The hospitality industry is notable fickle. Moreover, it tends to bear the brunt of major societal changes, and we saw this during the lockdowns during the pandemic at the start of this decade. For this reason, many restaurants have closed, but even before then, restaurants have a relatively high failure rate. In fact, two thirds fail within their first two or three years.Â
It’s essential to be mindful of these figures when going into business, not to deflate you, but as a reminder to take nothing for granted, and to never place all of your eggs in one basket. Of course, no online post can promise you perfect success, as much as we would like it to. It’s important, then, to provide advice that is not only sustainable and can be integrated well, but that empowers you as opposed to dictating a course of action.
In this post, we’ll discuss a few tips you can use to avoid joining that first statistic:
Amazing Customer Service
We all know that amazing service is what keeps us coming back to the restaurant if the food is satisfying and well-priced. It's not just about being nice to our customers, though that’s a starting point. It's really about making every guest feel special and ensuring we listen to them and their needs, while also expecting them to respect us (endless menu alterations can lead you to favoritism and an inconsistent experience, for example). Train your staff to listen carefully, know what guests need before asked, and go above and beyond. This means empowering and trusting them, and also paying them a fair wage above just tips.
Quality Catering Equipment
Sure, having the right kitchen equipment is crucial for making your menu items well, but you don’t need the fanciest tech ever to make a great menu. If you invest in high-quality, efficient catering equipment suited for professional kitchens, sometimes even second hand, you can outfit your kitchen well and upgrade as you go. Be sure to look for versatile pieces that can handle a busy workload. Maintain that equipment through proper cleaning and servicing so it lasts. This provides convenience and capability to your chefs, whom you should also trust the autonomy of your kitchens to.
Fresh Ingredients & Simple Menu
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel unless you’re providing dishes to high-flying guests with more money than sense. Using fresh, premium ingredients and keeping your menu simple is genuinely a great place to start and finish aall at once. Remember, a menu with too many items sacrifices quality and makes operations messy. Limit your menu to signature dishes and customer favorites inkeeping with your theme. Moreover, keep that concept simple and understandable. If it’s a particular cuisine, say so. Don’t try to please everyone. Focus on quality over variety. People will travel from miles around to sample the best pepperoni pizza they’ve ever had, they won’t travel more than five for one hundred mediocre options.
With this advice, we hope you can keep your restaurant running with confidence.
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