5 Best Ways to Increase Traffic to My Restaurant
Every restaurant owner would like to have more people going to their restaurant, but relatively few actually take the steps required to achieve it. When it comes to drumming up traffic, there isn’t a silver bullet. Instead, you need to adopt multiple strategies. Check out what you should do below.
1. Have an App Where They can Earn Points for Dining at Your Restaurant
Nowadays, customers expect restaurants to have delivery apps. These allow them to order take-out, food for collection, and even while sitting down and dining in the restaurant itself. Apps connect directly to the kitchen, telling chefs what to cook next.
Adding the ability to earn points for dining and your restaurant via the app makes the experience even more appealing. What’s more, it encourages long-term loyalty. Customers are much more likely to continue dining with you if they can get rewards the next time they come.
2. Have a Specific Niche of Food
Don’t try to be a jack of all trades. Instead, focus your attention on a particular food niche. Be the restaurant customers first think of when they consider a specific type of cuisine.
Options here are virtually endless. You could offer something mainstream, like Italian food. Or you could do something much rarer, such as Ethiopian dishes. Try to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Avoid setting up a type of restaurant too similar to other options in your area.
3. Market Your Restaurant
In the past, restaurants relied on word-of-mouth and passing trade to fill their tables. But thanks to the advent of the internet, they now have many more marketing options.
As a restaurant, focus on:
- Creating great content on third-party platforms that will forward people your website
- Writing blogs on your site that will capture users making specific searches (such as “Italian restaurants near me”)
- SEO by building links to other sites and including relevant keywords in your website copy
- Having an awesome website that people can use to check out your menus and discover what your establishment is like without actually having to visit
- Writing ads that appear at the top of search results when people search for restaurants like yours
4. Ask for People to Give Reviews of Your Restaurant on Google, Yelp, FB
Next, ask people to leave reviews of your restaurant on popular platforms, such as Yelp, Google and Facebook. Reviews are powerful because they are a form of “social proof.” When existing customers say your business is good, prospects are more likely to believe them. Generally, reviews are more powerful than regular marketing.
5. Treat Your Employees Well
Lastly, treat your employees well. If you do, they’ll want to stay, reducing your turnover costs. They will also be proud of where they work, telling people about your restaurant by word of mouth. They’ll genuinely believe in the food that they serve and want people to experience it.
You can treat your employees well by showing appreciation and gratitude, offering flexible working and allowing them to keep their tips.