How to Attract New Customers to Your Restaurant

As the Florida heat reigns on, so do the outdoor gatherings and dinner dates.

You want your restaurant to stand out from the rest, and sometimes that entails a makeover. As many local restaurants in Florida begin to look for more ways to attract customers, a new makeover or update might be the smart choice. Restaurant owners can ask their existing customers what changes they’d like to see if they’re likely to recommend the restaurant to friends and family, and so on. By better understanding your existing customers, you can begin to gauge how to attract new customers without affecting your current ones.

Whether your changes are big or small, consider these features to attract a new crowd of food lovers while differentiating yourself from competitors.

Change the Aesthetic

It may be time to change your restaurants aesthetic. The rustic trend is all the rage for people who appreciate the wooden aesthetic. You can add more wood furniture to your restaurant to get the rustic look in many ways. For example, for larger parties, wood dining room tables offer the perfect seating for a party of six and are great for wear and tear while fitting the new aesthetic. This is where form and functionality best meet.

You can carry out the rustic design with greenery and more natural tones around your restaurant.

Offer Specialities

Creating something eccentric or quirky will attract customers, whether from word of mouth or through social media. For example, when people add a specialty drink to the menu, it creates buzz, and customers will look for these specialties on the menu.

Message Boards

Nothing grabs your attention like a message board with a clever slogan or pun. Your message board can include your social media handles, your specialty items and a daily promotional offer.

For restaurants that have further information to be conveyed, consider adding your dress code, time limits and health and safety protocols to your message board.

Eco-Conscious

Times are changing, and customers want to know that you’re doing your part for the environment. A simple yet intelligent change that was adopted throughout the pandemic was eliminating paper menus. Thousands of restaurants worldwide developed a QR code that the customer can scan to see the full menu directly on their phone. This practice not only eliminates any contact but also helps to go in a paperless direction.

Your restaurant can work towards many eco-friendly practices, including recycling, composting or donating your leftover food to local shelters, and choosing food that’s locally sourced.

Special Nights

Now more than ever, people want to go out. You can hire a local band to entertain for one night of the week (preferably your slower night) to attract customers. The band will get exposure, and your customers will experience fun entertainment.

You can take it a step further and have a night that gives back to your community. If your finances allow it, advertise that for a day, a portion of all purchases will go towards a local charity. Customers want to support businesses that give back.

But giving back isn’t necessarily about philanthropy in the restaurant industry. Giving back also means providing the public with an aesthetically delightful ambiance in which people can cozily break bread together. Creating such an ambiance always begins with the right furnishings.

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