As inflation continues, many restaurateurs are looking for new ways to engage guests and keep them coming back. It turns out that while technology, eatertainment, and great marketing attract customers, good old-fashioned customer service is what earns their loyalty. The number of guests who visit a restaurant weekly has dropped from 38 per cent to 25 per cent year-over-year, so operators must learn more about what diners are looking for to establish a connection and capitalize on those visits.
Technology
While technology continues to provide increased efficiency, lower labour costs, and boost performance, is it what customers are looking for when they visit a restaurant? Though VR and interactive technology are in demand, 85 per cent of diners prefer to order from a physical menu with a server, and 76 per cent prefer when a server takes their payment at the table. It’s the human connection that customers crave when they visit a restaurant, so operators need to be mindful of keeping that connection when upgrading and making the most of tech tools.
However, technology may better the experience for takeout and delivery. When asked, customers listed order inaccuracy, cold food, and the order not being ready on arrival as their top three pet peeves. Today’s tech can help operators speed up service times, improve accuracy, and increase efficiency, so upgrading your tech tools may be required to stand out in the takeout and delivery space.
Loyalty
The human connection that customers crave often starts with getting to know them, their habits, and their preferences. Often, this is made possible for restaurants through their loyalty programs, tracking the frequency of visits, dining preferences, and cheque totals. This insight allows operators to monitor and predict behaviour, making it easier to spot and address customer needs.
29 per cent of Canadians now belong to loyalty apps, and 35 per cent interact with those apps on a weekly basis. Among those diners, 33 per cent visit restaurants and and 40 per cent order takeout once per week. Personalization is important for your marketing. 66 per cent of guests would like to receive offers that are based on their purchase history, so using data to customize your marketing will encourage engagement and help increase traffic.
Customers also favour a point reward system that allows them the freedom to redeem for whatever they choose. 53 per cent of consumers prefer this type of system, so that’s an easy way to start off on the right foot.
What does an elevated customer experience include?
Customer experience is always paramount, but what do guests consider a ‘good visit’? Wait times are a concern, with the average customer willing to wait up to 18 minutes for a table and up to 32 minutes for delivery. Experiences that do not fall within those thresholds run the risk of frustrating customers and discouraging them from returning. Recent studies showed that 96 per cent of diners rated customer service as the most important factor when dining out.
Today’s guests really value their time out together, looking for family-style restaurants 31 per cent of the time. Whether that’s a reflection of the pandemic or simply a desire to spend time with intention, operators who focus on maximizing that experience will stand out from the competition.
67 per cent are looking for locally sourced ingredients and 30 per cent are looking for vegetarian items on the menu. Rather than completely overhauling the menu, operators may want to include a few dishes that cater to these desires to get guests excited about a variety of offerings. This may also encourage larger groups with more diverse diet preferences to choose your restaurant over the rest.
The finer details
Diners are deterred by some restaurant behaviour that operators may not have considered. What do diners consider a turn-off? Here are some of the deal-breakers:
- 55 per cent say a table wait time over 30 minutes
- 51 per cent say negative reviews
- 46 per cent say auto gratuity
These are the top three turn-offs for diners, and while they may seem obvious, in today’s competitive marketplace, operators need to do everything they can to attract customers and keep them. Connecting with guests, offering the best possible experience, focusing on loyalty, and using tech to their advantage will allow operators to get ahead of the competition and grow the business.
