
Are you starting to feel that fall chill? With October beginning tomorrow, it’s pretty clear that autumn is officially settling in. Temperatures are cooler, school has been in for a month and those leaves are starting to change colour. As a restaurant owner, you should know these are all signs that you need to start new promotions to increase the foot traffic you get at your eatery.
Here are three ways to boost restaurant patronage all fall:
1. Give away fall-themed recipes.
Why would people come back to your restaurant if they can make your dishes themselves? They’ll come back because of how happy they are to be in your restaurant! It’s more than just the food. It’s the atmosphere, the decor, the customer service and your thoughtfulness that spawns repeat business.
“Savvy chefs know that no matter how many recipes you give away, people will still want you to cook for them,” writes The Chef on Upserve.com, “In fact, if they fail too bad, they might even be in line for dinner at your place that night! If you don’t want to give away any proprietary formulas, then cook up a new one instead or give away an old special. If you sell gourmet ingredients, consider putting together savoury recipes with matching photos.”
2. Target school sports teams.
As we mentioned, school has been in for a month. That means that school sports teams are being formed. And where better to celebrate a game or tournament win than your restaurant? As Andreea Dobrila explains on GloriaFood.com, it’s worthwhile to get in touch with coaches of any type of school sport to market your business.
“Go find coaches teaching basketball, baseball, swimming, etc., basically any type of coach – and let them know that if they bring their teams after practice or after a game they can all benefit from some great promos,” she insists, “And you could also go to college campuses and pass along promotional flyers to sorority girls. Use any unique restaurant promotion ideas you can think to make them come to your restaurant.”
3. Don’t forget your bar!
Autumn isn’t just the season of fallen leaves. It’s a huge season for sports! The Major League Baseball Postseason is about to get underway and the NHL’s regular season is soon to kick off. Not to mention, our defending NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors will be taking back to the court in a few weeks. This all means that your bar is bound to be packed with sports-loving patrons who’d be only too happy to order drinks while the games are on.
Why not spruce up your bar offerings by adding some fall-themed items to the menu? “Cider should be enjoyed year round, but some are exclusively marketed as fall ciders,” says The Chef, “You’ll find that more likely than not, those have some extra fall spices and maybe even some pumpkin. They range from super sweet to rather tart, so make sure you know all the flavour profiles of what you have on tap for when people ask!”
4. Be sure to allow patrons to pay at the table.
At Canadian POS, we’re proud to offer restaurant owners the Poynt Smart Terminal. There’s no easier way for your customers to pay! Learn more by calling us at 1-877-748-2884 or emailing us at info@localhost.