Every restaurant wants repeat, loyal customers. That’s why offering special incentives like discounts, happy hour deals, and even owning your faults is as important as ever. Read along to understand why the small things can add up to big bucks for your restaurant.
Celebrate birthdays with both a song and a treat- you’re sure to give them a memorable experience even if they only opt for the free birthday treat. Giving-to-get works in these situations because not only are you giving them a free menu item, but you’re making them feel a little special on their big day. Because of that, you’re likely to have a returning customer who is looking for more positive experiences, and maybe they want to bring another person for their birthday, too! Just remember to sign the birthday patrons up for your loyalty program so that they can receive details about future deals and discounts, and have all the more reason to return to your restaurant.
Happy Hour discounts will attract not only those looking for discounted drinks and snacks, but also the after-work crowd. By lowering your prices during these hours, you’re attracting more customers to your restaurant during typically slow hours, and also increasing the chances they keep coming back week after week, or day after day even. It’s even the perfect opportunity to test out new recipes to serve along with your staple menu items. Still, consistency is key for your restaurant’s happy hour- make sure to clearly communicate what’s on the menu with menus, table tents, and social media posts to drive traffic to your restaurant, and keep the prices stable.
Buy “x” get “y” free discounts. Encourage patrons to order certain menu items more often by offering a free menu item in combination with ordering specific items. It increases sales by encouraging diners to order enough to get the discount- and then the restaurant is also able to move more goods and materials through to the dining room, reducing waste in the long run.
As hinted at before, loyalty offerings are a great way to incentivize and reward patrons for returning to your restaurant time and time again. Not only do diners benefit from a loyalty program by getting exclusive offerings and discounts, but the restaurant will be able to keep track of customer data and use that to their advantage. For example, offering birthday perks such as a free slice of cake may incentivize them to celebrate at your restaurant, but without the loyalty program acquiring that data, you wouldn’t have sent them the offer to begin with. Also, updating diners through emails about new hours, promotions, and happy hour specials will result in more repeat customers. Remember to use pictures on your promotions in order to inspire the experience that diners are seeking- people love to share pictures of yummy food and that’s just another excellent way for word-of-mouth to travel!
Don’t forget that your customers need to leave happy- even when things go wrong. Guest relations is an important but sometimes overlooked element when it comes to inspiring a diner to return to your restaurant. Sometimes, offering a discount or comp for service imperfections or poor quality food is necessary. We can’t always get it right, but we can give our restaurant the chance to try again by undoing the damage and incentivizing the diner to come back again. Use your best judgement to comp a meal or discount it- while also offering a discount on their next meal. Doing so will encourage them to give your restaurant, your food, and your people another chance.
Let your restaurant patrons know who you are and what special items and deals you have by using signage, takeout and regular menus, table tents, and digital promotions! TerraSlate is an amazing product that is waterproof and repels other liquids including grease, which makes it perfect for restaurant menus and table tents. In addition to it being waterproof, it is also rip-proof and TerraSlate Waterproof Menus come with antimicrobial, antiviral coating which reduces the spread of germs. Explore our website now to see what products we offer!
