Using Menu as a Marketing Tool
Running a restaurant takes more than placing great food on the restaurant menu. One needs to communicate to potential customers about their brilliant services offered at the restaurant. Therefore, coming up with an effective marketing strategy is integral in running a restaurant as it helps grab the attention of the target audiences (Cohen, 2017). Before the invention of social media, restaurants used word of mouth to reach out to their potential audiences about their Menu. With person to person communication dominating the local media channels such as radios being a strategy of reaching out to potential customers (Tripathy, 2020). Also, print media played was a vital marketing tool, with restaurant menus being predominantly present in various print media such as newspapers and magazines. The use of flyers was primarily effective, reaching out to potential customers on the streets, particularly those passing in front of the restaurant establishment (Tripathy, 2020).
However, as the world advances technologically, social media has dominated nearly every sector. Notably, social media is the most revolutionary aspect of the digital error, not only transforming communication but also transforming how marketing is conducted (SHERMAN, 2019). In the current world, the restaurant connects to their target audience through social media by posting their respective menus. For instance, Facebook is mainly a famous site for baby boomers, who are constituting an attractive market for any restaurant (Hall, 2018). According to Chen (2020), food and drinks are among the most popular post on Instagram, either posted by both restaurants and their customers. Restaurant popularity in social media platforms ultimately translates to the increased demand for restaurant services. With the increased popularity and links to the restaurant menu increases the traffic to the restaurant page. Thus, creating an opportunity for increased sales as well as how to improved lists (Chen, 2020).
Consequently, with the shift of marketing to social media platforms, menus are also evolving to fit into this new platform. Therefore, lists have also become effective marketing. For instance, many restaurants are in restaurants integrate their menus in their social sites ensuring customer quality comparison between competitors (Hall, 2018). Additionally, apart from listing the food items served at a specific restaurant, menus posted in the social media are improved to include ingredients as well as nutritional benefits aimed at reaching out to the target audiences. Besides, with the continued adoption of social media, menu design has significantly changed, with animation now dominating menu designs (Sherman, 2019). The animation aspect keeps the audience engaged within the restaurant site in the process of creating traffic.
Active communication with customers on social sites increases overall restaurant popularity. Thus, enhancing brand awareness. Besides, providing information, clarification, as well as responding to customers’ comments builds a trusting relationship with the customers (Florendo, 2020). Customer trust eventually translates to positive reviews. Notably, positive social media predetermines the number of customers a restaurant receives. In that, nearly 91 of customers in the social media read about hotel revise, with 84% of them trusting online reviews (Chen, 2020). To them, these reviews serve as a personal recommendation. Therefore, restaurant owners should strive to keep up with social media marketing trends to remain relevant and competitive.
Nevertheless, the nature of social media opens up the business to public scrutiny. Usually, people trust other peoples to review information concerning a restaurant. However, the reviews, either positive or negative, are visible to the public, with the negative reviews threatening restaurant reputation (Chen, 2020). Therefore, restaurants need to be attentive and responsive to any form of customer response. Additionally, information posted on the social site is a revelation of the restaurant marketing strategies, availed to the competitors. Direct competitors may destroy restaurant reputation by hiring influencers against the restaurant in the social sites. Finally, social media marketing requires full-time communication between the restaurant and the client. New restaurant design arrives with social media networking in mind (Chen, 2020). however, the older restaurant experience challenges designing their social media marketing strategies. Thus, disadvantaging such restaurants.
Burger revolution, a burger restaurant located in Ontario, Canada, is a classic example of restaurants optimizing the use of social media marketing. The restaurant has registered a growing social media presence, mainly posting updates about their special burger. Besides, the restaurant has a full site, through which customers and the revolution team post their daily experiences (Sherman, 2019). Ultimately, social media marketing has enabled the restaurant to popularizer its brand by displaying real comments and reviews from its usual customers. Meanwhile, in New York, Lucky Lee’s Chinese restaurant advertisement in social media prompted fierce criticism on social sites. Critics accused the restaurant of racism in their advisement and lack of a bright understanding of Chinese food. The angry comments from the critics besieged the restaurant’s social accounts profoundly affected the restaurant performance, prompting the apologies from the stakeholders (Sherman, 2019). Necessarily, the two restaurants are a classical illustration of the importance of being sensitive while conducting social media marketing.
Establishing Online presence
Restaurateurs may regard internet and digital marketing as irrelevant. However, in the digital error, online marketing is relative to revenue generated. Therefore, for a restaurant to establish an online presence, a mobile-friendly website is the initial step the site increases the restaurant authority as well as its visibility in the search engines (Ashley & Tuten, 2014). Secondly, encouraging guests to leave their reviews on the restaurant sites after positive dining at the restaurant. The increased restaurant reviews are relative to a higher rating and naturally placing in various search engines (Cheung, 2019).
Although domination in the search engines is practical, it is not sufficient without rapid advertising and aggressive push for more positive reviews. Therefore, restaurants need to consider complementing their strategies with paid advertising on social platforms.
Launch Box is a newly established restaurant in Ottawa. Responsibility, trust and collaboration are the restaurant core values. The restaurants target both local and foreign visitors to the city of Ottawa, to whom, the restaurant seeks to act responsibly towards their safety through quality services. By collaboration with regular customers, the restaurant aims to leverage its strength and capabilities across the restaurant, earning customers respect and loyalty. Eventually, by acting responsibly, and customer collaboration, the restaurant develops trust from customers.
To leverage the technological advancement, the restaurants adopt websites technology. Specifically, a mobile compatible website with unique features such as the option to reserve a table, and order delivery aims at increasing the restaurant market scope. Mobile compatible websites enhance the process of ordering and order delivery to customers. Convenient customer service often translates to guest satisfaction and increased loyalty. Thus, increasing the overall revenue collected as well as cut down food waste within the establishment. Notably, the restaurant may opt to design the website for mobile devices at first. Mobile compatible sites tend to be precise and only contain the necessary information, making it easy for people to navigate regardless of their devices (Ashley & Tuten, 2014).
Notably, the demand for online ordering systems is on the rise. Recognition of the increased need for online ordering, the restaurant websites facilitate online orders and reservations (Chen, 2020). Consequently, by saving customers time from longer cues at the restaurant for take-out orders, customer royalty is significantly enhanced. Furthermore, search engine optimization is an effective way of creating quality traffic, making it easier for the audient to locate the restaurant online (Chen, 2020). However, to achieve the desired search engine, the restaurant website is set up in the google business page, accompanied by as much information as possible. In the absence of the skilled persons within the establishment, a marketing agent sort out the relevant information for the restaurant an ensure and ensure smooth optimization.
Getting customers to view the restaurant in the search engine boosts the overall ranking and the ultimate website credibility. Additionally, setting up an account with various search engines increases the relevance of the restaurant website in these search engines. Thus, not only improves the overall ranking but also help hotel manage the already established online reputation
Customer engagement is an integral aspect of marketing, especially with the increased competition (Ashley & Tuten, 2014). Asking a customer for feedback is the initial step toward review management. Although asking for review feedbacks make them feel valued, the possibility of capturing a more extensive range of report is dependent on the system used. For the Lunch box, the development of report mobile apps enables personalized communication with the customers.
Typically presenting a tablet to the customer at the end of their meal, where they review their dining experience. During this review process, customers are free to discuss all aspects of the restaurants ranging from food, services, and ambience. Moreover, the restaurant website can also be customized to collect customer review feedback. Website customization to ensure real-time alert for poor review provide timely response to unsatisfied customers. Rapid response to poor reviews creates a chance to serve the unhappy customers better, thus converting them to loyal customers. Therefore, building up the restaurant reputation.
Customer-friendly websites, compatible with mobile technology, enable the customer to order take-out orders without any form of hassles. However, management has to consider specific aspects of the restaurant. Firstly, the restaurant has to adopt real-time Menus. With the real-time Menu, the website or mobile app-based Menu updates with an update of the point of sale menu (Chen, 2020). Secondly, the sites should be customized to save the orders automatically, according to the time of order. To avoid the risk of missed orders. Finally, integrating a push notification system enable the restaurant to update the regular customers of any change in the Menu.
The ultimate purpose of establishing a restaurant is the subsequent revenue. Therefore, to ensure continuity, the restaurant management should ensure the developed revenue collection system does not result in undercharging or overcharging. With the former, the restaurant fails to achieve the budgeted revenue forecast even with sufficient sales. At the same time, with the latter, the guest feels cheated or find a restaurant to be too expensive (Cheung, 2019). Thus, relaying their experience to others. Necessarily the developed system should quantify the proper amount of food items purchased against the accurate price. Mostly, the restaurant menu, either at the point of sale or online Menu, should be inclusive of respective food prices. Usually, the revenue collection system should clearly define the form of payment, the correct SumTotal of the revenue due, and lastly, correctly record transactions.
Furthermore, community involvement further allows an opportunity for the restaurant to its audience. Also, community involvement presents an opportunity for brand growth by establishing a profitable and professional relationship with the community. For instance, observation and response to the local calendar of the event create typically a sense of belonging to the members of the city, who then translate to positive reviews (Cheung, 2019).
Notably, when considering restaurant marketing strategies, social media should come first. It is in the majority of the social platform of potential customers to spend their free time. The initial step is to create a social media profile, particularly with the most common platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, ensuring the full restaurant information is correct and consistent with other local listings such as Yelp (Hall, 2018). Also, the restaurant must implement a video marketing strategy once in these sites. Finally, the use of photo optimization also appeals to customers. Posting appealing photos to your site entice and influence the audience to visit the restaurant. Thus, translating the audience to customers.
Notably, a restaurant is solely responsible for the incorporation of technology in their marketing strategies. However, in restaurants marketing strategies originates from creative agency, restaurateurs with pluck, franchised corporations intending to give their values (Florendo, 2020). Irrespective of the organization orientation, the primary aim is to provide insight into the best way of winning customer loyalty and develop a compelling brand. Additionally, these agencies seamlessly link all these marketing strategies via promising technology restaurants to turn their guesswork into reality as well as social media data into revenue (Florendo, 2020). Often, these companies function by driving traffic, which empowered restaurants to scale up their performance. However, restaurant owners fail to assign a sufficient marketing budget. Typically, to perform in the current competitive world, the restaurant should consider endorsing various marketing management such as social media manager, digital marketing manager and even designer.
Menu principles
Restaurant menu plays an integral role in ensuring customer satisfaction as well as management decisions. However, to achieve these goals, the primary Menu planning policy comes into play, including aesthetics, nutritional food quality, among others (Mitchell, 2009). Failure to adhere to theses principle often result in the adoption of unfriendly menus. Below is an illustration of a list that is poorly adhering to the menu principles.
A link to the Menu: https://www.bittbox.com/culture/flickr-find-bad-menus
To adhere to the primary menu principles, the restaurant managers should consider several alterations to this Menu. Firstly, aesthetic law creates an appealing first impression. Food presentation in the Menu influences the customer’s feelings not only about the Menu but also about the food served at the restaurant. Generally, diners coming to the restaurant as often do not like to strain deciding what to order. Therefore, to cater to these customers, clear headings and other visual technique can boost the aesthetic property. Secondly, the Menu cluttered, making it illegible to the customer, such that deciding what to order is a problem. Although the Menu is well categorized, illegibility makes the Menu look unprofessional and ill-planned. However, rewriting the Menu, the restauranteurs need to factor in the following factors. Firstly, the aesthetic property of a menu significantly influences guest perception toward the restaurant.
Typically, including attractive visual effects is essential in creating a reliable first impression, which eventually translates to customer loyalty (Mitchell, 2009). Secondly, the restauranteur should clarify the main item in the Menu. Usually, with a clear description, the leading food attracts customer attention, eventually translating to sales. Ultimately, the main item description is the core of the restaurant menus (Mitchell, 2009). Therefore, lists with elegant descriptions translate into more sales.
Mostly, food description in the Menu is the primary communication aspects between the restaurateurs and their customers. However, the restauranteur food description is not the best. For instance, in the Menu, the food needs to be listed in clear groups in that leading food should not be registered before the appetizers. The listing, the fresh fruits and salad should proceed with the main meal. Additionally, with too many items in various sections, guest often takes longer to decide what to order. Therefore, it is imperative to consider listing only a few representative details per section. For instance, reduce the number of entries by use of fruits family names such as citrus at the expense of entering both orange and lemon.
References
Ashley, C., & Tuten, T. (2014). Creative Strategies in Social Media Marketing: An Exploratory Study of Branded Social Content and Consumer Engagement. Psychology & Marketing, 32(1), 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20761
Chen, J. (2020). The Complete Guide to Social Media for Restaurants & Bars. Sprout Social. Retrieved April 10, 2020, from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/bars-restaurants-social-media-guide/.
Cheung, H. (2019). Why do people get so angry about food? BBC News. Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47892747.
Cohen, R. (2017). 5 Traditional Ways to Promote Your Restaurant – Orders2me. Orders2me. Retrieved April 10, 2020, from https://orders2.me/5-traditional-ways-to-promote-your-restaurant/.
Florendo, M. (2020). Social Media Hits and Misses: Impact on Hospitality — LODGING. LODGING Magazine. Retrieved April 10, 2020, from https://lodgingmagazine.com/social-media-hits-and-misses/.
Hall, M. (2018). Social Media Marketing for Restaurants Done Right: Maximizing ROI. Restaurant Insider. Retrieved April 10, 2020, from https://upserve.com/restaurant-insider/restaurant-social-media-tips/.
Mitchell, K. (2009). “Design for Aging Eyes: A Look at Outdoor Fast Food Menu Displays”: An Excerpt from “Design for Aging Eyes: An In-Depth Look at Outdoor Fast Food Menu Displays” by Kimberly Melhus. Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal—Annual Review, 3(3), 97-116. https://doi.org/10.18848/1833-1874/cgp/v03i03/37690
Sherman. (2019). 4 Social Media Marketing Campaign Examples to Inspire You. Digital Marketing Blog. Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/social-media-marketing-campaign/.
Tripathy, R. (2020). Restaurant Marketing: Traditional Vs Digital | Customer Think. Customerthink.com. Retrieved April 10, 2020, from http://customerthink.com/restaurant-marketing-traditional-vs-digital/.
Wilson, B. B. (2017, May 30). Flickr Find: Bad Menus. Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.bittbox.com/culture/flickr-find-bad-menus