Just like in recent years, we continue to see great demand for delivery service, local ingredient sourcing, and convenience.

Here are some more top consumer trends you can expect to have a significant impact on the food service industry.

Speed

Thanks in large part to social media, and Amazon Prime, we are truly living in an on-demand world.  People want what they want, and they want it as fast as possible….including access to the food they are craving.

New restaurant technology such as Yelp Reservations is looking to speed up the reservation process, while other technologies improve ordering, cooking, and payment processing efficiency, enabling 21st diners the convenience of engaging in a modern form of “dine and dashing”.

The rise of cashless payment options like ApplePay and SamsungPay (sorry Crypto fans), kiosk ordering from McDonald’s and Taco Bell, tableside ordering and payment Ziosks has removed some of the common barriers related to ordering and paying that your customers can potentially benefit from.

Eco-Friendly Alternatives

Following the movement to #StopSucking, restaurants nationwide continue to support legislation discouraging the use of single-use plastics – like straws, and plastic bags.

It’s no secret that eco-friendly business practices have been a trend for the last few years now.  Studies have shown that a majority of global millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable products by brands committed to a positive social and environmental impact.

With the announcement of Loop coalition of major brands including Nestle, and PepsiCo and about a dozen other brands, are focused on reusability.

Unique Experiences

With the plethora of dining options available, diners today are expecting unique and great experiences in addition to great food.

Diners looking for a night of up-close magic in addition to a steak dinner frequent locations like the Magic Castle in Hollywood.  Adventurous diners are also trying the 20-course tasting menu at Scratch Bar & Kitchen where each dish gets progressively weirder (cheese ice cream on a toast anyone?).   At Totoraku, if patrons are lucky enough to be invited by the chef, they’ll need to bring a really good bottle of wine in order to be invited back again. The chef then proceeds to entertain patrons with what they feel like cooking that night, much to the excitement of their diners.

Convenience, eco-friendly businesses, and activities that create memorable experiences with friends and family will continue to rise in popularity and help your restaurant stand out from the crowd. It gives your diners a reason to hang out, spend more money, and share with their friends.

Article Source:- https://www.actionsales.com/en/5-consumer-trends-that-your-customers-will-be-looking-for-at-your-restaurant/

Whether you are starting a restaurant or already have one, the design of the interior, exterior and menu of your restaurant can matter just as much to your customer as whether your food tastes great or not.

Why?

Well, let me ask you this…have you ever heard the phrase – “you eat with your eyes first?”

That statement is especially true when it comes to restaurant and hospitality industries, as what your customers see in front of them will likely be their first impression of your business.

If your customers don’t like what they see, it will leave a sour taste in their mouth BEFORE they’ve even had a chance to taste your food, no matter how delicious it tastes!

Now, how would you know what your customers want to see?

Here’s the secret: they generally flock to trendy restaurants.

What is a ‘trendy” restaurant?

A trendy restaurant is one that customers love posting about on popular social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. It is usually a restaurant that has a combination of great food served within an inviting, and memorable environment.  

Trendy restaurants can arise from a new concept, a trendy dish, a mixture of cuisine types, or from a memorable design theme.

So you may be wondering… how do I make my existing restaurant more “trendy”?

Start by using making some trendy design decisions.

Here are 5 ways to make it happen:

Keep It Simple

A common theme with restaurant design is less is more. Unless the identity of your restaurant is one know for serving high end, gold covered food served on gold covered plates, it is best to keep your restaurant interior design concept clean and simple.

Take, for example, Meet Fresh’s interior design as shown. Their design is simple yet tasteful, with an earth tone color palette that is reflective of the fresh food they serve. This trendy cafe, known for their desserts and bubble tea, utilizes varying white table shapes accented with green chairs. They offer both stools, chairs, and booth options, placed strategically for comfort and convenience. The lighting also adds another dimension to the overall interior. Meet Fresh consistently has lines out the door because they allow their food to be accentuated by a comfortable, complimentary dining environment.

Another cafe that keeps its restaurant design simple is 85 Degrees Bakery. Their store designs are based on a simple wooden theme, such as wooden rectangular tables, with gray chairs and booths.  Just like Meet Fresh, 85 Degrees allows their famous pastries, cakes, and drinks to take center stage. Their interior design is simple and provides a warm environment that invites patrons to wait in line over and over again for their “fresh bread”.

Improve Problem Areas

Have you ever noticed how there’s possibly one spot in the restaurant that no one wants to sit at?

These are called the “problem areas.”

These problem areas range from tables that are near restrooms, the kitchen area, or the front entrance.  

Let’s face it, no one is jumping up and down for a chance to sit near the restroom…

So how do you eliminate problem areas that may lead to a negative experience?

Start by using design to mask the negative impression of these spots.

Here are some helpful tips:

Place dividers – such as wooden partitions, screen dividers, plants, to make problematic areas more inviting spaces.

Relocate spots/tables – move a table to a better area or move a station to another section of the restaurant.

Here’s a bonus tip: Sit at every seat in your dining room. This helps you see what the customer sees at every location in your restaurant.  If a spot elicits a negative reaction from you, then you can be sure your customers will share the same sentiment and make the necessary design modifications.

Choose Appropriate Colors and Themes

As humans, we like to see things in harmony where decor and colors compliment each other to create an eye-pleasing theme.

You may be asking, why is color so important to your customers?

Colors are so impactful to our brain and that it plays a key role in influencing our decisions.  Colors that clash creates disharmony and can cause customers to feel cold, uneasy or uncomfortable. On the other hand, colors that complement each other can make the restaurant look and feel bigger, classier, warm or more inviting.

Since every restaurant is different, your theme colors should be unique to you.  However, the colors should blend naturally and allow your brand to be easily recognizable.

In picking the right theme, start by picking colors that flow well with your cuisine type. For example, if your cuisine is primarily American seafood, your theme could revolve around an ocean palette.  Use hues of blue, greens, whites, and earthy browns. 

A great example is Nobu in Malibu. They’re known for their Japanese cuisine, primarily sushi. Since the restaurant is right on the beach, their color schemes replicate the sand as it overlooks the beach and ocean. Just take a look at how breathtaking that view is!

The color palette should be applied to everything in your restaurant, from the wall decor to the color of the chairs to the color of the table cloths.

In other words, color brings every element in your restaurant together to tell one unified story.

Restaurant Menu Designs

No trendy restaurant is complete without a great menu.

Menus guide customers towards making a dish choice that satisfies their taste buds (and dietary preferences).  Your menu gives you autonomy and control over how and when you want your customers to see your featured dishes. 

One thing to keep on the top of your mind is as human beings, we have a pattern of scanning what we read. In other words, the way we read a book is the way we scan a menu – from left to right.

Here are some more tips for designing a great menu.

Use Sections

When designing a restaurant menu, remember to use proper section headings. Nothing is more frustrating than having to look through a long list of unorganized dish choices.  Not only is that annoying, but it also does not give customers an idea of what your featured dishes should be.

A menu that is divided into sections would, for example, be helpful to customers who are looking to find fish, beef, chicken, or vegetarian only dishes without having to scour the whole menu.

A minor tip with sections is to also remember to make your menu easy to read.  Make effective use of whitespace to divide your sections into easily digestible sections.  Just like the design of your restaurant – the simpler the menu looks, and the better the colors blend together, the easier it is for your customers to read it and pick your delicious dishes. 

Highlight Popular/Best Selling Items

This should go without saying, but despite how your menu is designed, always highlight your most popular and best selling dishes.

Promoting these dishes is actually helpful to your restaurant for many reasons:

1. Popular dishes make your restaurant stand up, and are more likely to be shared. 

2. It makes it clear to customers what you’re good at, so you want more people to order it. 

3. It affects customers’ decisions, especially for those who aren’t sure of what they want, towards your popular dishes.

Be Careful with Photos

You may have noticed that some restaurants have plenty of pictures on their menus while others do not.

The amount of pictures you use depends on the type of restaurant you have.

For example, higher-end restaurants will often use photos very sparingly (or not at all).

Since customers at a high-end restaurant are already expecting high-quality dishes for the premium price they are paying, a dish that does not reflect the image on your menu will immediately lead to dissatisfaction.

On the other hand, for the more casual restaurants, photos are useful in helping customers know what they are getting, especially if your menu has similar items, like at restaurants that mainly serve variations of an item like hamburgers.

For instance, an image of what a Grand Slam versus an All American Slam at Denny’s will be very helpful to customers who don’t know the difference between two dishes similar sounding dishes.

If you decide to include pictures on your menu, make sure they are high-quality photo friendly dishes for your menu as not all dishes look appealing in pictures.

Don’t Focus on Pricing

As a restaurant owner, you want your food to speak for itself and you want your customers to focus on the quality of the food rather than how much it costs.

Here are some tips you can apply to your menu design to de-emphasize the price:

1. Decrease the size of the font of the price.

2. Take the dollar sign off from the price.

3. Don’t include the price on drinks.

Psychologically, if the price is not as noticeable, customers will not focus on it and are more willing to purchase it.

Furthermore, you want your customers to make decisions based on the food’s description rather than the price.

Don’t Forget These Overlooked Items

Here are a few more design decisions to key components of your restuarnt that are often overlooked but have a major impact. 

Tableware

Although your restaurant’s design and decor make the first impression, the quality of your tableware becomes important as soon as your customer sits down.

From silverware to plates to cups to even napkins, the tableware you use says a lot about your restaurant’s attention to detail.  Treat your tableware as part of the overall restaurant design, and make sure it compliments your theme. 

Restrooms

You’d be surprised at how often customers judge a restaurant solely based on the look of its restroom.

As previously mentioned, the design of your restaurant interior is a reflection of your brand.  This includes the restroom (and your kitchen) as we.   Your restroom is especially important, as it is an indicator of how much you pay attention to an often overlooked area of your restaurant. 

Put as much effort into designing your bathroom as you do the restaurant. The bathroom gives you an extra opportunity to showcase your brand and your passion for your business.

Also, stay consistent with your restroom upkeep and cleanliness. A fully stocked and clean bathroom goes a long way to making your restaurant more inviting overall.

Impact on Restaurants

Whether you are just starting out or considering redesigning your restaurant, these design tips can help you attract and delight more customers and entice them to share what a wonderful experience they’ve had with their friends and family.

And if you would like a little help designing or redesigning your dream restaurant, then we invite you to use our free design service to connect with some of the most popular designers in the United States for a free consultation. 

Article Source:- https://www.actionsales.com/en/5-must-know-tips-to-designing-a-trendy-restaurant-your-customers-will-love/

You are probably excited about opening your dream restaurant, but a bit worried about how to design a memorable dining experience that attracts and delights your first customers.

The secret is paying a little more attention to your restaurant’s design at the beginning of your restaurateur journey is just as critical to the future success of your business as the delicious dishes you are serving.

After all, diners today expect great tasting food AND a great dining environment to create a memorable experience that they will rave about to their family and friends on social media.

Carefully planning the layout of your restaurant will allow you to eliminate barriers (both psychological and physical) that prevent diners from recommending and returning to your restaurant.

The first step to designing your restaurant’s interior is taking the square footage of your space and dividing it up amongst the main areas of your restaurant – the entrance, waiting area, dining area, restroom, storage and the kitchen.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to dividing your restaurant is to follow the  60/40 rule. This rulesuggests that 60% of your space be allocated towards seating and 40% to kitchen, storage, restroom areas, and other areas not dedicated to seating.

Below are some vital tips to make each space in your restaurant more functional and memorable.

1. Entrance Area

Your customer will start judging your restaurant the moment they enter in your front door.

Imagine the unfortunate, but all too common scenario where a customer walks through the front door but there isn’t a host or signs in place to greet them and let them know the next steps.

This will naturally leave a negative taste in their mouth.

You never want your customers to feel uncomfortable or guessing what to do at any point in their dining experience, especially not after just walked into your restaurant!

Therefore, it is to have the following at your entrance – employee stations, a podium, chairs/couches, or some sort of signage where customers will immediately feel welcomed and comfortable.

These visual cues will also help instruct the diner on what to do next, whether it be checking in with the host, wait to be seated or sign in to a waitlist.

Once customers are acknowledged or signed in, the waiting area is the next space where they will spend time at.

2. Waiting Area

Naturally, waiting and seating areas take up a majority of your restaurant space because they are where customers spend a majority of their dining experience.

Custom want to feel comfortable as they are waiting for or enjoying your delicious dishes or drinks.  

The waiting and seating areas are generally made up of three smaller areas: the waiting area, the bar area, and the dining area.

The waiting area is where customers wait to be called and seated and may share the same space as the entrance area.

Let’s face it, no one likes to wait, so your job is to make that experience as pleasant as possible.

First, your waiting area should be clearly separated from the dining area, so that customers can wait without getting in the way of the staff or in the other diners’ space and vice versa.  

Some restaurants have a foyer for waiting guests and outdoor patio with refreshments, games and entertainment.  

Try to avoid standing room only waiting areas for obvious reasons.

Some larger restaurants use a bar area that doubles as a waiting area. Having a bar area is effective because not only does it allow customers to enjoy a beverage while they wait, but also provides an additional dining option for customers who cannot wait.   

3. Dining Area

The dining room is the heart of the dining experience for your customers so it is an area where you want to make sure that the space, colors and decoration are complementary.  The wall colors, furniture colors, and decorations should work harmoniously to help emphasize the theme of the restaurant to help create a memorable experience.

The dining area should have plenty of room for customers and staff to easily navigate without bumping into one another.  

To reduce human traffic congestion, pay attention to the concept of space, such as creating wider walkways, not placing tables on top of each other,and making sure that customers have room to eat without invading someone else’s space.

The dining area should not be difficult to navigate and Customers should be able to easily locate the restroom and walk there without tripping over other guests. Servers should be able to easily walk back and forth from the kitchen to the tables they are severing without tripping over diners and chairs.

4. Restroom Area

The restroom is another critical area to pay specific attention in your restaurant layout.

One tip is that by placing your restroom closer to the kitchen, it allows you to tie your plumbing and water lines together. This makes it more convenient and cost effective since there is no need to install additional plumbing and water lines.  

The restroom is usually located in the front or back of a restaurant, away from the dining area.  However, if space is limited, and the restroom must be near seating areas, a visual divider between the two spaces will be more visually appealing.

In addition to the location, the size of your restroom also plays a role in keeping your customers happy. While having a one person restroom at a large buffet would not be practical, having five stalls for a restroom in a small bistro is a waste of space. 

5. Kitchen Area

Last, but certainly not least, is the kitchen area. Without an organized and efficiently laid out kitchen, your cooking and serving staff will not be able to meet the demands of your customers.

As mentioned earlier, the kitchen typically occupies the other 40% of your restaurant’s layout. Practical commercial kitchens have different layouts depending on the cuisine type, and flow of operations.  

When it comes to an efficiently running kitchen area, there are several components to consider, including the kitchen equipment, storage, safety and sanitation. When allocating space for a kitchen area, make sure that the space is large enough to handle the flow from preparation, to cooking to delivery of your dishes efficiently.

There are four main kitchen area layouts restaurants generally implement:

Assembly Line Layout

The Assembly Line is the classic layout where the kitchen is organized in a line ordered by the  functional stages from prep to cook to finished. This layout can either be publicly visible or not.

For example, Pieology is a restaurant that uses such a layout. As customers walk to the counter, they first select the dough, then the sauce, then the cheese, and then the various toppings they want on their pizza.  The pizza is then placed in an oven for cooking.

Customers pay while the pizza is cooking, and it is delivered to them when finished to complete the process.  

The assembly line layout is ideal for fast food restaurants that allow for customization of a few food items to serve the needs of a large quantity of people faster. Since each employee is in charge of a certain space in the assembly line, food can be made more efficiently and consistently.

Island Layout

This the layout that traditional restaurants typically employ. In this layout, all of the cooking is done in the center of the kitchen where all the cooking equipment is centered around.   While the oven, ranges, fryers, grills, and more are on this “island”, the other equipment and sections not related to principle cooking are placed around the walls. Their placement follows an orderly circular flow.

The island layout is beneficial in that it allows for open communication and supervision as well as provides space for the kitchen staff to easily move around as needed. Kitchen managers are able to oversee each dish as they are prepped, cooked, and plated and cooks are able to communicate more effectively and efficiently.  

This type of layout is popular amongst high end restaurants and restaurants in hotels.

Zoning Layout

The zone layout is another layout restaurant kitchens may find useful. This particular layout focuses on the different tasks that occur in the kitchen and divides these tasks into different sections, or zones. For example, all of the prep occurs in the prep zone, all of the cooking occurs in the cooking zone, all of the dishwashing occurs in the dishwashing zone, and so on.

In dividing the kitchen into different zones, this leaves the middle of the kitchen empty as the kitchen equipment are lined along the walls. Each zone and the staff in these zones are able to do the tasks associated in that zone before passing the dish along. Just like the other layouts, the order of each station is made to increase production flow.

This layout is also beneficial in that it allows for easier supervision and communication of the kitchen staff. This type of layout is extremely popular amongst American restaurants, such as Applebee’s, Chili’s, and TGI Friday’s.

Open Layout

A popular layout that has been increasingly gaining traction is the open layout. This layout allows customers to see into the kitchen as the chef prepares their meal. The open layout has gained popularity because it is reminiscent of a typical home kitchen layout and provides adds entertainment to the dining experience.  

For example, as the popular Chinese restaurant, Din Tai Fung ,customers can watch staff make the delicious dumplings they are about to enjoy.

The open layout is especially popular at Japanese restaurants. In many sushi bars, customers can expect to see a bar area in which they are able to watch the chef cut thin slices of sashimi and place them on top of rice or on a plate. In ramen bars, customers can often see chefs making the noodles from scratch, which then gets boiled and placed in bowls with a broth before arriving to their table.

Impact On Your Restaurant

By following the tips above, you will have a restaurant design that is both functional and eye-appealing. The attention you pay to the critical spaces in your restaurant need to work in harmony to create great experiences for your customers and keeps them raving about you on social media and coming back for more.  

If you need some additional suggestions with designing your perfect restaurant layout, we can help. We can connect you with the top designers in Southern California to lay out space that is functional, aesthetically pleasing, comfortable no matter your budget and restaurant size. Click here for a free consultation.

Article Source:- https://www.actionsales.com/en/5-main-areas-to-include-in-your-restaurant-layout/

Running a restaurant is a full time job and then some. From having to consider restaurant designs to restaurant menus to who you hire, as a restaurant owner, you have to also find a way to market your restaurant to your consumers. No one said running a restaurant was easy, but the rewards are certainly worth it.

So maybe you’re wondering…how do I market my restaurant to my customers?

You obviously want your restaurant to stand out and be the place people spend money at rather than another restaurant. That’s where having a marketing plan and strategies are critical. Often times, the difference between a successful restaurant and a not so successful restaurant is the marketing that that restaurant deploys.

Without a marketing plan, your restaurant is limited to getting customers the hard way – relying on them just stumbling through the door. However, with a plan, you can beat your competitors and be a highlighted restaurant in your area.

Now you’re probably thinking…well, marketing is hard and takes too much time. Yes, that’s true, but it is only complicated because restaurateurs don’t have a clear plan. However, having a marketing plan can be very rewarding.

Marketing plans are comprised of a collection of marketing strategies. We’ve provided 18 marketing strategies you can use for your marketing plan. For this particular blog, we will be focusing on the offline marketing strategies. Below are 10 of the best offline restaurant marketing strategies to consider (broken down into three sections).

• Offline Marketing Strategies

Offline marketing strategies are tactics that help you market your restaurant without the use of social media or the internet. In a day where social media and smart devices are part of everyday life, there are things you can still do offline that impact your customers both offline and online.

1. Buzz Worthy Menu

Menus are important for several reasons. Your menu not only helps identify the cuisine and identity of your restaurant, but it is also a significant reason why consumers come back. If your restaurant has average or “just like any other” food items on the menu, there really isn’t a reason consumers would want to come back.

Instead, create a buzz worthy menu that is unique to your restaurant and looks as pleasing as everything else in your restaurant. This offline marketing strategy is focused on getting consumers to come back because of your menu and your dishes.

2. Community

Another important offline marketing strategy is to invest in your community. As great as your restaurant’s food, menu, concept and design may be, it wouldn’t be successful without the customers.

As a restaurant owner, your first customers are the people in the community in which your restaurant exists. Therefore, the best practices offline marketing strategy is to be part of the community by investing back into the community, serving the community, and catering to the community.

For example, your restaurant can take part in community events as a host or sponsor. You can also partner with other businesses in the community. Another way to be part of the community is to give back to local charities and schools, such as providing school discounts for students with ID or sponsoring the local middle school baseball team. Your restaurant could also be part of the community newsletter or directory.

The offline marketing strategy of being part of the community provides a two-folded benefit. For one, your community will know you, be your customers, and support you. Second, as your customers, they’d be more than willing to rave about you and the community, which means free word-of-mouth advertising for your restaurant.

3. Events & Festivals

A third offline marketing strategy is to market your restaurant at events and festivals. Getting your restaurant’s name and food out there lets people know your restaurant exists, what your food tastes like, and help generate customers to your restaurant.

For instance, there are various food events, conferences, and festivals that occur. By having a booth at just one event to showcase your most popular dishes and menus can help boost the number of customers you get. From these events, customers can recognize your restaurant, have tasted your popular dishes, and now have a menu in their hands that lists your address and food items.

Participating in being in an event, hosting an event, or sponsoring an event, this offline marketing strategy helps build awareness and word-of-mouth marketing, This can eventually translate into social media follows, customer reviews, and customer visits.

4. Trendy Restaurant Concept & Ambiance

Your restaurant concept and ambiance are part of your offline marketing strategies. In addition to having a buzz worthy menu, having a unique and trendy concept and ambiance are just as important and can contribute to whether your customers come back.

A restaurant that has a cool and different concept tied with a relaxing and inviting ambiance are a sure fire way to get your customers to come back. Customers are looking for buzz worthy restaurants, which includes having a concept that is unique and an ambiance that they can enjoy.

Creating a restaurant concept and ambiance are offline marketing strategies because this is not something customers can experience, see, and feel online. Rather, this occurs offline during a physical visit. As a restaurant owner, you want your restaurant concept to represent your restaurant and menu appropriately. You also want your restaurant ambiance to be inviting, classy, enjoyable, and create that “I have to come back” feeling.

• More Offline than Online

Then there are marketing strategies that are more offline but do have some online contributions and aspects to it. In other words, the bulk of the marketing is done offline rather than online.

5. Quality Service

Having quality service is a marketing strategy that is predominantly offline but does have an online aspect to it, one that is quite important.

The offline aspect of quality service is in the form of your customers coming to your restaurant, sitting down, ordering food, and enjoying the food as waiters cater to their needs.  What the customer experiences while they are at your restaurant is their perception of your restaurant.

For example, if a customer encountered a waiter that constantly ignored them, that would leave a negative perception with that customer and that customer would go home dissatisfied.

What happens next?

Customers now have encountered a negative experience at your restaurant. This negative experience could ultimately hurt your restaurant because chances are, they aren’t coming back.

How can this hurt your restaurant?

Whether a customer has a positive or negative experience, the number one thing customers do is talk. Customers always share a positive or negative experience, which occurs mainly online. That’s what Yelp is for!

The quality of the service the customer receives determines their word-of-mouth comments. Word-of-mouth marketing is arguably the most influential type of marketing because studies have shown that people tend to listen to other consumers over the company, or restaurant in this case.

A customer that shares a negative comment has the power to dissuade future customers from visiting your restaurant. So this strategy is simple…provide quality service that customers can rave about through their word-of-mouth comments.

• 50/50

A third section is the 50/50 section. These marketing strategies are done both offline and online. The marketing done offline is just as important and contributes just as much as the online counterparts. Therefore, it is important to put equal effort into the offline tactics just as much as the online tactics.

6. High Quality Images

Selecting and using high quality images is an important marketing strategy because who likes seeing a low quality and blurry image anywhere?

Using high quality images is a marketing strategy that should be done online and offline. Offline wise, you may want to use high quality images in your menu, wall decor, or any other place images would be used. Online wise, there should only be high quality images on your restaurant website and social media platforms.

A high quality image not only shows professionalism, but can help you sell your food better than your descriptions because let’s face it…a picture’s worth a thousand words. Customers often times pick a dish based on its image on the menu, on the wall, or even on Yelp. Having low quality images not only dissuade them from visiting your restaurant, but can also dissuade them from trying your most popular dishes.

However, when it comes to using high quality images on your menu, be wary of this. Having too many images on your menu is perceived as tacky and of a lower quality restaurant. Using images selectively is a tactic used by many of the high quality and high class restaurants.

7. Loyalty Program

Loyalty Programs are another 50/50 marketing strategy. Nowadays, many restaurants have their own version of a Loyalty Program. For example, McDonald’s has its own rewards app where customers can find deals, get coupons, and order ahead of time.

Many larger, franchised restaurants have their Loyalty Programs on mobile apps or text messages, such as FiveStar. However, to become a member is to make a purchase. This is where the offline meets the online aspect.

Offline, customers come in, purchase a food item, and receive points (or a stamp card) through a phone number. These points are added up in which customers can come back and receive something in return. Customers can also sign up for coupons, which are given online through emails, texts, or the mobile app.

This marketing strategy encourages customers to come in and try the food while receiving perks for trying out your restaurant. As they continue to come in, they rack up points that they can use and redeem in a future purchase.

Loyalty Programs are a great way to incentivize customers to come back, try new foods, share the restaurant, engage with your restaurant on social media, and more, depending on what type of Loyalty Program you deploy.

8. Promotions

Promotions are another 50/50 marketing strategy because this tactic can be implemented both offline and online.

Offline, promotions can be in the form of a discount or a sale on a food item. For instance, Happy Hour is one of the most popular types of promotions in which certain dishes are priced less than what they normally are.

Another popular type of promotion is a BOGO (buy one get one) on certain days. Customers can come in and get a dish at full priced and get the second one at a discount or even free. A third promotion would be the $1 or Free days, such as when it’s National Donut Day and Krispy Kreme gave out a free donut.

However, promotions can also be distributed online. For example, restaurants can send out newsletters with coupons or about a certain new dish. Promotions can come in an email, a text message, or through a mobile app that alerts customers of what’s going on and how they can try a new dish or get something at a discount or free.

9. Restaurant Identity

Your restaurant’s identity should be present both offline and online. It should also be in-your-face obvious to your customers. You don’t want your customers wondering what type of restaurant it is, what type of cuisine you serve, and what your overall theme is because a confused customer is a customer that most likely won’t return.

So whether your restaurant is known for burgers, being a trendy jazz bar, or having a fine dining ambiance, your customers should know what your restaurant’s identity is. They should see your restaurant’s identity in person (at the restaurant) and online (social media, websites, ads, etc.).

As soon as they step into a restaurant, your customers will judge your ambiance, concept, decor, food, and service. All of which should be consistent with what they see on your website and social media platforms as well.

For example, take Olive Garden. This Italian restaurant prides itself on their endless soup or salad and breadsticks along with their large pasta portions that are shareable. A customer walks into an Olive Garden and that is exactly what they get: endless soup or salad and breadsticks, large pasta portions, family atmosphere, and an Italian scent from the front door.

On social media, you can see Olive Garden’s posts about their endless soups or salad and breadsticks, their new promotional dishes that are served in large portions (such as their footlong chicken parm), and their Italian-ness and family centric atmosphere.

Consistency with your restaurant identity both offline and online is a critical marketing strategy to master because no one likes to be lied to or deceived.

10. Yelp Promotions & Check-In

Ever heard of Yelp? If your restaurant isn’t on it already, get on it. Yelp is useful for so many reasons, so make sure it’s part of your marketing plan.

Yelp is another 50/50 marketing strategy, which may be a shock because it’s a mobile app. However, there are offline aspects to it.

We all know that Yelp is a mobile app, so it’s predominantly online, but that isn’t completely true. For restaurants, the important part of Yelp include the reviews, the check-in option, and the promotions. These important parts are where the 50/50 comes in.

Yelp reviews are essential because they contribute to your overall Yelp ratings. For customers to make a review of your restaurant, chances are they have visited your restaurant and experienced the service there, which is an offline aspect. After the experience, they turn to Yelp to voice their opinions, which makes it online.

Yelp check-in and promotions tie in together. For a Yelp member to use a promotion, they must check-into your restaurant. This means they have to be physically there to use the promotion and check-in.

With Yelp promotions, this is where restaurants are able to incentivize customers to walk through the doors, such as giving away a free appetizer, a free beverage, a discount on certain items, and more.

Yelp, although a mobile app, heavily involves offline interactions to supplement the online action, such as online reviews, check-ins, and promotions. Therefore, it isn’t enough to just have a Yelp page, but restaurant owners should monitor the reviews, reply when necessary, offer promotions, keep their information up-to-date, and claim their restaurant’s Yelp page.

Impact on Restaurant

As much as online marketing is the new “it” way to market your restaurant, there are offline marketing strategies that are just as important. Without the contributions offline, the online marketing strategies wouldn’t work or be as impactful.

In the next blog, we’ll dish out the 8 powerful online marketing strategies. Keep an eye out for the next blog that’s all about online marketing and how those strategies can really help your restaurant stand out in a crowded field.

Action Sales:- https://www.actionsales.com/en/10-proven-offline-strategies-that-drive-more-customers-to-your-restaurant/

You are probably excited about opening your dream restaurant, but a bit worried about how to design a memorable dining experience that attracts and delights your first customers. The secret is paying a little more attention to your restaurant’s design at the beginning of your restaurateur journey is just as critical to the future success of your business as the delicious dishes you are serving. After all, diners today expect great tasting food AND a great dining environment to create a memorable experience that they will rave about to their family and friends on social media. Carefully planning the layout of your restaurant will allow you to eliminate barriers (both psychological and physical) that prevent diners from recommending and returning to your restaurant. The first step to designing your restaurant’s interior is taking the square footage of your space and dividing it up amongst the main areas of your restaurant – the entrance, waiting area, dining area, restroom, storage and the kitchen. The general rule of thumb when it comes to dividing your restaurant is to follow the 60/40 rule. This rule suggests that 60% of your space be allocated towards seating and 40% to kitchen, storage, restroom areas, and other areas not dedicated to seating. Below are some vital tips to make each space in your restaurant more functional and memorable.
1. Entrance Area
Your customer will start judging your restaurant the moment they enter in your front door. Imagine the unfortunate, but all too common scenario where a customer walks through the front door but there isn’t a host or signs in place to greet them and let them know the next steps. This will naturally leave a negative taste in their mouth. You never want your customers to feel uncomfortable or guessing what to do at any point in their dining experience, especially not after just walked into your restaurant! Therefore, it is to have the following at your entrance – employee stations, a podium, chairs/couches, or some sort of signage where customers will immediately feel welcomed and comfortable. These visual cues will also help instruct the diner on what to do next, whether it be checking in with the host, wait to be seated or sign in to a waitlist. Once customers are acknowledged or signed in, the waiting area is the next space where they will spend time at.
2. Waiting Area Naturally, waiting and seating areas take up a majority of your restaurant space because they are where customers spend a majority of their dining experience. Custom want to feel comfortable as they are waiting for or enjoying your delicious dishes or drinks.
The waiting and seating areas are generally made up of three smaller areas: the waiting area, the bar area, and the dining area. The waiting area is where customers wait to be called and seated and may share the same space as the entrance area. Let’s face it, no one likes to wait, so your job is to make that experience as pleasant as possible. First, your waiting area should be clearly separated from the dining area, so that customers can wait without getting in the way of the staff or in the other diners’ space and vice versa. Some restaurants have a foyer for waiting guests and outdoor patio with refreshments, games and entertainment. Try to avoid standing room only waiting areas for obvious reasons. Some larger restaurants use a bar area that doubles as a waiting area. Having a bar area is effective because not only does it allow customers to enjoy a beverage while they wait, but also provides an additional dining option for customers who cannot wait.
3. Dining Area The dining room is the heart of the dining experience for your customers so it is an area where you want to make sure that the space, colors and decoration are complementary. The wall colors, furniture colors, and decorations should work harmoniously to help emphasize the theme of the restaurant to help create a memorable experience. The dining area should have plenty of room for customers and staff to easily navigate without bumping into one another.
To reduce human traffic congestion, pay attention to the concept of space, such as creating wider walkways, not placing tables on top of each other,and making sure that customers have room to eat without invading someone else’s space. The dining area should not be difficult to navigate and Customers should be able to easily locate the restroom and walk there without tripping over other guests. Servers should be able to easily walk back and forth from the kitchen to the tables they are severing without tripping over diners and chairs.
4. Restroom Area
The restroom is another critical area to pay specific attention in your restaurant layout. One tip is that by placing your restroom closer to the kitchen, it allows you to tie your plumbing and water lines together. This makes it more convenient and cost effective since there is no need to install additional plumbing and water lines. The restroom is usually located in the front or back of a restaurant, away from the dining area. However, if space is limited, and the restroom must be near seating areas, a visual divider between the two spaces will be more visually appealing. In addition to the location, the size of your restroom also plays a role in keeping your customers happy. While having a one person restroom at a large buffet would not be practical, having five stalls for a restroom in a small bistro is a waste of space.
5. Kitchen Area Last, but certainly not least, is the kitchen area. Without an organized and efficiently laid out kitchen, your cooking and serving staff will not be able to meet the demands of your customers. As mentioned earlier, the kitchen typically occupies the other 40% of your restaurant’s layout. Practical commercial kitchens have different layouts depending on the cuisine type, and flow of operations. When it comes to an efficiently running kitchen area, there are several components to consider, including the kitchen equipment, storage, safety and sanitation. When allocating space for a kitchen area, make sure that the space is large enough to handle the flow from preparation, to cooking to delivery of your dishes efficiently.
There are four main kitchen area layouts restaurants generally implement:
Assembly Line Layout The Assembly Line is the classic layout where the kitchen is organized in a line ordered by the functional stages from prep to cook to finished. This layout can either be publicly visible or not. For example, Pieology is a restaurant that uses such a layout. As customers walk to the counter, they first select the dough, then the sauce, then the cheese, and then the various toppings they want on their pizza. The pizza is then placed in an oven for cooking. Customers pay while the pizza is cooking, and it is delivered to them when finished to complete the process. The assembly line layout is ideal for fast food restaurants that allow for customization of a few food items to serve the needs of a large quantity of people faster. Since each employee is in charge of a certain space in the assembly line, food can be made more efficiently and consistently.
Island Layout
This the layout that traditional restaurants typically employ. In this layout, all of the cooking is done in the center of the kitchen where all the cooking equipment is centered around. While the oven, ranges, fryers, grills, and more are on this “island”, the other equipment and sections not related to principle cooking are placed around the walls. Their placement follows an orderly circular flow. The island layout is beneficial in that it allows for open communication and supervision as well as provides space for the kitchen staff to easily move around as needed. Kitchen managers are able to oversee each dish as they are prepped, cooked, and plated and cooks are able to communicate more effectively and efficiently. This type of layout is popular amongst high end restaurants and restaurants in hotels.
Zoning Layout
The zone layout is another layout restaurant kitchens may find useful. This particular layout focuses on the different tasks that occur in the kitchen and divides these tasks into different sections, or zones. For example, all of the prep occurs in the prep zone, all of the cooking occurs in the cooking zone, all of the dishwashing occurs in the dishwashing zone, and so on. In dividing the kitchen into different zones, this leaves the middle of the kitchen empty as the kitchen equipment are lined along the walls. Each zone and the staff in these zones are able to do the tasks associated in that zone before passing the dish along. Just like the other layouts, the order of each station is made to increase production flow. This layout is also beneficial in that it allows for easier supervision and communication of the kitchen staff. This type of layout is extremely popular amongst American restaurants, such as Applebee’s, Chili’s, and TGI Friday’s.
Open Layout A popular layout that has been increasingly gaining traction is the open layout. This layout allows customers to see into the kitchen as the chef prepares their meal. The open layout has gained popularity because it is reminiscent of a typical home kitchen layout and provides adds entertainment to the dining experience. For example, as the popular Chinese restaurant, Din Tai Fung ,customers can watch staff make the delicious dumplings they are about to enjoy.
The open layout is especially popular at Japanese restaurants. In many sushi bars, customers can expect to see a bar area in which they are able to watch the chef cut thin slices of sashimi and place them on top of rice or on a plate. In ramen bars, customers can often see chefs making the noodles from scratch, which then gets boiled and placed in bowls with a broth before arriving to their table.
Impact On Your Restaurant By following the tips above, you will have a restaurant design that is both functional and eye-appealing. The attention you pay to the critical spaces in your restaurant need to work in harmony to create great experiences for your customers and keeps them raving about you on social media and coming back for more. If you need some additional suggestions with designing your perfect restaurant layout, we can help. We can connect you with the top designers in Southern California to lay out space that is functional, aesthetically pleasing, comfortable no matter your budget and restaurant size. Click here for a free consultation. Article Source: https://www.actionsales.com/en/5-main-areas-to-include-in-your-restaurant-layout/

Plan on opening your dream restaurant?

Then you are probably wondering what commercial kitchen equipment you need to buy to ensure that your dishes come out consistently tasting delicious.

While every cuisine requires specialized equipment and supplies to prepare it, there is essential equipment that every commercial kitchen should get right from day 1.

Here are the 5 essential equipment to include in any kitchen.

1. Refrigeration

Needless to say, choosing the right commercial refrigerator is a necessity to run any restaurant. This is an important piece of kitchen equipment because not only does it store food, it is also responsible for preserving its freshness. General refrigeration equipment includes a fridge and a freezer.

In a commercial kitchen, there are several types of refrigeration equipment available. Walk-in fridges and freezers are the most familiar type. Since they are bigger in size and capacity, these are generally appropriate for larger restaurants and those with larger menus. For example, a restaurant, such as a buffet, would need a walk-in fridge while a small bakery, such as Lady M, would only need a countertop or under-counter fridge.

Another option is freestanding refrigerators, refrigerators that are large but not built-in or walk-in. These are more appropriate for small and medium-sized restaurants and menus. They do not take up much room, can be cheaper than building and installing a walk-in, and can be moved around to adjust kitchen layouts.

A third option is smaller refrigerators that can be placed under the counter for easy reach. These smaller refrigerators, such as the ones manufactured by True, are called under-counter refrigerators. These types of fridges and freezers are perfect for a grab and go, such as adding final touches to dishes on the prep counter that is ready to go out. The smaller refrigerators are space friendly as they go under counters, much cheaper than larger fridges, easy to move around, and perfect for small cafes and dessert shops.

2. Cooking Equipment

The dishes you craft are only as good as the cooking equipment used to prepare them.

Cooking equipment is fundamental to every kitchen despite the type of cuisine.  The typical layout for a kitchen includes ovens, ranges, or stoves. Cooking food can range from baking, frying, sauteing, grilling, steaming, and more. To do this, the proper cooking equipment is needed. An oven is needed for baking, stoves are needed for sauteing and steaming, and ranges are used for grilling.

Additional cooking equipment may include fryers like Perfect Fry, steamers/steam tables like Duke Manufacturing, heating stations, microwave ovens, toasters/toaster ovens like Antunes, broilers like Wells, griddles like Imperial, and more. This is where depending on the cuisine of the restaurant, some cooking equipment may be needed while others aren’t.

For example, operating a Panda Express would require a variety of Asian cooking equipment such as fryers, steamers, woks and wok ladles. However, a restaurant like Pieology would not need fryers, steamers, toasters, and others. Rather, they just need a countertop prep table, like Randell pizza tables, to hold all of their ingredients, dough presses, and a pizza oven, along with pizza cutters and pizza peels, such as Update International. Bakers Pride is a manufacturer of pizza ovens, ones that restaurants like Pieology would use.

3. Prep Equipment

An underrated category of equipment that deserves much more recognition is the prep equipment that prepares the food before and after it is cooked.

Prior to the cooking stage, equipment is needed to prep the food. This includes cutting boards, knives, slicers, preparation sinks, portion scales, meat grinders, and more.

During the cooking stage, the prep equipment needed includes spatulas, ladles, tongs, can openers, blenders, whisks, and more. Once the food is cooked, the plating stage is next. When it comes to plating, the prep equipment needed includes prep counters that hold plates to plate the food. Spoons, spatulas, and other smallwares are needed to neatly plate the food, sauces and all.  Afterwards, heating stations and countertops are needed to put final touches, wipe off anything that is unnecessary, add side orders, and keep the food warm.

4. Cleaning Equipment

No one likes cleaning, but when it comes to having a restaurant, no one likes going to a filthy and messy restaurant. In fact, cleanliness is an attribute that keeps customers coming because a clean restaurant brings comfort and ease, and of course, looks pleasing.

As a restaurant owner, having the proper cleaning equipment is important to keep your restaurant looking inviting. Most standard commercial kitchens have a commercial dishwasher that allows restaurants to wash dishes in bulk and efficiently. Other necessary cleaning equipment includes having cleaning solutions, gloves, mops, brooms, and more.

Another type of cleaning equipment that is just as essential are hand-washing stations. This includes having soap dispensaries, paper towel dispensaries, and sink cleaning supplies. On another note, don’t forget the importance of trash cans as they equally help keep areas clean and organized.

5. Safety Equipment

One thing many restaurant owners overlook yet is equally as important as the equipment needed to prep, cook, and store the food is the equipment that provides safety. Having proper safety equipment allows restaurants to function smoothly, avoid injury and complications, and help guarantee an A score on your next Inspections check-up. 

Safety equipment in a restaurant ranges from equipment relating to cooking and equipment related to the restaurant as a whole. The safety equipment relating to cooking include items like oven mitts, arm guards, potholders, first aid kits, various gloves for dishwashing, cutting, and other tasks, and aprons. The safety equipment relating to the kitchen and other areas of the restaurant include a fire extinguisher, caution signs, slip-resistant mats, and emergency lights and signs.

Impact on Your Restaurant’s Success

Remember that your restaurant is only as good as its kitchen, so it is important to invest in the equipment and supplies that boost your restaurant’s quality and productivity. An efficient kitchen provides a seamless flow from the order to the serving stage and helps you satisfy more customers and keeps them coming back.

Whether you are just starting a restaurant or reconsidering your current restaurant design, these five essential commercial kitchen equipment can help you make the necessary adjustments needed for a seamless kitchen that will increase the efficiency, consistency, and productivity of your kitchen. Faster cooking times, consistent looking and tasting food, and very few mistakes are guaranteed to attract more customers and keep them coming back.

Take the ease out of designing your kitchen and picking out kitchen equipment with our free design service. Our free design service helps you design your dream restaurant inside and out, including the kitchen! We will not only help you design your restaurant but also pick out the kitchen equipment specific to your restaurant. Simply select the design you like from our portfolio or upload your own ideas. We will get in touch with you for a free consultation. Why not let us take some stress away? Click hereto get started!

Article Source:- https://www.actionsales.com/en/5-essential-commercial-kitchen-equipment-you-cant-operate-without/

Whether your dream is to open a chinese, poke, shabu, pizzeria, or sushi restaurant, a little bit of insight and planning goes a long way towards making your restaurant dream pay off in big ways.

From selecting the perfect location, to choosing attractive menu items, to hiring great staff and attracting customers, there are crucial activities that any successful restaurant owner must manage successfully in order to create the thriving business of their dreams.

We’ve compiled a list of 8 critical strategies to help you start a restaurant that will change your life.

Before you start your new adventure, ask yourself these important questions.

Everybody dreams that their restaurant idea will attract a continuous stream of happy customers walking into and out of their doors.

While a good idea is a necessary starting point, it is just one step in the equation of operating a successful restaurant business.

A good idea becomes viable when supplemented by strong passion and determination.

To gauge whether you are ready to embark on this new journey, start by asking yourself these questions.

• Do you have a passion for opening a restaurant as your next career move? No one will care more about your restaurant than you will, so your passion will create the culture that attracts quality staff and customers alike.
• Are you ready to handle the business aspects (bookkeeping, management, accounting, marketing, sales, HR) of running a restaurant?
• Are you a patient person? Success comes from perseverance, and many restaurants shut down after a couple of years if their owners are not seeing immediate results.
• Are you a people person? A good restaurant owner takes an active role in the dining room, greeting customers, and communicating with them to learn about and solve problems.
• If you answered Yes to all of the above, then great, you have the right frame of mind, now lets make sure you understand what it takes before spending any money.

Get hands on training before you start

The best way to eliminate future stressors and risks of owning a restaurant is by working in one (ideally the same type you would like to start).

You can think of it as getting paid to learn the ropes.

You can participate in all the successes, and failures of the workplace without wasting your time and your own money.

Try to work in as many different restaurant jobs as possible and speak to those holding positions in key areas (ie. owner, supervisor, head chef, waiter) and you’ll discover insights and knowledge that can help prevent future mistakes.
Besides learning what satisfies the customers you hope to attract, find out what it takes to provide excellent customer service, develop a creative menu, get compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, how to manage people, how to market, how to sale, and many other critical skills necessary to run a successful restaurant business.

Once you feel you have a good understanding of all the areas, its time to start planning your restaurant.

Know who you want to attract

You’ve heard the old adage that it’s never wise to underestimate your competition, even though you think you can do better.

After all, the restaurant down the street that’s been around forever is obviously doing something right, or else they wouldn’t still be in business, and you probably don’t want them taking all of your future business.

There is something about these other restaurants that appeal to patrons. Find out what it is and ask yourself, Why do people come here? What’s the appeal? How can I serve them better?

A simple way to get these answers is to visit your competitors and observe the type of people who frequent them, what they are ordering, and the general comments they are making. Also, you can get keen insight from the positive and negative comments left on your competitor’s social media (ie. Facebook, Twitter), Yelp, and Google My Business Listings.

Choose a Solid Restaurant Concept (What Makes You Unique?)

Restaurant concepts are often conceived around current food trends. Shabu shabu, ramen, personalized pizzas, and custom burgers may be the fad now, but how long will these last?

Creating a concept around a diverse menu that offers a variety of classic and new dishes is likely to remain popular with diners today and 10 years from now.
Remember copying a restaurant makes you simply “another restaurant X, but not the original.” For example, does anyone want to visit another Chipotle, when they can simply visit Chipotle?

While your restaurant can be “influenced” by other establishments, find a way to make it stand out by making it authentically yours.

Create a Desirable Menu

Your menu can make or break your restaurant, so it is worth the time and investment to make sure that it flows well with your restaurant concept and ambiance.

Most importantly, your menu should be attractive to your target market, and complements your restaurant’s ambiance.

As you are writing your menu, consider factors like the size of your restaurant kitchen, availability of ingredients, and the equipment you need.
Locally grown produce, organic items, fusion dishes (combining multiple ethnic cuisines into one dish) are rising in popularity. Consumers are also eating more chicken, beef, and seafood dishes than they have in recent years but also want to see meatless alternatives.

Menus that include a number of ethnic dishes are also popular. It’s not surprising to find Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American cuisines on the same menu.

Though menu variety is steadily increasing, menus themselves are growing shorter. Busy consumers prefer not to read a lengthy menu. Keep an eye out on the number of menu items, and make sure their descriptions are simple and straightforward to make selecting an item a breeze.

Location, Location, Location

Now that you have your target customers, restaurant concept, and menu items ready to go, it is time to secure a viable location.

Ideally, the location should have a continuous flow of traffic, convenient parking with easy access, and is close to other businesses that drive visitors to your restaurant (especially your target market).

To determine if the location has potential, calculate the total pedestrian traffic walking past that location during business hours and how many are likely to be customers.

Additionally, it is also wise to find out who the previous tenants were and why they are no longer occupying the space in addition to future development that could affect your business positively, or negatively.
Once you locate a desirable, and affordable location, it is time to shift your attention to the type of people you will need to hire to operate your business.

Your restaurant will only be as successful as the people you hire

One of the biggest hurdles restaurants face is hiring and retaining qualified and motivated staff. Nothing is more expensive, and time consuming then continuing to recruit, hire and train new employees.

Therefore, in order to attract and retain qualified employees, it is crucial to start by hiring right.

By making it crystal clear what you are looking for in the job description, not just in terms of job duties but also what you are looking for culturally, it will help to filter out some unqualified candidates from the start.

When your restaurant is new, some employees’ duties may cross over from one category to another so hire people that not only have a good blend of personality and experience, but also are willing to be flexible in their duties.

Do some research to find out what the pay rates are in your area and then establish a minimum and maximum rate that makes you completive.

Once you find them, provide initial and ongoing training on to help them improve their skills and operational efficiencies. Well-trained employees are often happier, confident, more effective and have lower turnover.

The best way to acquire restaurant equipment

Once you’ve decided on your location and what goes on your menu, it’s time to turn your attention to purchasing kitchen equipment and supplies.

Equipment is typically the biggest expense faced by new restaurant owners, so selecting quality, reliable, and affordable equipment and supplies that fits your restaurant type is critical on a tight budget. The last thing you want is spending money on equipment that is unable to service the needs of your restaurant.

Since you are likely to purchase cooking equipment, refrigerators, fryers, ovens, and serving ware that you will depend on to operate your business effectively, it is important to see and demo the equipment from a local seller to ensure that it meets your needs before you buy it.

Establishing an ongoing relationship with a dependable, and trustworthy equipment and supplies seller also goes a long way towards allowing you to focus on working on your business instead of just in it.

Article Source:-
https://www.actionsales.com/en/8-strategies-tips-start-successful-restaurant-2019/

Action Sales is dedicated to exceeding your expectations by understanding your business needs and providing quality equipment, supplies and service to help you succeed.