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| Tip of the Week: Create unique guest experiences with games and entertainment June 9, 2015 |
Operators have long offered various forms of tabletop entertainment to engage their customers. Trivia nights, playing cards, darts or billiard tables are just some of the options used to attract clientele and stretch the duration of their visit with the hopes of increased sales. New concepts that focus on similar forms of entertainment as their core offering such as board game cafés have also become popular.
The use of these simple entertainment options can effectively add to guests’ enjoyment, increase repeat visits and boost sales. As restaurateurs introduce and expand their use of these tools, caution must be shown to ensure that they are only provided as part of the overall experience, and that they do not become the primary reason for patronage.
The same (or very similar) entertainment options can be found at competing establishments, or even at home. Businesses should focus on the value-added experiences they can provide that cannot be easily replicated elsewhere. Create great social opportunities for guests and use games where appropriate as a platform to facilitate and enhance these experiences, and your guests will keep coming back.
Courtesy of David Swanston, a Hospitality and Foodservice Consultant, Principal of Focused Industry Training Seminars and is an instructor at major Canadian university business schools. Since 1997 he has helped a wide variety of organizations develop and launch new concepts, turn around troubled operations, and improve sales, profits, controls and efficiency. To learn more about how he can help you improve your sales, profits and performance, contact him directly at 905.331.6115 or [email protected].
