by Allyson King

Created on: June 25, 2009   Last Updated: June 30, 2009

In the world of fast food chains, drive-through beer and cigarette stands and drive-up-and-away pharmacies, the classic restaurant is left in the dust of the fast lane unless it has an edge. Be it either gourmet offerings, tempting salad and sushi bars or vegan temptations for the no-meat, no-dairy crowd, if a restaurant has a drawing card, it will survive and thrive. This unique drawing card could and should be one that is courteous of the customers who need or want to know what is in their food (calories, nutrients, etc.) and not forced upon those who would rather live in denial.

Not everyone is health-conscious; some people would just rather go to a restaurant to have a relaxing evening out with friends. But for the hundreds of thousands of us wellness-wise folks, we would flock to a restaurant that offers us the option of knowing what we are consuming. Many people still count calories, fat grams and use a point system to help them manage their weight. When a menu is brought to the table, the waiter / waitress could simply ask "will you be wanting to look at our wellness insert, this evening?" Needless to say, it wouldn't suffice to embarrass the customer by asking if they are watching their weight, counting calories, or "need to know what is in the food". Offering a special insert with the menu in a classy manner would engage people who are not health-conscious because of the curiosity element, and be a perk to those who have a weight loss or weight maintenance goal.

As the baby-boomers flood the restaurant scene with hopeful expectations that they will find something unique and amazing to add to their dining pleasure, would it not be nice if there was a franchise restaurant that exceeded those expectations? Without question it would be a crowning touch of service to an industry that has plummeted downhill in service amenities. And most certainly it would be a welcome replacement for the "here's your hat, what's your hurry" atmosphere most franchise restaurants display.

This kind of "offering" constitutes what is missing in most service establishments today; consideration of the customer and service that goes above and beyond expectation. Giving more in valued services than the three-star down the road is what will enhance a restaurant to four-star and beyond. Franchise restaurant establishments would enjoy an enhanced surge of clientele and word-of-mouth praise for the extra service is a great means of free, organic advertisement. What is there NOT to like in this scenario? After all, those who are not interested need not be bothered and those who want to know, can - it is all in the presentation.

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