What do you sell?

If I asked the question, "What does your restaurant sell?" You would probably start thinking about the most popular items on the menu, in which you would be wrong.  The moment you understand what it actually is that you are selling, or better put,  it is what your customers are actually buying, will you truly understand what it means to be a successful restaurant.  It is WHY your guests chose your establishment.   You don't steak, seafood, or pasta. You sell SERVICE and the food on the plate is merely the delivery method in which that SERVICE is provided. 

     When people dine out they are looking for a certain dining experience. Maybe she's a traveler looking for the comfort of home. Maybe it's a family celebrating a special occasion or a couple that are about to embark on a lifetime journey together.  Whatever their story is they are looking for a dining experience that will be memorable. Now that you know what your guests are looking for, create them a LEGENDARY DINING EXPERIENCE!

5.5 Ways to Increase Your Profit Margins Without Scaring Your Guests.

1). Stop discounting your menu price for the sake of a "special"! Discounts should only be used to increase foot traffic in a strategic promo. Frequent discounting devalues your menu.

2). Stop selling unpopular, low margin menu selections (Dogs)! Start promoting your most popular, high margin menu selections (Stars). Use software such as Menu Profit-builder Pro , which is FREE to US Foods customers, to analyze the per plate cost of your menu. Promote your "Stars", eliminate your "Dogs". Rework your "Puzzles" and de-emphasize your "Plow Horses".  We'll talk more about these in a later blog.

3). Create a Black-Board Special or a Limited Time Offer with higher than average profit margin! By promoting the new menu selections you provide the guest something new and exciting at the same time, you make more money! If the special or LTO hasn't been on your menu, then there is no price "increase" to be noticed by your guests.

4). Add a menu selection that is the most expensive selection on your menu! By adding an expensive selection to your menu, it makes the rest of the menu seem "reasonable and affordable". Most people are reluctant to order the most expensive menu selection that's why it is important to add this new one so you can sell more of the original menu selections.

5). Decrease portion size. Consider decreasing your price and serve a smaller portion. Another clever way is to offer "Seniors" portions. Rework the price for a smaller portion with the appropriate margin. This also reduces the number of FREE doggy bags you give away.

5.5). If and only if all the above has been implemented, make increases to your existing menu in small & frequent amounts. Small amounts over an extended period of time often go unnoticed.

The Power of Thank You

     What a simple little phrase that makes a huge impact on the dining experience of your guests. I am always amazed how often restaurant folks forget to say Thank You. Unfortunately thank you has become all too uncommon these days.
     Think of a time when a staff member thanked you for your business. I bet you felt all warm and fuzzy. You probably smiled a little bigger and the birds chirped a little sweeter. That's because some one made you feel special. That person created an experience that was extremely memorable.
Do your guests leave your establishment with that same warm and fuzzy feeling? Did you create a memorable dining experience that will make your guests raving fans? Will they tell the world of your Legendary service?
     Now, how about your staff? Do you thank them often? Do you catch them doing things approximately right and acknowledge their effort with a thank you? Did you know that when your staff feels good about themselves they perform better? Doesn't it make sense that a happy staff does more to enhance that Legendary Dining Experience that I discussed in my earlier blog?
Take one minute today and thank some one whether it's a customer, staff member, or vendor and thank them for something specific that they do. Nothing builds a better attitude than gratitude!

Now, go make the world awesome!

Creating a Legendary Dining Experience!

Be GREAT!
Be EXCEPTIONAL!
Create a Legendary dining experience! You can't be average because good isn't good enough. Your customers expect more for their hard earned money, so give it to 'em. Create the WOW! Let's look at 3 things everyone should master to create that Legendary Dining Experience.
They are: Attitude, Approach, and Action.
Attitude: The people with the right attitude are Smiley, Happy, Friendly People who are eager to serve. And if you can't be Happy...
...Fake It 'til You Make It!
Approach: The right approach is an Informative, Creative, and Excited Story Teller who is engaged to create a memorable dining experience.
Action: "Yes, is the answer. What's the question?" mentality. Suggestive Selling and Up-Selling are to enhance the dining experience. Stellar performance requires team players!
What you did last year will cause your patrons to quit you this year! Create raving fans by being Great! Don't be Average. Be EXCEPTIONAL! Be LEGENDARY!

3 Secrets to Grow Your Restaurant's Sales

     It really isn't a secret.  Really, it's quite fundamental.  There are simply three strategies every restaurateur must accomplish in order to grow the restaurant's sales.  They are:

1. Sell to MORE People
2. Sell MORE to More People
3. Sell More to More People MORE Often

     First you must sell to more people.  You must increase the foot traffic coming through your door.  How are you using social media to connect with your customers?  Did you know that restaurants are the number one search topic for local searches on the Internet?  Did you know that given the opportunity, most people would place an online order with a restaurant if it were available.  So were is your presence on the Internet?  You don't have to be a high-tech junkie, go low-tech.  Some Old School methods still work too.  When was the last time you called the businesses that you do business with in the course of your week?  Ask them to plan their lunch meetings with you.  Ask them to buy your gift certificates for their employee incentive programs.  Call the hotel down the street and work out deal with them to refer their guests to your restaurant.  Whatever you choose to do, you have to get more people coming through your doors.

     Second, you have to sell more to more people by having a well trained staff that is knowledgeable of your menu and the wine list.  Your Front-of-the-House staff is your Sales Force.  A well trained server is a master of suggestive selling.  They don't pressure guests to buy more, they invite them on a journey of an enjoyable dining experience.  A well trained server transfers the excitement of the menu and the dining experience to the guests.  But lets not forget the back-of-the-house.  It is important to give servers new and creative menu selections.  Let your kitchen staff be creative with new specials, appetizers, and desserts.  Now that you have worked so hard to get people in your door, make sure your staff is presenting every opportunity for your guests to enhance their dining experience.  When was the last time you had a sales contest with your servers?  How are you motivating them to increase their check average?  How much time do you invest in them and in their training?

     Finally, you must sell more to more people more often.  This simply comes down to service.  Have you ever heard some one say "Service Sells"?  I often ask the restaurateurs that I work with "What is it that your sell?"  I get a variety of answers like "seafood" or "pasta".  The correct answer is Service.  Every restaurant is selling a Dining Experience.  The food you serve is merely the delivery method in which that service is delivered to your guests.  That being stated, what is your guests dining experience?  Have you ever sat in the corner and just watched your staff on a busy shift?  How often your guests return, if they return at all, is completely determined by their perceived dining experience.  Notice I used  word "perceived".  It doesn't matter that your staff thought it was good service.  It is the guest's perception that counts and perception is reality.  Success is 99% execution.  You can have the best planned menu and the most beautiful facilities but if you fail to execute Legendary Service, you are doomed.
  
     It is important for every restaurateur to remember that this is a sales driven industry.  You must be proactive in growing your sales. You can't be passive and sit back and wait for guests to find you.  You must be vigilant on the quality of your food but most important, your service must be impeccable.  Your guests must leave as raving fans.  You must provide Legendary Service.  The life of your restaurant depends on it!