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The average restaurant operating a sit-down dining experience can miss 15-30 percent of incoming calls on average, with that number possibly being even higher during busy hours. The most common asks are to make a reservation, ask a Frequently-Asked-Question (e.g., menu, hours, etc.), or place an order (for take out).
"The pandemic forced the restaurant industry to reinvent itself overnight, moving from a primarily in-store dining experience to an omnichannel, digital-first business. Special events have become a big reason for going out, making unique dining experiences more important than ever. How Do You Stack Up?
What can you expect to see on menus in 2025? Read on for predictions from industry insiders that include chili crunch, black limes, newstaglia, stealth health, and elevated snacking. ” Guests will have the opportunity to experience many of these trends come to life at Kimpton restaurants and bars across the globe.
This holiday season, 67 percent of diners are seeking more than standard reservations, with themed holiday meals (44 percent) and multi-course feasts (39 percent) being the most popular options, according to a survey from Tock. Nearly half (49 percent) of respondents will be seeking a reservation during the 4 to 6 p.m.
Now that states are beginning to loosen their lockdown restrictions and reopen small businesses like restaurants, it’s fair to wonder how drastically the dine-in experience will have to change to accommodate the new safety requirements. And even with stricter guidelines in place, will customers actually risk dining out in public spaces?
Whether it was your signature menu items, seasonal specials, or a festive holiday cocktail that puts a new spin on a classic, tailoring your menu can grab the attention of those looking to try something new. Over the Christmas season, 63 percent of adults plan to eat out so your restaurant needs to be prepared for the increase in demand.
With 90% of diners checking a restaurant online before visiting, you also need a strong online presence to attract and boost reservations. Local SEO strategies, like targeting location-specific searches, will help your site show up when people look for nearby dining options on search engines.
This Valentine's Day edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features dining and gifting trends including the importance of experience. Restaurants saw 41 percent more transactions The busiest dining hour? Analyzing data from full-service restaurants on Feb. percent in 2024. percent in 2024.
The National Retail Federation estimates that 41 percent of consumers will celebrate Valentine’s day with a special dinner or celebration at home. This can include, mask wearing protocols, occupancy rules, socially distanced dining, Valentine’s day reservation instructions and more. Make Your Menu the Main Course.
Delivery/Takeout : COVID created a shift from in-person dining to takeout and delivery options, increasing reliance on third party delivery services, and on attractive takeout options. Many restaurant owners had believed they would be covered in the event of something like the pandemic, and found themselves without a safety net.
Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while? When used strategically, customer data can help you personalize marketing, streamline operations, and create a better dining experience for your guests. Or adjust your staffing schedule based on peak ordering times?
A well-crafted email can remind a past guest to stop by again, encourage reservations for a new seasonal menu, or even boost online orders with a limited-time discount. A well-timed email with a special offer, new menu item, or exclusive promotion can be the nudge they need to place another order.
Promote Online Ordering and Reservations. Restaurants can also offer customers a pre-order option during the reservation process. In addition to placing their food order within the app, allowing patrons to reserve their table within your app frees them from calling the restaurant.
Whether it’s managing reservations, coordinating with servers, or handling situations with grace, a skilled hostess brings a mix of warmth, professionalism, and operational expertise to the table. What steps do you take to handle special seating requests, such as accessibility needs?
As we return to in-person dining across the country, restaurants are facing yet another challenge: delivering an exceptional customer experience (CX) for guests who come with high expectations after more than a year stuck at home. The entire dining experience has changed in the wake of the pandemic.
Incorporate high-quality images showcasing your dishes, inviting dining area, and any unique features that define your restaurant's personality. Ensure that your site is intuitive and easy to navigate, with clear menus, contact information, and reservation options readily accessible.
While having a special menu for Restaurant Week is important, so is keeping your bottom line in check. Consider how profitable and scalable your special menu items are with a cost/benefit analysis to ensure you’ll break even or come out ahead when the week is over. Be In Charge of Your Own Marketing.
Get Ready for Reservations (or Don’t). The first big decision you need to make for any major holiday is whether or not you’re going to accept reservations. For example, by accepting reservations you’ll allow a select few parties to skip the wait, ensuring that they’ll have a great spot and a great time.
They help with reservations and table management, staff scheduling and time management, inventory tracking, rewards programs, automated marketing, and more. For operators, restaurant apps mean higher sales, greater customer retention, and smoother day-to-day operations.
Between online reservations, third-party delivery apps, and direct ordering from your website, digital interactions often happen before a guest ever steps through your doors. Consumer insights: Beyond the basics, think about why people dine at your restaurant. Thats why a strong marketing strategy is the key to staying ahead.
Restaurants are going digital, with innovations like contactless ordering, reservation apps, and personalized marketing driven by data. It’s a new era of dining, where your favorite spot knows not only your name but also your order. Celebrating birthdays, for example, is a simple but effective way to make customers feel special.
Hoteliers and restaurant operators are increasingly demanding POS systems that seamlessly connect with CRM, loyalty programs, reservation systems, inventory management, and payroll. Operators would see increased prices in their supply chain, resulting in rising costs to their guests as well. by about one percent.
When restaurants got the green light to reopen their dining rooms, they implemented a host of safety procedures to prevent the spread of germs. One of the best ways to connect with your customers is to listen to their feedback about their dining experience. QR codes are nothing new. At least 63.6 Direct Mail Campaigns.
On Valentine’s Day, restaurants fill up quickly with reservations from couples eager to spend a romantic night together. Holidays provide restaurants with the opportunity to capitalize on the special moment by offering specials, events, and so much more exclusive to the holiday. Create a Prix Fixe Menu.
While restaurants saw sales plummet during the height of the pandemic, Americans proved how much they were looking forward to dining out again once vaccination rates rose and positive COVID cases started to fall. By July 2021, OpenTable reported that reservations had returned to normal after plunging by two-thirds during the pandemic.
Restaurant management can put some thought into reconfiguring any dining area to make the space feel exclusive and welcoming, not bare or half-empty; this will likely mean the removal of furnishings that don’t allow social distancing. Safety and Normalcy.
Today’s Happy Hour Special: Paying By Text Message. Throughout the customer’s dining journey, there are a number of places where a restaurant can leverage contactless messaging to strengthen customer relationships and modernize operations. Special deals : Restaurants learn so much from a customer’s order.
This industry seeks to develop a value proposition that speaks to its consumers and convinces them to dine in their restaurants. Convenience: Simplified Dining Experiences Convenience is really what modern customers look for in a restaurant experience. But precisely, how can you determine what customers want?
In contrast, customers are entering 2023 with higher expectations for stellar experiences when they do choose to spend money on dining out. Today, more guests expect special treatment – they want to have more of their needs anticipated before they even have to ask. Personalization with Data. Making More Informed Decisions.
Restaurants that rank higher in local search results get more foot traffic, online orders, and reservations. When people are hungry, they turn to Google. Its the number one way customers discover new restaurants and if your business isnt showing up in the search results, youre losing diners to competitors who are.
Gen Z and millennials are likely to return to in-restaurant dining before older guests; and each group will have different concerns. Restaurants play an important role in our lives and in our communities; often where we celebrate birthdays, graduations, first dates, and major life moments. Safety and Trust.
A friend of mine recently told me that her group had reservations for a large party on a Sunday night at one of their favorite restaurants. She called to confirm the reservation on Friday only to be told that the restaurant is no longer open on Sundays. The restaurant had reservations and did not call any of the guests.
It’s also wise to implement a strong reservation abandonment strategy that allows you to recover most of the direct bookings. . This is one way to promote perks and encourage future reservations. . Offer them a special deal for a later time. Assess the current impact of coronavirus on your particular business.
Hospitality operators can take steps now to not only ensure an easier transition but also maintain revenue streams and guest loyalty even if on-premise dining goes away. Many operators were able to pivot to delivery or pick-up offerings when dining rooms closed. Diversifying Revenue Streams. drive-thru, curbside pick-up, etc.).
Customers can also be more hesitant to dine out as their everyday expenses are going up. Perhaps even contemplate featuring these items as a weekly special or create a weekly special with items that your food provider has on sale. So what exactly are the effects of inflation? Technology can optimize table utilization as well.
60% of guests who have a positive experience are likely to dine at a restaurant more frequently. High-quality food not only satisfies hunger but also creates memorable dining experiences that customers will want to repeat. Moreover, the menu sets expectations for the dining experience.
It should contain all the obvious items like the extra sanitary practices you're going through, your adjusted hours of operation, and an overview of any special services you're offering like curbside pickup or no-contact delivery. It isn't just that a lot of websites weren't ready for this.
With six times the engagement of email, text messaging is revolutionizing the marketing strategies of QSR, fast food, and dine-in restaurants. Restaurants can minimize close contact by texting alerts when reservations and takeout orders are available, keeping people from clustering together at entrances or pickup counters.
The ways a website can drive more orders and reservations while cutting costs. Customers cant access an up-to-date menu, current hours, schedule a reservation, or place an online order. A well-designed website does more than just make a good first impression. How owning your digital presence can help you reach more local customers.
Contactless payments started as a safety precaution for many quick-service restaurants (QSRs) – allowing them to offer a curbside service that kept patrons out of the dining room. Exclusive deals : Having special discounts and promotions on the curbside app will not only encourage adoption but increase engagement on the app.
Outdoor dining is still top of mind as owners want to keep employees and customers safe and have questions about maintaining outdoor spaces in inclement weather. That's fine for sidewalks but not very conducive to outdoor dining, including keeping tables leveled. How much should a restaurant invest in outdoor dining necessities?
Outside of off-premise options, contactless technologies can keep customers safe as they return to dine-in at restaurants. He wants to meet up with a group of friends for the weekend and decides to make a reservation at your restaurant. He conducts a quick Google search and makes a reservation with a few easy clicks from Google.
By analyzing customer preferences, dining habits, and feedback, AI chatbots can send personalized messages to engage customers with new menu items, exclusive offers, and meal recommendations. In recent years, the restaurant industry has incurred staffing issues that have closed independent establishments and franchises nationwide.
More interesting for the dining public on this issue is how restaurants will rely more on premade products in 2025, which have almost zero waste and will help lower labor costs (fewer employees needed to make the products from scratch). History will show that COVID was the line of demarcation for the hospitality industry in the 21st century.
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