You take walks inside your restaurant all the time. You walk from the host stand to the bar to the kitchen and you make your rounds. This is what you’re supposed to do. But when’s the last time you walked outside of your restaurant? It’s important to inspect what’s around you to make sure you are doing everything you’re supposed to be.
Forget for a moment that you’re the owner or manager of the restaurant. Instead, step inside the head of your potential guests. Walk down the block and look at some of the other shops and restaurants. What do you see? Is there a common theme? Do they have any advertising on their windows or outside of their shops?
Now look at some of the other restaurants within your neighborhood. Why should you care about other restaurants? These are your competition, even if they don’t offer the same kind of cuisine as you do. When a potential guest wants to eat out in your neighborhood, they are going to be faced with many different decisions. Often, people will make a decision based upon what they see, not what they read or hear.
Look at what other restaurants are offering. See if they have a menu board on the outside of their restaurant. Read any kind of signs they have to determine any kind of marketing strategies. Observe as much as possible. Take into consideration what you do and don’t like about every restaurant. It’s okay to like other restaurants and even admire them.
One of the ways I learned to be a magician is by watching others. I’ve spent time in Vegas and throughout the world watching magic acts. I can tell you what I like and don’t like about the various performances. I also don’t keep a secret the fact that I still learn from other magicians just as much as I teach them. It’s how I evolve and improve. You can do the same thing.
Now head back to your own restaurant. Look at the outside of the building. Is it clean and well maintained? Does it have a menu board? What can you incorporate in your own restaurant that other restaurants in town have done?
Walking outside of your restaurant periodically can be an eye-opening experience. You don’t have to do it on a daily basis but you have to do it occasionally. Call it market research if you want. By understanding what goes on throughout your neighborhood, you can mold your restaurant to provide a better and more unique dining experience for all of your guests.
Watch video about taking a walk outside our restaurant to improve your perception.
