17 Tips to Increase Restaurant Sales

The primary reason many restaurants fail is that they don’t generate enough revenue to cover the financial stress. The COVID-19 pandemic makes it more challenging than ever for the food service industry to generate revenue and sales.

As a restaurant owner, in order to increase your restaurant sales, you need to focus on attracting new customers while also retaining your existing ones.

There are several ways you can do to increase your restaurant sales.

1. Offer Online Ordering, Delivery, and Curbside Pickup

Covid-19 has changed the way of eating for some people, who prefer to order online. You need to meet the demand of these customers if you could. Let customers can order food from your restaurant without having to leave their house. 

This is especially convenient for busy families or customers who don’t live near your restaurant. Online ordering also allows you to upsell customers by offering additional items or larger portion sizes.

At the same time, you need to offer delivery and curbside pickup. This will allow customers who are unable to dine in your restaurant the ability to still enjoy your food. You can enlarge your customers who are not near to your location.

Restaurant delivery and curbside services have been continuously growing in popularity, especially in the Covid-19 period, and they are critical to maintaining sales in the current environment. Many states are limiting dine-in services owing to restaurant restrictions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. You can help grow sales by broadening your services to include takeout, delivery, and curbside collection.

You can partner with popular delivery services, like Uber Eats or Grubhub.

2. Focus on Local Marketing Efforts

SEO and Google Ads

Most customers will find your restaurant online, so it’s important to focus on SEO (search engine optimization). Your target customers may search keywords like “XXX food near me”, “restaurant near me” and “restaurant in XXX” on Google. 

If you can use SEO and Google Ads to rank these keywords high in Google, then you can attract more potential customers to your website and convert them to your customers.

Google My Business

Meanwhile, you can Claim your restaurant on Google My Business. Google My Business is a free listing that allows you to manage how your business appears on Google. Customers will be able to find your restaurant more easily, and you’ll be able to provide them with up-to-date information about your hours, menu, and more.

3. Build a Social Media Presence

Social media (like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, TikTok, etc) can reach a wide audience and connect with potential customers. You can also use social media to build relationships with customers.

4. Evaluate and Optimize Your Menu Regularly

You should evaluate and optimize your menu regularly to ensure that it’s appealing to customers. You can use customer feedback and sales data to identify which food is popular and which items need to be improved.

5. Pricing it Right

Pricing your menu items correctly is essential to increasing restaurant sales. If your prices your food are too high, customers will be less likely to visit your restaurant. However, if you price your items too low, you may not make a profit. You should use market research and competitor data to help you price your menu items correctly.

6. Offer Signature Packages

One way to increase restaurant sales is by offering signature packages. This could include a set menu with a drink and an appetizer for a fixed price. Customers are always looking for value and by packaging items together, you can offer them just that. Another benefit of signature packages is that they can help to streamline your operations, making your kitchen run more efficiently.

7. Create a Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs are an excellent way to increase restaurant sales as they encourage customers to keep coming back. Offer rewards for customers who visit frequently or spend a certain amount of money at your restaurant. These rewards could include anything from a free entrée to a discount on their bill.

8. Promote Your Happy Hour

Happy hour is a great way to get customers in the door and spend money at your restaurant. Offer discounts on food and drink items during specific hours of the day or night. You can also use the happy hour as an opportunity to promote new menu items.

9. Provide Excellent Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service is one of the best ways to increase restaurant sales. If you can serve customers well, with good tasty food, the appropriate price, and good service, they are more likely to come back and recommend it to their friends and families. 

10. Make Sure Your Employees are Polite and Friendly

Your employees should be polite and friendly to customers at all times. This will help create a positive environment and make customers more likely to return.

11. Train Your Restaurant Staff on Upselling

Your restaurant staff plays a key role in increasing sales. Upselling is the process of convincing customers to order more expensive items or add additional items to their order. It can be as simple as suggesting a higher-priced entrée or recommending a bottle of wine to accompany their meal. Upselling requires your staff to be well-trained and knowledgeable about your menu.

Train them on upselling techniques so they can suggest higher-priced items to customers or add additional items to their orders. For example, your server could suggest a VIP package that includes a bottle of wine and dessert for an added cost.

12. Maximize Table Turnover Rates

Another way to increase restaurant sales is by maximizing table turnover rates. This means getting customers in and out of your restaurant as quickly as possible without compromising the quality of their experience. There are several ways to do this, including:

Offering a Prix Fixe Menu

A prix fixe menu is a set menu with a fixed price. This type of menu encourages customers to order quickly so they can move on to the next course.

Offering Smaller Portion Sizes

Offering smaller portion sizes make customers will be able to eat and drink more quickly, freeing up their table for the next customer.

Improving Your Service

By getting customers their food and drinks more quickly, you can clear tables faster and make room for new customers.

13. Host Events at Your Restaurant

You can host private parties, cooking classes, or wine tastings. These events will not only increase sales but also help to build buzz around your restaurant.

14. Participate in Food Festivals

Food festivals are a great way to increase restaurant sales and get your name out there. Attend food festivals in your area and serve samples of your food. You can also participate in cooking competitions or demonstrations. This is a great way to generate interest in your restaurant and attract new customers.

15. Connect with Your Local Community

You can sponsor local events, donate to local charities, or partner with other businesses in your area. By showing that you care about your community, you’ll attract more customers to your restaurant.

16. Resolving Complaints Quickly

If a customer has a complaint, you should resolve it as quickly as possible. This will show the customer that you care about their experience and are willing to take action to improve it.

17. Asking for Reviews On Google My Maps

Asking customers to leave reviews for your restaurant on Google My Maps. Customers who see positive reviews will be more likely to visit your restaurant.

Final Thought

By following these tips, hoe you can increase restaurant sales and bring in more customers. By providing quality service and offering unique experiences, you’ll be able to attract new customers and keep them coming back.