10 Ways to Get People into Your Restaurant
If you own a restaurant, you’ve likely watched Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
And if you haven’t, you really should. The stern British Chef highlights the excruciatingly challenging nature of the food and hospitality industry. In contrast to the usual feel-good hokeyness of most television, many of the featured restaurants don’t survive in the end.
There’s a reason for the 60% failure rate that restaurant owners face within their first year — on top of the 80% failure rate over 5 years.
You always must find ways to stay ahead of the game, and we’re here to provide ten tips to help your restaurant thrive for years to come.
1. Choose Your Signature Dish(es)
You’re far better off cooking a few great dishes as opposed to dozens of mediocre menu items. We’ll discuss it later — but word-of-mouth is everything. And being just ‘another’ restaurant with a massive menu won’t get your name out to the masses.
Furthermore, you need a hook. A few signature dishes, combined with a savvy marketing campaign, make it easier for consumers to associate your restaurant with a distinct item. So, when somebody’s in the mood for — let’s say — fried fish tacos, they’ll know your Cajun seafood joint is the place to go.
2. Tell the Story Surrounding Your Restaurant (and Your Food)
Sometimes with food, it’s the story surrounding the menu that’s most intriguing.
If you ever watch those highly entertaining food & travel programs, the hosts do a phenomenal job of illustrating the mythology of every bite.
We suggest producing (budget-friendly) video content showing a step-by-step breakdown of you making your best dish. Have an intro where you describe the food, followed by your shopping adventures (highlighting the ingredients), the cooking process, and then finally the overall presentation.
We live in a world where the Food Network and foody culture reign supreme. Use this craze to your advantage.
3. Video Content is Your Friend
Did you know that social videos generate 1200% more shares than text and image content?
So, when you create that video promoting your signature dish, share it across your social media platforms — whether it’s YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook.
Plus, it’s a scientific fact that people eat with their eyes. Thus, there’s no better way to get your target audience salivating than with a beautifully filmed culinary delight.
4. Photos Still Have Their Place
We’ll repeat it… people do eat with their eyes. And there’s something about a still photograph of a colorful, balanced, and a divinely presented plate of food that speaks to the soul.
Videos may rule the roost throughout most of the internet. But photography still reigns supreme on Instagram, where still images generate quicker engagement than videos.
With a sharply written caption and clever hashtags, you’ll attract customers in droves.
5. Local Marketing Campaigns
As a restaurant, local customers are your bread and butter (pardon the pun).
Reach those people with smart, local campaigning.
For instance, choose a day (once a month) to offer free samples to the community members (preferably at a local center or hub). Then, use that time to promote a weekly special (e.g., half-off bacon-burger Tuesdays) and hand out menus. As a Loopy Loyalty user, you can send your customers a push notification, reminding them about your promotion or special, right o their smartphone.
6. Embrace Industry Disruptions
Innovative technology like Uber Eats and Deliveroo open your restaurant up to a whole new clientele. Without paying a delivery guy, you’re offering the utmost convenience to your customers. Plus, companies like Uber Eats, FoodPanda, Deliveroo and TakeAway.com itself provide a form of marketing services.
7. Introduce a Loyalty Program
A digital loyalty program (such as Loopy Loyalty) incentivizes consistent patronage. From a free drink after earning 5 digital stamps to a free meal after spending $200 in your establishment, these perks keep your customers coming back for more.
8. Pushing Word-of-Mouth
According to Nielsen, 92% of people believe the word of friends and family over any marketing and advertising campaign.
So, incentivize referrals and reviews. If one of your regulars brings in new business, reward them a few extra stamps on their digital loyalty card.
Or, at the very least, find some way to let your customers know you appreciate their positive influence on your business. Perhaps, buy the referring customer a drink on the house.
9. Make Connections with Food Bloggers
Cultivate relationships with food bloggers so they can provide feedback on how to attract customers. Also, these industry experts will share the experience at your restaurant with their vast social network.
10. Focus on the Basics
Your marketing techniques might be next-level, but all the buzz in the world can’t cover poor cooking and awful service.
Therefore, ensure you’re receiving consistent feedback on your food quality and continually tweaking and adding nuance to your dishes.
