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The holiday season is a huge calendar event in the restaurant industry, with bookings booming as guests look to let their hair down and enjoy a festive feast. Over the Christmas season, 63 percent of adults plan to eat out so your restaurant needs to be prepared for the increase in demand.
With 59 percent of customers hanging up after calling in and waiting for a minute or less, according to Linga, restaurants are missing out on a lot of business. The average restaurant operating a sit-down dining experience can miss 15-30 percent of incoming calls on average, with that number possibly being even higher during busy hours.
The seasonal surge in foot traffic can drive significant business, but without proper preparation and training, teams can quickly become overwhelmed. For restaurants to thrive during busy season, it’s crucial to focus on the below three critical areas.
Your menu plays a vital role in your business marketing. So, let's dive deeper into the steps on how to turn your menu into a marketing tool. Optimize Menu Design for Customer Behavior A menu is often one of the first things a guest interacts with when entering a restaurant, right after taking in the atmosphere and interior.
Just as a chef elevates a signature dish with bold, unique flavors that please the senses, the right glassware can enhance the presentation of drinks and food, creating a visually engaging experience for customers. High-end wine glasses that enhance the drinking experience are filling a market gap left post-COVID.
Now, make sure that the vegetables on the sandwich are at their peak and reflective of the season: dont serve raw tomatoes outside of July and August. Out of season do something interesting with tomatoes (oven roasted, marinated, sun-dried tomato paste, etc.) Make the tomato an experience. Make the sandwich your lifes work.
Tableside caviar service A prosciutto cart An authentic kaiseki tasting experience and members-only Japanese whiskey lounge Tableside s’mores These are just a few examples of ways restaurants across the country are hoping to attract guest by elevating the dining experience and creating a vibe highlighted by superior food and presentation.
They must also focus on creating memorable experiences for customers at every touchpoint. 60% of guests who have a positive experience are likely to dine at a restaurant more frequently. Knowing these customerexperience factors can help you create a positive and welcoming environment that will keep guests coming back for more.
Just like a well-crafted mission statement will help guide your business decisions, identifying and understanding your target customers and competitors through restaurant market research will give your business a competitive edge. Do you want to find out which food items your customers love the most?
From salted egg yolks and chili crunch fusions to mushroom-infused teas and freeze-dried fruit powder garnishes, Kimpton’s in-house experts share the standout ingredients, menu items and techniques that will come to the table in 2025.
These classic flavors are beloved by many, but there’s also an appetite for innovative twists and new sensations that capture the essence of the season in exciting ways. Today’s consumers are on the hunt for bold and unique flavor combinations that enhance their seasonalexperiences.
From improving your Google listing to leveraging customer reviews, these tips will show you how to boost your visibility and drive more traffic to your restaurant. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you could be losing out on potential customers. This way, you won’t need to code your site from scratch.
"Merchandise is more than just a revenue stream — it’s a way to deepen the connection with your customers and expand your brand’s reach." The idea for a dedicated merch program originated from my belief that a brand isn’t just a physical space or a menu—it’s a lifestyle.
Photo: Shutterstock Delivery and a take-home meal deal drove a lot more customers to Olive Garden this spring. The offer allowed customers to buy an in-store meal starting at $14.99 It plans to keep prices down while also adding more lower-priced items to the menu. “If By Joe Guszkowski on Jun.
Too often, what customers found was a clunky experience marked by poor scanning results, slow click-throughs and the need to download third-party apps just to engage with the expected content. Customer feedback. Restauranteurs can also utilize QR codes as a channel to link customers directly to their business calendar.
It is atop the list for restaurants looking to modernize, differentiate, and elevate experiences. Foot traffic or heat mapping, menu item engagement, or consumer demographics by time of day. Foot traffic or heat mapping, menu item engagement, or consumer demographics by time of day. As of 2024, over half of U.S.
These are indeed the table stakes when it comes to delivering premium experiences. But what if your menu was telling your guests something about luxury? ” Perhaps the menu speaks for itself in ways in which we never quite imagined. Fewer choices communicates exclusivity, which drives up customer value.
Your customer email list is your most valuable marketing asset, giving you an incredible ROI of $42 for every $1 you spend. You own it, it costs very little to maintain, and its a direct link to your customers any time youd like to reach themno complicated algorithms or third-party platforms getting in the way.
Does the energy feel flat, and the customers look bored. Get some fresh customers through the door and start the neighborhood talking about whats happening in your restaurant again. You need ideas that will wow new customers and get the regulars excited to come back in.
For restaurant operators, these challenges underscore the importance of thoughtful decisions that boost efficiency and drive customer retention. Data-backed loyalty programs, in particular, present a key opportunity for marketers to foster deeper customer connections in 2025. Start small by choosing technology that connects easily.
Understanding your target market is the foundation of making smart decisions for your menu, pricing, and overall guest experience. Without a well-defined target market, restaurants risk wasting resources on strategies that dont connect and menu offerings that dont selltrying to appeal to everyone, but standing out to no one.
Restaurants collect a ton of customer data. Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while? When used strategically, customer data can help you personalize marketing, streamline operations, and create a better dining experience for your guests.
When going through the ordering process, diners want three things: Speed Ease Clarity Your menu categories have more to do with delivering on those expectations than you might think. A well-organized menu—whether it’s a physical menu or an online menu—guides guests quickly to what they’re craving.
Youre delivering a great dining experience, yet foot traffic remains inconsistent, online engagement is low, and new customers arent coming in as often as youd like. The problem isnt your food or serviceits visibility and customer engagementand were going to help you fix that. Optimize your Google Business Profile.
This "Super" special edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup has a Super Bowl theme. MVP Menu Performances More than 200 million people tuned in to the Super Bowl last year—many with a plate of wings in front of them. “Customers still associate the experience with your brand.
Technology doesn’t just level the playing field; it allows mom-and-pop shops to improve efficiency, reduce wait times, and enhance the customerexperience in ways that were once out of reach. The benefits expand beyond labor and into customer data and efficiency. However, customer expectations are constantly evolving.
The holiday season brings bustling crowds, higher sales, and festive celebrations, making it a prime time for restaurants and bars. Implementing a proactive holiday security plan ensures the safety of your staff, customers, and business. Their visible presence also reassures customers and employees alike.
Email marketing might not be as flashy as social media marketing, but for restaurants, its possibly the most effective way to stay connected with customers. Unlike social media platforms, where the algorithm overlords dictate who will and will not see your posts, emails go straight to your customers inboxeswhich they check daily.
Understanding the Fractional CFO Role A fractional CFO is a seasoned financial expert who partners with businesses on a part-time or contract basis. Strategic Cash Flow Management Restaurants often grapple with cash flow challenges due to seasonality, fluctuating customer demand, and variable/fixed costs.
Fast-casual Condado Tacos—which prefers calling itself “next-gen casual”—has long had a bar program with a selection of conventional margaritas and beers to go with its Mexican-style menu and vibe. But those same margaritas had been on the menu since 2014 when the bar, so to speak, was set a bit lower. By Patricia Cobe on Jul.
Your waiters and waitresses are the face of your establishment, shaping the customerexperience and directly impacting revenue. Waiter interview questions to ask: What experience do you have as a waiter or waitress? What does excellent customer service mean to you? Tell us about a time you dealt with a difficult customer.
In fact, before COVID in 2016, both single people and couples spent a total of 35 million dollars on Valentine’s day experiences. Holidays provide restaurants with the opportunity to capitalize on the special moment by offering specials, events, and so much more exclusive to the holiday. Create a Prix Fixe Menu.
While your restaurant may feature a diverse menu, delicious food, a great ambiance, and excellent customer service, you will still struggle to build a customer base without promoting it. Others tend to emphasize their cheaper menu options. Both approaches might cause your restaurant to fail in attracting new customers.
Have you ever walked into a restaurant, excited for a great meal, but the server can’t answer your questions about the menu? There was a time when 70% of F&B employees didn’t receive training for customer service. A well-informed team improves service, enhances the dining experience, and reduces errors in the kitchen.
It’s been said that customers eat with their eyes. With digital signage, restaurants can transform static, lifeless imagery into compelling experiences tailored to each customer. Enhance the Wait Experience. CustomMenus Like Never Before. Opportunity to Upsell. It can even reduce perceived wait times.
The increased challenges and stress of the holiday season often reveal pinch points in bar and restaurant operations. But here’s the good news: better prepared bars and restaurants will increase receipts and positively impact the customerexperience by tightly managing kegged inventory during the holidays.
Restaurant operators are now looking for solutions to retain customers as colder weather and economic conditions threaten their bottom line. Customers now expect more than a simple rewards program or general mailing list. Enhancing the In-Person Experience. Connecting On- and Off-Premises Data.
Reevaluating the prices of your drinks and knowing the types of drinks you sell can help you earn more for each bottle, as well as implementing portion control and even redesigning your menu. Calculate the cost of each drink on your menu, including the cost of the alcohol, garnishes, mixers, and anything else that goes into the drink.
Fortunately, the latest advances in AI technology may keep the lights on for restaurants facing staffing shortages, while also helping these businesses run more efficiently and obtain more customers. Personalized Marketing AI enables restaurants to create personalized marketing campaigns based on customer data.
The real wins come from small, smart shifts; things like improving your online ordering system, highlighting your most profitable dishes, and giving existing customers more reasons to come back. Create Limited-Time Offers That Drive Action Limited-time offers (LTOs) give potential customers a reason to order now, not later.
After all, it’s not just the quality of your food that can keep customers coming back — 73% of diners base their satisfaction on the quality of service they receive. Your staff, especially your restaurant manager, plays a crucial role in the overall dining experience. Hiring the right people can make or break your business.
He has 18 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and holds a M.S. in Food Science Management Martinez said that to tailor an existing menu to match guest snacking preferences, operators need to capitalize on social media trends, connect to cultural relevancy and plan around seasonality. "Whether
Whether through supporting local charities or participating in food drives, local restaurants can become go-to places for customers who want to support their community. It helps allocate resources directly to those who are most likely to become loyal, repeat customers.
You can have a crowd-pleasing menu, loyal regulars, and a packed dining roomand still watch your margins disappear. Too many restaurant menus are built on intuition and aesthetics, not real numbers. What Is Menu Engineering and Why Should You Care? Because not every dish thats popular is profitable.
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