More Data, Better Dining?

In order for a restaurant to be successful, it has to focus on more than just food and beverages. The industry is known for its tight profit margins, and without savvy owners, it’s really hard for even the best and most beloved restaurants to survive.

Damian Mogavero, a dining-industry consultant, has analyzed the data behind thousands of restaurants—which dishes get ordered, which servers bring in the highest bills, and even what the weather’s like—and found that these metrics can help inform the decisions and practices of restaurateurs. Ultimately, Mogavero believes that the data he collects is really a way to learn how to make customers happy. Mogavero recently wrote a book about analytics called The Underground Culinary Tour—which is also the name of an annual insider retreat he runs, in which he leads restaurateurs from around the nation to what he considers the most innovative restaurants in New York City, with 15 stops in 24 hours.

Mogavero says that it’s not just restaurateurs who should take data analytics in the dining business seriously. He offers