Restaurant Marketing for 2021 and Beyond

How can we imagine restaurant experiences to change going into 2021 and beyond?

Sit down and rewrite your business plan for 2021.

• Sales.
• Staffing.
• Update operating procedures.
• Equipment.
• Menu.
• Ingredients.
• Marketing.
• Reactivate loyalty base clients.
• Financial. 

Considering the Covid pandemic, many things have changed and normal sit-in dining has especially changed. Take away delivery meals and off-premise dining has become a popular option. Contactless curbside pick-ups and high-tech take-away meal containers and packaging have become part and parcel of the client’s experience.

Online bookings, new smart designed menus, and contactless ordering and payments. The design of applications for cellphones and handheld devices. To cope with having less staff new equipment is implemented to minimize labour requirements and improve the accuracy of ordering and stock control.

Once the above changes to our restaurant industry of the past have become a harsh reality definite positives and some challenges come to mind.

How will we address our marketing strategies going blindly into the new age of dining?

• Reservation links on social media and Google.
• Live chat between your website and your Front of House
• Incentivize positive online reviews.
• Use online clientele surveys.
• Sponsor influencers to display your brand.
• Respond online to negative online feedback immediately.
• Regularly update pictures of dishes on Instagram to focus on quality.
• Quality food pictures for your online menu.
• Retargeting adverts to non-purchasing visitors.
• Spend money on SEO.
• Reward loyalty.
• Voucher and discount campaigns on the next visit or order.
• Collect and use clients’ data.
• Email marketing.
• Facebook.
• Use of Facebook live videos.
• Birthday reminders.
• SMS marketing.
• Free recipes.
• High-quality pictures of ingredients.
• Transparency to clientele on Sustainability of menu ingredients.
• Gluten-free products.
• Vegan products.
• Organic ingredients.
• If not all items are sustainable, organic, etc at the least show your commitment to attempt to work towards these.
• Unique dining experiences have become important and a trend to be reckoned with. 
• Food pricing.
• Heath benefits and or implications. There are a new trend and following of people eating correctly rather than using medicine. Live organisms for healthy gut bacteria and CBD-infused items have become a new norm for a certain marketing segment.
• Food sharing.
• Family meal deals.
• Ensure your tech is updated.
• Fast Casual restaurants focus on taste, convenience/speed of service, value for money.
• Delivery Service Providers.
• Robo Chefs
• Quality Staff Training
• Integrity-based HR practices are being implemented to avoid high staff turnover.
• Self-service screen ordering.
• Specific time orders, to induce trade during quiet times in your restaurant.
• Entertainment and eating ie. cabaret shows.
• Outside and or off-premise dining options.

Follow the above steps to a safe recovery and keep your eye on the ever-changing foodservice marketplace.