{"id":69301,"date":"2021-12-03T09:46:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T07:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=69301"},"modified":"2025-05-07T15:50:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T13:50:43","slug":"how-to-get-your-restaurant-ready-for-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/how-to-get-your-restaurant-ready-for-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get your restaurant ready for the holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/category\/growth-customers\/getting-customers\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Getting customers<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to get your restaurant ready for the holidays\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-8 col-lg-4 entry-header__image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"entry-header__thumbnail js-hero-section\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-533979855_super-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"entry-header__thumbnail-image\" alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-533979855_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-533979855_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-533979855_super-1536x1169.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-533979855_super.jpg 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1064px) 100vw, 1064px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2021-12-03T09:46:56+02:00\">December 3, 2021<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to get your restaurant ready for the holidays\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/how-to-get-your-restaurant-ready-for-the-holidays\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__icon social-share-button__icon--share\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"svg-icon\" focusable=\"false\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 1024 1024\"><path d=\"M768 106.5q-62 0-105.5 44t-43.5 105q0 10 2.5 18.5a268 268 0 0 1 4.5 17.5l-256 128q-21-26-50-41.5t-64-15.5q-62 0-105.5 44t-43.5 105q0 62 43.5 106t105.5 44q35 0 64-16t50-41l256 128q-2 9-4.5 17.5t-2.5 17.5q0 62 43.5 106t105.5 44 105.5-44 43.5-106q0-61-43.5-105t-105.5-44q-35 0-64 15.5t-50 41.5l-256-128q2-9 4.5-17.5t2.5-18.5q0-9-2.5-17.5a268 268 0 0 1-4.5-17.5l256-128q21 25 50 41t64 16q62 0 105.5-44t43.5-106q0-61-43.5-105t-105.5-44m0 64q36 0 60.5 25t24.5 60q0 36-24.5 61t-60.5 25-60.5-25-24.5-61q0-35 24.5-60t60.5-25m-512 256q36 0 60.5 25t24.5 60q0 36-24.5 61t-60.5 25-60.5-25-24.5-61q0-35 24.5-60t60.5-25m512 256q36 0 60.5 25t24.5 60q0 36-24.5 61t-60.5 25-60.5-25-24.5-61q0-35 24.5-60t60.5-25\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__icon social-share-button__icon--copy\" hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"svg-icon\" focusable=\"false\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 1024 1024\"><path d=\"M698 85.5q-45 0-88.5 17.5T531 154.5l-430 431q-3 2-4.5 4.5t-3.5 5.5q-1 3-1.5 6t-.5 6q0 4 .5 7t1.5 6 3 5.5a54 54 0 0 0 4 4.5q3 3 5.5 4.5t5.5 2.5q3 2 6 2.5t6 .5 6.5-1 6.5-2 5.5-3a54 54 0 0 0 4.5-4l430-431q51-50 122-50t121 50q51 51 51 122t-51 121l-406 406q-26 27-62.5 27t-63.5-27q-26-26-26-62.5t26-62.5l328-328q3-2 4.5-4.5t3.5-5.5q1-3 1.5-6t.5-6q0-4-.5-7t-1.5-6-3-5.5a54 54 0 0 0-4-4.5q-3-3-5.5-4.5t-5.5-2.5q-3-2-6-2.5t-6-.5-6.5 1-6.5 2-5.5 3a54 54 0 0 0-4.5 4l-328 328q-44 44-44 107.5t44 108.5q45 44 108.5 44t107.5-44l406-407q35-34 52-77 17-44 17-89t-17-89q-17-43-52-78-34-34-77.5-51.5T698 85.5\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/author\/marijke\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/07\/Marijke-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/07\/Marijke-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/07\/Marijke-391x384.jpg 391w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Marijke Makomba<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pandemic&#8217;s impact on the restaurant trade in South Africa has been profound \u2013 an estimated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatout.co.za\/article\/impact-alcohol-ban-restaurants-numbers\/\">3,000 eateries <\/a>closed down during Level 3 of national lockdown alone. But, with vaccine rollouts well underway and relaxed restrictions (for now?), many locals are chomping at the bit to have a truly festive silly season. And this year may be the perfect summer to recoup some of the last two years&#8217; losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In most restaurants, there are three main areas to consider when gearing up for a busy season:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The kitchen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Front of house<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Back office<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each comes with its own challenges and deserves special attention and care to maximise its potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-kitchen\">1. Kitchen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-clean-the-slate\">Clean the slate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do an EPIC <a href=\"https:\/\/coastapp.com\/blog\/restaurant-cleaning-checklists\/\">deep clean<\/a> and sanitise of every inch of the kitchen and food storage spaces, followed by a precise stocktake of equipment. Carefully clean every inch of every piece of equipment and make a list of those that need maintenance. Even if you can&#8217;t afford to service them all now, having a record will help you plan maintenance costs for the months to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keep-fire-and-pests-in-check\">Keep fire and pests in check<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prioritise fire- and health-related maintenance. Book your biannual professional extractor duct cleaning and service all fire extinguishers and equipment. The not-so-lovely part about warmer weather is that it attracts flies and roaches! So, now&#8217;s a good time to make sure your pest control measures (whether that&#8217;s Venus Fly Traps or poison) are up to the task. Help contain the problem by keeping bins and refuse storage areas clean and sealed, and clean grease and fat traps as close to refuse removal day as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cut-the-fat\">Cut the fat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look at your menu through a data lens: analyse the performance of every dish and cull ruthlessly. If a dish is not popular, take it off. If it has a low profit margin, remove it. If you always get complaints about it, off it goes. If it takes too long to make and tends to hold up service, bin it. If you&#8217;re not happy with <em>anything<\/em> about it, get rid of it. Think of it like reducing a sauce \u2013 you&#8217;re getting down to the good stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-massage-that-menu\"><strong>Massage that menu<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, you&#8217;ve pared down your dishes to only the high performers with sustainable food costs. Now what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Recipes:<\/strong> Make sure that whatever recipes are being followed in the kitchen are <em>delicious,<\/em> up-to-date, easy to follow, and include an accurate yield indication. Then, every time a batch is prepared, keep a record of actual yield, so discrepancies can quickly be spotted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><!--[endif]--><strong>Mise-en-place:<\/strong> Simplify and streamline your kitchen workflows with prep, hygiene, and portioning checklists, and a clear delineation of who is responsible for what. No matter how your kitchen works, an efficient service boils down to teamwork and setting boundaries and clear expectations from the get-go.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><!--[endif]--><strong>Presentation:<\/strong> It&#8217;s no time to go overboard with expensive or complicated garnishes, but it&#8217;s definitely a good time to make sure that every single <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foodabletv.com\/blog\/2016\/3\/27\/the-importance-of-plating-and-presentation-in-a-social-media-driven-world\">plate looks photo-worthy<\/a>. That way, you&#8217;ll keep cashing in on free social media marketing! <em>Tip:<\/em> Create a unique hashtag for your restaurant and encourage customers to share and tag photo.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Try something new:<\/strong> Add one or two things to your menu that are new and exciting, tap into trends, have low food costs, and are simple to execute. Think gourmet street food and classics with a fresh twist. Find inspiration in and embrace the season \u2013 clich\u00e9s are appreciated at Christmastime! But don&#8217;t be hasty to add them to the menu \u2013 rather, use a specials blackboard, monitor how they perform, and get feedback from customers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-front-of-house\">2. Front of House<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-energise-the-service\">Energise the service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before the crowds descend (hopefully), make sure your service staff are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the menu changes. Refresh your waiter training, going over the <a href=\"https:\/\/upserve.com\/restaurant-insider\/20-restaurant-server-etiquette-tips\/\">basics of service<\/a>, as well as getting your team excited about the menu \u2013 especially if there are changes! Let them taste as much as possible, so they&#8217;re inspired to sell everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-make-hay\">Make hay<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you have your hard-won customers through the doors, you have a relatively captive audience \u2013 but a surprisingly short window of time to plump up that bill. Brush up on your up-selling techniques, and know what to suggest for each dish: &#8220;Would you like extra bacon with that? Some avo?&#8221; What drink pairings could servers suggest that cost more than the average glass of house white? Make up-selling conversational and relaxed, so it&#8217;s never pushy but part of the experience of getting personal, thoughtful, and caring service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sanitise-surfaces-not-service\">Sanitise surfaces, not service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a time when every customer counts more than ever, your service needs to be amazing. Adhering to stringent social distancing and hygiene protocols while creating a warm atmosphere is a difficult balance to strike. However, you can never go wrong with a personal touch. Make a special effort to remember the names of regular customers and their families, be more animated with your eyes (while wearing a mask), and show you care through the level of detail and attention of your service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-be-insta-worthy\">Be Insta-worthy!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a great time to refresh your shop&#8217;s look and feel, so you can cash in on the free social media marketing you&#8217;ll get when customers just can&#8217;t resist posting photos of their lunch. And it doesn&#8217;t have to cost much either \u2013 check out <a href=\"https:\/\/pos.toasttab.com\/blog\/on-the-line\/restaurant-interior-design-ideas\">these simple tricks<\/a> to update your vibe on a tight budget. Whether you&#8217;re folding your own origami decorations, or sanding and repainting tables after closing time, you&#8217;ll inject new life into your space with small touch-ups. This also means checking that all tables and chairs are in good condition (get a screwdriver and tighten those legs), clearing all the clutter and dust out of every corner (shelves, light fittings, indoor plants \u2013 <em>every corner!)<\/em> and welcoming more sunshine into your space. If you have an outdoor dining area, go all out in maximising its appeal for easy social distancing, and taking full advantage of the great weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-back-office\">3. Back Office<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-things-off-your-plate\">Take things <em>off<\/em> your plate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;ve all heard the adage &#8220;work smarter, not harder&#8221;, and using the right <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/industry\/food-and-beverage\/\">cloud-based software<\/a> for the job is a fundamental part of doing just that. Get tasks like inventory tracking and management done seamlessly and automatically, reduce complexities with bank feeds, and use insights from your own data to propel your business forward, without working any harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Sage Business Cloud Accounting <\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Reduce time spent on admin by up to 80%<\/p>\n<p>Free yourself from admin with easy-to-use features, built around you. Ideal for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and growing businesses.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-620\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Sign Up<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-619403886-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Small business accountant\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-619403886-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-be-a-scrooge-this-christmas\">Be a Scrooge this Christmas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Update your menu&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lightspeedhq.com\/blog\/how-to-calculate-restaurant-food-costs\/\">food <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lightspeedhq.com\/blog\/how-to-calculate-restaurant-food-costs\/\">costings<\/a>, and make sure they&#8217;re (as close as possible to) spot on. Get lots of feedback from the kitchen here! Consistency can be difficult in a restaurant setting: chefs are human, and each batch is unique, which may require slightly different seasoning. When food is getting plated, is the portion size always the same? Over time, as teams change, make sure your costings still match reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However you choose to rev your restaurant engine this summer, we wish you a merry and profitable holiday season.<\/p>\n \n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Small business survival toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get practical advice to help your business thrive.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-80195606-5387-4569-bfaf-b6a518449b24\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1305268048-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1305268048-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice enewsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-84fe79b5-668d-41f8-a0cc-6229018c4ac9\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181404518-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181404518-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/business-continuity\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness continuity\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/business-management\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness management\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/entrepreneurship\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEntrepreneurship\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/trending-topics\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttrending topics\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-74916 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-business-intelligence tag-business-strategy tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-sales-management tag-staying-competitive tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-681887339-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-681887339-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-681887339-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-681887339-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-10-29T12:29:06+02:00\">October 29, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/black-friday-expert-tips\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBlack Friday South Africa: 11 expert tips to boost sales and win loyal customers\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tRead our advice for a high-performing Black Friday across online stores, Yaga, eBay, shopping centres and market stalls.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-76687 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-trends-insights tag-business-management tag-coaching tag-hr-payroll tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/manager-burnout-hr-support\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-684x384.jpeg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"A man stands in front of the Sage glow line in front of a black background.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-684x384.jpeg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-1440x810.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-30T11:43:12+02:00\">September 30, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhy are managers under pressure and what can HR do about it?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-76618 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-trends-insights tag-business-intelligence tag-business-management tag-business-strategy tag-employee-benefits tag-hr-payroll business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-employee-experience\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-1440x720-1-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"A woman stands in front of the Sage glowline with a black background.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-1440x720-1-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-1440x720-1-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-1440x720-1.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-09T15:29:07+02:00\">September 9, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is employee experience and why is HR struggling to deliver it?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-73705 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership tag-business-management tag-employee-benefits tag-hr-payroll tag-news-insights tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-employee-self-service\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-44-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Woman in audience raising her hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-44-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-44-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-44-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-03T09:00:00+02:00\">September 3, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tEmpower your team with employee self-service\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-72451 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-business-intelligence tag-business-management tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss tag-staying-competitive tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-depreciation\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1177851223-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1177851223-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1177851223-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1177851223-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-02T13:44:45+02:00\">September 2, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tA guide to understanding depreciation\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From the kitchen to front of house to back office, we cover everything you need to know about getting your restaurant ready for the holiday 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