolate hazelnut latte and seemed truly disappointed when my answer to his, “And will I see you again tomorrow morning?” was no.
Community partnerships. My room key doubled as a ticket good for free admission to the Tampa Museum of Art. I loved learning that as I was checking into the hotel. I also noticed that photos of the nearby Tampa Theatre joined photography of other lovely architectural details from around the city to complete the room decor. This beautiful photography is by artist Amy Martz. I love an organization that supports its local arts scene.
Conveniences for the business traveler. I’m on the road a lot for work, and I’m always surprised when my hotel room doesn’t have enough outlets or outlets in the right places. I loved the bedside tables that had pop-up charging stations with a regular outlet and a USB outlet, in addition to the ones at the desk. My MacBook and iPhone stayed well charged my entire stay. I also loved the baskets in the closets that facilitated quick unpacking and organization while allowing me to being able to build a day’s outfit at a glance instead of rummaging through drawers.
It is simply beautiful. I intentionally saved this for last because it is the most obvious cool factor if you have seen or read anything about the hotel. I had not, so it was a huge delight for me, a lover of historic buildings and the kind of architecture typically only found in old downtown areas. Le Meridien Tampa is housed in a former U.S. Federal Courthouse. It is absolutely stunning! Get a virtual tour through the hotel’s Facebook page.

A chance meeting with the hotel’s general manager, Brent Scarbro, was delightful. I commented that as a PR person, the opening seemed to be seamless and a huge success. I suspect Brent, a Starwood veteran, was being humble when he gave the credit to the building’s history, his staff and the marketing efforts of the corporate Starwood team based on the resulting news coverage. Extra credit for the creative PR move to get the former judges who once worked in this building to be part of the VIP tours — awesome media angle! Check it out below, and join me in congratulating Brent and his team. And when you are in Tampa, now you know where to stay.

Courthouse transformed into elegant hotel

Tbo.com – ‎Jun 11, 2014‎

The Le Meridien also joins a growing pack of new hotels in downtown Tampa, not to mention several new or renovated hotels in the Westshore area geared to business travelers. The Epicurean hotel opened on South Howard Avenue last autumn, focused …

First looks at Tampa’s Le Meridien Hotel, a federal courthouse reborn

Tampa Bay Business Journal – ‎Jun 11, 2014‎

First looks at Tampa’s Le Meridien Hotel, a federal courthouse reborn. of; 35. IMG 4699. The signage against blue downtown skies makes for some nice facade treatments. The hotel is slated to open June 16 with 130 guest rooms. Alexis Muellner/Tampa Bay …

Bizou to provide ‘approachable’ French-themed dining at Le Méridien

Tampa Bay Business Journal – ‎Jun 12, 2014‎

The front steps of the former federal courthouse on Florida Avenue take visitors directly to Bizou Brasserie and Longitude Bar, the restaurant operations of upcoming Le Méridien hotel in downtown Tampa. The restaurant will play a key role in the success of …

Old Tampa courthouse transformed into new hotel

Bay News 9 – ‎Jun 11, 2014‎

From the outside, the old courthouse in downtown Tampa really doesn’t look much different. But step inside and the 109-year-old building on North Florida Avenue has been transformed. The old courthouse is now the Le Meridien Hotel. “I couldn’t be more …

Photos: A new life for a long-abandoned courthouse

MyFox Tampa Bay – ‎Jun 11, 2014‎

Tampa’s long-abandoned old Federal Courthouse just finished quite the makeover. On Wednesday, developers of Le Meridien Tampa unveiled their new 130-room boutique hotel, which is housed inside the old Tampa landmark. MORE PHOTOS: Click here …

TRW features Top Menu Trends

January 20, 2014January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, In Our Community, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR2014 Culinary Forecast, 2014 Food Trends, 2014 What's Hot, Food Trends, NC Restaurants, North Carolina restaurants, Restaurant PR, Triangle Restaurant Week, TRW3 Comments

If you’re a foodie living in the Raleigh-Durham metro area, you’re excited for what this week has in store. Triangle Restaurant Week is back and area restaurants are serving up delicious menus – many of which feature some of 2014’s hottest food trends.

Labeled, “a celebration of culinary excellence,” Triangle Restaurant Week is a weeklong event with participating restaurants offering special three-course and five course-course lunch and dinner menu options and wallet-friendly fixed pricing.

With more than 70 top restaurants from Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas partaking in this twice-yearly epicurean event, it’s no surprise that they are featuring delectable fare as well as offerings that have been dubbed some of the hottest menu trends for 2014.

Each year, the National Restaurant Association surveys chefs from across the country on which foods, cuisines, beverages and culinary themes will be the upcoming year’s biggest menu trends. The 2014 What’s Hot culinary forecast surveyed nearly 1,300 professional chefs from the American Culinary Federation, asking participants to label more than 250 items as a “hot trend,” “yesterday’s news” or “perennial favorite.”

What the National Restaurant Association found is that, “the top restaurant menu trends for 2014 focus on local sourcing, environmental sustainability and nutrition.” Locally sourced meats and seafood, locally grown produce and environmental sustainability are the highest-ranking trends, and can be found in a number of Triangle Restaurant Week menus.

Raleigh’s 18 Seaboard focuses of North Carolina ingredients, and nearly all of its Triangle Restaurant Week menu offerings include locally sourced products. At Local 22 Kitchen and Bar in Durham, everything served is sourced within 30 miles of its location. Other on-trend Triangle Restaurant Week participants include, Battistellas, Mia Francesca Trattori, Piedmont Restaurant, Lucky 32, Little Hen and more.