For Canada`s Pickle Barrel, Timing is Everything

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CASE STUDY
For Canada’s Pickle Barrel, Timing is Everything
n instant success, the Pickle Barrel Restaurant first
guest database.
opened in 1971 as an 85-seat diner style restaurant.
Pickle Barrel will soon be installing the ConnectSmart SMS
Since that time over 40 years ago, Pickle Barrel has become a
paging capabilities at the hostess stand as well, to eliminate pag-
hot spot destination for great food, professional service, classy
ers and gather data for text marketing. “Guests will love it be-
surroundings and unbeatable value. With a number of locations
cause we have a lot of restaurants in shopping malls, so it will
throughout Canada and growing, the newest locations offer 400
provide our guests freedom while they wait,” said Higley.
seats, spanning 10,000 square feet.
On the reservations front, Pickle Barrel is now phasing out
Peter Higley, president of Pickle Barrel, said he couldn’t imag-
an existing web reservations system and bringing up the Con-
ine opening new locations without the help of the ConnectSmart
nectSmart online call aheads and online reservations solutions,
solutions from QSR Automations.
which have more features and ensure ownership of guest data,
“QSR’s ConnectSmart has really paid us dividends,” said Hig-
according to Higley.
ley. According to Higley, having QSR’s ConnectSmart graphical
kitchen display software and reliable hardware in place provides
a much smoother opening. Noticeable benefits include better
service, higher check averages, and the ability to keep key personnel on the floor instead of at the window.
Pickle Barrel’s truly extensive menu means there are a lot of
different areas — up to five different lines — where food is prepared in the kitchens. The restaurants also do an incredible bar
business, and have added a kitchen display station at the bar for
managing and tracking drink orders. Not surprisingly, Higley said
timing is everything for his restaurants to remain successful.
“Thanks to QSR’s ConnectSmart, we don’t have food items sitting under the lights,” he said. “The quality of our food is increasing as a result.”
ConnectSmart also allows the restaurant managers to set
benchmarks, allowing them to track competition and goals within
and among the stores. For instance, managers text pictures to
each other, boasting of running at 9.5 minutes (line time at cer-
“Truly key with QSR’s ConnectSmart, we can gather extensive
tain kitchen stations), which means Pickle Barrel can track timing
guest data and we own that data. We want to build our own data-
of food in real-time and historically.
base in order to know and understand our diners better. Plus we
“QSR’s ConnectSmart has really paid us divIdends.” — PETER HIGLEY, PRESIDENT, PICKLE BARREL
can create meaningful offers for our guests.”
Pickle Barrel can leverage the considerable data gleaned from
QSR’s comprehensive ConnectSmart solutions to help keep pace
with their growth strategy. And with ConnectSmart, they have elim-
“The team members love it, they are sharing best practices,”
said Higley.
inated lost tickets in the kitchen and lost guests at the hostess
stand. Timing, quality and table turns are also enhanced. Higley
QSR’s table management and reservations solutions are also
commented that one of their general managers was thrilled the
resonating within Pickle Barrel. The hostesses leverage the ac-
day after the implementation of QSR’s ConnectSmart because
curate wait times and party lists from ConnectSmart, plus they
he was able to add an extra $800 in lunch revenue within a res-
add in remarks about favorites or birthdays that are saved in the
taurant that was previously maxed out.
“Canada is a very competitive market and we need an edge
502.297.0221
[email protected]
www.qsrautomations.com
in every area of our business,” concluded Higley. “We tend to be
the busiest restaurants in town. However big we get, we want to
always be the best at what we do. QSR’s ConnectSmart is helping
us do just that, and the ROI is huge.” HT
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