How to combat the challenges of the restaurant and cafe industry (Rerun)

HungryHungry has surpassed 20 years of working with professionals in the hospitality industry and they know incredibly well what the practice is behind keeping operations resilient and growing. Let's tune in to this classic episode where Brendan explores early-stage marketing practices with cofounder, Mark Calabro.

Mark's mission is to get restaurants full again and bring back the social element of going out and dining. But how is he going to do this? Good question. Mark founded Hungry Hungry, a platform that gives merchants the opportunity to engage directly with THEIR customer and improve the dining experience.  

Hungry Hungry is now used by 700 food and beverage merchants throughout the US and Australia. In my conversation with Mark, we cover a wide range of topics including how to create word of mouth buzz for your business, how to generate genuine reviews and  why it’s important to keep in contact with your business network (and actually visit them face to face). 

What makes the story of Hungry Hungry and Mark even more inspiring is that Mark has invested $2m of his own personal money to get it off the ground to save an industry that he loves so much. You can tell how passionate Mark is about the food and beverage industry and it comes across in the interview that I’m sure every early-stage business owner will enjoy. Check out all of the resources and tools mentioned at metigy.com/podcast

 

What you will learn in this episode

How to create word of mouth buzz for your business

Challenges facing the hospitality industry

Upsell tactics (would you like fries with that method)

Why convenience will always win

How to start a business in an area you are passionate about

Before you follow your dream of opening a hospitality business you need to understand the metrics

Why feedback from customers is so critical for your business

How to generate genuine reviews for your business

How Mark has built the Hungry Hungry community

How Mark tested his business assumptions, invested in technology early on, validated the product and market fit and is now ready to scale.

Why it’s important to keep in contact with your network (and visit them face to face)

The process of building the Hungry Hungry app

Mark’s process of collecting primary data from customers and what he does with it.

 

Reach Mark Calabro here:

on Linkedin

HungryHungry on Instagram

HungryHungry on Facebook