Launched in 2017 by David Segal, founder of DAVIDsTea, Mad Radish is a family of gourmet fast food brands that includes Mad Radish, Luisa’s Burritos & Bowls and Revival Pizza. The company has a simple mission: to bring gourmet fast food to diners. With eight stores in Toronto and Ottawa, maintaining brand standards across locations is a priority for management.
The Value of Brand Consistency for Multi-Unit Restaurant Chains
Brand consistency creates customer loyalty which, in turn, leads to revenue for multi-unit restaurant chains and other companies. Boosting brand loyalty by only 7% can lead to an increase in customer lifetime value by as much as 85% (Fortunly). For businesses like Mad Radish, consistent brand standards impact customer loyalty in several ways:
- Establishes a Strong Identity: Consistent brand standards help create a strong and recognizable identity for a restaurant chain. When customers visit different locations of the same chain, they expect to enjoy an identical experience. Food quality, service, ambiance, and overall brand presentation must all be the same. This consistency builds trust and loyalty among customers, knowing that they can be confident that their expectations will be met no matter where they are.
- Builds Trust and Credibility: When a restaurant chain consistently delivers high-quality food, exceptional service, and a consistent overall experience, customers develop confidence in the brand. They know what to expect and can rely on the chain to meet their expectations at every visit, regardless of location. This trust is crucial in establishing valuable long-term relationships with customers. Repeat customers spend more – and more often – than new customers do.
- Enhances Customer Loyalty: Consistency plays a significant role in fostering customer loyalty. When customers have positive and consistent experiences with a restaurant chain, they are more likely to become loyal patrons. They develop a sense of familiarity and comfort with the brand, which encourages repeat visits and recommendations to others. Boosting customer loyalty is a worthwhile endeavor that can increase profits by 25-95%.
- Positive Word-of-Mouth and Reputation: Consistency in brand standards also contributes to positive word-of-mouth and a strong reputation. When customers consistently have great experiences at various locations of a restaurant chain, they are more likely to share their opinion with others. This word-of-mouth marketing can be a powerful driver for attracting new customers and expanding the customer base. 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends. A strong reputation for consistent brand standards also helps attract new patrons.
- Operational Efficiency: Consistent brand standards streamline operations across multiple locations. When there are clear guidelines and processes in place that define the brand standards, it becomes easier to train staff, ensure consistent food preparation and quality, maintain cleanliness and hygiene, and deliver a uniform customer experience. This operational efficiency is essential for managing and scaling a restaurant chain effectively.
Mad Radish and MeazureUp: Building Consistency and Boosting Food Safety Together
When Mad Radish management began investigating digital checklist solutions for their restaurants, they were seeking more than brand consistency. They had an additional goal in mind: ensuring food safety. That’s a smart priority for any multi-unit restaurant chain. In the US, over 800 foodborne illness outbreaks are reported to the CDC every year, costing the restaurant industry over $15 billion each year. Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) is the best way to achieve this objective but merely defining your SOPs is not enough. Employees must follow each SOP exactly and managers must be held accountable for enforcing them.
As Mad Radish’s Director of Operations and Store Development, Nick Filion understands the critical importance of food safety and operational execution. After exploring several options, Filion chose MeazureUp’s DailyChex and AuditApp tools for Mad Radish, in large part because of the platform’s food temperature and labeling integrations. MeazureUp’s comprehensive checklist solutions have become the backbone of Mad Radish’s operations, allowing the company to ensure that every aspect aligns with their brand guidelines. Filion acknowledges MeazureUp’s effectiveness, stating, “[Other platforms] had a lot of features, but you didn’t use most of them, and 99% of the time, the one you wanted just wasn’t there.”
MeazureUp’s user-friendly interface makes it easier than ever for Mad Radish’s managers to navigate and complete checklists efficiently, enabling them to focus on maintaining brand consistency. Filion attests to MeazureUp’s impact on streamlining processes and ensuring compliance. He says, “It’s a complete system. At the end of the day, we are a food business, so we need those food labels, and we need those temperature checks.” Partnering with MeazureUp has transformed the way Mad Radish manages compliance and tracks performance. Filion appreciates the real-time visibility into each store’s checklist performance, enabling him to compare stores or markets and pinpoint areas for improvement. Filion emphasizes the value of his collaboration with MeazureUp, saying, “It’s the law to make those checklists happen for health and safety regulations, so it is non-negotiable in the restaurant that they need to be done.”
Empowering District Managers and Franchisees
AuditApp by MeazureUp empowers district managers and franchisees by providing them with the tools to conduct audits and track performance. District managers can include photos and detailed comments in their assessments, gaining valuable insights into store operations. Filion explains, “It has made a big difference, and it’s going to continue to make a difference as we go into franchising and we start auditing not just our corporate stores, but franchisees.” MeazureUp’s track record demonstrates improved compliance with brand standards and increased operational excellence, both within corporate-owned stores and among franchisees.
Seamless Temperature Monitoring for Enhanced Food Safety
Recognizing that food safety is a top priority for any restaurant, MeazureUp has integrated temperature monitoring systems into our platform, eliminating the need for manual record-keeping. Mad Radish utilizes Bluetooth-connected thermometers, which seamlessly transmit temperature readings to the MeazureUp platform. Filion highlights the advantages, stating, “The ability to use Bluetooth-connected thermometers to conduct and record temperature readings is…a big plus, eliminating the need for paper records.” This streamlined process ensures accurate temperature monitoring, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses and allowing Mad Radish to serve their customers with confidence.
Simplified Food Labeling with PrepWizard
MeazureUp’s commitment to supporting Mad Radish’s food safety efforts extends beyond checklists and temperature monitoring. The PrepWizard labeling tool has revolutionized the food labeling process for Mad Radish, minimizing the chance of human error. By centralizing the labeling process and simplifying it to a few clicks on a mobile phone app, PrepWizard ensures that all items are properly labeled with the correct expiration information. This attention to detail not only enhances food safety but also improves operational efficiency, as Filion highlights, “It’s a tool to help [us] meet standards of operations.”
Mad Radish’s relationship with MeazureUp exemplifies the power of digital site audit and checklist tools for multi-unit quick-service and fast-service restaurant chains. Let’s talk about how you can create a culture of consistency, safety, and accountability across locations at your company. Schedule a free demo of MeazureUp today.
