3 Tips to Make Your Restaurant Thrive in Tough Economic Times

Great food is no longer a good enough reason for frugal customers to spend their hard-earned money. However, during times of economic crisis, people don’t necessarily have less money to spend. They are simply uncertain about the future and thus more concerned with building their savings until economic indicators give them the confidence that they are secure and safe to spend money.

A smart restaurateur, rather than seeing an economic downturn as bad for business, can see it as an opportunity to seize the market in a way others fail to. The following are some tips on simple things restaurant owners can do to make their establishments a sustainable success in good and bad economic times.

1) Maximize your space

Your clientele’s visual experience and comfort can go a long way in determining whether or not they become return customers to your establishment. While structural redesign of a space can be a costly outlay in times of economic crisis, there are more cost-effective ways to revitalize your venue. A smart investment in the right restaurant furniture can revitalize your space at a cost you can afford. You can put the money you save by not structurally remodeling into the type of marketing and promotion campaign that your competitors cannot afford. Don’t underestimate the importance of your restaurant furniture and layout. Make a long-term investment in good furniture and consult with experts who have experience in the field about what furniture is right for your venue.

2) Spoil your customers

Speed of service, comfort of customers and ability to pamper your clientele are all factors which gain importance in trying economic times. Eating out at a restaurant is more expensive than eating at home. By pampering your customers and giving them a fully indulgent experience, you allow them to justify spending their hard-earned money at your establishment. Finding restaurant furniture that looks luxurious and offers maximum comfort, such as a custom-made dining booth, or even lounge chairs for your waiting room can help you spoil your customers and keep them coming back time and time again. The layout of your furniture is equally important. Having the proper space and angles between tables and booths can allow your customers the level of privacy and intimacy they desire and give your serving staff the most efficient space possible to offer the quickest possible service.

3) Target new types of clientele

Every restaurant owner knows that the first rule of success is knowing who your clientele is. This will help you create a vision, or a central theme to your establishment that ensures a certain consistency throughout your menu and decor. However, restaurant owners who think outside the box can find ways to target new clientele while maintaining the consistency that existing customers have come to expect. Restaurant owners can offer quicker meals and service for the lunchtime business crowd or families who have limited time on weeknights. Another option is to break up the room with a banquet or other creative use of furniture to create a niche, targeting younger diners or offering a separate space with televisions for “sports” diners. Without the cost of restructuring, different style and color restaurant furniture can help you target new clientele by creating subtly different environments within your restaurant.