Owning a restaurant means more than picking a venue and hiring staff – a lot of first-time restaurant owners massively underestimate how much work it takes to secure a steady base of frequently visiting customers. Knowing that good food isn’t everything is important. More and more guests are searching for an experience to remember, and overly themed restaurants simply don’t do the trick anymore.
But what is it that makes a dining experience memorable and unforgettable? What is it that pushes guests to choose your establishment? How do you manage to stay afloat in the fierce competition of the hospitality industry?
In this article you can learn more about the three fundamentals which will make every restaurant visit unforgettable. From little tweaks to more major changes – no matter what, this list will help you become more successful when it comes to managing your restaurant.
1. Friendly and efficient customer service
Eating out is a treat for many people. The joy of being offered a choice of dishes without having to clean afterwards is a huge contributing factor as to why people decide to leave their home and spent extra money on a nice meal. It should come naturally that good service enhances this experience – but what exactly makes service good?
Servers attend dozens of guests every evening. This work can be demanding – but it shouldn’t make guests feel like they are just a number. The first thing customers see when walking in are the hosts and servers and it is their job to make a good first impression. Sincerity and positivity are of upmost importance, as well as someone who is excited to serve them.
The perfect server is probably outgoing, able to multitask, move at a fast pace and perform under pressure with a smile. The servers are responsible for being efficient and keeping the waiting time short for all guests. People like that are hard to find and should be treated well in order for them to stay at your establishment.
Gaining the trust of your guests can be as simple as remembering their name. Studies show that remembering a person’s name is a great way to make people like you. It’s also important to listen to the dietary needs and restrictions of your guests and take them seriously. To make customers come back again and again, your servers should be able to answer all of their menu related questions in a heartbeat.
Your servers and hosts are the face of your company and are also the ones in direct contact with every guest. If customers don’t like their servers, they probably won’t enjoy as well, no matter how hard the server is working. To invest in good servers and hosts is always beneficiary for both sides – customers and owners.
2. Consistently great food
Even though good food isn’t everything, it surely is a big part of whether people visit your restaurant or decide to dine somewhere else. There are a lot of contributing factors when it comes to good food. High quality ingredients, experienced chefs, a wide selection of dishes and most importantly, Wabi Sushi, consistence, can make or break a guest’s dining experience. To ensure consistently good food, quality control is of upmost importance. It does matter whether a meal was superb once but okay another time – because the customer will always remember the worse experience more prominently.
Good food does not exclusively happen in the kitchen either. Miscommunication between the guests and the servers, and the servers and the kitchen staff, can taint a dining experience, too. To prevent this from happening, each and every person you’ve hired should hold each other accountable at all times. If there’s a mistake, call it out immediately. Cooks should consistently evaluate the quality of the dishes they’re cooking, and servers should double-check to verify the meal looks like it is supposed to.
The presentation of every meal is important, too. It has been shown that customers are willing to pay more for a well-presented meal. In German there’s the saying: “Das Auge isst mit”, meaning you eat with your eyes as well, which is an important lesson for all restaurant owners.
3. A memorable atmosphere
Besides service and food, the ambience of your restaurant is another contributing factor to a great dining experience. A beautiful and innovative venue, high quality furniture, subtle lighting and a clever lay-out can all massively enhance what’s on your plate. It is best to find a coherent colour scheme for all furniture and lighting and stick to it through the whole establishment. If you establish a certain atmosphere, this will be an extension of your brand and a powerful way to drive traffic to your restaurant.
While fast food places mostly stick to bright fluorescent lighting, the ambiance at a fancy restaurant should be more warm. Warm light is always more appealing and soft lighting makes your restaurant more inviting.
Interested in enhancing the atmosphere at your restaurant? Hoga.Search offers you loads of inspiration for the interior decoration of your restaurant. In order to get more regular customers and give your guests an unforgettable culinary experience, you should consider contacting Hoga.Search.
4. Conclusion
There are always ways to enhance the customers dining experience in your restaurant. The best restaurants explore a story, a place, culture or tradition with their ambiance and menu. Good service, high quality food and the right atmosphere are the three pillars of every restaurant – and will be as long as people choose to eat out.
