Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Remington Bruce. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Remington, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?
As of the last 5 years, we have seen a huge shift in consumer spending toward experiential dining. The old style of starting with dinner and going to a club or nightlife-focused enterprise isn’t gone – per se – but it’s blending. More and more concepts are blurring the lines between going to dinner and going out, and this is to meet the demands in a generational trend of not wanting to choose.
More and more restaurants are adding offerings traditionally reserved for nightlife – bottle service, late-night reservations and live music/entertainment. Large groups of millennial and Generation Y are opting for a more rounded dinner experience rather than the bifurcation of their evening. Even more-so significant, these generations have the money and expenditure to force an industry-wide shift.
Behind housing and transportation, food and alcohol is the third-largest spending category for the average American – totaling upwards of $7,000 per household in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Generation Z spends, on average, 44.1% of their income on dining and drinking out. For millennials, the percentage is slightly less at 36.6%. Compare these numbers with their parents – the Baby Boomers – who spend considerably less at 28.4%.
Furthermore, Experiential Dining is more ‘disintermediation-proof’. I.e. the force of the digital age against Travel Agents and Car Salesman doesn’t have the same effect on a dining experience centered around the physical experience. As such, it’s an age of adapt-or-die that is causing a further separation between Quick Service Concepts and Fine Dining while forcing greater alignment between Nightclubs, Bars and Restaurants.
Remington, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was born and raised in Hospitality and – try as I did to choose any other career path – you can’t hide from fate. I was previously with an International Hospitality Group and assisted in opening, training and management operations for properties in LA, Las Vegas and Manhattan. During Covid, I began consulting and working with different groups on many aspects of operations… specifically experiential dining and integrating ambiance and vibe with the atmosphere
About 2 years back I left the Covid-closed streets of NYC to join a new group out of Houston, where I oversee operations for MAD Restaurant Group. We have had an exciting 2 years, and watched our Revenues increase 35% through indoor and outdoor renovations, changes to our menu, and implementation of a cohesive and unique branding to differentiate from the rest of the Houston market.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
I cannot emphasize the importance of guest relations enough. These days, it can feel as though service has truly become so dissociative that its rare for servers to remember the little things… allergies, favorite drinks & dishes. It seems the ‘good old days’ of truly caring for the guest experience are few and far in between. That being said, the occurrence of these highly selective guests caring about such nuances is still very frequent, and guests are more empowered than ever to share their experience through platforms such as Yelp, Opentable, etc.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Your people come first. Yes, ‘the guest is always right,’ but first and foremost should always be taking care of your team and setting them up for success in leading by example. Too often do leaders take the ‘P.E. Teacher’ approach… run here, drop that, clean this, while perusing the dining room. The way I was trained by my previous employers and the exception I pass to my team is that if we’re in battle (which is exactly what 8pm on a Saturday night feels like), Managers should be on the frontline. Clearing plates, taking orders, opening wine, washing dishes. When your support sees that sort of mentality in their leadership, it enforces the expectation that we are one team, and every job is everyones job, in a united effort to provide an unparalleled guest experience.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @remingtonbruce
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/remingtonbruce/