For restaurateurs, the mission of providing exceptional service to keep diners coming through the door and tables full is more challenging than ever. The food service industry is currently facing a tough time, with approximately 60% of new outlets closing within the first year, a figure that rises to 80% within two years.
Part of the reason for this is how well you treat your clientele. Of course, you need good food and drinks to keep people coming back for more, but you need to cultivate the perfect recipe for a harmonious blend of great food and excellent service and ensure their appetite for what you serve keeps them coming back for more.
So, without further ado, how do you encourage customer loyalty and build a restaurant that is fully booked night after night?
Staff
Your front-of-house team will be instrumental in supporting you in running a tight ship. Your kitchen and cleaning team will be responsible for producing edible meals and high hygiene standards that satisfy your customers. Still, if your front-of-house team isn’t pulling their weight or giving your customers a good experience, then it will all be for nothing.
Empower your staff with comprehensive training. Equip them with the skills to approach customers, handle queries and complaints, and manage difficult situations. Their ability to deliver exceptional service that meets customers’ expectations is not just key, but it’s also a powerful tool in your hands, ensuring your restaurant’s success.
Ambiance
Understand the elements of ambiance that influence the dining experience. A great restaurant creates a captivating atmosphere using a mix of lighting, music for restaurants, decor, and the unique personality of its staff and surroundings. This ambiance should not just draw people in but also inspire you to create an atmosphere that truly reflects its culinary offerings and company ethos.
Loyalty Cards
When customers return to a place they enjoy, a loyalty card can offer them rewards based on their spending habits and encourage them to return to fill in the card and gain their benefits.
How this works for a restaurant can be open to interpretation and created to benefit you and your customers. It could be that they get a stamp for every visit, and when they collect a set number, they get their reward. It could be a discount once they have cumulatively presented a certain amount, e.g., spend $200 or get $20 off your next meal. The key is to be flexible and tailor your rewards to what suits the type of restaurant you run and the clientele you attract.
Special Offers and Discounts
You can run theme nights for a set price with a set menu, where you create a unique dining experience centered around a specific theme or cuisine. For example, you could have a ‘Mediterranean Night’ with a menu featuring dishes from the region or a ‘Wine and Dine Night’ with a special wine pairing menu. These theme nights can attract new customers and provide a fun and memorable experience for regulars. You can also offer discounts at different times of the day, have special offers on different days of the week, or offer discounts on purchases over a certain amount. Again, like loyalty rewards, you can devise offers and schemes that complement the food you sell and appeal to your customer base.
Increased Payment Options and Ordering Methods
While some people like to have wait staff take their orders, others might prefer to order via apps or QR codes on tables or even self-service tablets or screens. Offering customers a variety of ordering methods can help cut down on wait times and allow people to have a more personalized experience that works for them. A good idea can be to ask each table how they prefer to order so you know what to expect and who needs a staff member to take their order.
The same can be said for payment options. You can have an app that allows you to take payment digitally regardless of how the customer has ordered; you can, of course, accept cash payments, and you can have options for PayPal, Venmo, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and Apple Pay, to name a few of the more commonly used payment methods.
Improving the feel, the ambiance, and the quality of your customer service are all integral parts of creating a customer experience that fosters loyalty and delivery in all areas, not just the food on the plate. A successful restaurant is about more than just the food you serve; understanding that can set you up for success.
