5 Tips to Make Your Restaurant Ready for Summer

Summer is here and people are going out more and staying out longer. If you want your restaurant to benefit from the good weather you need to get ready. VF6BC6GMA8CU

Although it sounds trivial, there is quite a lot of work involved in getting a dining establishment ready for a new season.  Every season has its own unique characteristics which trigger different behaviors from your potential customers.

For example, in the winter there will be a rise in demand for warm dishes such as soups, casseroles and baked desserts.  In the summer, on the other hand, you will see a rising demand for salads and ice-cream, while you can forget about serving soup to anyone, especially during lunch.

So what do you need to do to get your place ready for the summer?

1.       Spring cleaning

We know that a restaurant has high hygiene standards but even so one of the first things that any food related business must do when winter ends is spring cleaning and pest control. There are no two ways about it. Food will attract visitors of all kinds. The ones we want and the ones we really don’t and a restaurant needs to be ready to handle both.

2.       Change the menu

Like we already mentioned above, different seasons call for different dishes. Change the menu to reflect the changing seasons. Include seasonal fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits in your menu. Talk to farmers in your area and see what produce will be available and make sure you always have an adequate supply of fresh items in your dishes.

Changing the menu once in a while will also keep the customers from getting bored with your food and looking elsewhere for their dinner or lunch. Just make sure to keep at least one signature dish unchanged at all times. Never change the entire menu! Some people like to get the same thing and don’t like changes.  Keep the best items on, while you work on perfecting new ones.

3.       Go outside!

Really, go outside. The weather is nice, the wind and rain are gone and people will enjoy eating in the open air. If you have a patio, now it’s the time to get out your restaurant patio furniture and expand the available dining area. Many people working in an office all day will be grateful to have dinner in the fresh air for a change.  If you don’t have a patio see if you can put some outdoor chairs and tables on the sidewalk outside your restaurant – just make sure it’s legal before you do.

4.       We like Kids and so should you

Summer means longer days and school holiday. A lot of families will be looking for different ways to entertain their kids and that includes taking them out for dinner.  If your restaurant is already family and children friendly then you don’t have to make any special arrangements. If not, we recommend having at least 2 or 3 days a week designated as family night. You can promote those with special menus for younger children or with special “family” prices.

5.       Facelifts are not just for old ladies

All restaurants have a theme they use when designing the look and feel of the place. However, changing trends and old age can make even the best looking venue seem tired and out of touch. Now that summer is here and the restaurant is full of light take a look at your restaurant furniture and see if it looks OK or if it’s in need of a makeover.

Sometimes simply changing the color of the table maps is enough, other times you might need to change the seating or even replace worn table tops.  Remember, things that you may have been able to get away with during the winter will not be so easy to hide in the bright summer light.

We hope these tips will help you in making the most out of the summer and we are certain you can think of even more tips.