Quick Tips for Restaurant Owners
3 Tips for Restaurant Owners that Boost Sales and Loyalty
Thanks to the explosion of “foodie” culture, there’s never been more opportunity for restaurant owners to boost sales and loyalty. There’s also never been more competition. That’s why it’s so important to set your business up for success and avoid costly mistakes. In this post, we’ll share three super-simple, super-effective tips for restaurant owners that can help generate new, loyal customers whose business you can count on, over and over again. Let’s dig in!
1. Make Your Restaurant a Social Experience, Online and Off
Milk and cookies. Peanut butter and jelly. Grilled octopus with corn-apple salsa, chilies, and herbed yogurt—coated in an almond, tomato, chili glaze. Some things just go better together. The same goes for dining and socialization. People love good food paired with good conversation. That’s why it’s important to configure your restaurant to facilitate the stories, jokes, and ideas your diners want to share with each other during mealtime.
On the other side of the table, it’s essential to encourage conversation on your social media channels. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to neglect your Facebook page. (Or worse, to not have one at all.) If you’re too busy to manage your social media channels by yourself, find someone on your team who is passionate about connecting with customers online. Make sure he or she understands how to leverage paid social marketing to gain and retain customers and you’ll be set up for success!
2. Dig Deeper Than Guest Check Average
As a restaurateur, you know how important it is to keep tabs on your guest check average (GCA). But, that’s not the only stat you should be monitoring. Your GCA is just that — an average. This number alone doesn’t provide the actionable insight you need if you want to find new opportunities for increasing sales. Instead of focusing solely on GCA, dig deeper. How many apps and entrees did you sell? What about desserts, bottles of wine, or craft beers? Now, put this insight into action. For example, if you notice that dessert sales are lower than expected, ask your servers if they’re offering dessert to every customer, every time.
3. Delight Customers During the Entire Dining Experience
It is important to offer a satisfying experience from the moment a customer arrives at your restaurant. However, some restaurant owners overlook the brief moments just before a customer steps back out into the world. We’re talking about the payment process. These days, it goes way beyond your standard restaurant credit card processing systems.
Reliable credit card processing for restaurants is just as integral to the customer experience as it has always been. While the process is not necessarily glamorous, nothing leaves a more bitter taste in customers’ mouths than when their swipe or dip doesn’t work as expected. What if the payment process could be more than “expected”? What if it could actually bring extra value to the customer experience?
For example, the lunch crowd is notoriously strapped for time—especially when the meal is over and diners are trying to make a quick exit. Even if you’ve done everything right so far, each second spent waiting for the check can feel like an eternity for the customer. Why not let them pay for their meals using a tablet, right there at the table? Not only will they appreciate the time savings, they’ll also leave your restaurant on one final high note.
Go Beyond Restaurant Credit Card Processing with Electronic Merchant Systems
At Electronic Merchant Systems, we offer credit card processing for restaurants and a variety of innovative solutions for driving revenue and increasing customer loyalty. Learn more about how we can help your restaurant, or contact us today to speak with a friendly representative. We’re eager to help you delight your customers and boost sales and loyalty.
www.EMS-NewYork.com