If you’re a restaurant owner, you’ll be aware of just how competitive the industry is in 2019. Everywhere you go, a new niche restaurant or pop up appears, ready to satisfy insatiable hunger cravings and offer a unique dining experience to the masses. This is why it is so important that in this day and age, your eatery offers diners a truly unique restaurant experience. When it comes to satisfying diners, good food is no longer enough to achieve raving reviews. From ambience to exceptional service quality, we look at some of the ways you can offer your diners a meal that they’ll remember for years to come. Read on to find out more!
1. It Starts Outside
When you think of attracting customers to your restaurant and offering them a unique experience, you’re going to want to think out of the box – literally. Creating a unique experience for your diners starts outside. This means investing in high-quality laser cut signs and quality decor for the exterior of your restaurant. Did you know that it is said that people decide on what they like or dislike within 5 seconds of looking at it? First impressions count, and focusing some attention on the exterior of your restaurant is a great way to offer your diners a unique restaurant experience. Take the famous patisserie Laduree for example – with iconic outdoor decor that is recognisable no matter what country or city you’re in, customers begin their entire dining experience before they even step into the doors. Focusing on the exterior is an amazing way of attracting customers and giving them a unique dining experience unlike any other!
2. Serve Up Some Memorable Dishes
Now, of course, the main attraction at any bustling restaurant is quality food. In order to truly stand out and offer diners an experience that they’ll find nowhere else but at your restaurant, it is important that you serve up some memorable dishes. Instead of sticking to tried and tested basics, why not take a walk on the wild side and offer dishes that no one else is serving. Coming up with a niche menu that is innovative, delicious and looks drop-dead gorgeous is a fantastic way to make your restaurant stand out. Are there any particular ingredients that you’re proud of offering? Perhaps you offer the most colourful desserts that diners have ever seen or the most tender steak in town. Regardless of your specialty, honing in and really fine-tuning your dishes to be the best they could possibly be is imperative in creating a unique restaurant experience.
3. Embrace Technology
In 2019, it would be silly for any business to not embrace technology. Aside from the usual POS system that is the norm with most restaurants today, some other ways of creating a unique restaurant experience are to offer technology in the form of tablet menus where diners can make their orders on a device which is then sent straight to the kitchen. Orders often come out a lot quicker using this digital method of ordering, and the bonus is that you can install games into the tablet that will keep your diners entertained as they wait for their meals to be served. Some other forms of technology that will truly make your restaurant stand out are free Wifi for diners and an online booking system.
4. Hire Exceptional Staff
The restaurant experience isn’t complete with exceptional service, which is why hiring top notch staff is important if you’re looking to offer customers a memorable experience. It is important that staff are friendly, accommodating and go out of their way to provide excellent service to your diners. Staff should be fully trained on the menu, and have extensive knowledge of the preparation methods, ingredients and allergens that may be present in your food. Staff should also accommodate to diners needs, whether those be special dietary requirements or any other request that they may have. We guarantee you that the quality of your service directly impacts a customer’s overall experience of your restaurant, so focus on hiring hardworking and friendly staff – your diners will thank you!
5. Create A Unique Ambience
Last but not least, creating a unique ambience your restaurant is one of the best ways to create a unique restaurant experience for your diners. We spoke of the exteriors in point one, so you can only imagine how much more important the interiors of your establishment are in making a mark in your diners hearts and minds. First off, modern and clean design is in 2019. Forget about the gaudy designs of the 80s – minimalism is the way forward in 2019. Aside from minimalistic design, it is imperative that your restaurant is clean as a whistle. Music is also a fantastic way of creating a unique ambience – perhaps you want to be that restaurant which is known for playing 80s rock music or the hip and cool diner that spins some of the latest tunes. Whatever the case, the ambience of your restaurant is important, so focus on creating one that leaves a lasting impression on your diners.
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We hope that this article has given you some valuable insight into how you can take your restaurant from plain to something that will offer your diners one of the most unique restaurant experiences they have ever encountered!