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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. menu, hours, etc.), menu, hours, etc.), The most common asks are to make a reservation, ask a Frequently-Asked-Question (e.g., or place an order (for take out).
Quick-service restaurants maintain a steady customer satisfaction score of 79 (on a 100 point scale), while full-service restaurants — despite slipping 2 percent to 82 — remain one of the highest-rated industries in the Index, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2025.
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.
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. McDonald's started incorporating QR codes across their mobile apps and throughout their brand loyaltyprograms. Customer feedback.
A huge part of this experience is the customerservice they receive at every contact point within the restaurant – and even after they’ve left. Here, we share practical and actionable ways to enhance your establishment’s customerservice.
A customer in Miami should bite into the same perfectly seasoned burger that delights diners in Seattle. Reliable experiences build brand loyalty, and systemic processes lead to reliable profit margins. It’s no secret that restaurants with more than one location depend on standardization to thrive.
. "If I had the opportunity, I would encourage them to employ voice analytics, not to automate ordering, but rather to analyze customer/employee conversations for insights into customer experience, operational efficiency, marketing effectiveness, safety compliance, employee engagement, and more, he said. "The
Nowadays, running a successful restaurant takes more than great food and good service. 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. To do so, you must have an optimized website and engaging social media profiles.
Restaurants collect a ton of customer data. Every online order, email sign up, and reward program interaction generates valuable insightsbut if that data just sits there, youre missing a major opportunity. Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while?
How you approach restaurant marketing can be broken into two main categories: Attracting new customers to your restaurant Earning more from the customers you already have Most restaurant operators pour time and money into the first, but often overlook the massive opportunity in the second.
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.
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.
What was once a gradual process turned into a rapid transformation, permanently reshaping how restaurants operate and interact with customers. Customers have now fully embraced the benefits of using restaurant technology, and to keep up with guests evolving expectations, the tech industry is growing at an incredible rate.
Are you doing all the right thingsserving amazing food, delivering top-notch service, crafting perfectly balanced drinksbut the tables still arent filling up like they should? 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.
These metrics give you a clear picture of your delivery performancefrom order volume and customer retention to delivery speed and profitability. This might seem like a small detail, but it plays a big role in the overall delivery experience and significantly impacts customer experience.
Customers expect to browse menus, place orders, and pay for their meals with just a few taps of their phones. For restaurant operators, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: how to implement an online ordering system that maximizes revenue while maintaining control over their customer relationships.
This ideally reinforces the connection in the customer’s brain between their everyday choices and the resulting impacts on the environment: “You’ve saved so many gallons of water, you’ve saved so many square meters of land and emissions and energy,” as Goldman says. Congratulations. without interruptions. So he took action.
The research found that businesses worldwide – particularly restaurants – intend to experiment more in 2025, especially with customer retention programs like loyalty, as they face the triple challenge of sustained high inflation, shrinking consumer wallets and the need to raise prices across the board.
A spike in food costs, a drop in sales volume, or one slow season can wipe out months of hard work. That includes the ingredients and packaging for your menu items, but not things like rent and payroll. This gives you a sense of how effective your menu pricing is. Why are restaurant profit margins so thin?
This doesnt mean cutting corners and sacrificing the customer experience; its about knowing where your money is going, spotting leaks early, and fine-tuning whats already working. A good labor cost percentage to shoot for is between 20%-30% , depending on your service style and local wage laws. Are you overstaffed on slow days?
Every day, youre juggling staff, food quality, inventory, customerservice, purchasing, and moreall while trying to cultivate a dining experience that wows your customers enough to keep them coming back. CustomerService and Experience Great food and drink is only truly enjoyed when its coupled with a great service experience.
Foot traffic or heat mapping, menu item engagement, or consumer demographics by time of day. – Misty Chalk, vice president, Americas at BrightSign AI Continues to Revolutionize Restaurant Operations and Guest Services: The restaurant sector is poised for a seismic shift as AI integration takes center stage.
More than half (54 percent) of independent restaurant owners report making half as much or less than this same time last year, according to a report from Alignable with 51 percent saying customer spending is “much lower” than 2024. Tariffs, attracting new customers, and inflation top the list of concerns.
The next youre racing to keep inventory stocked while customers wait for tables. Whether youre a seasoned owner or just starting out, this advice will help you boost efficiency, keep your team motivated, and turn customers into regulars. Free meals after long shifts or a staff pick on the menu build camaraderie.
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.
Understanding a rapidly changing landscape characterized by rising costs, evolving customer habits, and an increasing demand for originality is critical to success. Expecting every visit to provide more than just a meal, diners today give authenticity, customization, and value top importance.
Third-party delivery apps start out as a convenient way to reach new customers, but they always take a significant chunk of your profits. While these platforms do bring in orders, they also come with the price of high commission fees, loss of customer data, and a weaker connection between you and your guests.
One of operators most difficult challenges is balancing restaurant operating costs without compromising the food, service, and customer experience that makes your restaurant unique. Cheaper ingredients and smaller portions can take a toll on your customersloyalty, and thats a cost no restaurant owner can afford.
Introducing new menu items is more than just adding dishes to your offerings—it’s about crafting an experience that captivates your guests and keeps them coming back for more. A well-planned new menu launch not only boosts customer engagement but also reinforces your restaurant’s brand identity.
Those priorities include increased marketing and sales efforts alongside new benefits and programs to attract and retain staff. The primary response was menu price increases, with nearly 61 percent of respondents adjusting prices to cope with the new reality. Franchise 2.0:
POS systems do more than just process payments they enable restaurants to personalize menus by analyzing customer data. Learn more in our latest post: How POS Systems Enable Menu Personalization. Customer Insights : Track orders, dietary preferences, and trends. This ensures menus are always accurate and up-to-date.
Whether you’re connecting loyaltyprograms, online ordering, or inventory tools, open APIs make it possible to tailor your POS to match your exact operational needs. All successful businesses know they must adapt to the market and customer expectations.
Restaurant email marketing is your secret ingredient to standing out, creating memorable dining experiences, and significantly boosting revenue by nurturing strong customer relationships. Why Restaurant Email Marketing Works So Well It Reaches Customers Directly Emails bypass social media algorithms and land directly in customer inboxes.
From improving customer satisfaction to managing inventory, every day presents a new opportunity to optimize operations. Far more than just a way to process payments, todays POS technology is transforming the restaurant industryhelping you streamline operations, cut costs, and deliver superior customer experiences.
How POS data improves customerloyalty isnt just a trending topic its a strategic advantage for modern restaurants. By capturing real-time insights into customer behavior, preferences, and spending habits, POS systems empower restaurants to deliver personalized experiences, reward loyalty, and increase repeat visits.
These reports help you understand sales trends, manage inventory, optimize staffing, and improve customer satisfaction. Here’s what you need to know: Sales Reports : Track revenue, peak hours, product performance, and staff contributions to refine pricing, menu, and staffing.
In today’s fast-paced dining environment, quick-service restaurants are under pressure to serve more customers in less time—without sacrificing quality. As customer expectations rise, reducing wait times has become more than a convenience; it’s a competitive advantage. The impact?
Steps to Track and Analyze Waste Monitor Food Prep and Disposal : Use a waste log to record whats discarded during prep and service. Menu Optimization for Waste Reduction A thoughtful menu design can minimize waste while offering dishes that excite customers. Promote Second Servings : Encourage taking leftovers home.
POS systems do more than handle payments they utilize POS data to help restaurants analyze and manage seasonal sales trends. By leveraging POS data, restaurants can adjust inventory, staffing, and marketing strategies to maximize profits during busy periods and minimize waste during slow seasons.
With rising ingredient prices, labor shortages, and tighter margins, operators must find strategic ways to reduce restaurant costs without compromising quality or customer experience. Increasing restaurant profits allows you to invest in upgrades, like better equipment or a nicer place for customers to eat.
They provide better flexibility, real-time insights, and improved customer experiences. Data Insights: Real-time data helps optimize staffing, menu adjustments, and inventory. Enhanced Security: Built-in safeguards for customer and business data. Automatic Updates: No manual updates or downtime – systems update seamlessly.
Running a successful restaurant today requires more than great food and friendly service—it demands smart technology that drives efficiency. From the front-of-house to the kitchen, modern POS solutions reduce manual errors, improve staff productivity, and enhance the customer experience. Want to know more?
Its time to consider adding some AI into your marketing strategy to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and boost profitability. AI Helps Personalize the Customer Experience Consider your promotional emails to customers. If not, it can revolutionize your customer interaction.
Gross sales are used to identify trends, seasonal shifts, and the impact of marketing campaigns. Since full-service restaurants will often have a higher labor cost percentage than quick-service restaurants, they will aim for a lower COGS percentage. Depending on your service style, this can range from 25% to 35% of your sales.
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