As we come out of lockdown and restaurants start to reopen again, there’s a lot to think about. Here’s a few different elements to get sorted:
Plan social distancing
Planning how social distancing will work in your site, isn’t just about where your customers will stand when they drop by for a collection. Keeping staff safe is paramount. Therefore you need to plan how things will work in the kitchen. Some restaurants have instigated different shifts in the kitchen to normal, so chefs work in 1’s and 2’s, most have cut back on their menus. Next think about the equipment you’ll need – screens, hand sanitizer, masks etc, get these ordered asap.Cleaning
Cleaning procedures and rotas need to be updated and more thorough than before.
Get on the delivery apps
You may have been reluctant before, but a lot of sales will come from the delivery apps so get on them! If you haven’t already done so, add your email address to the newsletter form throughout this site to get tips and info on the Deliveroo Algorithm and how to get more orders. If you’re struggling to get listed, get in contact and I’ll introduce to my account managers at Deliveroo, Uber and Just Eat.Update your website
It’s essential that your customers know you’re open, so update your website with new opening times and menu changes etc.Local ads on Facebook and Instagram
Local ads on Facebook and Instagram are a great way of targeting your local community and letting people you’re open again. They relatively cheap and offer good value for money, so should be an essential part of your restaurant marketing strategy.Graphic design
Posters in the windows and A Boards need to be designed to let everyone know you’re open again and can be used to promote key restaurant branding messages. We can design stunning artwork for you, get in touch if you don’t have that resource.
Email your customers
Write and design an email newsletter for your customer database. Make sure it’s up to date by downloading all the info from Booktable, Opentable, Quandoo etc. To maximise the return, send out when most people are likely to be thinking about ordering delivery for the evening which is 5 pm or 6pm on Friday or Saturday, in our experience.Notify your accountant
Tell your accountant who’s come off Furlough.Retail offering
A lot of restaurants and pubs are doing well by selling more retail items. These can include wine / beer (councils are being flexible about this, our restaurant in Islington got a 6 month variation to sell retail alcohol very easily) as well as fresh fruit / veg and meat.
