Restaurants have been an essential feature in communities for decades. Business associates hold meetings over meals in restaurants. Families and friends enjoy opportunities to gather together to enjoy a meal. For some, it’s a treat to eat food they didn’t have to prepare. Others appreciate having a break from cleaning up in the kitchen after dinner. Some patrons also enjoy eating out because they like to try new cuisines.
Although restaurants may be popular with a wide range of clients, six out of every ten new restaurants shut down before they celebrate their first anniversary. Innovative restaurants, though, adapt to survive. Using the tips outline here can help your restaurant retain and improve its appeal to consumers.
Add some design features to the bathrooms.
Install LED lit mirrors in your bathrooms. You can choose between oval and square mirrors. You also have the option of adding a floor-length mirror with LED lights. Many patrons head to the bathroom to check their appearance before a meeting or date, and an elegant bathroom mirror enables guests to freshen up before returning to their table.
Besides installing mirrors, keeping your bathrooms smelling fresh will also impress customers. You can do this by adding plants to your restrooms. Plants consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, providing clean air to the space around them. The peace lily and English ivy plants are just two of the plants you can use to keep your bathroom smelling fresh.
Emphasize cleanliness.
Patrons are more likely to return to clean restaurants. Ensure your dining room and public areas, such as bathrooms, are spotless. Maintaining a clean restaurant will impress people passing by and those who choose to eat in your establishment. You can promote a clean environment by rewarding staff who make an effort to regularly clean throughout their shift and investing in extra staff during peak service hours to ensure you keep your restaurant spotless.
Invest in an online ordering system.
The COVID-19 pandemic changes the way restaurants do business. While fast-food chains were equipped to handle the transition to takeout, many restaurants struggled because they relied on in-person dining. Although vaccines make it possible for the restaurant industry to return to pre-pandemic capacities, many consumers still opt for takeout food or order food for delivery.
You can adapt to changing consumer demands with the best restaurant online ordering systems available. Restaurant ordering systems enable consumers to visit your website and place takeout and delivery orders. These online food ordering systems provide restaurant owners with a great way to gather business data because the online food ordering systems can be used to generate reports. These food ordering apps also streamline your delivery system because they pool all delivery orders together instead of having them fragmented through different apps, such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub. Effective online ordering platforms reduce mistakes and improve customer service.
You can use your online ordering system to streamline curbside pickup for takeout orders and support your food delivery service. You could even offer advanced ordering for in-person customers who have limited time for their meals and want to order food before they arrive at the restaurant to reduce their wait times.
Make some changes to your menu.
One of the most effective ways to improve your restaurant is to refine your menu. Determine which menu items aren’t selling well and remove them from the menu. Test out new dishes by offering specials before deciding whether to add them to your menu to ensure you adopt popular dishes that will attract new customers to your restaurant.
You can also improve your menu with dietary information, enabling consumers with Celiac disease and food allergies to identify dishes it’s safe for them to consume. Patrons who count calories will also appreciate nutritional information about your dishes to help them make healthy decisions during the ordering process.
Update the dining area with new artwork.
Your design features can attract consumers because of the visual interest and the feelings key features generate. Some patrons may prefer wood walls and low light coziness, while others may appreciate bright spaces with tall windows that let in sunlight. Consider your patrons when making interior design decisions to ensure your design plans fit your brand.
One way to distinguish your restaurant from the competition is with custom wall art. If you’re looking for wall art in Canada, you can opt for canvas prints, metal prints, acrylic prints, or wood prints. Turn your photos into split panel prints or wall displays. You can also choose from an assortment of stock wall art to update your decor. A small investment in wall art can transform your interior space, creating the perfect environment for patrons.
Update your restaurant website.
Your website is like an online business card. Professional websites are easy to navigate and provide critical information to consumers. Your website can list menu items and specials for the day. You can also connect to your ordering system, enabling patrons to order takeout or delivery food right from your website. You can also create a loyalty program to reward loyal customers and devote a section of your website to the program, enabling consumers to check their points.
Use social media.
Create social media accounts for your restaurant and use social media to promote menu items, special events, and your loyalty program. Use search engine optimization (SEO) marketing and social media account management to increase your restaurant website’s domain authority (DA) score and ensure it’s on the first page of search engine search results for relevant searches. A robust online presence is an effective way of generating organic traffic and attracting new customers.
Simple improvements can have a significant impact on your restaurant. Investing in design features in your bathroom and dining areas can transform the space. Updating your website, investing in an online ordering app, and using social media are effective ways to impress customers. You can also improve your restaurant with prudent menu changes.
