Why Your Restaurant May Need A Loyalty Program

Loyalty Reward Programs

Does your restaurant participate in any type of a loyalty program? They can be simple rewards like a FREE coffee. Did you know that people spend an average of 46% more when they are enrolled in a rewards program? It can be as simple as a punch card for small restaurants or cafes. I know of a local coffee shop that uses it every time I purchase a coffee or hot tea. After 10, 1 is FREE. Pinkberry offers the same with their rewards and has their own app. Having a rewards app is great as over 40 million people are now using their mobile devices to find restaurants and read reviews.

Top Reasons to Offer Loyalty Rewards

• It will keep your clients coming back to your establishment.
• You can collect email addresses at sign up and continue to send other types of offers to them. 57% of people signed up DO read the emails from their loyalty programs that they have signed up for! That’s a big number for an email campaign.
• Your customers will spend more at your place.
• It will make your customers feel good too.
• Your customers will tell others about your rewards. They may walk into their office and tell co-workers about the FREE coffee they just received.

by VisualApogee.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

If you own a business do you offer rewards programs?

As a customer do you use loyalty programs when they are available for the rewards?

Would You Choose A Fabulous View or Scrumptious Food?

Restaurants – Which Do You Prefer – The Food or The Views?

If you had to choose between a fabulous view or scrumptious food which would you choose? I always wondered about this until my recent visit to the San Diego area last week. By accident I ended up having dinner on a pier on the Pacific Ocean at sunset. My son and I didn’t plan on it but we were getting hungry and there was a restaurant at the end of the pier. It was perfect timing.The ambiance could not have been better.

The Food was okay but the view was truly amazing. The full moon was in view as well as the sunset at the same time. The ocean was under our feet as we ate. The service was good and the wait staff was very friendly and they even knew where Providence was. (Most people away from the East Coast think Rhode Island is an island somewhere and not an actual state) They had asked if the mafia still existed there in the city of Providence. I guess the movies about Providence have been seen by many now.

So, when asked to review it by Trip Advisor I did and gave them a great rating with a comment of “the food was good, not great.” I would highly recommend going there for the fabulous view and the wait staff. And I may add it was NOT expensive for the view as one would imagine. Just like this blogger claims on restaurants in Chicago with sky views, “the food doesn’t have to suck to get a spectacular view!”

I gave a tip in Foursquare recommending the restaurant. You may remember I love Foursquare for checking in and remembering where I’ve been. Why not let others know before they go to dine out? There was one restaurant in Arizona that had fabulous food but with no fabulous views. It was called Black Angus. They are a West Coast chain. If that food included an awesome view it would have been a 10.

Do you choose restaurants for the scrumptious food or for the fabulous views and/or ambiance?

Would you give a bad review if the restaurant food or help was bad or only when it is truly fabulous? Love to know in the comments!

Would Your Restaurant Be Found Easily When They Are Searching?

Will Your Restaurant Be Found Easily Today?

Did you know in the coming 2 years that 9 out of 10 people will own a smartphone?
Have you tried to buy a mobile phone recently and found they are 1 or 2 if any flip phones left? I was at the mobile store yesterday looking for a screen saver for my Galaxy tablet which is less than 2 years old. I learned they no longer make them. It amazes me how fast they change the technology so you have to upgrade your phone or tablet often.

Searching for Restaurants

Did you know searching for restaurants in the 3rd thing people search for via their smartphones? Will you be easily found there online? Another 40% check in via Foursquare or Facebook and the like. Are you there too so they can check in? When they check in their friends can see where they are. If they recommend you their friends are more likely to visit as well. Now that would be sweet 🙂

Here are some places you should consider being online:

• Foursquare
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+/Google Places
• Pinterest and Recipleaser

Foursquare Evolves

Personally I like Foursquare for checking in. There are now 40 million people with 1.3 million businesses found there. It has changed a lot over the years. You can now add pictures and easily leave tips for others. They have made more changes on October 9 (last week) and you can read about them here. I like the new “nearby” button. It allows you to find out if your friends are nearby. You may want to choose your friends wisely on Foursquare. You will love the new menu search too – another reason to be sure your menu is online today.

Facebook

You can’t miss Facebook with 1.26 billion people on it. It’s probably the most well known and most used website. It’s getting harder for pages to be found with so many businesses on the site today and the recent algorithm changes. Some businesses have reverted back to using their personal accounts and mix them with their business. If you go with a page you will need to market it and have someone update and check for others posting on it. It’s not a put up and forget about it type of proposition.

by NowSourcing.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

Stats for Facebook and Foursquare from Expanded Ramblings.

How is your restaurant being found today? I’d love to know in the comments how your restaurant is being found or if you visit restaurants does your smartphone play a role in choosing it? 

Top image courtesy of emptyglass at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Teaching Restaurant Dining Manners To Kids Today

Would you love to teach kids to behave in your restaurant?

It’s never too late to teach kids how to behave when they go out to eat. You can start early as age 2 to teach children manners when going out to eat at restaurants. You can teach them to speak quietly at a restaurant. Of course if a toddler is taken out to dinner past 6 pm they may become fussy as they will mostly likely be tired and cranky. Not a good mood for them, their families or others around in the restaurant.

Many adults may not enjoy having little ones nearby yelling or screaming nearby as they dine. It can keep them from returning to your restaurant in the future, no matter how good the food may be. Many adults go out to eat for the ambience and taste. They may be tired and just want a peaceful meal. A great meal and service is what they desire and a screaming child can ruin that in a matter of moments.

If you do like to have children at your restaurant be sure to have toddler chairs, coloring books, crayons, portable DVD players and the like to keep them occupied. Having your food served in a timely manner will also assure that the kids of all ages don’t get too restless and loud. That way you don’t have to be one of those restaurants that have started to ban children at their doors. If you really know your customers you will be able to accommodate them with their children and keep your other patrons happy at the same time. A real win-win for your restaurant.

Check out the following tips for dining with kids in the infograph below: 

Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

What do you do at your restaurant to keep both adults and kids happy?

If you are parent of small children how do you teach them manners for going out to eat? 

Cooking With The Right Spices Will Have Them Coming Back

Chefs, the spices you use to cook up the best foods can really make a difference. Using just the right spices will make your customers come back for more the next time they are hungry and in the mood just for that spice. A great spice is an unforgettable flavor. It’s one that will have them driving far to taste that spice once more. They will be able to almost taste and smell it as they are thinking about it. It’s a must have flavor.

  “Once you get a spice in your home, you have it forever. Women never throw out spices. The Egyptians were buried with their spices. I know which one I’m taking with me when I go.” ~ Erma Bombeck

Check out the favorite spices from around the world along with their hidden health benefits. What could be better than tasty foods with added benefits to your health? Don’t forget which tools to use preparing these delicious dishes.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

How many of these spices do you use today?