The Art Of Boosting Restaurant Sales While Dining In Is Prohibited

We’re willing to bet that a year ago, you didn’t expect to still be contending with a pandemic today. But, here we are. It’s May 2021 and COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on our lives. At present, business owners in Ontario are feeling the brunt of having to shut their doors due to the latest lockdown. If you’re a restaurateur, you’re being hit particularly hard. What can you do to boost sales while not being able to welcome guests to your dining room?

Deal those meals.

It’s hard to argue that discounts draw customers. The more money you’re able to save your hungry patrons, the more orders you’re bound to fulfill. As always, there’s a lot of competition out there. Be sure to promote your sumptuous eats by highlighting the savings your customers can enjoy. Launch “2 for 1” deals and/or add special freebies to orders that are over a certain amount.

Christine Brady of QSR Magazine offers up the following examples of catch phrases that can be used to entice customers to place orders with your restaurant: “Let Us Handle Dinner”, “Click and Pick Up” and “Take a Break and Let Us Deliver”. She also suggests promoting such package deals as “Dinner for 4 (With Masks Included!)” and “$40 for Dinner for 4 with No Dishes to Do!” 

Promote your restaurant’s online takeout and delivery solutions.

By now, every restaurant owner should have a strong handle on promoting his/her takeout and delivery options online. Without putting concerted efforts into marketing these options, your eatery will get looked over. In much of the country, takeout and delivery are the only choices hungry customers have. Be sure to highlight your offering of these solutions on your website, social media accounts and other marketing materials.

“For the last five years, ‘restaurants near me’ consistently ranked as the most popular ‘near me’ search,” reports Ryan Olohan on ThinkWithGoogle.com, “But consumer behaviour has changed. The focus has shifted to alternative mealtime solutions. We’re seeing more consumer interest related to ‘delivery’…as a result of national guidance to shelter in place; search interest for ‘food delivery’ related queries has spiked 100%.”

Create a rewards program.

There’s certainly no time like the pandemic to reward your customers for their loyalty. It goes without saying that your restaurant needs support now more than ever. By offering up rewards to your customers, you can enjoy a two-fold benefit. Firstly, you’ll boost customer satisfaction with your brand. After all, who doesn’t like the prospect of future freebies? Secondly, you’ll encourage repeat business. As you know, there’s nothing like welcoming customers back time and time again – especially during these hard times.

“Got a rewards program or an app?” asks Brady, “That’s a marketing opportunity screaming to be put to good use. How about taking the typical ‘Download the App and Get a Free Appetizer’ and changing it to something with a cliffhanger, ‘Like Free Food?’ or something catchy like, ‘Our App Will Make All Your Other Apps Drool’.”

Successfully boosting your restaurant’s sales while dining in is prohibited will require some strong advertising on your part. For help with funding your new marketing campaign, contact the Synergy Merchants team and learn about our unique merchant cash advance program. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-718-2026 or email us at info@synergymerchants.com. You can also apply online for a free, no obligation quote!