….and keep them coming back for more.
We know how tough things can be in the restaurant trade. But the recent decline in larger chains has left a significant opening for independent restaurant owners to really make their mark. If your venue is doing well but could do even better, or if you are just starting up, here are our tips on how to attract more customers to your new cafe or restaurant. Customer satisfaction is only part of running a successful eatery: you need to find the magic combination of excellent restaurant interior design, fantastic food, great service and an effective communications strategy that tells the world what you do and why you do it best.
Here are some things to consider when trying to grow your restaurant customer base:
1.Get the interior design right
Your venue is the front-facing element of your restaurant. It’s where your customers will spend time. It’s what they will see from the street outside and in photographs on social media. It’s where your staff will serve, tidy, manage and cook. It’s the heart of your business. Which is why it’s so important to get this right. An experienced restaurant interior designer will be able to make the most of your space and ensure that your customers are comfortable and that their whole experience leaves them wanting to come back for more. From table height to acoustics, traffic flow to lighting, all these elements need to fuse together to create the perfect design in order to attract more customers.
2.Serve great food
The food you serve will to some extent determine both the branding of your restaurant and its interior design. By making sure you offer customers not only top quality meals but a range of choices to suit different dietary requirements, you can keep your appeal broad without compromising on standards.
3.Be Insta-ready
The power of social media is a brilliant tool for restaurant owners who have realised the potential for attracting new customers. As happy patrons snap pics of their dinners or of your cool, quirky seating they are providing excellent free advertising. Get proactive with your own social media accounts too: post regularly, link to other people’s content, comment on pictures and posts by other people so they notice your restaurant’s name.
4.Provide impeccable customer service
This makes such a huge difference to a customer’s experience of dining out. Friendly, helpful staff who really know and understand your menu are a major asset. Keep staff happy and motivated so they can convey their enthusiasm when they talk with customers. Let them taste and experience the food so they can talk authentically about it. Make sure your kitchen runs smoothly and efficiently and that waiting staff can move around the room freely.
These four elements are the fundamentals of a successful, busy, popular restaurant. You know your stuff, but if you need help with the first, contact us to see how we can nail your restaurant interior design and get you off to the best possible start.