THE MIDDLE EAST'S NUMBER ONE RESTAURANT CONSULTANTS
People go to restaurants to spend quite a bit of time in them. This makes it a deal breaker if you as the owner haven’t given much thought to how attractive your restaurant setting really is. First and foremost, what kind of restaurant do you operate, and who is your target audience?
Why setting matters?
If it is a high-end restaurant, investing in loud music is not going to do the trick. Your customers will mostly be elite and will expect the setting to be sleek, sophisticated and polished. The music too will have to be soft; the setting more ambient. If it is a casual restaurant, the music can be slightly louder but not too loud that people cannot speak or hear each other. The table setting should be more informal and the atmosphere less intimate.
Good hygiene for everyone
Pay attention to hygiene. Remember, food should not only be clean, it should look clean as well. Whether you are running an elite establishment or small bistro down the road, hygiene is an absolute necessity. Even in a fast food pit stop, people want to eat clean and well prepared food. Aside from food, ensure there is cleanliness throughout the restaurant. Whether it is the cutlery, washroom, kitchen or even the storage facility, it should be clean enough for you not to feel embarrassed if a guest walks into it accidentally.
How to price your dishes
Let’s look at the cost of food. Restaurant goers are conscious of food prices, even though their return visits may seem like it doesn’t matter too much. It does matter. And the restaurant owner needs to do a good job of pricing the items to look as attractive, where the dish ordered gives your customers good value for money. No one wants to pay huge rates for food that looks ordinary. Now, the secret is to make your food appear extraordinary, and your customers will be happy to pay whatever the price. Another important tip, price your dishes to seem like they are affordable. For example, you can price a dish at $9.95, instead of $10.20. There isn’t even a dollar’s difference, but somehow to customers it almost seems like you’ve reduced so much more than that.
Staff and your customers
Hire a great group of people to work for you. Your wait staffs are the first people to have contact with restaurant guests. If you have a bunch of polite, friendly and courteous group you can be assured your customers will be happy to return to your establishment. It is not just about the food, it is also about being respected and treated well. It is about seeing a friendly smile or familiar face that knows you by name. As much as these are little things and may not seem important to you, it is very important to your customers who look at dining out as an experience to be enjoyed, instead of grabbing a quick bite to eat.
