Some locations are fast-casual, drawing in customers hungry for convenience. Others invite guests to relax and enjoy white tablecloths and fine dining.
Regardless of type or ambience, all restaurants face the same challenge: how to increase restaurant sales, hold down the bottom line and keep dining room guests happy.
As one of California's most established produce companies, Hitchcock Farms partners with foodservice professionals across the industry. We've put together a bounty of ideas that work in every type of setting.
Whether you're an owner or manager, we offer these insider tips for growing your restaurant's business.
16 Ideas for Increasing Restaurant Sales
1. Take Control of Food Costs
Can controlling food costs boost restaurant sales?
Surprisingly, the answer is yes, especially when you work with the best ingredients.
As an example, consider the volume of fresh produce your restaurant goes through every week.
Any amount of spoilage creates waste, and that drives up food costs.
When you source fresh vegetables from our fields here at Hitchcock Farms, you benefit from stocking the walk-in with premium produce that lasts.
Holding down restaurant food costs by reducing waste increases overall profits. That larger profit margin leaves more room in the budget for upgrading marketing strategies and investing in new technology.
Lowering food costs frees up funds for all kinds of improvements that lead to better restaurant sales.
2. Manage Your Marketing Strategies
An established online presence serves up countless opportunities for marketing your restaurant.
Set yourself apart from the competition with these strategic restaurant marketing ideas that increase sales.
Emphasize your operation's commitment to sustainability.
Highlight creative ways you cater to different dietary preferences.
Incorporate fresh, seasonal produce dishes into your menu planning.
Put out the good word on local events that you help sponsor.
Give generously to community charities, especially local food banks.
3. Let Technology Take Customer Orders
More and more, restaurant customers rely on the convenience of placing orders through online platforms.
Make it easy for them to look through your menu and order from the comfort of their devices.
Explore your options. Some services include a third-party fee that can impact pricing.
Consider working with an online ordering platform that easily integrates into operations as a component of your POS system.
4. Grow Your Restaurant's Brand Online
Digital marketing is key to connecting with restaurant customers.
A well-designed web page makes your brand visible. Potential guests browse your menus, check hours of operation and confirm your location.
Leverage that online visibility with a combination of digital marketing strategies. For example:
Work with online marketing professionals who can maximize your site's visibility.
Include engaging content on your restaurant's website, and refresh it frequently.
Develop an online ad strategy that identifies and targets your restaurant's market.
Grow your social media profile by posting engaging food photos and menu information.
5. Make Healthy Eating a Fresh Experience
The current restaurant landscape offers an almost endless variety of healthy eating options.
No longer a trend, this facet of the business is driven by steady consumer demand.
Nutritious selections made with innovation and the freshest ingredients are especially appealing to health-conscious diners.
Ring up increased sales with these imaginative ideas for healthy menu items.
Luxurious brunch frittatas made with napa cabbage
Spicy sides of charred broccoli topped with chili crunch
Stacked veggie sandwiches with Persian cucumbers
Fresh halibut dressed with citrus salsa and olives
6. Give Customers Something to Talk About
When dining room guests enjoy a unique experience, they share that enthusiasm through social media and word of mouth.
Add to your restaurant's sales by giving your customers something to talk about. For example:
Feature a different "secret off-the-menu special" once a week.
Keep small in-house presents on hand for birthday parties and celebrations.
Entertain guests with live music that fits the setting, such as a local duo or small jazz ensemble.
Be ready to offer a complimentary bottle of wine for romantic occasions or marriage proposals.
Make the dining experience personal with an updated version of the chef's table.
7. Design Menus That Lead to Increased Sales
Developing a restaurant menu that boosts sales requires two things: engineering and design.
Engineering a menu makes it easier to balance different dishes. It can be adjusted to accommodate seasonal ingredients and fluctuating food costs.
A well-engineered menu gives you room for variety and flexibility.
The printed menu also offers a type of customer-facing interaction. Dining guests are more likely to engage with menus that feature clean graphic design, inviting photographs and readable fonts.
Think of a well-designed menu as a printed pathway to increased restaurant sales.
8. Tap Front of House Talent
Some of your best resources for improving sales are the individuals who work front of house.
Your waitstaff greets tables with a warm welcome, caters to guests' needs and gives their dining experience a personal touch.
Great service generates repeat business, and it's also an opportunity to upsell.
The simple power of suggestion can persuade a customer to upgrade their order, add a bottle of wine or finish with a special dessert.
Bigger checks ring up better restaurant sales and pay off in better tips for your hardworking staff.
9. Cultivate Back of House Creativity
Your kitchen staff also brings invaluable skill sets to the table.
Their culinary creativity results in the end product that inspires customer loyalty.
Plates that appeal to the eye and please the palate add up to increased sales that boost your restaurant's bottom line.
Try these ideas for sparking your kitchen staff's innovative talent.
Have weekly meetings to discuss menu items that do or don't work.
Share social media examples of plate presentations from other restaurants.
Stay in touch with customer satisfaction through regular waitstaff feedback.
Hold monthly kitchen staff and waitstaff-only cook-offs for sampling new dishes.
10. Save by Serving Favorite Seasonal Produce
Sourcing fresh vegetables through an established produce operation like Hitchcock Farms saves money from the loading dock to the dinner plate.
Premium produce such as romaine hearts or baby iceberg lettuce ensures less waste, gives you higher serving yields and holds down food costs.
While most fresh produce is available year-round, some vegetables remain closely associated with different seasons and holidays.
Increase sales in your restaurant by showcasing favorites, such as healthy dishes for springtime or romantic plates for Valentine's Day.
11. Open Up to Catering In-House and Out
Reserving in-house space for special events works on several levels. The planning consolidates food prep and service into one shift.
Empty tables aren't part of the equation. You know what to expect and price the event accordingly.
Weddings, anniversaries and graduation parties are just a few examples of events that deliver significant revenue. They also connect your restaurant with multiple new customers in one sitting.
Consider taking that formula to an off-premise location. Many fast-casual brands have discovered the marketing and sales benefits that come from developing off-site catering services.
12. Downsize Plates for Bigger Sales
Most dining room guests won't order two or three main courses. You can give them a chance to do exactly that in one sitting by serving small plates.
These downsized servings strike an inviting balance between appetizer and entree, and they're quickly becoming a popular menu item.
They also work well at large catered events.
The smaller portions make it easier to hold down food costs in dining rooms and banquet facilities.
Their innovative plating encourages return business, and your restaurant rings up bigger sales.
13. Let Busy Customers Grab and Go
Not every customer has the time for a sit-down meal. However, every customer wants to enjoy good food at a good price.
Fast-food chains dominate this type of service, but the in-and-out model can be a part of your operations too.
Keep busy guests happy and boost your bottom line with these ideas for grab and go menu development.
Market your grab and go menus through social media.
Make sure selections feature fresh, quality ingredients.
Slim down your popular dishes to fit the grab and go menu.
Maintain customer engagement by pairing menu selections to the season.
14. Leverage the Appeal of LTOs
Make it special, and they will come. Consumers respond to the call of a limited time offer, regardless of its type.
Buying one item in order to receive another for free is just one example.
LTOs that celebrate the holidays are always popular. Online coupons with expiration dates inspire customers to visit your restaurant so that they don't miss out.
This type of marketing generates interest, and that brings in business. With a little advanced planning, you can turn LTO's into reliable revenue streams that elevate restaurant sales.
15. Market Your Own Line of Merch
Let loyal customers fly your colors with branded merchandise.
It gives them a sense of belonging, and it gives your restaurant an affordable marketing strategy for generating new business.
Take a cue from national brands that increase their visibility through their merchandise. Make your merch a must-have line of items with these ideas.
Introduce your line on social media with a merch giveaway contest.
Include wearable merchandise, such as T-shirts, hats and tote bags.
Offer a one-time dinner discount with the purchase of a branded item.
Encourage in-house merchandise sales with LTO or BOGO offers.
16. Know Your Sources for Restaurant Success
Quality ingredients are key to delivering a customer experience that results in better sales.
Sourcing premium produce ensures menu items are always fresh. This simple strategy adds to plate presentation, and it reduces food costs by reducing waste.
Get to know your suppliers. Confirm their commitment to premium quality and sustainability.
Building solid partnerships through the loading dock helps build your brand's good name. It lets you satisfy guest expectations with every plate.
That's a recipe for increasing your restaurant's sales and ensuring long-term foodservice success.
It's Our Pleasure to Serve You
Owning or managing a restaurant presents multiple challenges. From front to back of house, you handle it every day, serving up the best customer experience possible
As long-time members of the foodservice industry, we share your commitment.
It's our pleasure to supply you with tips, inspiration and the latest news for your restaurant business.
As one of the most established growers and shippers in California, it's also our pleasure to proudly supply the freshest premium produce available.
You can count on our families here at Hitchcock Farms to deliver our best, fresh from our fields to your tables.
