The restaurant industry is extremely competitive, and staying successful means consistently coming up with ways to stay ahead of the competition and distinguish your brand from the rest of the crowd. From dishes customers can’t find anywhere else to award-winning customer service, there are a variety of ways you can make your restaurant stand out in a saturated market.
Drink and Food Specials:
It’s important to offer competitive drink and food specials, especially if you’re hoping to draw customers in during the weekdays—notoriously slow in the restaurant industry. When it comes to food, be sure to come up with themed nights and special culinary creations that guests can only find in your establishment, only on certain evenings. This might mean a “Beer and Burger Monday” event, or “Wings Wednesday” offering.
When it comes to drink specials, spend time with your bartenders creating restaurant-specific drink concoctions. If you don’t serve alcohol, it’s time to consider jumping on the bandwagon. As a significant portion of the profits for most restaurants, excluding alcohol from your menu will definitely lose you valuable customers. Securing a liquor license can be extremely costly, but the investment is often worth it. Check out License Locators, Inc. quotes to determine the costs associated with offering a full range of alcoholic beverages and see whether the return on investment is viable for your situation.
Offer Special Events:
Guests are looking for more than a great meal during their dining experience. If you can offer special events, you can garner new customers that are looking for more than a fantastic dish. Host restaurant trivia nights with companies like Pub Trivia USA, offer singles mixers, and any other event you think might appeal to locals in your area. Many restaurants have found success with cooking classes, while others focus on mixology courses in their restaurants’ bar areas. Beyond your own special events, you can make your location a rentable venue. Whether that be for weddings, birthday parties, or special company events, offering this feature will help your restaurant stand out from the crowd and serve as another lucrative form of income.
Get Involved with the Community:
Getting involved with a local charity can help you give back to your community and create a stronger presence in the area. Offering special events that see portions of the evening’s profits going towards the charity of choice can serve as a lucrative way to draw in customers, and help publicize your brand. Another way to get involved with your community is participating in local events. Many cities host food fairs or farmer’s markets in which restaurants can offer their favorite dishes. This will help you connect with individuals in the community, and give you an excellent branding opportunity. For further community involvement, consider pairing up with a neighboring business that complements your restaurant. It might be trading coupons with an ice cream parlor, or offering advertising opportunities within your restaurant décor. The more connected you are, the bigger your brand will be.
Offer Meal Customization:
Today’s consumer wants their every need fulfilled, and meeting their specific needs will help set your restaurant apart from the crowd. Offering customizable meals can garner you loyal customers that will come to a restaurant they know will cater to their whims. It could be an offer for customers to create their own pizza, or combine their own sauces and toppings on a pasta dish. If you’re not interested in meal customization, it might be in your best interest to perform demographic testing and tailor your menu items to a targeted consumer. Once you have this customization in place, ensure your restaurant marketing practices quickly and effectively explain what you offer.
Excel at Customer Service:
One of the most important factors in a successful restaurant is the presence of extraordinary customer service. Hire great staff and spend the time training them, do your best to ensure customers are always treated to an experience rather than just a meal, and be sure you’re always paying attention to customer feedback, turning comment cards into action.