With Covid-19 affecting all businesses, especially local small businesses and restaurants, it’s time to get creative to generate enough income to keep 
the doors open.
Too many restaurants are suffering and in danger of joining the ever-growing number closing permanently. Owners are looking for ways to generate income and keep the doors open.
Too often, the first thought is to raise prices. It isn’t always as good an idea as it sounds. About 10-15% of customer base is lost when you raise prices noticeably. And right now, with everyone watching what and where they spend their money, most restaurants cannot afford to lose even 1% of customers. A better, more creative way is to cut costs without cutting quality or raising prices.
The All-American Hamburger is one way to illustrate this option. A majority of restaurants offer hamburgers – generally served with fries, LTO (lettuce, tomato, onion), salt, pepper, and packets of condiments – ketchup, mustard and sometimes mayo. Be aware of what comes back un-used and gets thrown away. Most people don’t use all condiments or don’t eat the onions either.
Maybe have waitstaff ASK if someone wants onion, same with mustard and mayo, rather than automatically putting on every plate and then throwing away. They can carry in apron, so if customer wants it, they don’t have to make a separate trip. It’s amazing how a 2¢ item can add up at end of week to $$$ being thrown in garbage!
Also review your menu and what your best sellers are, AND what gives you the most profit – focus on those, maybe trim number of offerings so you do not have to keep so many varied supplies that don’t have a long shelf life.
Ask your kitchen staff for input – they know the equipment, stock and 
how best to maximize the use. Ask them to suggest New Items or Specials – offer an incentive when they sell! Getting your staff “invested” in your business is a great asset.
#FoodSpecials (and beverage specials) and NEW menu items are proven to increase sales; most are not the least expensive items (and sometimes are more expensive) on the menu, BUT they do get ordered 80% of the time.
Make sure your servers are aware of the new item or special, OFFER it to customers, and know how to describe it so it sounds appetizing. It’s a good idea to have a staff tasting as well.
Now is NOT the time to do away with special offers – with the Covid-19 lockdowns and slowdowns making it harder to compete for the available business and customers out there! A special can make the difference where people decide to take their business – and you want that to be YOUR PLACE!
Watch for next blog about how a restaurant was losing money on it’s most ordered dish!
Way too many small businesses are suffering during this extended Covid shut-down and slow-down. There are some ways to help jump start or keep your business afloat.
Now is NOT the time to stop advertising or keeping the public informed and aware of your business; use social media free posts or small amounts of $$ Facebook ads. It’s also smart to offer specials, do something unique and different to create customer traffic. It is also an opportunity to update websites, make sure they are mobile friendly, and position your business correctly in the most favorable and user-friendly way.
For example, restaurants are all competing for customers since people are not dining out as often, or with as many people as pre-covid; they are choosy about where they go and are looking for the best value for their money. Sometimes a special can make the difference on which place is chosen. Sometimes figuring out how to increase traffic during the seemingly “off” hours can make the difference between weathering this virus storm or going out of business.
So many businesses, retail stores and services are struggling and not able to pay rents, staff and suppliers. They either cut hours, what they offer, or decide to close, some permanently.
A creative approach can help keep you in business. I know many have said they cannot afford to hire an outside person or marketing firm right now – but it could be the boost desperately needed to continue to operate and make a profit – or at least cover expenses – til things get back to normal. For example, restaurants need their managers, waitstaff and cooks concentrating on their respective jobs and servicing the customers that coming in; they don’t have time to post or keep updating social media.
Consumers do look to social media for current info on hours, restrictions, if any, menus, specials and more. If information is outdated or missing, people will in most cases, choose another place.
If you are looking for some affordable help with this, check out my website for short-term marketing packages. www.BestMarketingNC.com
I write some blogs for some clients, so I decided to start one of my own. Some random thoughts and stories about business, people I have met and dealt with, and life in general.
I always wanted to write, maybe not quite aspiring to “The Great American Novel”, but something of interest, some funny stories, some that seem unreal, and some that just “are.”
A lot of people have told me “you should write a book”, and this could be a start.
Thanks for stopping in…
People are really funny and sometimes do things that are so strange, I find I just cannot even answer or comment. Working with people, especially at restaurant settings provide a lot of humor and strange happenings.
Here is odd example; One of my clients is Raleighwood Cinema Grill, a movie theater and restaurant all in one, a great place. If you are not familiar with the set up, there are both chairs at tables and chairs at a counter where you can eat your meal while watching a movie, if you have been there, then this will probably be funnier and mean more to you.
I happened to be there coordinating an event, when a staff member came in to kitchen and said a customer had his feet up on the counter… they had asked him to take them down, but he just put them back up again and again, and could I go and ask him to move his feet? ?
This falls under the “I can’t believe he said that” category- I asked him softly if he could please take his feet off the counter, people were eating not far from him…he then said…wait for it…… well I took my shoes off!
Just one of the funny, weird things we run into when working at or around the public.
I’ll be sharing some more of these in the future.
