Taco Bell And McAlister’s: Damage Control Done Well

Qsrweb:

They’re great when they write positive reviews about your latest menu item. But how favorable are they when a tragic incident like an E. coli outbreak occurs at your restaurant? Not so much, you’re probably thinking.

Well, just because the media calls, you should never act like you have something to hide, experts say.

“After something happens, always have a statement ready for the press,� said Rhonda Sanderson, president of Sanderson & Associates, a franchise and restaurant specialty PR firm.

In the past month, two national restaurant chains have been linked to E. coli outbreaks, but both companies have handled both the crisis and the negative publicity well.

After a North Carolina McAlister’s Deli was linked to nine cases, the chain’s chief executive, Phillip Friedman, set his crisis communications team into action and started answering questions — publicly. Sanderson, his PR confidant, said that was a great move. Read More