How do you become more than just another restaurant?

“ Local is lekker “drives the fact that you support local. From the locals to the locals this will support and drive the fact home that you are not just there to take from the community you also give back and build.

Volunteer services in your local community. Drive a vegetable garden for the local soup kitchen. Donate leftover foodstuff to the local shelter for the homeless. Get involved in the local animal welfare or rescue organization. Team up with local farmers and consider implementing a chef’s table where local produce is offered from the farm to table by the chef on duty creating memorable experiences from the community to the community.

Partner with local industry gets the local brewers and winemakers to do tastings at your restaurant. There might be cheesemakers or chocolatiers or specialist bakers in your community. Investigate these options and collaborate with them. Advertise the fact that you are eco-friendly and promote sustainable business practices.

Consider advertising high ticket sales items off your menu as no tipping items and profit-sharing systems with your waitrons. Have a section on your menu that is not priced and invite guests to pay you what they think it was worth.

Apart from giving back to your community and the fact that you might get a tax benefit for donations you will also feel good about your involvement. Not only will you feel good however the employees from the local community will partake in your experience and soonest they might want to join you giving to the community.

Have a community table in your restaurant where people that visit on their own could join in on the conversation catch up on the local news and have a great time.

You can arrange community dinner events at your establishment and then donate the proceeds to the local school for urgently required items. Get involved in community sports teams and events. Sponsor exceptional sportsmanship and get them to come and eat at a discount in your restaurant. If you are kiddies friendly aim for kiddies sports events. If your clientele is more mature support the golfers and the bowls club.

Make a point to follow up on repeat clientele, remember their name, and if they have a special order ensure to make a point to remember the details. If you have a problem or a complaint make a point to handle this with urgency and resolve the matter quickly, your clientele involved are likely to point your actions out to the locals and this might be to your advantage especially considering the damage that can be caused by negative word of mouth advertising.

Offer regular tastings of your locally sourced fresh produce, these tasters will introduce new items to your guests and motivate them to visit again on another occasion to order a meal from the menu that they have not tried before. Ensure to move around in your store and greet people and make them feel welcome and at home at their home away from home.