

The primary objective for any restaurant marketing campaign is getting customers in the door.

For instance, instead of saying “Can I interest you in dessert?” switch the script to “I’ve got a great apple pie tonight.” It is critical for staff to be trained on upselling and marketing techniques to drive consistent sales.”Įffective upselling might include suggesting menu items with higher profit margins and tactfully recommending items without coming across as pushy to customers. “Sales and the volume of customers drive the bottom line, which in turn is determined by the quality of product and customer service. “Trying to make money strictly from food is too difficult for most brands,” he says. In addition, Phillip recommends incorporating various sales strategies, including upselling and the addition of alcohol-which has a more stable price-to menus. To address this challenge, many restaurants have successfully adjusted their menus, including removing less profitable offerings and increasing prices by incremental margins. This means investing upfront, and the same is true when launching seasonal limited time offers (LTOs). Restaurants feel this pressure even more keenly during seasonal rush times, when managers must order larger than usual inventory supplies to offset expected increases in demand. “Because our program works well and is easy for the customer to understand, it’s a winner, and has definitely proven to be our top technology investment.”įood and ingredient costs remain one of the biggest challenges for operators trying to stay competitive in the marketplace. “The biggest reward for customers at Hurricane Cafe is our loyalty program, which incentivizes customers to prioritize our brand,” Phillip says. By partnering with a national loyalty program, brands can attract new guests motivated to earn rewards and encourage them to make frequent purchases. “Restaurants really need to invest in the best consumer-facing technologies that will also manage things like labor hours, overtime, credit card processing, and gift card information.”ĭigital loyalty programs are a technology solution that many restaurant owners are adopting in order to grow their customer base. “Trying to find an ‘all-in-one’ solution is often an elusive endeavor,” says Scott Phillip, owner of Hurricane Cafe in Juno Beach, Florida.

They also need to weigh the importance of embracing relevant technology trends, such as digital loyalty programs. Restaurateurs who want to keep pace with the competition must be willing to make the necessary investments to keep their operating systems up-to-date. While access to capital is important, there are other ways restaurant owners can better set up their businesses for success, including investing in technology, increasing ticket amounts, improving marketing efforts, and attracting and retaining staff.įrom online ordering and loyalty apps to enhanced POS systems, technology is streamlining many aspects of the restaurant industry. One way to ensure they have the necessary cash available to foot these and other bills is by obtaining financing from a source familiar with the unique ebbs and flows of the restaurant industry. From hiring staff and rotating menus to renovating space and expanding inventory, the cost of doing business can be daunting. Restaurant owners know start-up costs are just the first of many expenses they will face.
