Restaurant Distribution StrategyCornell Certificate Program

We are witnessing a revolution in the restaurant industry, with accelerated innovation and the adoption of digital platforms and applications.

Accessing your restaurant from the palm of their hand is more than just a nice-to-have convenience for your customer; it is an avenue for your restaurant to access new and exciting opportunities that will help you improve the customer experience, increase operational efficiency, reduce costs, unlock new customer segments, and become a leader in your local market. Yet these opportunities are not free, and their costs must be evaluated and weighed so that you can mitigate risks and maximize your potential. As a restaurateur, it is critical that you understand the evolving landscape and are equipped with the skills to adapt to changing expectations as well as the ability to efficiently evaluate arising opportunities.

In this course, you will analyze restaurant distribution innovations and assess their potential impact on your business. You’ll then evaluate digital opportunities to help your restaurant drive high-yielding direct business.

The restaurant industry is a complex and constantly evolving field that requires a knowledge of current trends, consumer behavior, and industry players. With the reliance on digital technology and consumer demand for convenience, adding a distribution channel to meet changing customer expectations has become a critical concern for many restaurant operators.

Distribution channels broadly describe how a product gets from the operation or producer to the consumer. The most common distribution formats for restaurants have traditionally been takeout, delivery, and catering, but the rise of digital technologies has expanded these models and even added others, like ghost and virtual kitchens. Faced with this kind of variety, operators need to critically consider whether or not to adopt a given distribution channel into their business strategy and understand how that format will impact its operational and strategic goals.

In this course, you will explore the strategic considerations an operator needs to be aware of before adopting a new distribution strategy, including how that format fits into the existing brand and its long-term goals. You’ll outline the target customer base for an operation and consider how trends impact customer engagement.

You will then consider and discuss how a shift in distribution strategy impacted the brand value, perception, and customer satisfaction of a particular operation. Finally, you’ll analyze a distribution channel and its business fit for a specific operation. By the end of the course, you’ll have experience evaluating a distribution strategy’s fit for both the operation and the overall brand.

There are a host of distribution channels and strategies to choose from for any restaurant ready to expand. In addition to business fit, a key factor in deciding which channel to adopt is operational fit. Operators need to be able to assess how any expansion effort will impact the day-to-day workflow of the operation, from the existing menu and inventory to the capability of the kitchen and staff.

In this course, you will explore the operational opportunities and costs of adopting a new distribution strategy, including how that addition fits with the operation’s guest promise, capacity of equipment and staff, and purchasing capabilities. You’ll analyze a menu and determine its suitability for distribution. You’ll then break down a single menu item to explore what goes into making it, from the ingredients to the purchasing options to the possible customizations guests could request. You’ill also do a root-cause analysis of inefficiencies you observe in an operation.

Finally, you will assess a floor plan and recommend an appropriate distribution strategy for the space that considers the building’s location and other tenets, as well as the guest promise made by the existing restaurant. By the end of the course, you will have experience evaluating a distribution strategy’s fit for both the operation and the overall brand, and you’ll be able to offer recommendations for how to add a distribution strategy without compromising the guest promise.

Loyal repeat customers are key to the success of any food and beverage operation. They represent recurring revenue and are a great source for feedback and gauging customer sentiment. They can also be your greatest evangelists, recommending you to friends and colleagues, even giving favorable online reviews.

Through careful design, meticulous attention to service processes, and a way to gauge customer sentiment, you can play to your team’s strengths and identify opportunities for improving the guest experience to grow your business.

Symposium sessions feature two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Hospitality Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium, in which we’ll discuss how both day-to-day operations and strategic goal setting in the hospitality sector have rapidly evolved over the past two years, opening up new space for real-time conversations about the future of the industry. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to various areas of the industry, examining the innovations and accommodations you have all had to make throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and strategizing on future directions. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from across the industry.

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

eCornell Online Workshops are live, interactive 3-hour learning experiences led by Cornell faculty experts. These premium short-format sessions focus on AI topics and are designed for busy professionals who want to gain immediately applicable skills and strategic perspectives. Workshops include faculty presentations, breakout discussions, guided hands-on practice, and downloadable resources.

The AI Workshops All-Access Pass provides you with unlimited participation for 6 months from your date of purchase. Whether you choose to attend one workshop per month, or several per week, the All-Access Pass will allow you to customize your AI journey and stay on top of the latest AI trends.

Workshops cover a range of cutting-edge AI topics applicable across industries, hosted by Cornell faculty at the forefront of their fields. Whether you are just getting started with AI, seeking to build your AI skillset, or exploring advanced applications of AI, Workshops will provide you with an action-oriented learning experience for immediate application in your career. Sample Workshops include:

• Work Smarter with AI Agents: Individual and Team Effectiveness
• Leading AI Transformation: Bigger Than You Imagine, Harder Than You Expect
• Using AI at Work: Practical Choices and Better Results
• Search & Discoverability in the Era of AI
• Don’t Just Prompt AI – Govern it
• AI-Powered Product Manager
• Leverage AI and Human Connection to Lead through Uncertainty