While a large portion of the population will look online for new restaurants and will sometimes never set foot in them, foot traffic remains the top source of revenue for most establishments. The thing is that it doesn’t take a complete overhaul to get more people through the doors. Sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity. In other cases, you could benefit from using time-tested techniques that you may have been overlooking or weren’t aware of. Let’s take a look at a few small touches that will increase foot traffic in your restaurant.
A Nice Window Menu
One of the worst things that you can do as a restaurant owner is not allowing people to see your menu from outside when it could be your biggest selling point. You can use it to showcase your specials, products that are the most profitable for you, and those you’re most famous for.
For this to work, the menu has to be properly designed and fit the personality of your core audience and restaurant. If you’re looking for a professional menu printing team to design and print great menus for your restaurant, we suggest you check out Butterfly Print and Design. They’ve been in the business for over 33 years and have worked with all sorts of establishments big and small around the country. They will be able to work with you and come up with a perfect design for all your menus, whether it’s window menus, folded table menus, or takeaway menus.
Encourage Reviews
Reviews will also have a direct effect on your foot traffic. This is why you have to make sure that you look at your listing and make adjustments if needed.
You must make sure that you have claimed your Google My Business listing. It is free, and you have to claim it today if you haven’t already. The contact information (name, address, phone number) must be consistent everywhere it’s displayed online, whether it’s a business directory, your website, or social media.
Next, you have to check what people had to say about you if you have been reviewed. Address bad reviews immediately. Make sure that your interactions are genuine and that you accept any blame if it’s warranted.
The next step is improving on issues and encouraging people to make new reviews. One of the easiest ways to do this is to have a loyalty program. This will allow you to follow up with your regulars and ask if they’d like to make a review. And, since they are regular, there is a large chance that they appreciate your business and will be willing to help.
Offer Discounts
People love a discount, and you have to make sure that you offer deals from time to time. If you have a lot of take-out clients, consider adding a few coupons to your menus. You shouldn’t worry about margins here. You want as many people coming through the doors as possible. You also want your specials to be your best items so they can spread the word about them and come back.
These are all simple things that you could do starting today to increase foot traffic. Dedicate yourself to good service first, and don’t be afraid to use old school techniques as they’re still the most efficient in many cases.