Tag: restaurant marketing

5 Small touches that will move your restaurant from good to great

Owning a restaurant is no easy business, even if you serve high-quality dishes and provide an excellent dining atmosphere.

Owning a restaurant is no easy business, even if you serve high-quality dishes and provide an excellent dining atmosphere. When you want to stay ahead and afloat in an ever-changing and evolving industry, it is important to create a restaurant brand that is sure to impress and generate positive memories for each patron you receive. With a few small touches, you can help to move your restaurant from good to great, solidifying your spot in the food industry.

Updated Menu Materials

Update your restaurant’s menu materials, promotional items, and other printed material regularly using modern and on-brand design. Modern design goes a long way with making first impressions and gaining trust with your patrons, especially if they are dining with you for the first time. So, create enticing, on-brand menus with ready-made menu templates by PosterMyWall and start impressing your customers.

Ambiance

Ambiance matters in a restaurant. Assess your restaurant’s current lighting to determine which changes can be made to help make your diners feel more comfortable or at home, depending on the type of environment you want to create for your restaurant. Consider the type of recessed lighting you are using, table lamps, and even hanging lights and how simple changes may drastically transform the overall atmosphere of the space.

Upgrade Your Food Quality

A restaurant with poor food quality is doomed to fail. Ensuring your restaurant’s food quality is top-notch is vital in order to remain successful while maintaining a positive reputation in your local community. Research and compare local food vendors and suppliers to find a suitable solution that delivers high-quality ingredients within your budget. Consider upgrading your sides, getting higher quality Kaiser rolls or other baked goods, and buying more food locally. Such little touches will make your food noticeability better.

Get Creative with Your Menu

Get creative with your restaurant’s menu offerings by changing the menu monthly or even seasonally. Consider eliminating bulk items or items that do not sell well and condensing your menu altogether, allowing you more opportunity to provide higher-quality ingredients and complete dishes.

Music

Whether you provide live music, personalized music boxes, or music throughout your entire restaurant, consider the type of vibe, ambiance, and atmosphere you want for your restaurant before making your musical selections. Playing just the right type of music can go a long way with creating a positive and memorable experience for diners.

Taking the time to update and upgrade your restaurant with simple touches and changes is essential to remain relevant and in tune with your loyal patrons and first-time diners. With an understanding of the wants and needs of your patrons and the ability to truly immerse yourself into the management of your restaurant, you can truly move your establishment from good to great.

Doing your due diligence before you begin: What are the top 7 challenges restaurant owners face?

Restaurant owners face a lot of competition and need to get expert advice before going into business.

Restaurant owners face a lot of competition and need to get expert advice before going into business. Find out what restaurants have been around for years. Afterwards, try and talk to the owners about the business techniques they use. Here are some ideas on how to get around the challenges ahead.

Find the Capital

A restauranteur should have enough capital to fund the business for a year. A restaurant owner needs the business to stay afloat long enough to gain a regular clientele. Capital is necessary to lease a building and hire staff. In addition, money is expended for advertising, equipment, furnishings, and stocking the kitchen.

Management

Hire a seasoned manager to help with a new restaurant. An experienced manager knows what areas need attention. For example, keeping track of how many people are being served is important. Menu trends need to be followed and less popular offerings should be replaced. Inventory is crucial so the facility does not run out of key food items. Be able to recognize whether the business is profitable or losing money.

Location is Everything

Ever wonder why hotel restaurants have longevity? They’ve got a great location which delivers automatic customers. Weary travelers check in to the hotel every day. They’re hungry and will go to the closest place to eat. That place is the hotel restaurant. Indeed, a restaurant owner should search for areas with restaurants and shops. Ideally, stay away from existing restaurants that serve the same type of food as your business.

Don’t Forget the Menu

The importance of the menu is often overlooked. One has to think about the correct number of menu choices. Further, menu prices need to be fixed. One expert suggests keeping the menu short. The idea is that longer menus mean the owner has to buy more food to prepare. It’s better to concentrate on a shorter menu with dishes that are well-prepared. The menu should be on the restaurant’s website if carry-out is an option.

Hiring the Best Staff

Get tips from other restaurants about hiring the best staff. You’ll need to have some experienced staff members. Inexperienced staff may be to blame for poor customer service. These days, unhappy customers voice their opinions on social media. Keep a knowledgeable accountant on retainer. The accountant will make sure all employment laws are followed.

Marketing

Every new business should have a marketing strategy. There are some inexpensive ways to market a business in the technology age. A website and social media presence are absolutely necessary. Use social media to market special promotions and reward customers with a loyalty program.

Legal Issues

Get advice from an attorney about your liquor license and insurance needs. Restaurants that serve alcohol need to stay on top of the rules and regulations. Make sure customers are the legal age to buy alcohol. Remember, to ask for their identification. In most states, businesses with three or more employees are required to have workers compensation insurance. The bottom line is to protect the business from liability at all costs.

Owning a restaurant can be difficult but the rewards are amazing. People don’t open businesses if they don’t like challenges. Take the challenge and make your restaurant “the place to be seen” for years to come.