UberEATS: Probably the Best Thing Ever for a College Student

All of us in the Tampa Bay area know what Uber is. We’ve used it to go to and from a bar, a house party, and even the airport. It’s a brand we all recognize, one that we trust. With just a few clicks you have a quick, safe, and inexpensive ride that gets you to and from your destination. Now, the well-known company is bringing people around the world their favorite foods with UberEATS. Below is a little bit on how they work. 

UberEATS makes it easy for you to explore different types of food at the tap of your smartphone. They’ve partnered with all kinds of restaurants to offer you convenience, fresh meals, and treats. For example, Fabrica Woodfired Pizza in Tampa’s channel district has had some difficulty giving their customers what they want: a delivery service. Owners Estefania and Jonathan Perez want to give their customers what they want, but they didn’t want to compromise their product just to increase numbers. UberEATS is their solution.

UberEATS went live at the beginning of September, offering things from McDonald’s fast food to upscale restaurants. “While other food delivery services have been offered in Tampa for some time — among them GrubHub and Doorstep Delivery — restaurant owners say Uber's name recognition in this market, combined with the company's technology and marketing plans, make UberEATS stand out” (bizjournals.com). Adding to bizjournal.com, for example, the University of Tampa is here. Most of the students that attend the university use Uber. The recognition of the brand makes it easier for Uber users to trust the new delivery system. UberEATS even gave me a $10 credit when I signed up and gave me another $10 each time a new member used a code linked to my account on their first order. Who doesn’t like free food? Especially a college student. And good food at that.

Here is the link to their website if you want to check out the different restaurants UberEats has partnered with in the Tampa Bay area: https://ubereats.com/tampa/

Have you used UberEATS? Tell me a little bit about your experience below! J

Sources: 

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2016/09/07/even-with-a-steep-fee-most-tampa-restaurateurs-are.html

https://ubereats.com/tampa/

Chicago's Best Dogs: From a Stand to the Best Dang Things on Earth

I don't know about you, but I find small, family-owned restaurants so much better than franchises. From the customer service to the amount of food you get for one hell of a deal, nothing sounds better to me. In every town I travel to, I always try to find those quaint but packed to the edges with people laughing and eating with smiles drawn across their faces restaurants.

I recently visited my friend in Chicago. She had always raved about Chicago's infamous hot dogs so I had to make her take me to her favorite spot. That is when I fell upon Gene & Jude's Red Hots. One word: fan-freaking-tastic. I mean who thinks to top their hot dogs with french fries and pickles? Gene & Jude do. Never had a Chicago dog? You have to try it. First, you have to have your bun. Next, you have your Vienna Beef hot dog. So then you have your mustard, you have your relish, you have your onions and your tomatoes. Then you have to throw your sport peppers in there. If you don't know what sport peppers are, they're basically small, hot peppers. Now for the grand finale: the fries. Now, they don't place your fries in any ordinary container. They wrap the fries in foil with the hot dog to make it one beautiful, beautiful, meal. Just look at the beauty above. Yum. But one thing...never, I repeat, NEVER ask for ketchup. You'll get kicked out. Almost happened to me. And another thing, there aren't any seats so make sure you wear your comfy shoes.

I'm sure you're eager to hear the story of how Gene & Jude's came about. Well, Gene and his friends went to a game at Wrigley Field in the summer of 1945. He wasn't pleased with the hot dog he ordered so he began experimenting at home. He opened a small stand in downtown Chicago in 1946 and soon became a sensation. In 1950, they relocated to the suburb of River Grove. With nearly no hours off, they are delighted to make the best hot dogs and fries in the United States. Through the powerful concept of word-of-mouth, Gene & Jude's customers have been nothing but loyal, sticking with the small stand all the way up to today's successes. All of this information and more was thrown to me when I asked how Gene & Jude's came to be. They make you feel like family. They make you feel like you've known them for years. Those are the places I love the most. Those are the places I want to spend my money.

For your sake, here is the link to their website. You should really take a couple minutes to check it out  and see the numerous awards they've received if you're not from Chicago!

http://www.geneandjudes.com

Food, thanks for being Delish!

Do you ever wonder where people are getting their recipes from these days? Maybe traditional cookbooks or pages in magazines, but who ever would have thought Facebook would be a great source for finding deliciously looking, mouth watering recipes? I know when I scroll through Facebook, my timeline is filled with recipes and videos like the ones below from websites like Delish and Tasty. I’m not complaining, though. 

Social media is dominating modern-day society. The number of Facebook users has been on the rise for a while now. According to Statista, Facebook has 1.71 billion monthly active users so far in 2016. Young teens, college kids, parents, and even granparents have Facebook accounts. That’s a lot of people. So why would it not be a good idea to promote your brand on one of the greatest social platforms?

Delish’s recipes are exactly what their name is: delicious. I’ve recently moved into my own apartment, forcing me to cook all the time (every college kids dream, right?). Delish and Tasty both post videos showing users how to make the recipe and how much of each ingredient you need in less than a minute. To gain a clearer understanding, the video above shows users step by step instructions on how to make these 8 different appetizers for any game day. Seeing how each step of the process is supposed to look makes it easier for people like me that don’t exactly know how to cook. I screenshot their Facebook posts to save them for later and also look on their websites for easy, cheap and quick recipes to try. So far, they’ve all been a success. From zucchini tots to honeydew sorbet, they know it all. 

Have you ever made a meal from a post on Facebook? Share your thoughts below J

https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/

Attracting Foodies in the Airport

I’m sitting in a black chair connected to about ten others. In front of me is Ducky’s. Behind me is Bay & Tea Company and the CNBC smartshop. To my right: Auntie Anne’s. And to my left is Starbucks. Now, what place would have five different restaurants so close together? A mall? An airport? Well, I am at Tampa International Airport. And now, my flight has been delayed. Thanks Tampa storms. But, you could say it’s a place foodies want their flights to be delayed.

How do people choose which restaurants they want to eat at over layovers? Whether it’s a quick hour layover or a long three-hour layover, you want people to come to your place. Now, how do you attract the antsy, focused passengers that just want to get to their final destination?

You have to know who your target audience is. The layover crowd can be quite different. Are you looking for those families that head straight to the food court and the small convenience stands that run along the edges of the hallways? Or are you targeting the kind of person or group that likes to hunker down and have a few beers and appetizers between flights? These would definitely be businessmen and businesswoman who have experience with the layover situation.

What do they want? Well, people in the business-world need outlets on outlets on outlets. They’re throwing back a few beers, munching on some spinach and artichoke dip, and sending some emails. And they are drinking some beer so you probably should throw some sports on a couple T.V.’s and maybe some news channels, too.

Those who travel for business often fly through the same airports to the same final destination. You want loyal customers. You want customers that come back every time they are in that airport. You want them to tell their colleagues about their awesome experience and that awesome, unique beer they had. So, don’t go cheap. Spend a little more to get a little more.

I’m still sitting here at the Tampa airport and yes; my flight has been delayed because of the torrential downpour that magically appeared (but what’s new, right?). According to thrillest.com, Tampa International Airport is ranked 56^th when it comes to having the best food and drinks in the United States. I’d say that’s pretty good. I have now convinced myself to walk the hallways to see what options there are. Now, what restaurant suits a 21-year-old college girl who just wants to get home to Virginia for the weekend? I’d sure like to be in the #1 ranked Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Sources: https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/best-airports-for-food-and-drink-best-american-airports-for-eating  

Promoting your Food Truck to Foodies

Why do foodies flock to food trucks? Well, you’re getting a mind-blowing meal for a minimal price. I’ve always found food trucks really cool and innovative. Such a tiny space to work, but they always seem to have the tastiest, heartiest foods. It’s a no judgment zone for unique food. According to an IBISWorld report, the food truck industry has grown an average of 9.3% per year over the last 5 years. HUGE! They’re becoming a fad.

The idea of driving around a city, a state or even the entire country in a food truck seems kind of cool if you’re the adventurous type, the type who would like to stop at whatever cool paces you cross while making money. But how do Food Truckers survive off of their business? It’s no surprise that revenue depends on a large number of variables. What’s the competition? How many potential customers are walking around in the area? What kind of food are you selling? How much are you charging? What expenses will you have? What are the regulations in your area? All of these things and so many more factors come into play when determining if a food truck could be the right way for you to earn a living.

Once you’ve got the permits and all of that fun stuff (sarcasm), how will you attract customers?

The Name

Of course, you have to be creative and come up with an intriguing and attention-grabbing name for your truck. I think it’s best when the name of a food truck hints to what kind of food you sell, in a clever way.

Using Technology

Social media has become a massive part of our lives in the past decade or so. Using platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to promote your large box on wheels is a fun way to gain response! Users can follow your journey as you tweet your location at that exact moment, your specials of the day, and just life in the food truck. These applications allow followers to respond to your posts, so in order to show them you care, try to respond to as many tweets and comments as you can.

Hosting Contests/Giveaways

You can use the different social media platforms to have someone for example, name a new meal or if you’re just starting out, name your truck.

Word-of-Mouth

This is an inexpensive, effective tool that benefits businesses all over the world. For example, several companies have used the “Refer a friend and both of you will get 15% off!” Who doesn’t love discounted food?

These are just a few ideas that would bring in customers (hopefully repeat ones) that could help grow your customer base and your food truck business in its entirety. Consumers’ preferences are changing to more unique, foodie-inspired cuisines that don’t empty your wallet. Food trucks give you just that.

Would you ever start a food truck? Share some of your aspirations and ideas belowJ

Sources: http://clients1.ibisworld.com.esearch.ut.edu/reports/us/industry/default.aspx?entid=4322

Now don’t get me wrong, I love food. Especially breakfast foods because, you know, they ARE the most important meal of the day…which I could have three times a day. But I’m not sure I would call myself a foodie. I don’t go to many food festivals and don’t enjoy cooking all that much (only on rare occasions when I’m feeling like a chef) mainly because the food isn’t acceptable for anyone else’s eyes but mine…yikes.

The word ‘Foodie’ has been around for quite some time, but recently there has been a rise in all things food. With Pinterest pinning all of these DIY things like endless recipes and cooking shows becoming more prominent, how could you not consider yourself a foodie? My mom thinks she’s a total foodie because she looks up recipes on Pinterest and attempts to make them (don’t tell her I said “attempt”). Well anyways, we all know the food lies in heart of the home: the kitchen. Any time we have guests over, whether it’s friends, family, or neighbors, everyone always gathers in the kitchen where all the food is. My mom hates it. I love it. I can just sit at the barstool and eat, eat, eat and if i must, occasionally talk.

To get a clearer understanding of today’s foodie, here’s a little knowledge I’m going to throw at you. Foodies aren’t just the people who know about all of the hotspots around town or go to each and every food festival, they are inching closer and closer to becoming the ones that put more energy into experimenting with ingredients in their own kitchen (my mom doesn’t know the hotspots, anywhere, so that’s just another reason she’s not a foodie).

I feel as though marketing brands to foodies has become such an interesting and cool thing. As any food lover like myself does, foodies also “feast with their eyes” as some would say. So visuals would be a persuasive technique, to say the least. They are Millennials that post pictures of their food on Instagram or pin it on Pinterest. They are trendy. They want the next best thing. So, increasing your social media presence will help you understand what Foodies’ passions are at that specific time. You can also build relationships with them and show them that you’re not all about the money, but you’re passionate about food as well.

Foodies’ tastes are constantly changing, keeping up with the latest and greatest, so to be a great marketer to all the foodies out there, you have to be one step ahead.

Would you call yourself a foodie? Comment below and share your thoughts J