The Online Basics for Restaurants
A Basic Online checklist for Restaurants to maximise Deliveries, Takeaways, and Click-n-Collect.
“In times of life crisis, whether wild-fires or smoldering stress, the first thing I do is go back to basics”
- Edward Albert
Restaurants are probably the hardest hit sector in the country. With Tier-based regulations in place, restaurants even within Tier 2 regions can’t really open shops to do what they opened the shop for in the first place, to serve!
With all that’s going against the restaurant business, we can’t possibly add to our own troubles. That said, I have reviewed a number of restaurants that are open for business but have crucial bits of information missing about their business online.
Again, when your potential customer is searching for any basic information about the kind of food you serve, your job is not only to appear (be there) but also be up to date and current. Right?
Some Examples:
Imagine a potential customer looking for the kind of delicacies you serve. He finds your restaurant, finds incorrect information (Eg: says open when it’s closed), and gets disappointed. Finds your competitor open and goes for them
This is only one simple instance of how a potentially recurring customer could get a bad taste in their mouth without even having a bite at yours.
The same would be applicable when a potential customer is looking for the kind of delicacies you serve but cannot make up their mind as the menu is not readily available. Note: These are only 2 simple examples out of the lot.
With all that intro out of the way, here are the golden nuggets for you to consume, implement, and grow your business:
Note: While some of the points will show you instant results, there are others that will make your business more structured and lucrative in the mid and long term.
Days & Hours
Simple enough? Basics right? Update your Google My Business, your Facebook, and any other directories/platforms your restaurant is listed on (eg: Trip Advisor)? Be current. You might know your hours by heart, your customer probably has their own business. Right?
The Phone Number
If there’s a number for your business mentioned online, make sure it’s available/redirected at least during the opening hours even when you’re away. It’s simple, it’s professional and builds (or mars) credibility. Did I mention revenue? Ultimately it helps with that too.
The Menu
No prizes for guessing this one. Again, seems pretty obvious for restaurants to have this crucial bit in place online. Easier said than done. Especially, with the current pandemic, I’m aware of several restaurants that have edited their menu, made some pricing changes, or even created a special lockdown menu. It can often become tricky to keep a track of all the versions and keep it updated everywhere online. That said, the importance of having your menu available for easy search or finding cannot be overstated.
Special Tip: there is a special section for the menu both on your free Facebook Page and Google My Business. Having your current menu updated in these major platforms appropriately can take care of the majority of the work already.
How to Order
As a restaurant owner, it might seem that it should be pretty obvious how you accept orders or the way you work overall. Especially when you have a stream of existing customers who are familiar with the way you roll. Due to this, quite often restaurant owners overlook the fact that there is a pie of new customers who might find it confusing how to buy from you based on your profile online. To be on the safer side, always make it absolutely blatant and obvious for the potential buyer to understand how they could order delivery, take away, or click-n-collect from your restaurant in the most convenient way. Makes sense?
Gift Cards
Do I even have to make a point here? If you are not doing Gift Cards/ Vouchers as a Restaurant, you are definitely losing out on a specific niche of customers. If you are a part of any local food-related FB groups, you already know how many times someone is looking for local restaurants that do gift cards. (Remember Innovation?? during difficulties? We’re just warming up right now). The point is not only to have it in place but also to let everyone know that now they can buy a gift (meal) from your restaurant as well. Sound cool?
The Favorites & Specialities
What is your restaurant known for? Is it the uniqueness of the cuisine, the quality? Some specific deals or dishes that are favorites? A combination of them? Call it Branding! It’s a golden practice to reinstate these defining features or aspects on all major platforms and posts where possible. Apart from giving a good impression to new customers, this also acts as a reminder for the existing customers and keeps them tied in. Simply put, just put it out there.
Any offers/ Discounts
Needless to say, but if you have an offer going, some happy hour or a specific discount. Whatever it is, it needs to be apparent and just out there. The best way to do this again is to use the free offer/promotions features on Facebook and Google My business to put your offers out there directly from the platforms.
When you make a change!
Many of us have had to adjust our Days, Hours, deals, etc. in order to adjust to the recent changes. Just make sure it is updated on your Google My Business Page, Facebook, and any other directories you’re listed on. Perhaps, create a quick post about the change on Facebook Post. Want to take it a step further, go ahead and share the same info on the relevant FB Groups that allow such posts. And this brings me to the end of this jargon list!
I certainly hope that the above list adds value to at least some of you restaurant business-owners and managers. That said, as the article goes, there are only the basics of what we ought to be doing in the new landscape of opportunities. There are other more creative and innovative strategies that I would be sharing real soon. Watch this space for innovation in the restaurant sector!
Adios!
