As a restaurant owner, there aren't many things more challenging than keeping a steady stream of customers coming in through the front door. Unfortunately, these kinds of challenges can eventually arrest the cash flow of your business, which can cause all kinds of problems in the long run. About three months ago, I decided that it would be a good idea to start focusing more on my own restaurant so that I could improve things. I started small, by changing the way that our team handled a few things, and then eventually worked towards reworking the entire menu. This blog is all about making your restaurant more profitable.
Making your restaurant more family-friendly as a dine-in eatery is about having the right menu items, the right opening hours, and the right family perks. This guide will help you turn your restaurant into the one families of all ages choose when they want a night out so you can make more money and have happier patrons.
Have extended and weekend hours
Families are often busy and have to work around school, work, sports, and other schedules to dine out. Having your dine-in family restaurant open later at night and on Sundays — when some other restaurants are closed — can help you bring in more business and keep families coming in regularly.
Have a varied menu
You need child-friendly menu items like classic pepperoni or cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Fries and apple slices are common kid menu items as well, and all child menus should have a drink inclusion. If possible, include a small toy or trinket in a child's menu option so you can compete more with fast food dine-in establishments and get families to sit down in your restaurant.
For the adults, a more classic and varied menu option will work well, so long as you keep the menu items priced low to mid-range. After all, entire families will spend more as a whole, so you don't want the meal prices to be too off-putting to make your restaurant too rich for average families.
Have a type of entertainment
Be it a small video game console in the corner of your restaurant or a television set placed on the walls, you want your dine-in family restaurant to have some type of entertainment. The entertainment is mainly to keep kids distracted but works for parents as well. From children's menus that come with crayons to tablecloths that can be colored on, you can find other simple ways to entertain your child patrons as well.
Have a dessert option
Sometimes families just want to go out for ice cream and you want to still be the restaurant they choose for a dessert-type experience. Have hand-scooped ice cream available or a menu with varied simple dessert options for families to eat at your dine-in family restaurant. Even a flavored drink menu can work to keep families coming back when they have a collective sweet tooth.
Any addition you make to your dine-in family restaurant can make the eatery a better place for families to dine. You don't have to go expensive in your upgrades to make your dining experience great for whole families.
For more info, visit a restaurant like National Coney Island.
Share11 May 2022
