Name: Jason Cassidy
Position: Community Manager
Education: Political Science and Journalism, St. Thomas University; Professional Communication, Ryerson University
Professional role model:
Amanda Nelson was my supervisor at Radian6. Similar to myself, she began as a journalist and turned those foundational skills of writing, editing and storytelling into an up-and-coming role based on content creation and management. I admire her because of what I learned under her guidance, but I also really aspire to work in a similar role.
In 140 characters or less, why should Canadians eat and drink at Jack Astor’s?
Jack Astor’s offers delicious food in a fun, unpretentious setting served by a team of infectiously energetic and pleasant people.
Which menu items do you recommend for first-time customers?
Without hesitation, the Holy Smoke BBQ Burger or The 10oz South American top sirloin steak. Insider tip: order the Jack’d n Stack’d garlic cheese fries on the side!
What do you love about Jack Astor’s food?
About 95% of the menu is made in-house. The Cluckin’ Fresh Chicken Fingers, for example, begin as a boneless, skinless chicken breast. They are then massaged for 2 minutes, chopped and breaded twice for extra crunch. Fresh is best and I don’t think we do a good enough job of communicating that—myself included!
How would you describe Jack Astor’s personality and voice in 3 words?
Cheeky, playful and borderline inappropriate
Why should someone follow Jack Astor’s on social media?
- First and foremost, we listen and act on almost all guest issues or complaints.
- We share fun and compelling content that truly adds value to our guests’ online experience. Be it delicious food photography, a funny joke about the Leafs or coupons specific to our social media community … it’s all about the community!
- We aim to build relationships with our online community, not sell. The online space is becoming far too noisy and crowded with salesmen, so following Jack Astor’s is refreshing.
- We use social media as our company’s main source of information, so that’s how many of our biggest supporters hear news about their local Jack Astor’s.
How does Jack Astor’s maintain customer loyalty?
I would say the quality of our food and our service distinguishes us. We have an incredibly sophisticated culinary training program that few restaurant companies our size can execute. On the service side, our restaurants live by the notion that a guest does not leave unless they’re happy, and guests really take note of that when they visit, so it’s something we pride ourselves on.
Why did you choose to work at SIR Corp?
SIR Corp was a great opportunity to put the strategy I had been implementing with clients on the agency side into practice on the corporate side. It was an opportunity to be the company’s first internal social media hire, which was previously outsourced, and see the initiatives and programs our team develops through to the end. All and all, it was a great decision that really helped me take the next step in my career.
What do you like about working in the food and beverage industry as a marketer?
I like that we’re dealing with a product, service and experience that is very dear to people—food! It’s funny, consumers have no problem spending $1,000 on a new laptop, but heaven forbid their French fries are served at room temperature. I don’t say that as a bad thing. Food is something people truly care about and they view dining as an investment into their happiness, and when they don’t see a return on that investment I hear about it. Marketing in the food and beverage industry is very tangible. You’re dealing with real people, face-to-face. You don’t get that in other verticals.
What advice do you have for food bloggers?
Food bloggers, please go easy on us. Just kidding. They are a great addition to the digital ecosystem. I think their traction and growing readership demonstrates the passion diners share around quality food and great service. I really think food bloggers and digital marketers in the restaurant space can not only coexist, but help diners make informed decisions about where they eat and how to spend their precious dollars. Good or bad, we take what food bloggers say very seriously and will often make adjustments to our business as a result of their reviews.
