Experience Live Music Virginia Beach at Wing King

If you love eating chicken wings, you have to try the food at Wing King. They provide good food at reasonable prices. If you have yet to try the wings there, you are missing out. There is a reason why they have gotten noting but positive reviews from their past customers. Each member of their highly trained staff will greet you with a smile on their faces the moment you come to the restaurant. They will also check up on you if you need anything else. In fact, you will also experience live music in Virginia beach at Wing King Kempsville. There is nothing like being entertained at night while hanging out with your friends. You won’t even know how long you have been staying there because you are going to be entertained a lot. You will groove to the live music and dance like it is 1999. Some of the state’s top bands have performed in the restaurants. They would love to do an encore in the future. After all, the location is great so they would love to do it again. It would be a great experience to listen to high-quality music at Virginia Beach. What’s more, Wing King has a different promotion each day. No matter which day you come, you will certainly save some money. For example, you will get 50% off of burgers every Thursday and every Tuesdays you are going to get $5 off of Beef Nachos.

Better stay tuned at the official website of Wing King Kempsville so you will know which bands are going to perform there. If you are a fan of a band that will perform there soon, better reserve a table in advance. It would be risky to go there on the day itself because there is a chance that they will run out of tables. It is impossible to stand up while watching the musical performance because it is impossible to eat while standing up. Bring the whole gang as it will bound to be an awesome time. Also, take a lot of pictures of the performers and the food. Your social media posts will certainly receive a bunch of likes. You will even receive a bunch of invites from your friends who would want to go there. Better get used to the fact that there will be a lot of people in places like that. Thus, you are going to have a hard time conversing with the people you are with. Better shout and they won’t mind if you shout at them because they know that they won’t be able to hear you if you don’t. Also, better be respectful of all the other patrons there. If you want to get a better view, it won’t be smart to stand on top of your chair. It won’t be long before someone would tell you to get down from that stool and get back to your seat. It is those types of behaviors that become the start of a fight.

During these types of events, you know you should control the amount you drink. If you drink a bit too much than expected, you may do things that you will end up regretting. Thus, better be mindful of your alcohol tolerance. You may even take swim with your clothes on and your mobile phone may suffer in the process. You may end up buying a new smartphone sooner than you expected. The best thing to do would be to have fun while eating good food and enjoying the performance of the band. You can get a bit close to them but not too close in a way that you are bothering them. You may get into trouble so better stay behaved. Better not let it get to a point where you end up getting banned from Wing King. The restaurant loves serving its customers but not if they show a rude behavior. The bands would love nothing more than to entertain you. There are times when they would allow customers to come up on stage and become a part of the act. If you come up there, be sure to not humiliate yourself. Be sure that you are going to take the pressure and put it right in front of those people who are doubting you. There is no doubt you would want to become a star in the music industry and this is one way to do it. Better to eat a lot of Wing King’s wings and burgers before attempting to jam with the performers so you will be energized for it. It may be a once in a lifetime opportunity so better take advantage of it while it lasts. Also, if someone asks to share a table with you and you have some available seats, you must take that offer. After all, there is nothing like making new friends at a place that would allow it. Also, you already share something in common which is enjoying good food and listening live music. Thus, there will surely be more to talk about.

You will always be in the presence of royalty whenever you go to Wing King. You may end up ordering more than what you expected because their wings are too good. They also have burgers as that is a good combination and don’t forget beer too. You can expect yourself to take many trips to the comfort room if you decide to drink a lot. If you see a long line and you feel like it is going to come out, better fall in line right away. Don’t wait until you are really uncomfortable before you fall in line because you might pee on your pants. Everyone will notice and that is not going to leave a good impression. It is obvious you would want to watch the live performance while you are falling in line. Unfortunately, someone may move in front of you so you would always need to pay attention to what’s going on.

Importance of International Business Environment

International business environment entails the global interchange of commodities and services, essentially creating a global marketplace, also known as trade globalisation. The International Business Environment is the backdrop against which international corporations conduct their activities, and it has a substantial impact on a country’s economic growth and development.

The International business environment in India includes a wide range of factors and challenges, including political risks, cultural differences, currency exchange risks, and legal and taxation issues. These elements are important considerations for managerial personnel, as they have a direct bearing on a country’s economic prospects and the success of international business endeavours. Recognising and effectively addressing these factors is essential for dealing with the complexities of the international business landscape. In this blog, we shall see the importance of the International business environment in India.

Role and Importance of International Business Environment in India

The international business environment holds paramount significance for several compelling reasons:

  1. Economic Growth: International business bolsters a country’s economy by fostering trade relationships with other nations.
  2. Global Competitiveness: Engaging in international business elevates a nation’s global competitiveness. It encourages companies to innovate, enhance product quality, and become more efficient to compete on an international scale.
  3. Higher Standards of Living: Nations actively involved in international trade often exhibit higher standards of living.
  4. Technological Advancement: Participation in international business drives technological progress.
  5. Cultural Exchange: International business facilitates cultural exchange and understanding. It promotes exposure to different cultures, languages, and traditions, fostering tolerance and cooperation among nations.
  6. Resource Utilisation: Countries can optimise their resource utilisation by engaging in international trade. They can export surplus resources and import what they lack, ensuring efficient use of available resources.
  7. Economic Stability: A diverse portfolio of international trade partners can contribute to economic stability. Relying solely on domestic markets can make a country vulnerable to economic fluctuations.
  8. Fostering Diplomacy: Trade relations often foster diplomatic ties and peaceful coexistence among nations. Economic interdependence can discourage conflicts and encourage cooperation.

Scope of International Business Environment in India

The scope of international business is expansive and dynamic, encompassing a wide array of issues and opportunities that emerge as organisations operate on a global scale. It is a field that deals with the intricacies of conducting business in the global environment. Here are some key aspects that define the scope of international business:

1. Global Operations:

International business involves the expansion of a company’s operations beyond its home country. This can include exporting goods, establishing foreign subsidiaries or joint ventures, and engaging in cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

2. Cross-Cultural Management:

Operating in international markets requires an understanding of diverse cultures, languages, and customs. Cross-cultural management is a critical aspect of international business, as it influences communication, negotiation, and relationship-building.

3. Global Market Research:

Companies engaging in international business must conduct extensive market research to identify opportunities and assess market demand. This includes analysing economic, political, and cultural factors that impact consumer behavior.

4. International Marketing and Promotion:

International business necessitates tailoring marketing strategies to suit different markets and consumer preferences. Promotional efforts must also consider cultural sensitivities and local regulations.

5. Foreign Exchange Management:

Managing currency fluctuations and exchange rates is vital in international business. Companies often engage in currency hedging to mitigate financial risks.

6. Global Supply Chain Management:

Companies engaged in international business must efficiently manage their supply chains, which may span multiple countries. This involves logistics, sourcing, and inventory management on a global scale.

7. Political and Economic Risk Assessment:

Assessing political stability and economic conditions in foreign markets is crucial for risk management. Unforeseen political events or economic downturns can significantly impact international operations.

8. Ethical and Social Responsibility:

International businesses often face ethical dilemmas related to social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and corporate governance. These issues can have a substantial impact on brand reputation.

Benefits of International Business Environment in India

The international business environment in India offers numerous benefits and these include:

1. Global Unity

International business fosters a sense of global unity by bringing countries together. It creates a world that functions as a global village, facilitating the exchange of ideas, information, services, and capital across borders.

2. Human Capital Utilisation

International business allows for the optimal utilisation of human capital. It expands employment opportunities in the global market and promotes the efficient allocation of labor resources.

3. Economic Growth

Participation in international business contributes to economic growth by increasing trade, investment, and wealth creation. It encourages the development of industries and markets.

4. Price Stability

International trade helps maintain price stability by ensuring a steady supply of goods and services. It can prevent price spikes and shortages in domestic markets.

5. Wealth Distribution

International business leads to the distribution of wealth, as it allows countries to access resources and markets that may not be available domestically. It can help reduce income disparities.

6. Inflation Control

Imports can help control inflation by providing consumers with alternative products and price competition. Domestic firms are incentivised to moderate their prices in the presence of imported goods.

7. Wage Growth

As international business creates demand for labor in various sectors, it can lead to wage growth and improved working conditions.

8. Environmental Awareness

Multinational corporations are increasingly focused on environmental sustainability. They gather information on environmental dimensions, adapt to local markets, and implement best practices to achieve a better environmental fit.

Drawbacks and Challenges of International Business Environment in India

The international business environment in India presents a host of complex challenges and issues that organisations must deal with. The major problems in the international business environment in India are:

  1. Regulatory Compliance: International businesses must adhere to many local regulations and legal frameworks and these regulations can vary significantly and pose challenges for compliance.
  2. Language and Cultural Barriers: Operating in foreign markets often involves dealing with different languages and cultural norms. Effective communication and understanding of local customs are essential but can be challenging.
  3. Currency Exchange and Financial Risks: Dealing with multiple currencies and exchange rate fluctuations can lead to financial risks for international businesses. Currency exchange can impact profits and operational costs.
  4. Market Research Challenges: Gathering accurate market information in foreign countries can be challenging. Differences in data availability, quality, and reliability can complicate market research efforts.
  5. Political and Economic Instability: Political turmoil, changes in government, and economic instability in foreign markets can disrupt business operations and investments.
  6. Risk Management: International business operations entail various risks, including commercial, political, and financial risks. Managing and mitigating these risks can be complex and costly.
  7. Demand Variability: Understanding and predicting demand in international markets can be challenging due to cultural differences, changing consumer preferences, and market dynamics.
  8. Communication and Control: Managing operations and communication across different time zones and regions can be complex. Ensuring effective control and coordination of international business activities can be a significant challenge.
  9. Trade Restrictions: Trade restrictions, including tariffs and import controls, can hinder international trade and increase costs for businesses.
  10. Ethical and Social Responsibility: Ethical dilemmas related to social responsibility and sustainability can be more complex in international business, as companies must consider diverse cultural and ethical perspectives.

How to Start a Restaurant

  • More people are eating out at restaurants, creating more profitable opportunities for business owners.
  • Understanding the ins and outs of the restaurant industry is key to building a business that can stand out among the competition.
  • Focus on giving customers an optimal experience at your restaurant to create a loyal customer base.
  • This article is for anyone considering starting a restaurant.

Foodie entrepreneurs often dream of starting a restaurant and turning their passion for cuisine into profit. Of course, you know you’ll need to choose an appropriate space, create an appealing menu for your target customers, hire the right staff and promote your new restaurant before opening your doors to the community. However, there are many steps to take before diving in.

Starting a restaurant will give you a full plate of responsibilities, so before you open an eatery, you’ll want to ensure you’re prepared for every step. We talked to industry veterans who shared tips for navigating the business and launching a successful restaurant.

How to start a restaurant

If you believe starting a business in the restaurant space is right for you, consider the following tips to help you get started.

1. Do your homework before starting a restaurant.

In any industry, doing your due diligence before starting up is critical for success. This is especially true for the restaurant business, where simply knowing good food isn’t enough.

Joe Erickson, vice president of RestaurantOwner.com, said thousands of independent restaurants fail every year because owners are not prepared or aware of what needs to be done.

“Thoroughly research the financial metrics of a profitable restaurant, the systems successful restaurant owners use to promote consistency and predictability and the type of culture that will attract the best workers,” Erickson said. “[Potential owners] need to understand the challenges of restaurant ownership before spending their life’s savings.”

Even if you’ve worked in a restaurant, there are still many legal, managerial and marketing lessons to learn. For example, many would-be restaurateurs overlook local licensing and health regulations. Michele Stumpe, a Georgia-based attorney specializing in alcohol licensing and hospitality litigation, stressed the importance of knowing local and state business regulations in your restaurant’s location, especially since state and even county laws can vary. 

Stumpe advises aspiring restaurateurs planning a launch to factor in the time permitting and inspection processes will take.

Did You Know?

Before you can start a restaurant, you’ll need several business licenses and permits. These can include a food service license, building health permit and certificate of occupancy.

2. Get as much restaurant industry experience as you can.

Getting your bearings in the restaurant industry as a first-timer can be challenging. If you don’t have previous experience in the business, it’s essential to partner with or hire someone who does.

When Costanzo Astarita started his Atlanta restaurant Baraonda in December 2000, he and his partner had worked on the food preparation and management sides of the industry. Still, he didn’t know much about commercial leases.

“I wish I had understood how to negotiate them when I started,” Astarita said. “I think that any new restaurateur who is unfamiliar with commercial leases should hire a lawyer who specializes in that field.”

Tony Doyle, owner of Hells Kitchen Hospitality Group, has worked in restaurants since age 12 and opened several successful restaurants. However, he still had a lot to learn when he opened his first establishment.

“There were a lot of things I’d never dealt with before — employees, payroll, taxes, bank account management, etc.,” Doyle said. “You need to get a general knowledge of the working of the business before you start. There are a lot of issues that people don’t see.”

3. Choose the right restaurant location.

Choosing the right business location is crucial. Without a good location, your restaurant is doomed to fail, no matter how great it is otherwise. 

In the 30 years she’s been in business, Paola Bottero moved her Manhattan eatery three times before settling on her current location. Marco Pipolo, owner of New York City’s Marcony Ristorante, has learned valuable lessons from each of the five restaurants he’s owned, but one of the most important is that location can make or break your business.

Even with a mobile eatery, location can still present an issue. Daniel Shemtob, co-founder and executive chef at Los Angeles-based TLT Food, recalled a harrowing first day working on The Lime Truck.

“[My co-founder and I] were in the middle of nowhere — we didn’t have propane to cook and the truck wouldn’t start,” said Shemtob, who recalled having to hotwire the truck and wait for someone to come help them.

“Then there are other factors, like traffic,” he added.

Tip

A mobile restaurant POS system is a game-changer for a mobile eatery, letting you ring up purchases on the fly, offer fast checkout and stay on top of inventory management.

4. Be adaptable when running your restaurant.

While food quality and service consistency are crucial for success, the restaurant business is far from static.

“I have found over the years that you constantly need to be updating, renovating and evolving with the ever-changing taste of the public to be successful,” Pipolo said.

Shemtob agreed, noting that his menu is constantly changing to allow for newer, more innovative dishes. When you come up with your concept and menu, it should be flexible enough to adapt when your customers ask for something new.

5. Put your customers first to help your restaurant succeed.

Everyone knows a successful restaurant must serve delicious food. Still, many other factors contribute to your venture’s success — and most of them boil down to happy, loyal customers. If there’s one thing Bottero wishes she had known when she started, it’s that building customer loyalty is challenging and takes time, even if your menu is top-notch.

“Customers make the place,” Bottero noted. “You have to earn their trust by making sure they’re taken care of and providing the best service possible. In today’s market, you also can’t succeed without social media. Good food is important, but so is good technology.”

Key Takeaway

running a gift card program to boost restaurant sales over the holidays, build brand awareness and appeal to new customers.

Pros and cons of starting a restaurant

If you’re thinking about starting a restaurant, consider the advantages and disadvantages to inform your decision and ensure you’re starting your venture with all the facts. 

The pros of starting a restaurant include the following:

  1. People are eating out more often: A Popmenu study found that 58 percent of consumers are dining out more than they did in 2021. About 30 percent of consumers spend an average of $180 per week eating at restaurants. With more people turning to restaurants as a convenient, time-saving and, sometimes, cost-effective option, now could be a great time to start your venture.
  2. You’re your own boss: While owning a restaurant adds significant responsibilities to your plate (pun intended), it also means you can structure and operate your business however you please. When you embark on your entrepreneurship journey, you determine your restaurant’s hours, the specials you’ll serve weekly and how to decorate your space.
  3. You serve your community: Owning a restaurant can help you connect with the people in your local community in many ways. If you get pleasure from serving people, you can give your customers a quality dining experience that keeps them coming back. That can put smiles on everyone’s faces.

The cons of restaurant ownership include the following: 

  1. There’s a lot of competition: The restaurant industry is very competitive. The annual growth rate among chain restaurants is expected to increase by 13.5 percent by the end of 2022. Smaller establishments might struggle to keep up with this competition, not to mention competition from other small restaurants.
  2. Expensive startup costs: On average, the cost of starting a restaurant ranges anywhere from $175,000 to $750,000, depending on the size and type. Either way, starting a restaurant requires a significant upfront investment in your business. Business startup costs include location, materials, staff, restaurant equipment and many more expenses. It might take a while for your business to prove profitable.
  3. High turnover rate: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the restaurant industry has a turnover rate of 86.3 percent, the highest of all industries. Improving employee turnover at a restaurant can be a challenging feat. Many restaurant workers are teenagers and students looking to make money without committing to long-term positions.

Did You Know?

The restaurant industry generated more than $799 billion in revenue in 2021.

Getting off to a good start

Starting a restaurant can be an enormous venture, but with the proper steps, you can build a profitable business that keeps customers happy. 

As you start the process, consider your motivation. Are you looking for another source of income? Do you want your community raving about your new dish? Knowing what’s driving you can help you stay motivated during the long days and nights of working to build a successful business.

7 Questions to Answer Before Designing a Food Menu

The menu is one of the most important parts of any food establishment. Restaurant menu design is not as simple as it seems. The right approach to food menu design can do wonders for the brand and its profits.

Are you planning to create a new menu or redesigning the menu for your establishment? In any of these cases, there are 7 questions that you must answer before you start designing- and these are what we will talk about next.

What is your target audience?

How well do you know your existing and/or target customers? If you could not define and answer this within seconds, then you need to pause and work on this before going to the next steps.

Your target audience will help you learn about what your menu should be like and what the rest of your F&B marketing strategy must be.

Every other professional that you hire for F&B branding, be it food photographers in Singapore or an affordable graphic designer– they all will need to know what type of audience you have in mind so that they can provide you results suited to them.

Does your menu consider the prevalence of new styles of eating, diets, and food allergies?

People are becoming increasingly conscious of what they eat, and they expect their dietary preferences to be respected when they go out to eat.

Being aware of and incorporating these changes to your menu can do a lot in getting you more customers. Incorporate variants of dishes like gluten-free, vegan, free of meat, etc. in your menu if feasible.

Do include information about ingredients like nuts, seafood, etc. that people may be allergic to. Being sensitive to these factors helps in creating a welcoming experience for your customers.

Ensure that your customers are informed about any possible allergens on the menu.

Does the menu highlight your restaurant’s signature dishes or culinary style?

What sets your restaurant’s food apart from the competition? What are the signature dishes? Both these things must be prominently highlighted in the menu. Your customers should be able to order things that would make them switch from the competition to your establishment.

Does the menu design take into account the ambiance and the lighting conditions?

For instance, if your restaurant has dim lighting or a darker ambiance for fine-dining, does your menu’s creative graphic designer ensure that it is easy to read and does not strain your customer’s eyes? Ensure that your menu is easy to read and pleasing based on the setting and lighting at your restaurant.

What type of design techniques has been used to point customers towards certain dishes? Have these techniques or tricks been overused?

There are many ‘techniques’ that are used to drive customers towards certain items. Setting a decoy item, which is a higher-priced item that makes others look affordable, is a common technique.

Design elements like placing high-profit items at certain places in the menu, flow of different categories, etc. are also helpful. However- ensure that you do not overuse these techniques.

The menu must have subtle indicators towards items that you want your customers to order, not a bag of tricks that will not have any effect at all.

Have you finalized the items, descriptions, ingredients, and the cost?

You need all 4 things in place before you start working on a restaurant menu design. What items would be served, their descriptions for the menu, the ingredients to be used in them, and the menu cost of each item?

The menu cost is not the selling price of the dish- it is the total cost of all ingredients used in making the dish (excluding any labor costs of preparation and serving).

What is your plan for updating prices?

Updating a menu can be an expensive and tedious affair if you modify prices frequently. You need to have an idea of how frequently you would update the prices, what your strategy for updating the price would be and how would this price-change be rolled out.

If you will be changing pieces often, you may want to have a template that can be revised as needed. Do not cross out prices using a pen or marker. This looks unprofessional and is one of the worst things to do with such an important element of your restaurant.

Thus, once you have answers to all the 7 questions above, you can get working on the food menu design.

Answering these questions will help you in all other aspects as well- including food photography, overall marketing strategy, etc.

Once you have a clear idea and vision of what your restaurant will be and what sets it apart from the competition, you can proceed with menu design and all other important elements.

Keep these things in mind and you are sure to provide your guests with an unforgettable experience.

7 Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing New Cookware

It can be daunting to shop for new cookware, there are just so. many. options. Luckily for you, we’ve rounded up 7 of the most useful questions to ask yourself when figuring out what type of cookware, and what brand, is best for you.

There comes a point in every young adult’s life when it’s finally time to ditch the cheap and well-worn cookware for something nicer. You’ve finally started using your kitchen to cook regularly instead of just using it as a place to house leftover pizza. You’ve begun to experiment with different recipes — maybe you’ve even found yourself enjoying cooking for other people or hosting dinner parties more and more. If all of this is true, then odds are you’ve also wondered if it’s time to invest in new pots and pans to make your life easier (and more aesthetically-pleasing, too). This can feel overwhelming.

If you’ve reached this point in your life, then odds are you’ve also deduced that good cookware isn’t cheap. In fact, it can be a pretty solid investment — one you want to last for many, many years to come. All this is to say, it’s important to do research when investing in new cookware for your kitchen, home, and life. If that feels like a large task to undertake, fear not, for there are really only a handful of questions to ask you when shopping for your new kitchen gear. Here are seven of the most important ones.

1. How much space do you have in your kitchen?

First, consider what kind of space you’re working with. Do you have tons of cabinet space, drawers, or shelves? Only one single cabinet? No counter space at all? Whatever your kitchen space is, assess that first. While it’s certainly tempting to buy all the things when you first get into upgrading your kitchen, if you don’t have room for an entire 16-piece cookware set and buy it anyway, you may end up with really nice pots and pans, but also a lot of clutter. And that’s never pleasant for anyone.

2. What are your most frequently cooked meals and how many people are you cooking for?

Are you a master of pancakes? Stews? Stir-fries? All of the above? Take a second to really, honestly think about what you cook each and every day. And, no, that one single time you made a chicken pot pie doesn’t count. Again, be honest about what you cook most often — and how many people you’re cooking for.

3. What is your biggest pain point re: your current cookware? Why are you looking for new cookware?

If you’re always scraping stuck-on food off of the bottom of your frying pans, it’s understandable why you might want new cookware. But maybe that’s the case for you. Buying new cookware might make sense for other reasons, too. Perhaps your pots and pans are too small for your current cooking habits. Maybe your family is growing and you need to make cooking large amounts as easy as possible. Hey, maybe you just want a prettier set of cookware to improve the overall look of your kitchen. Whatever the situation is, really assess why you’re looking to invest in new pieces. It’ll make choosing the right pieces that much easier.

4. How important is the cookware being easy to clean for you?

Think about your current process when it comes to doing dishes. Do you dread it? Do you have to soak pots and pants for stuck-on food for hours, or overnight? Do you not have a dishwasher at all and do all the heavy duty cleaning yourself?

As much as you might love cleaning, it’s possible you hate cleaning up the mess just as much. This means that considering cookware that is as easy and stress-free to clean as possible is probably a good idea. After all, less time cleaning means more time eating, and that’s pretty hard to argue with.

5. What is your budget?

We know, we know. You were probably hoping to avoid this question. It’s not such a fun one, but it is incredibly important. How much are you willing to invest in a quality cookware set for your home? A little? A lot? Either way, be honest about how much you’re able to spend and don’t overcommit to something you’re not prepared for. This is also where it’s worth thinking about a gradual process for investing in cookware.

Maybe instead of buying a full Set, you start with a single Fry Pan or Sauce Pan and then add on when you have more disposable income. Purchasing quality cookware doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing experience. Luckily, many brands now offer payment plans to make buying cookware more accessible.

6. Do you like heavy or light pans?

This is all about personal preference, too. It’s also probably something you haven’t thought of yet. Some people prefer the feel of a heavier pan as the cook. Others want something lightweight and easy to move (this is especially good if you are going to be lifting it out of a cabinet that’s at a lower level). Assess how heavy your current pans are and then compare them against other options.

7. What color palette do you have in your home?

Finally, a fun question! What kind of color palette are you looking to have in your kitchen? Odds are you have invested in the look of your home and kitchen, so why not do the same for your cookware? And in case you didn’t know: Pots and pants don’t have to be boring.

Caraway offers shades of Perracotta, Cream, Sage, Navy, and Gray to make sure your cookware is as gorgeous as the rest of your home. An added benefit here? You can store them right on the counter instead of hiding them away. Pretty to look at, easy to reach, and entirely effective.

Surviving as a Restaurant in a Small Town

If you run a small-town restaurant you probably don’t have much competition. But you probably don’t have much of a customer base either. You can fix that by expanding your geographical reach. Create a specialty that will make your restaurant famous and bring customers from miles away. Offer to cater special events and consider hosting food competitions and you’ll put your little hamlet and your restaurant on the map.

Specialty Items

  1. Perfect a menu item that will make people beg for more. Perhaps it’s Aunt Betty’s pecan pie, big juicy hamburgers with your secret sauce or fried chicken that makes your customers misty-eyed with memories of home. Feature local agricultural products on the menu.

Marketing

  1. Capture the attention of passers-by with billboards and advertising posted at major highways and roads intersecting your town. Announce in bold letters that your restaurant is home of the famous cheesecake, or whatever your claim to fame might be. Place ads in regional newspapers with coupons to give tourists an incentive to drive out of their way for your restaurant. Suggest a weekly “Know your neighbor” column to the editor at the local newspaper and offer to give the first interview.

Food Festivals

  1. Sponsor a festival featuring your specialty or the regional agriculture. If you live in the nation’s cranberry capital, create a killer cobbler recipe and feature it in the annual cranberry festival. Include your restaurant’s name in all promotional materials. Invite local and neighboring communities to attend and compete in a cooking contest. As word of the festival spreads it will attract visitors, boosting the economy of your small town and lending credibility to your restaurant. Look for opportunities to strut your cooking skills at other festivals and competitions.

Catering

  1. Take your cooking skills on the road and offer to cater parties, festivals, sporting events and fundraisers. Catering is a great way for your restaurant to make an extra profit and will help you integrate into the community so you become an essential part of the fabric of your small town.

Specials

  1. Design your menu around specific market segments. Hold a kids night so parents can feel comfortable about dining out with their small children without worrying about disturbing other diners. If your community has a large elderly population or many devout churchgoers, offer senior discounts or extended hours for “after church” Sunday brunch. Build up a regular trade with daily and weekly specials.

Cooking School

  1. Share your culinary skills by offering cooking classes that focus on your strong suit, be it baking, grilling, soups or appetizers. Hold cooking demonstrations and let the audience sample the food. Invite a wine steward to present and serve wine pairings from the local winery that complement the food.

Customer Service

  1. All the great food, ambiance and daily specials won’t keep customers and attract new ones if they don’t enjoy their dining experience. Offer excellent service with a smile and value for the money and your customers will keep coming back and help you grow your business through word of mouth.

5 Great Ways to Market a Small-Town Restaurant

Running a successful restaurant in a small town certainly presents unique challenges (and opportunities), particularly compared to your big-city counterparts, but take a look at these great marketing ideas to promote your distinct local food and service.

Like any business, large or small, brick-and-mortar or strictly online, marketing is still all about spreading the word about your product and services – whether it’s word of mouth, online or print promotions.

Much of what you’re doing to market your restaurant – beyond consistently serving quality food – is identifying and reaching potential customers in their space with an appealing and engaging message that will prompt them to come to your space.  (Or to encourage current customers to keep coming!) 

Try out any of these ideas to effectively market your small-town restaurant and increase business.

Get your restaurant listed on search engines 

It’s a must-have marketing tool for any type of business – your listing in search engine business pages and mapping services. Fill out a Google My Business page to steer people to your door, people searching for a restaurant in your area or someone specifically searching for your restaurant. Your Google business profile also connects your would-be customers via Google Maps.

It’s free to set up a Google My Business listing – being listed correctly can make a difference in search engine traffic.  And you can also use your Google profile to feature new menu items, promotions or updated hours.

“The best part about these searches is they’re already looking for what you offer – a great restaurant experience – so it doesn’t take much convincing to get them to choose you,” writes Adam Guild, a serial tech entrepreneur and CEO of restaurant marketing agency Placepull, in an article on Forbes’ Community Council website.

Share images of your delicious food 

Social media is an excellent way to reach potential new customers and a photo is the surest way to entice them to come in. Whether it’s of your specialty dish or your everyday fare, share photos of your delicious food. Make it part of your marketing effort to post (edited) photos at prime times of day, when people are most likely hungry for what you’re serving – breakfast, lunch or dinner.

This quote from a modernresaurant.com article explains it best: “An image of a tasty dish is registered by the brain faster than any words, and it triggers all of the pleasure centers in the brain.”

Speaking of social media . . . if you don’t already have a profile page and accounts set up for your restaurant on key social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), make it so. Ask your friends and family members help you build a following – by liking your page and, even further, encourage them to “check in” while they’re at your restaurant and ask them to share your posts with their friends and followers.

Get out in the community

Look for opportunities to get your restaurant name and menu out in the community. It can be tricky to get away to network (owning a restaurant business takes a lot of time!) but find venues that suit your schedule and spread the word in person – a Main Street event in your town or a Chamber of Commerce gathering in a nearby town. 

Other ways to reach out to the community you’re in include running an ad in the local school program or creating and posting flyers with your menu (include a photo!) and your hours at well-traveled spots in town, such as the laundromat or a community or sports center.

Appreciate customers

As a small town restaurant owner, you might know many of your regular customers, especially if you’ve been in business for a while. Show them your appreciation by stopping at their table to say hello when you can – it goes a long way toward keeping them as repeat customers. Also, make it a point to visit a table of customers you’ve never seen before; they may be new to town or just passing through. Your simple gesture could give them another reason – besides the delicious food and great service – to tell the folks in their hometown about your restaurant.

Run coupons or special occasion specials

Make a coupon part of your ad in the town’s newspaper or school program or put it in a flyer and post it at the local library or any location where there’s a public bulletin board. The coupon can be as simple as a free drink with lunch or dinner. You can also create more incentives and “occasions” for customers to come to your restaurant by promoting a special menu items or price for a particular day or month.

It’s a popular technique used in city-located restaurants – create promotional opportunities around designated days of the month or use the entire month to celebrate someone or something. For example, Mother’s Day in May. There’s basically a day or month for every food or person – find what appeals to your customers, i.e., Siblings Day, National Military Spouse Day, or to your menu, such as National Pi Day. Research a designated day or month that best suits your restaurant specialty, whether it’s fried chicken or salsa.

Find the marketing ideas that help your restaurant build a loyal following, because when it comes to restaurant marketing repeat business is the key.

The Only 4 Ways to Increase Restaurant Sales

increase restaurant sales fast

This article was originally posted in March, 2013, focusing on the only four ways to increase restaurant sales. A lot has changed in our industry since then as we saw the rise and fall of daily discounts, an ever-changing economy and a surge of new and focused restaurants in all segments.

As consumers are dining out more, there is a constant battle for their business and competition is no longer limited to restaurants “like me” — fast-casuals compete with both quick service and casual dining, and grocery and convenience stores are moving in on their share of wallet, too, not to mention other unconventional competitors like movie theaters and even gas stations. And fine dining is getting a face-lift to keep up with focused upscale casual restaurants.

As we look for ways to influence dining decisions across all occasions, one thing will not change: there are still only four ways to increase restaurant sales.

There are many marketing and advertising tactics you can use within each, and many ways a restaurant can look to increase profits, from controlling costs to smaller portions; but there really are only four ways for a restaurant to increase sales.

1. Increase Number of New Customers

It’s no secret that restaurants need more customers to succeed, and attracting new customers is one of the ways in which you increase your customer count. There are a myriad of tactics to get new customers in the door. Some allow you to keep your brand equity, some may cause you to discount it, but getting new customers to try your location provides growth potential.

Tactics such as targeted emails, mobile applications, a social media presence and detailed web pages with directions and menus will draw new diners into your restaurant. Be sure you are working with a reputable company with valid email addresses that can help you reach the right targeted audience when it comes to acquiring new customers for your restaurant.

2. Increase Frequency of Existing Customers

Once you gain those new customers, keep them coming back often. This can be accomplished by providing an engaging experience both inside the restaurant and after they leave. Exceptional service, food, value and atmosphere all contribute to the restaurant experience. But what about after they leave?

Individual communication with customers is key to staying top of mind and completing the customer experience. Responding to all customer feedback, acknowledging concerns, and thanking customers for compliments (typically through reviews) will let your customers know you care about their opinion and appreciate their choice to dine with you, which will set you apart from the nameless and faceless competition. Providing incentives for coming back or rewarding for a return visit reinforces the value you see in a returning customer.

3. Increase Spend

Would you like to order an appetizer before your meal? I can recommend a great bottle of wine that would be perfect with both of your meals. Can I interest you in dessert? Seasoned fries with your burger?

Now that your seats are filled, ordering one extra item at each table can take your daily sales to a new level. Be sure your staff is attentive and reading the right signs to urge additional items. And when you pull in the right customers, they are willing to spend more, especially if it means they will get more restaurant rewards for doing so. For example, Rewards Network members actually spend an average of 23% more than non-members at program restaurant.

4. Increase rate of Table Turn/Flow-Through

Now that your restaurant is filled and everyone has ordered dessert, there is only one more way to increase restaurant sales – do it all over again, as many times as possible in a day. This doesn’t mean you should rush customers through their experience, but it does mean that you should be staffed appropriately to handle your tables and traffic.

In a full service restaurant consider the following: Are checks being presented and collected in a timely manner? Are tables bussed and reset as soon as your guests leave? Do you have the right mix of tables for your average dinner party sizes?

Or, in the case of a limited service restaurant, do you have enough registers/POS systems in place? Can you add express ordering lines, or a separate station for call-ahead order pick-up?

Maximize your restaurant’s potential by mastering these four ways to increase restaurant sales.

How to Start Your Food Business: an 8-step Guide

How to Start a Small Restaurant Business

Not sure how to start your food business? Find out what to consider, and how to make it happen with our practical 8-step guide.

Are you an aspiring restaurateur with a fresh new business idea, but not sure where to start? Well, it turns out that now might actually be a great time to take the plunge. Research shows that the food service industry is booming, and is set to reach $4.2 trillion with an annual CAGR of 3.6% by 2024.

But the idea of starting up your own F&B business may seem daunting, especially when the outlook for start-ups is bleak. Research shows that as many as 90% of new restaurants fail. The silver lining is that 10% don’t.

So to help you get started, we’ve pulled together an 8-step beginner’s guide, with insider tips to give you every chance at success.

1. Make a solid Business Plan

The first thing you’ll want to do before making any investment is do your research, diligently. Spend a few weeks (or even months) getting a deeper understanding of the broader foodservice landscape, your customer target, latest trends and competitors, and start writing a business plan for your investors. Think of it as exploring your 4C’s: customer, consumer, channel and context.

For this, you’ll want to:

  • Define your target market: Who is your new business targeting ­– baby boomers, gen X, gen Z, empty nesters, seniors? Once you’ve defined your target segment, make sure you understand what they buy, why they buy, where they buy from and what makes them tick. This will help you create a relevant, targeted offering.
  • Define your USP: Find what sets you apart from the rest of the herd. Have a look at what your direct (and indirect) competitors are doing, and establish your point of competitive difference. Now here, it doesn’t’ have to be radical, but it does have to be relevant. For example, if you’re targeting young families, creating a child-friendly establishment with nutritious children’s meals could be enough to give you a leg up on the competition.
  • Define your restaurant style: Are you thinking of opening a bakery, coffeeshop, quick-service, fast-casual or full-service dining restaurant? Each one of these channels requires their own unique approach, operating hours and investment, so make sure to pick one that suits you as an individual, and the work schedule that you’ll want to have.
  • Select your food type/menu offering: Think carefully about your menu and the type of food you’ll want to offer – and do so early on in the process. Find out what the latest menu trends are (especially for your target market) and tailor your offering to them. Some of the hottest trends right now include: vegetarian/vegan diets, allergy-friendly & gluten-free menu options and sourcing your produce locally.
  • Define your brand: Your branding – from your logo and the imagery you use, to the design of your menu, music you play and even and uniforms of your staff – define what your business is all about, and what you stand for. It sets the tone for your restaurant and lets your customers know what they can expect. Think carefully about how you want to position yourself and what you want your identity to be.

Once you have your business plan in place, go out into the world – and test it. Find some of your target customers and ask them for their thoughts and impressions. This could be as simple as polling a handful of people off the street to a full-blown market research study.

2. Secure your financing

Now it’s time to sort your finances. But not everyone who wants to start a restaurant has the personal funding to do so. In fact, most don’t.

Thankfully, there are lots of other ways that you can find funding for your new venture:

  • Get a business loan
  • Turn to family/friends
  • Find outside investors or bring in a partner
  • Use crowdfunding
  • Get government aid

Just remember that it’s likely to take years before you turn your first profit, and money will be tight at first. So think about starting small (you can always scale up) and choose your business partners wisely, because they’ll be around for a good while.

3. Choose your location

You know what they say: “location, location, location”. Well, as it turns out, that’s not always the case. The location you choose for your establishment will depend on the a number of factors, and unless you’re relying heavily on foot-traffic, you don’t necessarily need to be in the hottest new retail location.

Here are a few factors you’ll want to consider:

  • Cost: based on your sales and profit projections, what can you afford to spend on rent?
  • Accessibility to potential customers: how are you customers getting to your restaurant, by foot, by car, by public transport?
  • Restrictive ordinances: some neighborhoods have strict noise regulations or restrictions on the times when your suppliers can deliver your produce
  • Proximity to other businesses: competitors and other businesses can influence your traffic, so map out what’s happening around you, and how it could affect your business
  • Plans for the future: consider what the neighborhood will look like in 2, 5, 10 years, and if there are any major development projects underway that could change the local landscape

4. Design the layout of your space

Once you have the a venue, it’s time to start working on the layout and design your space.

Of course, this will depend on the type of establishment you’re running, but typically restaurants dedicate about 45-60% of their space to the dining area, about 35% to the kitchen area and the remainder to storage and office space.

Think carefully about the layout of your kitchen and dining areas, and make sure there’s a smooth flow between the two. Prep space is also critical, so make sure your chefs have enough room to plate, garnish and decorate their dishes.

And most importantly: don’t cut corners in your dining area. This is the stage of the show – literally where all of the magic happens – so finding the right ambiance and decor to make your customers feel welcome is critical to success.

5. Choose your suppliers

As a restaurateur, you’ll be working with a number of different suppliers – from furnishings to POS systems, bar equipment, kitchen appliances and of course, food. Make your wish list, scope out your short and long-term budget, and go on the hunt for your partners. But remember that while you don’t want to cut corners when it comes to quality, over-priced suppliers can minimize your margins and run your business into the ground. So make sure to negotiate, hard.

But where do you start looking? Try going to wholesale retailers, local farmer’s markets, F&B conventions, ask for recommendations from fellow restaurateurs or just do a simple Google search.

You’ll be looking for a trustworthy supplier, who has a good track record of providing quality products and rota of successful partnerships. For food suppliers, be sure to about their delivery schedules and food safety management practices. And go local – they usually offer fresher ingredients.

6. Get your licences and permits 

When it comes to regulations, every country, county and city is different. But make sure that you check in with your local regulatory office, and consider getting legal counsel to make sure you adhere to all of your local health & safety codes and food regulations. Just know that some licenses can take months to acquire, so make sure to get started on this process well before opening day.

7. Start hiring your employees

First, think about what staff you need to hire for your restaurant type. Based on the scale of your restaurant, this may include: HR managers, purchasing experts, accountants, marketing & sales managers, chefs and sommeliers, waiters, hosts, bartenders and cleaning and dish-washing staff. Make sure to hire enough staff for each job, and anticipate shift planning and back-ups in case of illnesses and vacations.

Look for candidates with sufficient experience and a successful track-record, who are quick on their feet, can multi-task and are efficient. All of your employees should work well under pressure, and customer-facing staff should have exceptional social skills.

And when it comes to hiring staff, you can never be too careful – so do your due diligence. Make sure to do background checks, conduct several face-to-face interviews and call their references.

8. Advertise your business

Before opening your restaurant, you’ll want to do a fair amount of advertising to alert your local community that there’s a new eatery on the block.

And while word of mouth is still the best form of publicity, here are a few other ways you might like to consider announcing your new venture:

  • Build a great website: make sure that it’s easy to navigate and includes all of the key information, including your opening times, menu, a booking engine and if/how you cater to special requests
  • Use social media: create accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, and share relevant news and high-quality photos of your restaurant and the behind-the-scenes process as you’re getting ready for opening day
  • Put an ad in the local newspaper (and online news platform)
  • Host a soft opening: this is not only a great practice-run before opening day, but will also help create some buzz about your restaurant within your local community. Make the guest-list small, and consider having a soft opening for family & friends, followed by one for local businesses and partners.
  • Offer promotions to new guests: offer a free drink or dessert for the first 10, 50 or 100 customers – you’ll be remembered for your hospitality and generosity. After all, who doesn’t love free stuff?

And with that, we leave you with one last tip for success: work hard, don’t give up, and be prepared to risk it all. Starting any new venture will be a challenge and most likely an uphill battle, but in the end, nothing tastes sweeter than victory.

How to Increase Restaurant Sales

How to Increase Restaurant Sales: 6 Genius Restaurant Marketing Ideas

Maintaining your restaurant’s sales amidst fierce competition and rapidly changing trends can be a challenge. A key to success is finding the balance between acquiring new customers vs. retaining existing customers. With any new goal, you can best approach this by creating a plan and breaking it down into actionable steps. To help you reach the goal of increasing your restaurant sales, we’ve identified six restaurant improvement ideas you can try:

1. Diversify Your Services

Restaurant delivery and takeout services have been rising steadily in popularity and are essential to maintaining your sales in the current climate. Restrictions on restaurants due to the coronavirus pandemic are limiting dine-in services in many states. By diversifying your services to include takeout, delivery, and curbside pickup, you can help to increase your sales and weather this crisis. If you haven’t made plans to offer these services yet, here are some tips:

food delivery services

1. Create a takeout and delivery menu. Create a separate menu for takeout and delivery only and make it a simplified version of your dine-in menu. Choose items that are easy to prepare and travel well. Avoid delicate items that could fall apart or melt during transit.

2. Provide curbside pickup. For the quickest takeout service, you can provide curbside pickup to your customers. If you have a parking lot, reserve a couple of spaces near your entrance. Train your staff on the proper procedures for handling curbside orders and accepting payment.

3. Implement delivery services. If you’ve been thinking about setting up delivery services for your restaurant, now is the perfect time. You don’t even need your own delivery fleet thanks to the availability of reliable third party delivery services like Grub hub and Postmates. When your customers can’t come to you, you can adapt by bringing your services to their homes.

4. Optimize your drive-thru window. If you already have a drive-thru window, keep the area stocked with the items you need to serve customers quickly. Napkins, plastic cutlery, and condiments should be kept in plain sight so they are never forgotten. Test out your speakers to make sure they are working at the appropriate level and customers can hear you clearly. You can also work with your drive-thru team to set expectations about how long it should take orders to be completed.

5. Institute online ordering. Update your restaurant website to provide online ordering for takeout, delivery, and drive-thru service. Many customers find it easier to order online instead of by phone because they can place orders instantly at any time they choose. You can expedite the entire process by also accepting online payment.

2. Enhance Your Mobile Presence

social media for restaurants

It’s no secret that more and more people access the web primarily on their mobile devices. No matter how much time you put into your business’s website, if it’s not optimized for phones and tablets, the majority of your customers will bounce right off the page. Make sure you’re website looks great and functions properly on tablets, phones, and desktops alike. Try these tips to increase your mobile presence:

1. List your business on Google My Business. If you don’t have a website for your restaurant, the easiest thing you can do to help customers find your business is to create a Google My Business (GMB) listing with your address, hours of operation, phone number, and pictures of your location. GMB listings also allow your customers to review your restaurant and post photos of your food dishes online.

2. Create social media accounts. Similarly, try setting up social media accounts for your business and maintain an active online presence. If you don’t have time to monitor messages coming through your social networks, put one of your managers in charge of replying to inquiries.

3. Make announcements through social media. Another great thing about having a business account for social media is that you can make announcements for any events you may be hosting. You can use it to alert customers if your business is closed unexpectedly for a power outage or other unforeseen reason. Of course it’s also a perfect way to connect with your community and humanize your brand. Overall, you can use social media as a tool to accomplish many of the customer retention strategies mentioned above.

3. Attract New Customers to Your Restaurant

You probably know the importance of first impressions. A regular customer is more likely to forgive a sub-par experience than a brand new customer. But, even more common than a bad restaurant experience is a forgettable one. Making just a little extra effort to give your guests a great first experience goes a long way towards turning them into loyal customers. Take steps to stay in touch and create a personal connection with them.

Three Ways to Attract New Customers to Your Restaurant

You know that reaching new customers is important, but now the question is how to reach them. Below are a few common techniques you can use:

1. Participate in your city’s restaurant week. Restaurant week got its start in New York as a way to celebrate restaurants in the area. While every city has its own take on this tradition, the basic idea is that the city chooses one week out of the year to showcase their restaurants, and local restaurant owners can choose if they’d like to participate. Participating restaurants promote special discounted offers that are valid throughout the week. This is a great way to reach new customers because offering discounts encourages people to try your food.

If you want to learn more about how to get involved in this type of event, check out our blog on restaurant week.

yelp for restaurants

2. Use marketing techniques to attract new customers. Of course, there are many traditional marketing tactics you can turn to, but ad placements can cost a lot of money. Having a strong social media presence, however, costs nothing but your time. If you want to put some money towards paid social media advertising, it can be an affordable alternative to purchasing ads in newspapers. You can even encourage customers to write reviews of their experience dining with you, which will add to your restaurant marketing efforts.

Find more techniques for reaching new customers in our article on social media marketing for restaurants.

3. Develop a first-time customer program. This usually involves giving away coupons that encourage customers to come back. Alternatively, you can give your new customers a free appetizer, dessert, or beverage with the purchase of an entree. This is a great way of showing your customers how much you appreciate their business, and it can help set your business apart from the competition.

4. Use Customer Retention Strategies to Increase Customer Loyalty

restaurant loyalty card

In many cases, you can think of your loyal customers as free advertising. Word of mouth is one of the best ways any business will gain traction. People generally don’t trust paid ads, but they do trust their friend’s recommendation of a favorite place to eat. This means that your loyal customers are invaluable to the success of your business, and they should be treated as such.

Three Ways to Retain Customers

There are a few techniques many successful restaurants use to keep their best customers coming back time and time again:

1. Develop a customer loyalty program. There are a lot of ways you can set up your loyalty program, but one of the most common is to create a membership card that tracks each time a customer visits your restaurant, so they can work towards earning a free item of your choosing. Offering free drinks and desserts is often a good choice because they’re less expensive than an entree, but they will still make your guests feel appreciated. You can set up a card that tracks points in your POS system or a punch card that gets a new hole each time the customer visits.

live music at restaurants

2. Get involved in the local community. Hosting a charity event for a cause you care about is a great way to give back to the community and customers will notice the extra effort. For example, choose a day where you donate 10% of your profits to a charity. You can advertise the event in advance so that customers will know to dine in your restaurant that day if they’d like to contribute to the cause. Hosting cooking classes, beer tastings, or anything that educates customers about your product is another great way to help the local community feel invested in your brand.

3. Organize events. Something as simple as offering a space for community events, like company parties, can go a long way towards building a relationship with the community. Hosting weekly trivia encourages customers to come out to your bar on a weeknight. Booking live music is another great way to get customers to visit your business more regularly. Overall, organizing games or music helps people feel relaxed in your establishment and encourages them to stay longer and purchase more from your menu.

5. Train Your Servers on Upselling Techniques

A skilled server will be able to increase your restaurant’s sales with simple conversation. Effective upselling ultimately leaves the customer in control of their decision and doesn’t make them feel pressured to buy more. Rather, it will plant the seed that tempts them into ordering more than they may have originally intended. When it comes to teaching your staff these techniques, there are three main upselling tips to keep in mind:

restaurant cocktail

1. Describe a menu item. The first opportunity to upsell comes shortly after guests are seated. Before drink orders are taken, encourage your servers to describe their favorite specialty drinks on the menu. Pointing out creative cocktails may entice a customer enough to try one, even if they had originally thought of having just water.

2. Assume your guests will want an entree. You can use the same technique as you did with the drinks. Servers can simply start describing items on the menu as a way to help customers think about trying one of those options. Another popular opportunity for upselling is to ask customers if they’d like to include an extra side with their meal. But if you charge extra for that side, be sure to mention it, so your guests aren’t confused when they get the bill.

3. Suggest more things to try. When everyone is finished with their entree, suggest that they try a dessert or after-dinner drinks. Again, naming off a few dessert options may tempt your customers to try one.

There’s even more opportunity to upsell if your server is speaking with a first-time customer because they will be eager to learn about your menu items. They’re also more likely to be interested in trying the server’s suggestions than a patron who has dined at your establishment many times.

6. Maximize Your Table Turnover Rate

The more food you sell, the more money you make, and the obvious way to sell more food is to serve more people. This is where table turnover comes into play. While you can’t control how long guests take to eat their meal, there are a few tricks that can increase the efficiency of your service. Here are a few things to try:

1. Have an organized seating system. Things like hostess stands and reservations are pretty common seating systems restaurants use to know how many guests to expect and manage the flow of guests coming through the door.

2. Keep your serving staff on schedule. Make sure that your restaurant has enough employees to cover all the guests in your dining room and train your staff take drink orders in a timely manner and bring out the check promptly at the end of the meal.

3. Use technology to your advantage. Some restaurants will use mobile POS systems to eliminate the need for servers to walk back and forth to the register to process credit cards.

4. Update your dining room. Some dining rooms are simply set up in such a way to make people want to linger. There are a few tricks your business can use when arranging your furniture that can encourage patrons to move along. Additionally, seating small parties at smaller tables can help ensure that you have ample space when larger parties arrive.

5. Make your menu more compact. Limiting the amount of items on your menu simplifies everything from the amount of time customers spend deciding on their meal to the amount of time your chef will take to prepare each dish.

If slow turnaround is an issue at your restaurant, try out a few different techniques to see if there’s a way you can improve the pace of your dining room.

Master the art of flipping tables with additional insight from our article on maximizing table turnover.

An important part of running any successful business is assessing and reassessing the way things are running. Restaurant owners are constantly thinking of ways to improve processes and increase efficiency. When it comes to finding ways of increasing sales in your restaurant, there are many factors to take into account. The good news is that many of the basic principles remain the same across all types of dining establishments, so if you follow the basic checklist of attracting new customers while thinking of ways to retain customers, and fill in those basic steps with practical business techniques and restaurant marketing, you’ll be on the road to success in no time.

5 Ways to Improve Your Restaurant Menu So You Sell More Food

Your restaurant menu is more than a list of items that you sell. It’s a guide for customers to decide what to buy. With a little elbow grease, you can improve your menu to convince customers to buy certain items, choose larger sizes, and taste test your latest specials. Managers need to know what they’re doing when they create a menu and why certain factors make customers spend more.

Before you redesign your menu, consider these five factors that could make or break your sales goals for the next quarter.

1. Promote the sale of specific items with photos.

Most people are visual learners and respond to visual stimulation. Seeing a picture of the appetizing meal they’re considering ordering can convince them to buy it.

In some studies, restaurants were able to boost sales by 30% by adding photos of food along with the text. Psychologists at Iowa State University a study with YMCA campers in a cafeteria. Kids who saw a photo of the salad they could order were 70% more likely to choose it than if the text was the only promo for the food item. The kids responded to the image in the same way they would respond to a plate of food in front of them.

Not only can you improve your restaurant menu by adding images to it, but you can also test promoting specific meals by including images of them instead of others. If you’re trying to sell a specific menu item, a high-quality image could entice customers to buy it more.

2. Improve your restaurant menu with descriptive titles.

There are certain words that customers respond to when they read a menu. Terms like freshorganiccrispyspicy, and savory all provide information about the food they’re about to order while eliciting an emotional response.

Consider the two descriptions below:

  • Salad with arugula,  tomato, cucumber, and bacon.
  • Farmhouse salad with fresh arugula, tomato, cucumber, and crispy bacon.

Adding a few descriptive words makes the menu item seem more appealing and of higher quality.

Along with featuring adjectives on your digital signage, consider changing the names to better express your theme. Using the same example above, a farmhouse salad sounds more organic and rustic than simply calling it a salad. This title would work for a fast-casual Southern chain, regardless of whether a farmhouse actually had anything to do with the food.

A little creativity can help customers latch on to the memories associated with the food and convince them to buy your food based on their emotions, not just their stomachs and wallets.

3. Invest in digital signage boards.

One way you can constantly improve your restaurant menu is with digital signage. More fast-casual restaurants are moving toward this option in order to save money on printing fees and embrace the flexibility that comes with digital content.

A few reasons to consider making the switch to digital include:

  • Being able to constantly update content with better designs and layouts.
  • Easily and affordably test different layouts to see what works.
  • Remove out-of-stock products to prevent customer confusion and manage inventory.
  • You don’t have to keep breakfast, lunch, and dinner options up all day. You can change your menu content at different times of day using time-parting. 
  • Your customers can clearly read and understand your menu.
  • Quickly change content to meet FDA Requirements for menus.

Even companies that have a relatively static menu without changing specials or different options throughout the day can benefit from digital signage.

Digital menu boards allow brands to constantly improve and create designs that grow their businesses.

4. Pay attention to how your customer’s eyes travel.

Along with making sure your menu content is clear and easy to read, there are a few tricks you can implement to convince customers to buy items with high-profit margins for your restaurant.

For example:

  • Customers tend to read a menu starting with the top right corner, making this a prime spot for dish placement.
  • Placing your most expensive dish in the first spot can boost sales, while making the rest of your dishes seem more affordable by comparison.
  • A third of diners consider ordering the first dish they see.

Starbucks is a great example of this menu placement. In the typical franchise, the customer’s eye starts in the top-right corner of the menu boards. This is where many locations post drink specials, lattes, and frappuccinos. After these more expensive items, the menu boards present drip coffee and tea, two of the less expensive categories.

Comparatively, a drip coffee seems less expensive than a latte, though many customers decide to order a seasonal item or frappuccino because they’re the first items they see.

5. Update your menus with seasonal items and specials.

Seasonal items and specials increase foot traffic and encourage customers to buy higher-ticketed items. When customers realize they only have a limited time to buy an item, they’re likely to make an effort to stop by and enjoy it while supplies last. The McDonald’s Shamrock Shake and McRib are two key examples of this.

Even monthly or weekly specials can encourage your regular customers to stray from their normal menu items and consider buying something new, more expensive, or seasonal. 

The key to selling these items is placement. By featuring the special items prominently close to the top-right corner of your menu or creating a special call-out sign or poster for it, restaurant owners can ensure that their customers are informed about the new items and are eager to try them.

Upgrade Your Restaurant Menu Sooner Rather Than Later

The keys to improving your restaurant menu are testing and flexibility. Brands that try to improve their signage by following the latest, best practices are more likely to grow their sales than those who keep static signage for several months or years.

Is your store making the most of its menu boards? Spectrio can help! If you want to improve your sales through menu upgrades, schedule a demo with us on digital screens and menu displays.