12 Ways To Increase Restaurant Sales

The restaurant industry can be challenging. With fluctuating food costs, changing customer preferences and rising competition, staying ahead can require coming up with some innovative strategies.

Whether you’re looking to capture more foot traffic or increase customer loyalty, there are steps you can take to help increase restaurant revenue. Let’s explore some of the tactics you can use to help boost restaurant sales.

Tips to increase restaurant sales

Optimize your menu.

Your menu is more than just a list of dishes — it’s a powerful sales tool. Here are a few ways to optimize your menu:

Highlight profitable dishes. Your menu design can help you highlight the dishes with the best profit margins. Using bold text, boxes and placement can help draw customers’ eyes to the dishes you want to sell more of.

Write better descriptions. A good description should advertise the deliciousness of your food. Instead of just listing ingredients, describe the dish in a way that does some of the selling for you. Additionally, using words like “locally-sourced,” “organic” and “made in-house” can raise a menu item’s perceived value.

Declutter and remove underperformers. You don’t want to overwhelm your guests with too many appetizers, entrees and desserts. You can analyze your sales and remove the menu items that are underperforming — helping cut costs and streamline operations.

Invest in upgraded technology.

Investing in technology can help you improve customer experience and keep your restaurant running smoothly. Consider upgrading your point of sales (POS) system, offering digital payment solutions or implementing pay-at-the-table technology.

Start offering online ordering and delivery services.

According to a report by DoorDash, 70% of U.S. diners reported ordering food delivery in the last month. By offering online ordering for delivery and takeout, you could open a whole new stream of revenue and potentially reach new customers. You can create your own online ordering system on your restaurant’s website, and there are many third-party apps that you can sign up for as well.

Train staff to upsell.

Encourage your team to suggest additional items that would pair well with a customer’s order. Train them to suggest a signature drink or dessert or offer add-on deals such as fries and a drink for a small additional charge. Having your team upsell or cross-sell menu items without being pushy can help you increase your average check size.

Improve your marketing.

Marketing your small restaurant business can help you reach new customers — and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Something as simple as a chalkboard sign out front advertising a happy hour deal can help you capture more foot traffic. Here are a few additional marketing ideas to help you expand your customer base:

Email marketing. You can use email marketing to share promotions, introduce new menu items or advertise events.

SEO. Search engine optimization helps your restaurant’s website appear when someone does a related online search. For example if you own an Italian restaurant, you want your website to pop up when someone searches “Italian restaurant near me.” Make sure your “Google My Business” profile is up to date.

Word of mouth. Encourage customers to share their experience with friends and family. You can offer incentives like a referral discount, or go above and beyond to create a dining experience that organically encourages recommendations.

Get on social media.

Having a strong social media presence is a great way to reach potential customers. You can share engaging content such as eye-catching food photos, behind-the-scenes videos of your chefs working, or announcements for happy hours and special deals. There are a ton of social media platforms where you can reach your target audience and encourage them to visit.

Start a loyalty program.

A loyalty program can keep customers going back. Repeat customers are valuable and can help make your restaurant a neighborhood staple. Offer rewards such as a free dessert after five visits or discounts for customers who’ve hit a certain spending limit. This can help you create meaningful relationships and boost customer loyalty.

Host events.

Hosting events can help create buzz and get people through your door. You can host trivia or open mic nights, bring in live music or do a cooking workshop. Alternatively, you could partner with another local business to host a joint event. Provide food and drinks for a store’s grand opening or invite local merchants to set up a pop-up store on your patio. Events can help draw a crowd and build community.

Prioritize customer retention.

Retaining an existing customer is much more cost-effective than attaining a new one. Train your staff to deliver excellent service, helping ensure every interaction is a positive one. Additionally, take the time to address customer feedback, such as Yelp reviews or direct complaints, thoughtfully. This can help show that you value your customer’s opinions and can help you strengthen relationships and build a base of loyal customers. Happy customers are more likely to return, boosting repeat business.

Offer a prix fixe menu for special occasions.

Prix fixe menus are great for special events such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. Offer a multi-course meal at a set price. This could be your best dishes, or you can plan an exclusive dining experience with dishes that aren’t normally available. Offering an additional drink package can help you increase revenue further.

Sell gift cards.

Gift cards are an easy and simple way to boost revenue — especially during the holiday season when people are looking for convenient gifts. They’re a great way to attract new customers and encourage repeat visits. For example, you can run special promotions like “buy a $50 gift card, get a $10 gift card free.” This benefits both you and your customers — the recipient of the $50 gift card visits your business for the first time, while the buyer can return and use their $10 gift card on their next visit.

Offer merchandise.

Offering merchandise can help you build brand awareness and increase customer loyalty. You can sell items like t-shirts, mugs, pint glasses and hats with your logo or slogan. These items become memorable keepsakes and turn your customers into walking advertisements. Plus the money from sales can be a new source of revenue.

How can a restaurant attract more customers?

Capturing new customers is important for established and new restaurants. Here are some ways restaurant owners can attract more customers.

Run limited-time promotions. Happy hours, lunch specials and theme nights can help create a sense of urgency and incentivize customers to get through the door.

Engage with your community. Participate in community events like street fairs, food festivals and restaurant weeks to build goodwill and boost visibility.

Collaborate with foodies. Food bloggers, influencers and local food critics can help get the word out about your restaurant. Invite them in to have a meal and review your restaurant.

The Bottom Line

Increasing restaurant sales takes creativity and dedication to building a community of loyal customers. By making key decisions to streamline operations, creating new revenue streams, implementing new marketing strategies, and focusing on customer experience, you can help boost sales and stay ahead of the competition.