| Restaurant marketing is an eternal project than | | | | $5 charge, which I quickly accepted. |
| begins before your doors open and continues 24 | | | | - Another run down shack of a place in the Florida |
| hours a day, seven days a week. The art of | | | | keys, served the freshest seafood possible, since |
| combining communication, selling and delivery of | | | | behind the shack were fishermen bringing their |
| your product will directly impact the level of | | | | catch in, cleaning them and straight to the table |
| success you achieve in any business. In the typical | | | | after choosing your cooking method. From the |
| restaurant enterprise, you can only survive with | | | | front, the restaurant was not looking like the |
| repeat business. Return customers are the | | | | fresh food venue it turned out to be. Awesome |
| ultimate culmination and reward of the marketing | | | | fish, crabs and spiny lobster. They vastly |
| process. | | | | exceeded my expectations. |
| The whole complicated marketing strategy can be | | | | - Fast food (as well as chains) is a rare choice for |
| summed up in four words – meeting the | | | | me, but I do try new restaurants of all types. |
| guest’s expectations. This is where the | | | | Recently a new chain of hamburger QSR’s |
| chains shine. You really don’t go into a | | | | expanded into my area. I kept hearing about their |
| Taco Bell anticipating a life changing experience or | | | | great hamburger. There were several media |
| an Olive Garden for the most romantic | | | | articles about the chain, but that wasn’t |
| experience of your life. Both of these restaurants, | | | | what motivated me. The first time I heard about |
| at two ends of the price scale, offer customers | | | | the chain was a customer at one of my |
| only decent food for the price, in a reasonable | | | | restaurants who told me about a grand opening |
| atmosphere, with acceptable service and | | | | of one of the locations. He told me how good the |
| convenience. That is it! No more, no less, and that | | | | hamburger was and that it was free. The chain |
| is what they deliver consistently. | | | | offered free food on opening day. A subsequent |
| As an independent restaurant you have to learn | | | | guest mentioned the chain and the quality of the |
| from the chains. It’s not enough to be as | | | | burger. Two referrals were enough to motivate |
| good as they are, but you have to figure out | | | | me! Their product was very good, but they were |
| what they don’t do. Essentially, you must | | | | masters of marketing. |
| exceed the guest’s expectations. I know | | | | Here are some lessons learned; |
| of one restaurant owner who spent very little | | | | - The free food on opening day made a lot of |
| money on the exterior of the building. However, | | | | sense. It cost no more than an advertising blitz |
| the minute you walked in the door your first | | | | would have cost and got people talking! |
| impressions were dashed by the gorgeous | | | | - The first thing on their short menu board (about |
| surroundings you found yourself in. The | | | | eight items) was their “famous” |
| owner’s philosophy was to immediately | | | | burger supposedly voted No. 1 at various venues |
| impress the guest. Your food cannot be the same | | | | around the country. It also happened to be the |
| as other restaurants in your class – it must | | | | most expensive thing on the board, a double |
| excel. Service must have a surprise; friendlier, | | | | burger at $4.89 with your choice of additions free. |
| more personable or more extravagant. | | | | - French fries were “hand-cut”, but |
| If a prospective customer has never tasted your | | | | the real kicker was after filling the Styrofoam cup |
| food, seen your restaurant or experienced your | | | | they served them in and placing it in the bag with |
| service, what would they expect the experience | | | | the burger, they threw in another handful of fries |
| on their first visit to be? Good food? Good | | | | on top of the contents. This last detail made it |
| service? Good experience? That is mediocre | | | | seem you were getting more for your money |
| enough! That applies to most of your competition | | | | and there are few people who haven’t |
| and certainly the vast majority of the chains. How | | | | reached in the bag to snag a French fry or two |
| low on the scale of mediocrity can you go before | | | | before un-wrapping the burger or while driving |
| you fail due to being like everyone else? | | | | home. By the way, the fries were $2.69, no |
| One of the most difficult learning experiences I | | | | bargain, but the delivery of the product made you |
| have had in the restaurant business is figuring out | | | | forget the price. |
| the subjective views of diners. Opinions vary on | | | | - Finally, their product, the burger. There was |
| what is good food or at least acceptable food. | | | | nothing to dislike! They did it right. The cooks |
| Even more diversity is assured when assessing | | | | placed the burgers on the griddle, without |
| service. My expectations, when dining out may be | | | | smashing the juices out of it on the turn. After |
| much lower than someone else. What motivates | | | | the first turn the bun went on top for steaming. |
| me to revisit or recommend a restaurant may be | | | | The two slices of cheese were placed on the |
| miles apart from the next guest. | | | | sandwich and wrapped in plain foil which produced |
| While we offer 50 different ways to market your | | | | a perfectly melted cheese and moist, juicy burger. |
| restaurant in The Restaurant Ebook, here are | | | | It was better than most QSR’s, as well it |
| some things over the years that have placed one | | | | should when you walk out with a $10.13 bill |
| restaurant or another firmly in my mind. | | | | including tax and drink from a fast food joint. |
| - A restaurant once served our group a sample | | | | These and many other memories make the |
| of their Sangria of the evening as we were | | | | exceptional restaurant stand way out in front of |
| seated. It was not only unexpected, but | | | | the mediocre and poor experiences I have |
| refreshing while waiting on our server. Great way | | | | encountered. When someone is in the area of one |
| to minimize wait, sell a product and create an | | | | of the operations above, I can recommend these |
| unexpected service. | | | | extraordinary experiences to them. That is great |
| - My party once enjoyed the welcoming sounds | | | | marketing when it brings new guests and |
| of a Mexican roaming band as we were seated | | | | cements a relationship with an old customer. |
| and a bow with a welcome in Spanish that the | | | | What makes your restaurant stand out in the |
| server subsequently explained as tradition in | | | | guest's mind? For more ideas see what other |
| Hidalgo to treat guests as special family. | | | | restaurants are doing at Restaurant in the Weeds. |
| - While making a reservation for a special | | | | Creating an unforgettable memory will bring more |
| occasion, the person on the phone asked if I | | | | guests than a month's worth of newspaper |
| would like a rose at the lady’s plate for a | | | | advertising. |