The Restaurant Biz Blog

Restaurants, Dining Experience and Marketing

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Restaurants are a common new business venture but unfortunately, they also have a high rate of business failure.

We ask ourselves... what are the reasons people go to restaurants? Dining out is more than just going for food. In many situations, dining out means a social event or an entertainment experience. The overall atmosphere within the restaurant has a large impact. The manager or owner of a restaurant needs to have a focus on the customers' entire dining experience.

Many times, dining experiences are designed to impress someone, say a new date, a prospective client, or friends. A restaurant manager or owner should consider adding little things that the customer does not expect. The enhancement a restaurant gives its product or service before offering the product to customers. For instance, some restaurants that have targeted children have done an excellent job of creating a theme. The same is true for adults. The mood that is set by the restaurant has a significant impact on our perceptions--wall colors, lighting, furniture, background music etc., all impact the dining experience. The important thing for the restaurateur to understand is that the restaurant success depends as much about the experience as on the food. Central to marketing efforts is the concept of creating the experience that you desire the customer to have.

Every person who enters a restaurant has expectations--here are some of these:

• Clean facility--food and restrooms. 
• Prompt service attention--many times people are going to a restaurant for convenience, speed of service and to be cared for.
• Friendly service--people want to feel welcome and appreciated.
• Convenience--food delivered in a certain amount of time.
• Food quality--consistency.
  
• Quick resolution of the bill.

Every restaurant should have service standards. And training is a big key. The business owner must establish the standards of performance in the business. Left to chance, it will probably not be as desirable as if the business leader creates the experience.

Develop a list of measurables within the restaurant, develop standards for each one, provide training to ensure staff is prepared to meet the objectives and, finally, provide a method for measuring and reporting actual performance in relation to desired performance. Additional reinforcement in behavioral science, the presentation of a stimulus following a response that increases the frequency of subsequent responses, whether positive to desirable events, or for this type of program can be provided by linking feedback or bonuses, both financial and non-financial, to actual performance.

A restaurant grows by generating positive word-of-mouth advertising. Dining establishments develop a reputation, which is the ultimate indicator of future success. No amount of radio, TV and newspaper advertising can overcome a bad reputation. A great reputation, properly maintained, is a fortress that will protect the success of a restaurant.

Word-of-mouth advertising, or buzz, will develop on its own. However, the most proactive approach is to plant the seeds of a great reputation. Here are some strategies to accomplish this.

• Attract influential people (local celebrities, early adopters, leaders)
• Emphasize events and celebrations with special programs
• Offer gift certificates--use them to cross promote the business.
• Get the media involved--get some good press.
• Spark lunch traffic with local businesses and organizations in your local area, think about a "Company Day" where you offer a specific discount to company employees on a specific day.
• Do "date night" promotions--work in conjunction with other businesses to offer a more complete package (i.e., dinner and an movie, etc.).
• Use coupons effectively. If not done effectively they can hurt your business instead of helping your business
• Develop a "valued customer" database to prompt recurrent/forming dining habits.

And don't forget about using Social Media to help promote this, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Linkedin and YouTube to name a few. Social media marketing has become one of the most advantageous avenues by which a business can attract new customers while also maintaining strong relationships with existing clients. By creating a more personal relationship with these customers and clients through social media outlets your restaurant can develop greater brand awareness, build strong networks and establish a loyal following.

While social media does require a time commitment the benefits of exposure it will generate for your business followed by increased traffic and new opportunities is well worth it.