It's becoming increasingly difficult to just walk into a restaurant and get a table immediately. More and more people are choosing to reserve their table in advance to ensure their visit. Therefore, it's important that potential customers can make reservations as easily as possible. A good reservation system plays a key role in this. It can make the difference between a fully booked restaurant and empty tables. In this blog post, we give you some tips to get more reservations and delve deeper into how a good reservation system contributes to this.
Nowadays, people often search online for inspiration on where to eat. Websites, social media, and even Google Maps are all crucial places where people can discover your restaurant. Therefore, it is important that you invest sufficiently in this online presence. Otherwise, you risk potential customers simply not finding or knowing about you.
Once you are online, it is a matter of distinguishing yourself from your competitors and creating valuable content. Active social media channels and an attractive website play a key role in this. This means posting interesting content regularly and keeping your website up-to-date. For example, do you have a menu that changes weekly? Be sure to consistently update it on your website and post about it on your various social media channels.
Want to learn more about the online presence of your business? Be sure to also read our blog post on how to use social media as a marketing tool!
People searching for a restaurant often check reviews before making a decision. Focusing on this can help ensure that potential customers choose your restaurant over competitors based on positive testimonials. But how do you encourage people to actually leave a review about their visit? Sometimes, satisfied guests will spontaneously leave an online review when they’ve had a great experience.
However, you can also give customers a little extra encouragement. For example, you can send every customer a follow-up email after their visit, asking them to share their feedback. This process can be fully automated through your reservation system. After a set period, an email is automatically sent to the customer.
Another effective way to collect quick feedback is by placing a feedback kiosk at the restaurant’s exit. This kiosk displays different smiley faces, allowing customers to rate their experience with a simple tap. The collected feedback can then be converted into a 5-star rating that you can display on your website.
Feedback smileys
© Freepik
A good and clear reservation system is invaluable. The easier it is for people to make a reservation, the more tables will be occupied. This also means utilizing multiple channels where customers can book a table. However, it’s crucial to have a centralized system where all reservations are collected.
Some customers prefer booking via the website, while others may find it more convenient to reserve through social media. A well-designed reservation system should also allow customers to modify their reservations themselves, which helps reduce the number of no-shows.
Want more information on how to prevent no-shows? Be sure to check out our blog post on the topic!
Want to increase awareness around your restaurant? Organizing special events from time to time can be a great way to do so. Consider themed nights where you offer exclusive dishes or align with current events, such as hosting a special evening around a major sports event like the Olympics. This can help attract new customers who may return for a second visit.
In addition to drawing in new guests, special events also provide great content for social media, helping to boost engagement and visibility. It will also make your restaurant more well-known in the local community.
Would you like more information about our reservation system? Contact us today for a non-binding quote or request a demo below.
We will contact you within 24 hours for a demo