You love serving guests great food and creating memorable dining experiences. Is there more you can do to boost your restaurant’s business?
By employing a few different strategies, you can get ahead of the competition and fill your restaurant with enthusiastic diners. Here are some effective strategies for serving up more business.
Use Outdoor Lighting to Your Advantage
Do you make it easy for guests to spot your restaurant as they drive or walk by? Outdoor LED lighting isn’t just for homeowners, it’s for business owners, too.
By investing in commercial landscape lighting, you not only make your business visible from the road, but you also draw attention to special menus or signage posted outside. Another benefit of commercial lighting is that you help guests feel more comfortable navigating your restaurant’s exterior at night.
Use Social Media
No matter the neighborhood you’re in or the cuisine you serve, chances are good that your target customer is on social media. Make the most of this powerful resource by sharing promotional posts, menus, and videos of new dishes and other developments in your restaurant.
It’s also a great idea to run contests via social media and encourage guests to enter. For their entry to count, ask participants to interact with the promotional post and follow your page. With a few easy clicks, they can enter the contest and keep up with your restaurant’s latest goings-on.
Offer Free WiFi
Our world’s more connected than ever, and leaning into that fact can boost your restaurant’s revenue. Offering free WiFi may encourage customers to dine at your restaurant while working, which is an especially good idea if you’re opening during mornings and afternoons.
Usually, it doesn’t cost much to set up a dedicated internet connection for guests. The money you make from increased business can more than cover the additional cost.
Use Email Marketing
While social media is king, email marketing still has its place. Make the most of this by creating an email list of new and current customers interested in receiving restaurant updates and promotions.
How do you gather email addresses? Ask guests to share their email addresses when making a reservation, but make sure they understand they’re signing up to receive ongoing messages from you. Also, let them know what they should expect to receive if they agree to join your mailing list.
Provide Live Music
The only thing better than a great meal is a great meal with live entertainment. If you have adequate space and the right equipment, see if your favorite local bands would perform at your restaurant.
If you’re open to providing live music in your establishment, you can either have a rotating selection of musical groups or feature an in-house band. Passersby may stop by for a drink or bite to eat when they hear great music coming from your restaurant. Who knows, some of them may become regulars even when you don’t have live music!
Use Food Delivery Apps and Online Ordering
Some diners would rather get takeout or order delivery than dine-in. Become their go-to restaurant by offering online ordering and using food delivery services.
Offering more options to guests can open up more possibilities than you realize. For instance, some potential guests may feel your restaurant’s too far away to drive to. By offering to deliver your food to them, you can meet their needs and give them a taste of your dishes.
As you explore your options for delivery services and apps, note how much you’re charged for commission. Depending on the cost, it could make more sense to handle deliveries yourself.
New and firmly established restaurants can benefit from these great tips. Try them all out to see which fits your current business model.