Tips to a Successful Restaurant
The hospitality industry is one of the most competitive industries there is. Whenever you find a restaurant, you are guaranteed of finding another just a few steps away from the first. That said, if you’re in this line of business, how do you make yours the most successful of the bunch? Here are a few tips for running a successful restaurant business:
1. Have outstanding customer service
Just as the word hospitality suggests, you have to be hospitable. You have to treat your clients with courtesy, confidence, and competence. In fact, when recruiting your personnel, these key skills along with kindness, are the key factors to look for. As for other skills, you can easily instill them through training. When you make your clients feel good, they will keep coming back for more.
Simply asking them how their day was before serving them, or treating them with kindness could make a huge difference. You’ll be surprised to find that your customers look forward to a positive day from your service. You should also extend the same kind of treatment to your team. They are of vital importance to you, and if you care and nurture them, they will also do the same for your customer.
2. Strategic Location
Your location determines the number of people who know about your business, therefore the number of people likely to dine there. Some locations though obtuse, do get lucky and attract people simply because of their unique character. This, however, works only by chance. That said, the most strategic location would be one with a lot of foot traffic.
As people walk, they are more likely to pop into a restaurant and have a snack or some food. Though most people assume that having a prestigious, safe, and comfy location means more customers, you would be surprised to find that this is far from the truth most times. Ideally, a unique location with a lot of foot traffic will give unprecedented results. After all, it’s always great to be a destination, and stand out from the crowd. Take a look at Proper Popcorn as a great example.
More importantly, you also have to consider mechanisms of driving people into your location. From adverts to lighting and architecture, the options are innumerable. High footfall locations may be great, but you cannot rely on them alone to drive your business. You have to devise ways to bring people to your door.
3. Experiment with opening hours
Don’t just open up at 8-6 because all businesses do that. Copying other businesses could be the start of your downfall. Analyze your sales per hour and settle for peak hours. This could create a very strong business impression. Depending on your location, analyze your own rhythm, and walk your own talk.
Sure, its great to open up at 8 hoping a person will pop in for coffee but the cost of hiring employees for two shifts, yet one shift could be enough when you choose the right operational times will make you realize that the cost of that coffee mug is simply bad for business. Experiment with opening hours and you’ll be surprised at how effective your restaurant will be.
4. Spice it up with themed nights and special events
Our yearly calendar is full of monthly and weekly specials that surround events. Not only do we consider popular event days like fathers’ day, but we also take random ones like Burns night into account. For such specials to work, marketing tools to the outside world, not just customers have to be used efficiently. Preselling tickets for limited-edition meals also creates a huge customer turnover. Try it and watch it work wonders.
5. Take some high-quality images of your delicacies.
The easiest way to entice people on social media is to take real photos time after time and post them with a pin of your location!
6. Have regular special dishes on your menu
Not only will these allow your chefs to be creative, but you will also benefit from marketing that brings something fresh to the table every single time.
7. Market, Market and Market.
Marketing plays an important role in all businesses, restaurants included. The more people know about your tasty meals and exemplary service, the more they will want to visit your restaurant. With the new tools offered by technology, you could revolutionize your business in a jiffy!
Parting Shot.
Last but not least, you’re all that matters. How much do you want to succeed? How bad do you want it? The success of your restaurant says as much about the restaurant as it does about you. Even with the tough time, seek solutions, stay motivated, passionate, bold, ambitious, and remember to be kind at all times.