And I Said What About......Lunch at Luigis?

As I was walking to Luigis last week, this caught my eye.

Dozens of wooden hangers so carefully placed in unison keeping each other stable as they curve away from the concrete ground of Emmet Place. This frames a centre piece of sand, rocks and pebbles. It is so energising to see such a naturalistic piece amongst the city centre hustle and bustle.

Today as I made my way to Luigi’s I saw a man across from the artwork with a large trolley spotted with hangers...I pottered over to him to see if he was the person behind this beautiful sunny days project. Low and behold he was!

Today he had created a piece which from one angle looks like a human eye and from another it looks like a rowing boat. He let me take a picture of him sitting in his ‘boat’. He informed me that his inspiration came from the harmonisation he picked up from the energies exerted by the people around him. What an amazing approach to life!

After my very interesting encounter with this artist I couldn’t believe the time – it was nearing 2pm and definitely time for lunch! I really had worked up an appetite after such a busy morning so I ordering a BBQ pizza of the Luigi lunch menu.

While I was waiting for the pizza I enjoyed a nice cool Coke and chilled by the front of the restaurant. It is included in the lunch menu for a reasonable €9.75 so I said why not!

After about 20 minutes my delicious pizza arrived! I’d say the guests sitting near me must have thought I was an Instagram fanatic updating my status every 2 minutes with the amount of pictures I took of my lunch. It was difficult to capture just how amazing my pizza looked and it tasted even better! It didn’t take long before I had the whole thing devoured.

Top tip for Luigi Fans – ask for a portion of sweet chilli with your BBQ pizza it makes a very tasty dip!

I used Instagram to take pictures for today’s blog. It’s a great tool for any budding photographer to make everyday snaps picture perfect!This week at Luigis we are launching an exciting new Instagram competition – join the fun and find out more by checking out our Luigi Malones Facebook page at www.facebook.com/luigimalones

So that is all from me today I better get back to work!

Stay tuned,

Aisling.

Press The BIG Red Button

E- Mail marketing campaigns sound easy right? . . . Wrong!! It is a delicate art which is very difficult to handle with enough precision to be effective. They allow the administrator a creative license. The aim of the game is to charge this creativity into a campaign to cause a ripple effect of reaction to every person on the receiving end. However the reality is that often there is not an actual person on the receiving end. There is a spam folder, a firewall or well just thin air!

I began my first e-mail campaign at the beginning of July. I was completely excited about this creative opportunity. We spend a few mornings at the Luigi headquarters discussing ideas. Some were a little more bizarre than others...there may have been the idea of saying ‘Special offer on Viagra at Luigis’ in the subject line . . .just to grab attention! We shot this one down fairly lively but it gave us a laugh all the same. We tried and tested these e-mails with our colleagues. Once we found the most effective concept and tidied up any mistakes, it was time to send them out! We clicked the send button with anticipation. 

Low and behold – I waited and watched the results in utter despair. Over the course of the following week 28% opened the e-mail. Inside the e-mail was a big shiny red button where the receiver could book a table and avail of a very generous €10 voucher. Only 15% clicked!!! And did they all book a table...I’m afraid not. Quite honestly I felt quite hard done by after the time and effort we dedicated to this project. 

I found myself judging this situation in a different light when I logged into my own e-mail account that night. I found myself clicking delete on a whole range of e-mails. They were from deals websites I don’t remember subscribing to and my feathery friend Tripadvisor! I felt quite hypocritical, I realised the recipients of our e-mail were just doing the exact same thing. 

Our society has become bombarded with communication in recent years. Walking to work in the morning I pass several billboards encouraging me to change my mobile phone network provider, even though it seems like they are all giving me the same bang for my buck! When I check my post I receive supermarket vouchers for products I never buy. I log into my social media accounts and my side bar is composed of a collage of adverts distracting me from what I set out to do. I go home to kick back and relax, throw on my favorite TV show and find myself flicking through ads for nappies–which at this time in my life I have no need for! And to top the whole thing off - just as I sit down to a nice cup of tea – there is a knock on the door... ‘Would you like to switch over to Airtricty?’ NO THANKS ! 

As a recent graduate aiming to begin a career in marketing at least I enjoy advertising campaigns, I can get ideas and see what I feel is effective. However advertising can be a disruption to everyday life for most people who are exposed to hundreds every day! But when an advertisement swoops into our inbox we finally have a choice – will I expose myself to this or not? And I guess 72% of my recipients chose not! And I have to respect their choice in the matter! 

Now that my rant is well and truly out of the way I would like to suggest tips for e-mail marketers out there, especially newbies like me! The key thing to remember is that you have absolutely no control over how many people open and react to your e-mail communication. So take ownership of what you do have power over! 

5 Top Tips for Newbies like Me!!! 

1: Start from the very beginning!! Ensure that the details you receive are as clear as possible, ask people to fill out forms in block capitals and black pen or even better online. Make as few errors as possible at this stage to reduce the amount of spam folders that you are going to reach

2: Make sure you get permission to communicate to these people this is mandatory under the Data Protection Act. It is also important that people are given the option to opt out at every communication you make. 

3: Firewalls are your worst enemy!! You need to dodge them as much as possible. Keep things simple and don’t make your e-mail too fleshy or flashy. Anything out of the ordinary will be detected and thrown straight in the spam folder 

4: Treat every word like gold dust. You have 30 seconds max to impress so use them wisely. 

5: Know your recipients. If you’re targeting students do not contact them at 9am. I can tell you from experience they will most certainly not be awake and checking e-mails at this time! 

I am completely new to this and would like to welcome subscribers or readers with experience or tips to share them by simply leaving a comment on this post! 

Stay Tuned, Aisling

Luigis - It keeps you young!!

I spent last Saturday at Luigis on Emmet place. I relished the atmosphere! It was bustling with families, couples and tourists. I got a giggle from one gang of tourists in particular when they complemented us on our ‘free’ tap water. I imagine this was the first restaurant they had been to on their trip to Ireland! I particularity enjoyed meeting a Boisterous bunch of OAPs who frequent the restaurant every weekend for morning tea and scones. They were so cheerful and beaming with the joys of life. They couldn’t help but make me smile.

I took some pictures outside thinking I’d make the most of the 15 minutes of sunshine when one of the OAPs popped up to me and asked ‘what in God’s name I was up to’. I was hunched down like a rabbit aiming to get what I thought at the time to be quite a creative shot. I hopped up in shock and captured only a blurry mess. Unknown to myself I had been blocking the way to this gentleman’s bicycle. The second I mentioned I was working for the restaurant his whole reaction changed and it led to what I found to be quite an uplifting story. He told me about his treasured Saturday mornings when he mounted his bike for his weekly cycle to socialize with his friends- ‘keeps you young’ he said. He shared with me the fun times he had splitting a pizza with his wife and having a good laugh over coffee with his Friends at Luigis. He spoke about their special table they don’t even need to reserve. There is not as many chairs around the table as old times, but still great times all the same.

                  

This really made me think how Luigis is a home away from home – where guests feel comfortable and can kick back and relax and enjoy their meal. It also made me think about just how much I will miss this wonderful place after the summer. I will be winding things down over the next two weeks there is still quite a lot to do. It seems the things I thought would be a breeze when I started are more tedious than anticipated, while many of the foreseen challenges seem like a walk in the park. I began in June with a barrel of goals which I feel so close to touching. This Blog has been successful, this week has seen 1000 views being hit. This was my aim for the summer so hopefully we go above and beyond this – thank you to all of the subscribers! I am 100% new to the blogging world and I was expecting this aspect of the job to be a chore. However I have enjoyed it to so much. I will be continuing to document the rest of my year in the working world, this will begin shortly with my new job hunt and relocation.

The goal which I found to be more of a challenge was running an e-mail marketing campaign, this is a lot more complicated than I imagined. I want to get into this in more detail in my next blog post for anyone that is interested in finding out more. A task which I have learned so much from is analysing comment cards. Frankly, this was something which I expected would have my brain melted with boredom. However I have found this absolutely fascinating. After nearly two months of tidying up a database I feel like I may have developed OCD (only kidding). All joking aside working on a database has been such a worthwhile experience and has tightened up my attention to detail immensely. I have really enjoyed every aspect of this job. In next week’s post I will get into these tasks in more detail and let you know what I have been up to behind the scenes at Luigis.

Stay tuned,

Aisling

Hopelessly Devoted to . . . Luigi Malones!!

The past few weeks have seen flocks of early birds swarming into the restaurant for a pre- Opera House bite to eat.  It’s not just the location of Emmet Place that appeals to these pink ladies and t-bird fans. From meeting the hard core Opera House goers who attend on a regular basis, I was delighted to hear that the two big reasons they keep coming back is for variety and loyalty.

Opera House fans enjoy that the menu is varied, they can choose a new dish every time. They also are attracted to our loyalty scheme. 

They are ‘Royalty card’ holders which means they save 10% off their purchases at Luigi Malones. Once €50 is spent the customer automatically receives a €5 voucher redeemable at their next visit. And the great news - this card is available to everyone, simply call in, sign up and you can start using it right away! We are currently updating our loyalty system and I’ll keep you up to date on changes as we make progress with this.

As the Grease fans flee the restaurant like lightning at 8pm, we get a whole new set of clientèle  This is an electrifying time of the evening. We see hundreds of celebrations every week! Birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, hen and stag dos..the lot! Luigis really is the perfect location for parties of any size and any occasion – just be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment!

If you are planning a flashback to the 1950s and a visit to Rydell high and the loveable couple Danny and Sandy - be sure to pop into us. We promise a great start to your night with our tasty food and friendly staff. And remember we cater for parties so try us out next time!

Grease is running in The Cork Opera House until this Saturday the 17th of July. Click this link to find out more about behind the scenes at 'Grease' http://corkoperahouse.wordpress.com/

Stay Tuned,

Aisling

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

Today’s blog post  is for Mums and Dads, Big Sisters and Brothers, Aunts and Uncles, Babysitters, Godmothers and Godfathers...anyone who from time to time has ‘pitter- patters’ running about who they want to keep amused.

As I have mentioned before family activities can burn a hole in your pocket. Cooking is a simple activity to get the whole family together on a budget. I have a tried and tested recipe that kids love.

I got the idea from Luigi’s where we pride ourselves with the wide variety on our kids menu. A popular choice is ‘Build Your Own Pizza’ this option lights up children’s faces. They love having the choice to pick exactly what they like! 

As it says on the tin – this is The Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Pizza!! Here are the ingredients you will need for each pizza:

1. 2 tortilla wraps

2. Grated cheese

3. Half a clove of garlic

4. ¼ a small red onion

5. Half a tin of tomatoes

6. Staples: olive oil, Salt , pepper and sugar.

7. The toppings - this is completely up to you! I suggest mozzarella, ham, pineapple, pepperoni, peppers...whatever tickles your fancy really.

There is just six simple steps to the EPLS Pizza!

Step One: Take two tortilla wraps (you can get mini ones for small ones) take a tablespoon of Olive Oil and spread it evenly across one tortilla wrap and use it as a glue to sick the two together.

Step Two: Make the marina sauce – Cook the onions and garlic on a low heat (adults only) stir for 3-5 minutes and add half a tin of tomatoes. Let it simmer for 7 minutes season well and add a pinch of sugar to take away bitterness.

Step Three: Spread the marinara sauce evenly across your tortilla base and sprinkle generously with grated cheese.

Step Four:  Here is the really fun bit!!! Place all of your ingredients in the middle of the table. Give a pizza base each to the kids and let their imaginations run wild. Let them make funny faces out of vegetables or spell their name.

Step Five: Pop it into a pre-heated oven at 220 degrees and cook for 7 – 10 minutes until base becomes crisp.

Step Six: Serve your tasty treats to all the family!!

I hope you have fun with this recipe. Don't forget to come in and join us at Luigi’s where our chefs will make your kids pizzas to order. You can leave the EPLS pizzas at home and experience the scrumptious freshly handmade pizzas from our kitchen. 

At Luigi Malones, while the kids are waiting for their yummy dinner we provide crayons and drawings for them – take a look at our budding art gallery! We could do with some new additions.

My new project in the restaurant is to introduce customer comment cards! I cannot believe the response we have received over the week.  Today when I asked a customer what we could change to improve his experience he replied saying ‘please don’t change anything – that’s why we keep coming back’

From reviewing the comments it is the staff which are being praised repeatedly for how accommodating they are and for their excellent service – so  a big WELL DONE to the Luigi staff for making it such a wonderful place.

We hope to see you soon - best of luck with the EPLS Pizza!

Stayed Tuned,

Aisling

It's Good For You

The Good Stuff!

I am delighted to announce that we are introducing Guinness to our restaurant in Temple Bar this week. We are all very excited about this new addition to our menu and we hope you are too!

 I remember pouring my first pint of Guinness. It almost came naturally, as if it was something which is sown into our Irish heritage. It was my first day working behind a bar and a local bus conductor nodded at me and asked for ‘a pint of the good stuff’. I knew at once what he was looking for. I held the tulip glass at a 45 degree angle, poured it most of the way – let it settle and topped it up to create the signature Guinness creamy silky smooth head. I waited in anticipation to see how he would react to his daily dose of ‘the good stuff’. I let a sign of relief as it went down as well as always. I hope there are many good memories just like this one, made over a pint of the newly introduced ‘good stuff’ at our Temple Bar restaurant

Rainbow Run

I spent the weekend in the home of this internationally recognised brand. I participated in the Colour Run in aid of Marymount hospice. I took part with a few friends and what a day! Hundreds of people took to the pier in Dun Laoghaire covered in head to toe in every colour under the sun as they embarked on the 5k run.

This event was open to every age group but it struck me that there was very few runners outside the 20 – 30 age bracket. There were only a handful of families participating which was a huge pity because when I saw how much fun my friends and I were having I could only imagine the excitement it would bring to kids.

It was only afterwards I discovered that it would cost almost €100 for a family to take part. This kind of money is a little bit steep in these times even if it is for charity. From talking to families in Luigis they often would comment on over priced family activities. I guess that is what attracts a lot of them to Luigis -family friendly value for money.

Back to Luigis….

I’ve noticed from my time spent in the restaurant in both Cork and Dublin that what jumps out at me is that Luigi Malones is family orientated! It is a safe haven where kids feel at home and parents feel at ease. Kids roam around grabbing sheets of paper from a wooden chest and wearing their crayons down as they colour furiously to get their picture done on time to put it on the wall! Waiters pull chairs out of the way for buggies and bring a highchair to tables that need it. Both kids and parents beam at the sight of the kids menu.

I couldn’t help myself but burst out laughing last week – it was at the sight of two siblings winding our red velvet curtains around themselves. All we could see were two tiny pairs of feet sticking out from under them either side of our entrance. At Luigis as long as our customers are happy we are too. For a family friendly experience that won’t burn a hole in your wallet and will send you all home happy - choose Luigis!

The theme of my next post will be family friendly fun on a budget! I will give you some hints and tips of activities suitable for kids for all the family.

Stay Tuned,

Aisling

Strike The Right Balance

A couple of summers ago, I spend three months working in Newport Rhode Island, USA. Sea, sunshine and stunning sunsets, needless to say - it was amazing.  

I had an experience of a lifetime in this small seasonal town. The restaurant I worked in was a family style American grille house. It had a reputation within the local community for great customer service – this is where I learnt all my tricks of the trade.

 

Come on Irene!!!



You see, for those of you who haven’t been to the States, or those of you who don’t understand why American servers shoot you daggers for giving them a miserable tip. A server can earn as little as $1 an hour (before tax) their income is based solely on tips. This works out pretty well in a seasonal town like Newport. Come June you could be walking away with $300 in your back pocket on a busy Saturday night.  Not so great when you get caught in a hurricane as I learnt the hard way when Irene struck and I lost out on a week’s income. We enjoyed the weather though, three tough Irish women in America - we were well able to brace the elements!

The most rewarding thing I walked away with from that restaurant wasn’t the lavish tips when a cruise ship docked. It was learning the ability to deal well under pressure and to think on my feet. This was a necessity for survival in this line of work. Every member of staff was the same we payed such high attention to detail and treated our customers like royalty because without them we had nothing.

When I began working there I thought – this is so different to back home. In Ireland, customers are more understanding, less demanding and altogether easier to serve. I came back to Ireland and discovered the reason why, it is because Irish customers have lower expectations– service here can be sloppy. You are guaranteed a pay cheque whether you serve a dish with a smile or not – so why bother??

Why It Matters

From my last post we saw the power of ‘the word of mouse’ -the importance of good online reputation. The protection of a restaurant’s online status begins with front of house and the waiting staff.

Getting the most out of your staff is the key to success. I have a number of suggestions of cutting down labour costs by implementing simple tips for servers:

1.       Be in action: Always stay busy there will be natural breaks this should be spent paying attention to detail, wiping down menus and salt and pepper shakers for example. It is the small things that customers include in bad reviews.

2.       Multitask: Never leave a service area empty handed. When fetching something for one table think what you need on all the tables in your section.

3.       Manage time: Rate tasks in order of urgency. Prioritise them in order of importance and assign time suitably.

4.       Team work: Have a look around and see what your co-workers need a hand with. If you are filling water in your section do the same for your neighbouring section. This works both ways.

5.       Problem solve on the spot – If there is a problem at a table make management aware and ensure that the customer is given an apology and explanation. This will reduce the bad online reviews.

Strike the Right Balance

Where do you cross the line on multi tasking? Is it acceptable for a manager to strut through a restaurant with a headpiece making reservations like a zombie - only there in body and not mind? Is it acceptable for a hostess to prioritise phone calls rather that an actual customer? What do you think where does multitasking and customer service collide – how much can you do without damaging a customers experience? We’d like to know what you think!

Stay Tuned,

Aisling