3 Keys to a Better Restaurant and More Customers

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Ever stop to wonder why your restaurant isn’t getting as many customers as many of your competitors are?

Well, you may only need to look at a few areas of your business to see why you in fact are lagging behind the competition.

From average food to long waiting times, the list could be rather large to why you are not ringing up more business.

So, is it time to assess your restaurant and why it is not cooking when it comes to more customers and revenue?

Don’t Let Competitors Outsmart You

In understanding why your restaurant is not outdoing others, here are keys to turn it around:

1. Better menu – It is no secret that top-notch food wins over many customers. Even if the service is a little slow or the prices a tad high, good food will more times than not win out. As such, many customers will wait a little longer and pay a bit extra when they know they’re going to get a good meal. Look at your menu and make sure you are catering to the majority of your customers. You also would prefer to be the only game in town when it comes to the foods you serve, but you do not have control over that. As such, it is important to make your servings stand out from the crowd. Also look at the prices on your menu. Do they fall within the average of what consumers can expect to pay at similar eateries?

2. Better service – Face it; few customers will wait a long time to get service no matter how good the food or prices may be. That said you want your staff to remember that time is of the essence. Sure, some meals take longer to prepare than others. With that in mind, your help needs to keep customers up to speed on how their meals are coming along. Once the meal is out, does the customer have everything he or she needs to complete the serving? An example of this would be the proper silverware. If you are serving someone a thick and juicy steak, a regular knife may very well not cut it. As such, does your restaurant have the right knives to do the job? If yours are old and don’t cut all that well, you should look into industrial knife sharpening machines. Such machines will provide your business with the sharpest knives around. Note; customers won’t sit there trying to carve a big piece of steak or other hard-to-cut meat in frustration. Also look at your other silverware, along with making sure plates allow for plenty of food. Last, while avoiding being a pest, be sure your help checks on customers to see if they can get them anything else. Top-notch service goes a long way in translating into return customers. It can also mean new customers through word-of-mouth.

3. Better marketing – Last, are you doing all you can to market your restaurant? From a company website to being creative with and a frequent user of social media, spread the word. In today’s digital age, you will fall behind in no time if you do not market your restaurant with passion. Use social media and your site to run some promotions and contests for discounted or free meals and more. As more consumers become engaged with your brand online, you stand to digest the rewards.

Given how hard it is to run a restaurant, do you have the appetite for success or failure?