Imagine walking up to a store, scanning a bar code, and getting instant online reviews. Imagine getting special offers right before you walk into a restaurant, just by scanning a barcode. Imagine scanning that same barcode and telling the world about your experience at that business. As a business owner, did your heart just skip a beat? Are you a Google Favorite Place?
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GET EXCITED! We are currently working on revamping our current design. Basically cleaning things out and making the site tidier. We want to provide a simple design for our users while making the best use of white space. So far, it looks flippin’ awesome!
As we work to make things better, please tell your friends. Have them join us at UrbanBacon. Start commenting on deals and give us feedback. Every bit of feedback helps make UrbanBacon a better service for both restaurants and people. We are humbled and thankful for your help!
Last month I was privileged enough to interview St. Louis food blogger Andrew Mark Veety (@amveats). You can check out his blog here.
I have to admit, his blog and burger domination quest is very impressive. Not to mention his amazing writing style almost makes me a bit jealous. With out giving too much away, on with the interview!
Actually, I’ve been maintaining a blog for well over ten years, the current incarnation has lasted about two years, but its really version five.
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It’s no secret, the Internet has given individuals a voice. Bloggers are splashed across the canvas of social media ranting about their encounters with restaurants and basically every industry on the planet. Everyone is subject to reviews, and guess what?
People Listen.
This is the basis behind word of mouth marketing. We all value each others opinions to some degree, almost more than we value critics. Critics seem untouchable as humans, and it becomes hard to relate in our mundane lives.
This is nothing new. We’ve been recommending and trashing restaurants for years. Think about the office, how many times a day do you hear people talking about different restaurants? Are they all good? Of course not, people have bad experiences. Not only that, we have been programmed by society to think complaining is rude. So we hold complaints until we leave. Maybe restaurants are to blame, maybe people are to blame. The bottom line: It happens.
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Why where The Romans such a dominate army?
One Reason: The Gladius aka “the sword that conquered the world”
This technology allowed soldiers to dish massive amounts of damage to opponents that leveled entire armies! When was the last time your iPhone conquered Greece? It’s funny how a simple technological advancement can be so powerful. Sounds like Twitter, right?
We all know Twitter is a powerful networking tool. That’s not a secret. Just like the double edge sword, its also has an incredibly simple design. This in return, deserves a simple approach. There is no magic bullet to killing Twitter, but we can let you in on a secret tactic that works, keep reading…
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Welcome to our third interview on UrbanBacon, one that I am totally pumped about!
I was privileged to interview Arlene Maminta Browne from Robust Wine Bar located in our very own St. Louis, MO. Arlene, and her husband Stanley, are the two masterminds behind the fabulous Robust Experience. Truly two people who love life, their family, and wine. Check out their blog to learn more.
I also want to personally thank Arlene for all the insight she has given us. It is truly appreciated:) Enough of me, check it out!
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Yesterday, the well-known start-up Yelp was slapped with a class action lawsuit. You can read about the story here. Yelp has been accused of “extortion” by a veterinarian hospital in California. The hospital contacted Yelp asking them to remove negative reviews of the business. Yelp refused to take down the reviews. Then a funny thing happened, the veterinary hospital was promptly contacted by a Yelp “sales representative.” The rep told the company they could delete or lower the negative reviews on their pages for the low cost of around $300/mo.
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I randomly met Paul Tran on Twitter one night. We got to talking, and he blew me away. This guy is sharp and very in-tune with the restaurant community. While no longer running his own restaurant, he now focuses on franchising and equity. Trust me, this interview is a must read for owners!
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In the famous words of Tyrone Biggums from The Dave Chappelle Show:
“Something you might not know about me Joe Rogan…I love happy hour!”
Well, that’s not 100% how it went, but works for the sake of this post. It’s true, I love happy hour in every shape and form. There is nothing like relaxing for a few hours after a long day in the office. This brings us to our discussion for the day:
What are your favorite happy hour specials?
Personally, I enjoy $5 domestic buckets. ½ off apps are also delicious. It really doesn’t get much better than that!
But what I enjoy may not be what you enjoy. So let’s hear it. What are your favorite happy hours? What food specials do you like? Where do you consistently hit up on a weekly basis? Feel free to name your favorite local spots, comment below!
It’s funny to think how far we have come since the first Nokia 5110 cell phones. Remember all the sweet face plates and bad arse hip accessories? The Nokia had a battery life of around 3.5 weeks! Not to mention they were basically indestructible. I remember nicknaming my Nokia phone “The Brick.” Two reasons:
1. The size and weight slightly resembled a brick
2. It could smash through glass if thrown hard enough
In my eyes, the Nokia was the first widespread personal cell phone that people actually carried. Who imagined cell phones would become necessity? Now, it’s a way of life. Cell phones have connected us in ways never before imagined! If your restaurant hasn’t already, invest in a smart phone.
So, what’s all this cell phone talk about anyways? There is a current trend I notice. When people (especially younger generations) sit down to dinner, where do their cell phones sit?
On the table!
I am guilty of this habit, I admit it. But it brings about interesting questions. Why must our phones be in front of us? Are we that worried about missing calls? Why should restaurants care?