Running a restaurant is not just about offering food; it is also about the experience your customers will have when they step their foot in your establishment. In fact, diners will first take in the ambiance of your restaurant before having a bite. Great ambiance encourages clients to walk in and stay longer, eating and drinking. This translates to more profits.
One way to ensure your restaurant has an ambient atmosphere is to create a first impression. A first impression is always a lasting one and you never get a second chance to make it. This is one of the oldest adages, but it is still very much alive in what we do today, so make no mistake about a first impression. A restaurant should make a good first impression, and the rest will follow.
However, it is important to ensure that the food services your restaurant provides are commensurate with the first impression your customers get. After all, food is the main pull factor here, and human beings tend to associate good things with good things and vice versa. Your restaurant’s first impression alone could be enough to trigger salivation from your patrons.
But how do you create a good first impression? Here are the tips to help you achieve this:
Provide an Outdoor Seating
An outdoor seating, such as a patio, makes your r
estaurant attractive from outside, making it easy for patrons to appreciate your establishment even before they step inside. Sure, the old saying advises us not to judge a book by its cover, but rest assured clients will judge your restaurant by its outside look.
Add an Attractive Sign-out Front
A prominent sign-out front makes your restaurant appealing to clients. The style you go with will depend on your restaurant concept. You may want to flash some neon or put a custom-made sign created from an old wooden barn. Cool focal objects such as murals and big Adirondack chairs could also be ideal as some patrons will definitely want to have a snap with these objects.
Recruit a Welcoming Staff
Have you ever entered a high-traffic restaurant and realised that no one bothers to ask you what you want to be served with? In such a busy establishment, it may take some good time for any staff to give you an ear. Your employees should represent the values of your restaurant. Their facial expression alone will speak volumes about your business. Wearing a stone face could scare away some customers.
A welcoming staff will spot clients once they enter your restaurant’s gate. Your staff should be able to usher in your clients and serve them as first as possible. Remember, some of these clients may just have taken a short lunch break and they don’t want to be late for work.
