Spring is finally here, which means summer is just around the corner too. As the weather starts getting nicer, people start coming out more, and your restaurant needs to be prepared for one of your busiest times of the year. This is especially true if you have a patio. Here are some tips and tricks to make your restaurant the talk of the town for outdoor dining during spring and summer.
Freshen Up Your Menu
Spring is the perfect time to freshen up the menu in your restaurant . Add bright colored images to your menu, as well as some refreshing spring and summer food and drink specials. Offering something different will bring new customers in to enjoy your outdoor dining, and also keep your regulars coming back. After the dark days of winter, your customers will be ready to enjoy nice cold beverages and delicious meals while enjoying the sun on your patio.
Email Marketing
Pull a list of repeated customers and loyalty program members from your point-of-sale system to send out marketing emails letting them know about your summertime menus, specials, and outdoor dining options. Don’t have a POS system that does this? We can help.
Add an outdoor dining section to your POS system so employees can see table status from anywhere.
Get Social
Social media and web-based referrals are huge for marketing your restaurant. It’s probably one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to get a message out to consumers and to draw attention to your restaurant. Many businesses have already mastered the art of running a business in the digital age.
When posting, focus on short direct messages which clearly identify what your restaurant stands for and why people should come visit you. Showcase pictures of your new spring/summer food and create a calendar for upcoming events at your restaurant. For a low-cost, you can also launch a promotional ad, and target it to only show to people within a certain radius of your restaurant. Show them out outdoor dining area and your delicious food that’s waiting for them, and they won’t be able to resist.
Be Mobile
Add an outdoor dining/patio section to your POS system, so your employees can see table status from inside the restaurant. Also, with a mobile iPad POS, you can send orders from the table straight to the kitchen. This reduces human error, eliminates printing paper records, and turns tables over faster.
Patio Furniture
Don’t add too much furniture to your patio or outdoor dining area. Having space between your customers is key; you don’t want them bumping chairs or having to talk over other customers that are too close to them. It’s also good for your wait staff to have a clear path to get to their tables. Add heating lamps or fire pits for when the sun goes down, and people will stay even later to enjoy a nice dinner under the stars.
Cut Costs
Hourly Sales – Pulling hourly sales reports allows you to see which hours are busiest and which are slower. With this feature, you can decide if you need to bring an extra employee in to help with the rush, or when you don’t need as many staff on hand because business is slow. Outdoor dining times can drastically change this information, so pulling data is key.
Sales Overview – This report can provide you with a high-profile of your daily sales. You can use this to understand the total volume of product going out and money coming in.
Product Mix – Mix reporting helps you understand which products or items are your best sellers, which items are your bottom sellers, and everything in between.
Busy seasons can come with challenges, but with the right POS system you can expand your business and outdoor dining offerings in ways you can’t imagine. Use some of the tips and tricks mentioned above to start getting your restaurant patio ready and start increasing your revenue today.
Questions?
Call us at (888) 510-9871 or email info@redfynn.com. You can also check out our website at www.redfynn.com.
