Everyone likes going out for a bite to eat and a few drinks, right? Your favorite restaurants make their industry seem easy, but there is more to a good night out than a few warm plates. Setting up in the restaurant business takes a lot of hard work and patience but the rewards make it well worth your time.
Opening a restaurant isn’t like opening any other business. This isn’t just about finding the right software or increasing your profit margins – although, it has to be said that restaurant accounting software is very useful! A successful restaurant is about the experience your customers get. This is intrinsically linked to the personality behind the food.
It’s All About Personality
If you go to buy a dress and the cashier is a bit sniffy with you, you probably wouldn’t let it bother you too much. But if you had a similar experience with a waiter in a restaurant, you probably wouldn’t go back.
A good waiter doesn’t just earn tips. They earn the respect of the customers and encourage them to come back again and again. A bit of charisma goes a really long way in this industry. When we go to a restaurant, we all like to feel as though we are dining with friends. One of the very first priorities you should have when you set up your business is to hire the very best wait staff. You can then train and guide them to be even better!
Define the Experience
Whether you are opening a restaurant with silver service or a fast food joint with shakes and burgers, you need to make sure that your target audience can find you. Like any other business, you must stand out to get noticed.
Everything from the music you play to the interior design of your restaurant has an impact on the impression you give your audience. The menu choices are an important factor in the decision-making process. But, when almost everywhere is doing pizza, you need to offer a few extras to make your restaurant stand out.
Be Creative
For any business to thrive, you must be creative with your offering. This means taking some risks and working hard to provide your customers with the unexpected. There are all kinds of creative ideas you can incorporate into any restaurant from hosting themed nights to designing a highly ‘grammable’ interior.
Though you can choose to present any experience you like, the very best are those that leave the customer with something share: a great selfie, a brilliant anecdote or a wonderful review. Switching things up every so often is a good idea to keep your restaurant fresh and vibrant. Just make sure your business is still recognizable!
Chef Michael Shelton, Jr. serves as the Executive Chef at Apolline Restaurant located on historic Magazine Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. He frequently creates new menu selections which encourage customers to return and attracts new customers as well. He uses social media posting videos and photos to showcase his work. Working as a Chef is not just a job for him. It’s an art form through which he communicates with his customers making them feel special and appreciated.
When you go to a restaurant, you are looking for more than a great meal at a good price. You are looking for an experience. Once you have realized this about your own business, you can almost guarantee you will attract more customers and enjoy better returns.
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Executive and Leadership Coach. She is the President of Infinity Coaching, Inc. where she can help you up-level your skills, so you can up-level your income, career, business or life. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides coaching, organizational training, personality assessments, and a signature program, the Infinity Coaching Inner Circle. Carolyn is certified to give both The Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. You can find out more about both assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
