Looking for ways to make your restaurant stand out among others? Here are some of the key points your restaurant should adopt.
#1 Engage with Instagram Reels
Stop focusing on picture posting and start investing the time on Instagram Reels. The function can be a powerful tool for restaurants to grow their brand and reach a wider audience. Here are a few ways in which Instagram Reels can help restaurants:
Increase visibility: Instagram Reels appear on the Explore page, giving your restaurant the opportunity to be seen by users who may not already follow your account. This can help you gain new followers and increase your brand visibility.
Showcase your brand personality: Instagram Reels provide a fun and engaging way to showcase your brand personality. You can use Reels to show behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business, introduce your team, or highlight your products and services.
Drive traffic to your website: Instagram Reels can be a great way to drive traffic to your website or other social media channels. You can include a call-to-action in your Reels, encouraging users to visit your website or follow you on other platforms.
Increase sales: Instagram Reels can also be used to showcase your products or services and drive sales. You can create Reels that highlight new products, show how to use your products, or offer promotions or discounts.
#2 Embrace Technology
2023 saw the rise of service robots in the restaurant industry, where many restaurant chains have started to adopt the use of ‘Robot Waitress’ to improve their front of house service, especially during peak hours.
For instance, Hard Rock Cafe London has acquired both BellaBot and HolaBot to help streamline their front of house operation, improving overall efficiency by freeing human staffs to focus on other important tasks such as customer relationship and food quality control.
With the increasing challenges for restaurants to stand out among other, here are some ways a robot waitress (Bellabot) can help:
Enhance customer experience: Service robots can provide a unique and memorable experience for customers, especially if they have interactive features such as touch screens or voice commands just like Bellabot. This can help differentiate a restaurant from its competitors and increase customer loyalty.
Automate routine tasks: Service robots can take over repetitive, low-skill tasks such as delivering food to the tables, freeing human staff to focus on more valuable tasks like customer service and food quality control.
Reduce operation cost: The average cost of a service robot like Bellabot only costs £35 per day. Not only can they ultimately help reduce labor costs, but also increase overall efficiency, leading to long-term cost savings.
Increase efficiency: Service robots can help increase the speed and efficiency of service by automating mundane tasks. This can help reduce wait times and improve the overall customer experience and operations productivity.
#3 Offer Unique Menu Items
Try to come up with innovative and unique menu items that will set your restaurant apart from others. Consider using locally sourced ingredients, experimenting with fusion cuisine, or creating dishes that are not commonly found in your area.
To make the unique menu even more special, consider advertising the dish’s availability to create exclusivity and demand for the special menu. To overcome low demand days, restaurants can also consider allocating it on the lowest sale day of the restaurant to boost revenue.
One example of how a unique menu can boost restaurant revenue is the case of Momofuku, a restaurant group that started in New York City in 2004. Momofuku's founder, David Chang, created a unique menu that combined traditional Asian flavors with innovative techniques and unexpected ingredients, such as foie gras and pickled ramps.
By offering a distinctive menu that differentiated itself from other restaurants, Momofuku was able to attract a dedicated following of food enthusiasts and generate buzz in the food media. As a result, the restaurant was able to command higher prices for its dishes and consistently maintain high demand, leading to increased revenue and profitability.
#5 Offer special events or promotions
Hosting special events like live music, wine tastings, or themed dinners can attract new customers and create buzz around your restaurant. Consider offering promotions like happy hours, or discounts for first-time customers which can be a powerful incentive for people who have never tried a restaurant before.
Besides, developing a loyalty program can also incentivize existing customers to return more frequently. For example, a loyalty program that rewards customers with discounts or free items after a certain number of visits can encourage them to return and continue spending money at the restaurant.
In conclusion, to make your restaurant stand out in 2023, it's important to adopt innovative strategies that align with the goals and current consumer trends. If you are focusing on acquiring new customers, be sure to have a unique or seasonal menu and start leveraging the use of Instagram Reels to increase brand exposure. Meanwhile, consider embracing technology, such as BellaBot, to enhance operational efficiency and customer service.