Professional Kitchen Equipment

Restaurant Griddle

Restaurant Marketing Starts With Exceeding the Guest's Expectations

Restaurant marketing is an eternal project than begins before your doors open and continues 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The art of combining communication, selling and delivery of your product will directly impact the level of success you achieve in any business. In the typical restaurant enterprise, you can only survive with repeat business. Return customers are the ultimate culmination and reward of the marketing process.

The whole complicated marketing strategy can be summed up in four words – meeting the guest’s expectations. This is where the chains shine. You really don’t go into a Taco Bell anticipating a life changing experience or an Olive Garden for the most romantic experience of your life. Both of these restaurants, at two ends of the price scale, offer customers only decent food for the price, in a reasonable atmosphere, with acceptable service and convenience. That is it! No more, no less, and that is what they deliver consistently.

As an independent restaurant you have to learn from the chains. It’s not enough to be as good as they are, but you have to figure out what they don’t do. Essentially, you must exceed the guest’s expectations. I know of one restaurant owner who spent very little money on the exterior of the building. However, the minute you walked in the door your first impressions were dashed by the gorgeous surroundings you found yourself in. The owner’s philosophy was to immediately impress the guest. Your food cannot be the same as other restaurants in your class – it must excel. Service must have a surprise; friendlier, more personable or more extravagant.

If a prospective customer has never tasted your food, seen your restaurant or experienced your service, what would they expect the experience on their first visit to be? Good food? Good service? Good experience? That is mediocre enough! That applies to most of your competition and certainly the vast majority of the chains. How low on the scale of mediocrity can you go before you fail due to being like everyone else?

One of the most difficult learning experiences I have had in the restaurant business is figuring out the subjective views of diners. Opinions vary on what is good food or at least acceptable food. Even more diversity is assured when assessing service. My expectations, when dining out may be much lower than someone else. What motivates me to revisit or recommend a restaurant may be miles apart from the next guest.

While we offer 50 different ways to market your restaurant in The Restaurant Ebook, here are some things over the years that have placed one restaurant or another firmly in my mind.

• A restaurant once served our group a sample of their Sangria of the evening as we were seated. It was not only unexpected, but refreshing while waiting on our server. Great way to minimize wait, sell a product and create an unexpected service.

• My party once enjoyed the welcoming sounds of a Mexican roaming band as we were seated and a bow with a welcome in Spanish that the server subsequently explained as tradition in Hidalgo to treat guests as special family.

• While making a reservation for a special occasion, the person on the phone asked if I would like a rose at the lady’s plate for a $5 charge, which I quickly accepted.

• Another run down shack of a place in the Florida keys, served the freshest seafood possible, since behind the shack were fishermen bringing their catch in, cleaning them and straight to the table after choosing your cooking method. From the front, the restaurant was not looking like the fresh food venue it turned out to be. Awesome fish, crabs and spiny lobster. They vastly exceeded my expectations.

• Fast food (as well as chains) is a rare choice for me, but I do try new restaurants of all types. Recently a new chain of hamburger QSR’s expanded into my area. I kept hearing about their great hamburger. There were several media articles about the chain, but that wasn’t what motivated me. The first time I heard about the chain was a customer at one of my restaurants who told me about a grand opening of one of the locations. He told me how good the hamburger was and that it was free. The chain offered free food on opening day. A subsequent guest mentioned the chain and the quality of the burger. Two referrals were enough to motivate me! Their product was very good, but they were masters of marketing.

Here are some lessons learned;

• The free food on opening day made a lot of sense. It cost no more than an advertising blitz would have cost and got people talking!

• The first thing on their short menu board (about eight items) was their “famous” burger supposedly voted No. 1 at various venues around the country. It also happened to be the most expensive thing on the board, a double burger at $4.89 with your choice of additions free.

• French fries were “hand-cut”, but the real kicker was after filling the Styrofoam cup they served them in and placing it in the bag with the burger, they threw in another handful of fries on top of the contents. This last detail made it seem you were getting more for your money and there are few people who haven’t reached in the bag to snag a French fry or two before un-wrapping the burger or while driving home. By the way, the fries were $2.69, no bargain, but the delivery of the product made you forget the price.

• Finally, their product, the burger. There was nothing to dislike! They did it right. The cooks placed the burgers on the griddle, without smashing the juices out of it on the turn. After the first turn the bun went on top for steaming. The two slices of cheese were placed on the sandwich and wrapped in plain foil which produced a perfectly melted cheese and moist, juicy burger. It was better than most QSR’s, as well it should when you walk out with a $10.13 bill including tax and drink from a fast food joint.

These and many other memories make the exceptional restaurant stand way out in front of the mediocre and poor experiences I have encountered. When someone is in the area of one of the operations above, I can recommend these extraordinary experiences to them. That is great marketing when it brings new guests and cements a relationship with an old customer.

What makes your restaurant stand out in the guest's mind? For more ideas see what other restaurants are doing at Restaurant in the Weeds. Creating an unforgettable memory will bring more guests than a month's worth of newspaper advertising.

Did the Virgin Mary magically appear in a frying pan in California?

News Alerts

Virgin Mary Seen in Restaurant Griddle
Associated Press
CALEXICO, Calif. (April 30) - The hottest thing on the griddle at the Las Palmas restaurant these days isn't the food — it's the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that a cook says she saw on the griddle.
Restaurant manager Brenda Martinez says more than 100 people have flocked to the small town of Calexico on the California-Mexico border to gaze at the likeness of the Virgin Mary since it was discovered as the griddle was being cleaned.

People see what they want to see.

Why does the Virgin Mary not magically appear in frying pans in the Middle East???

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Sizzle-Q SQ180 Universal Griddle for BBQ Grills, Stainless List Price: $69.99 Sale Price: $64.95 You save: $5.04 (7%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Sizzle-Q is the perfect entry level barbecue griddle for any gas grill. Sizzle-Q allows you to cook complete meals at one time and is the perfect outdoor cookware for everything from pancakes and eggs at sunrise to a Mongolian barbecue in the evening. It makes a perfect BBQ gift. Take it camping, tailgating, to the park or just grilling outdoors. The Sizzle-Q is made from one hundred percent 430-restaurant grade Stainless Steel, one of the safest outdoor cooking surfaces (unlike common steel which contains lead). Sizzle-Q's formed grease trough makes cleanup a snap. Other great features include the 1-1/2-inch sidewalls to keep food on the griddle. The Sizzle-Q is light weight for easy handling. Sizzle-Q will fit virtually any gas grill. This Professional Style Griddle comes with a One Year Warranty, guaranteed not to chip, twist or bend. Cook up breakfast, lunch or dinner in the fresh outdoors on this solid stainless steel grilling accessory. Keep the kitchen clean of frying pans and free from lingering odors. With this , One Size Fits All griddle, you can cook a dozen pancakes at a time, entertain with Mongolian BBQ or Teppanyaki style outdoor cooking. It has over 200-square-inch of cooking surface. Cook big meals in a jiffy and be the hit of the next tailgate party. Sizzle-Q is great for Mexican or Japanese style parties or just cook up a batch of grilled cheese sandwiches in the backyard for a bunch of hungry kids. Features Stainless steel construction Sidewalls keep food on griddle Grease trough prevents flare-ups Cleans up right on the grill Welded cross bracing for stability

Farberware Restaurant Pro 11-Inch Square Griddle List Price: $42.00 Sale Price: $29.99 You save: $12.01 (29%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description The low sides of griddles give you maximum access to the cooking surface of the pan. This makes them ideal for foods like pancakes, eggs or French toast as well as grilled sandwiches. Features Durable Teflon Platinum nonstick interior for added scratch resistance, easy cleanup and quick food release NSF Certified, guaranteeing the highest construction and performance standards Restaurant-styled cookware for fast, even heating Nonslip silicone handle Oven safe to 400°F

Waring Pro Electric Indoor Grill and Griddle, Platinum List Price: $169.99 Sale Price: $67.91 You save: $102.08 (60%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description The Waring Pro Grill and Griddle makes multifunctional an understatement! It can make perfect Panini plus lots more. With four separate cooking options, it handles everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks to hamburgers to Panini. It helps you prepare more servings of more kinds of food in less time so you can cook for a crowd--no one has to wait. Simply change the cooking plates and adjust the floating hinge to use it as a contact grill, a Panini press, or your choice of an extra-large double open grill or griddle. The two sets of removable plates let you customize the unit specifically for your cooking needs. To use the device as an open grill just insert the two grill plates, the two griddle, plates or one of each. Then open the unit flat to its full 200-square-inch cooking surface. To use the gourmet gadget as a contact grill just close the lid. The floating hinge automatically adjusts to different food thicknesses. All the plates are nonstick and dishwasher safe. Features 5-in-1countertop unit works as a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle Sturdy panini-style handle; hinged floating cover; 3 heat levels and indicator lights Dishwasher-safe, reversible nonstick cooking plates; integrated drip cups for grease 200-square-inch cooking surface Available in black, red, and platinum

Cecilware Heavy Duty Restaurant Gas Griddle: Natural Gas - 1 Burner Sale Price: $797.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Your gas griddle cooktop needs to be able to stand up to high volume demands and everyday commercial use. This one can. With stainless steel body construction, a steel cooking surface and precise temperature control, it's the ideal restaurant gas griddle for your busy kitchen. Features: Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control. Available for natural gas or liquid petroleum. 1 Burner Full Dimensions: 15 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 15"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 16,000 2 Burners Full Dimensions: 24 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 24"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 32,000 3 Burners Full Dimensions: 36 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 36"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 48,000 4 Burners Full Dimensions: 48 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 48"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 64,000 5 Burners Full Dimensions: 60 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 60"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 80,000. Ships within 3 business days. One year warranty on parts and labor. Features Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control.

MIU France 14" Stainless Steel Commercial Solid Turner Black List Price: $11.99 Sale Price: $8.99 You save: $3.00 (25%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description MIU France matte stainless-steel turner, item # 90106. A must have for every BBQ aficionado. Durable, professional-grade tool which can be used in the home or in the restaurant. Perfect for lifting those thick slices of fish, hamburger patties or steaks off the grill. Also good for serving enchiladas, casseroles, grilled onions and other foods. Made of stainless-steel with a polypropylene texturized grip for non-slip. Dishwasher safe. Measures 14"L x 3"W x 4" H Features Solid turner is great for lifting large pieces of meat. Durable stamped handle. Excellent for the grill. Dishwasher safe 14" length

Lodge Logic L8SGP3 Pre-Seasoned Square Grill Pan List Price: $24.95 Sale Price: $20.69 You save: $4.26 (17%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Put restaurant stripes on your grilled favorites like a pro. Low fat cooking as the ribbed bottom pan lets you keep foods from simmering in fatty drippings. 10.5 inch square skillet is Seasoned and ready to use. Features Square cast-iron grill pan with ribbed bottom for low-fat cooking Pre seasoned and ready to use; electrostatic spray of vegetable oil evenly baked into surface Sturdy handle with hole for convenient hanging when not in use Hand wash only; oven safe to 500 degrees F Measures 10-1/2 by 10-1/2 by 1-3/4 inches; lifetime warranty

Cecilware Heavy Duty Restaurant Gas Griddle: Liquid Petroleum - 5 Burners Sale Price: $2,149.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Your gas griddle cooktop needs to be able to stand up to high volume demands and everyday commercial use. This one can. With stainless steel body construction, a steel cooking surface and precise temperature control, it's the ideal restaurant gas griddle for your busy kitchen. Features: Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control. Available for natural gas or liquid petroleum. 1 Burner Full Dimensions: 15 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 15"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 16,000 2 Burners Full Dimensions: 24 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 24"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 32,000 3 Burners Full Dimensions: 36 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 36"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 48,000 4 Burners Full Dimensions: 48 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 48"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 64,000 5 Burners Full Dimensions: 60 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 60"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 80,000. Ships within 3 business days. One year warranty on parts and labor. Features Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control.

Griddle-Q GQ210 Small Griddle for BBQ Grills, Stainless List Price: $189.99 Sale Price: $129.14 You save: $60.85 (32%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Griddle-Q griddles are the perfect barbecue grilling accessory for any gas grill. Griddle-Q allows you to cook complete meals at one time and is the perfect outdoor cookware for everything from pancakes and eggs at sunrise to a Mongolian barbecue in the evening. It makes a perfect BBQ gift. Take it camping, tailgating, to the park or just grilling outdoors. The Griddle-Q is made from one hundred percent 430-restaurant grade Stainless Steel, one of the safest outdoor cooking surfaces (unlike common steel which contains lead), and Griddle-Q's formed grease trough makes cleanup a snap. Other great features include the two-inch sidewalls to keep food on the griddle, and handle grips for easy transport. Griddle-Q will fit 98-percent of all existing gas grills. This Professional Style Griddle comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty, guaranteed not to chip, twist or bend. Griddle-Q is made in America and is available for immediate delivery in four sizes: Cook up breakfast, lunch or dinner in the fresh outdoors on this solid stainless steel grilling accessory. Keep the kitchen clean of frying pans and free from lingering odors. Our small sized unit has over 240-square-inch of cooking surface where you can cook a dozen pancakes at a time, entertain with a Mongolian BBQ or Teppanyaki style outdoor cooking. Cook big meals in a jiffy and be the hit of the next tailgate party. Griddle-Q is great for Mexican or Japanese style parties or just cook up a dozen grilled cheese sandwiches in the backyard for a bunch of hungry kids. Features Stainless steel construction Sidewalls keep food on griddle Grease trough prevents flare-ups Cleans up right on the grill Welded cross bracing for stability

Cecilware Heavy Duty Restaurant Gas Griddle: Natural Gas - 2 Burners Sale Price: $929.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Your gas griddle cooktop needs to be able to stand up to high volume demands and everyday commercial use. This one can. With stainless steel body construction, a steel cooking surface and precise temperature control, it's the ideal restaurant gas griddle for your busy kitchen. Features: Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control. Available for natural gas or liquid petroleum. 1 Burner Full Dimensions: 15 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 15"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 16,000 2 Burners Full Dimensions: 24 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 24"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 32,000 3 Burners Full Dimensions: 36 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 36"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 48,000 4 Burners Full Dimensions: 48 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 48"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 64,000 5 Burners Full Dimensions: 60 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 60"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 80,000. Ships within 3 business days. One year warranty on parts and labor. Features Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control.

Cecilware Heavy Duty Restaurant Gas Griddle: Liquid Petroleum - 3 Burners Sale Price: $1,195.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Your gas griddle cooktop needs to be able to stand up to high volume demands and everyday commercial use. This one can. With stainless steel body construction, a steel cooking surface and precise temperature control, it's the ideal restaurant gas griddle for your busy kitchen. Features: Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control. Available for natural gas or liquid petroleum. 1 Burner Full Dimensions: 15 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 15"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 16,000 2 Burners Full Dimensions: 24 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 24"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 32,000 3 Burners Full Dimensions: 36 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 36"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 48,000 4 Burners Full Dimensions: 48 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 48"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 64,000 5 Burners Full Dimensions: 60 1/8"W x 13 1/2"H x 26 1/2"D Working Dimensions: 60"W x 9 1/2"H x 20 3/4"D BTU's/Hour: 80,000. Ships within 3 business days. One year warranty on parts and labor. Features Stainless steel body construction. Steel cooking surface. 3/4" thick griddle plate. Adjustable 4" legs. Convenient rotary controls for precise temperature control.