Big Restaurant Chains looking at Closing. Could This Be Good For Small, Non-Franchise Restaurants?

8/28/20: For the past five months, other than the narrow margin of industries that have remained un-phased, most businesses have either shut down (temporarily or permanently), re-tooled their business model and operations, or a mix of both. It's now estimated that roughly 16,000 restaurants have closed up for good, with the possibility of doubling that number by the end of 2020. However, there are some larger restaurant chains that were already looking at downsizing, or even closing before COVID entered the ring. For a mix of reasons, perhaps the greatest being a change in consumer trends with millennials, many larger-chain restaurants found themselves sliding into trouble before 2020 began. However, if you're a small restaurant that survives this COVID-ridden paradigm, perhaps there are a few nuggets of information to take away from the problems that the larger restaurants are faced with. Ideas that you can apply to your business model as you continue to create new opportunities to not only help you survive, but thrive moving towards…

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Kevin O’Leary – Credit Card Processing Options… and COVID-19

6/13/20: Business owners must watch. This is a great example of how Bay State Merchant Services can help, especially now. The merchant in this interview - Kristan Sayers, owner of Kbella hair studio in Brighton, Michigan - says that she will only be able to do 30% of her typical business due to COVID-19 and is concerned about consumers feeling unsure about entering her business. In addition to her significant loss of revenue, now she has the added expense of PPE, including face-masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Kristan is also concerned about her high credit card processing fees, and asks the panel for recommendations. Kevin O'Leary's only answer to these issues is to "shop around" and look for better card rates. THIS IS NOT A GOOD SOLUTION! Kristan mentions that her payment processing fees are between $10,000 and $15,000 annually, and that she's looking to eliminate these fees. ...Thanks to Congress, she can do this. All businesses can do this. Bay State Merchant Services's Cash Discount Program…

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