Family Ties: Build Guest Loyalty with Family-friendly Service
There has been explosive growth in families dining out or ordering carry-out because of two incomes and all the activities kids are involved in. Kids, in fact, continue to drive more and more decisions on where to eat. Here are some ideas to put your restaurant at the top of their list:
Pay attention. Extra napkins, kids’ meals out early if parents agree, help with the kids, providing something to keep the kids busy. Be unique! Make them feel extra special.
Control the pace. Do parents want to eat quickly or enjoy a little relaxation?
Provide fun. What can occupy the kids? The more fun the experience is, the more often the family will return.
Train “kid focus.” Many servers, hosts and other employees don’t have children. Their frame of reference may be their pesky little sibling. Teach your staff how to talk to younger guests, including eye contact down at their level and compliments on coloring, eating or ordering. Here are some simple things younger employees or those without children might need to be taught: Don’t put high chairs in high-traffic areas, don’t place hot plates in front of small children and always put lids on drinks (or regret it later).
Make the restaurant kid-friendly. Try something different. Offer toys to play with at the table (an Etch-A-Sketch, for instance, or other small games). Let kids pick a toy on the way out (a la the dentist’s office) or provide cool, interesting desserts or beverages (included in the price or for a slight up-charge). Consider: Push Pops, slushes, smoothies, etc. Create a wow for the kids to drive parents’ loyalty.
Hit the “tweeners.” As kids get to be seven or so, they outgrow kid’s meals, but in many cases, Mom and Dad don’t want to spring for the adult portion yet. Provide selections for the older child — more grown-up food, but smaller portions. Grilled chicken or fajitas, double-burgers, small steaks and rib baskets create a huge value statement for the restaurant.
Excerpted from the restaurant management book Now That’s Service That Sells!. Click here to read more.
Four Phrases to Never Use with Guests
When waiting on customers, there are four phrases that should never be used. Pass these on to your servers:
“I don’t know.” If you don’t know, find out. Instead, say, “Gee, that’s a good question. Let me check for you.”
“We can’t do that.” Instead, say, “Boy, that’s a tough one. Let’s see what we can do.” Then go find an alternative solution.
“I’ll be back in a second.” If you’ve ever said it to a guest, you’ve lied. Try the truth: “It may take me a two or three minutes to get back to you. Can I get you something from the bar on my way back?”
“No…” at the beginning of a sentence. The word “no” conveys total rejection. Turn a negative answer into a positive: “We aren’t able to substitute a taco for an enchilada on the combo platter, but I can bring you an extra taco on the side.”
Crystal Clear – How to Clean a Beer Glass
A bad glass can ruin a good beer — and a customer’s experience. Teach your bartenders the five steps toward a “beer-clean” glass:
- Start with a clean, three-compartment sink. Sink one should be filled with warm water and glass cleaner, and should feature an overflow pipe to maintain a constant water level and a funnel strainer to catch residue when glasses are emptied. Number two should be filled with cool water, with a slow but steady stream allowed to run throughout the washing process. Number three is filled with a sanitizer and clean, cool water.
- Empty all contents into the funnel in sink one. Scrub vigorously using a low-suds glass-cleaning detergent and, whenever possible, motorized brushes. Use odor-free, nonfat cleaning compounds made especially for cleaning beer glasses. Oil-based detergents can leave a film.
- Thoroughly rinse glasses in sink two. Always place the glass bottom down in the rinse to eliminate the chance of air pockets forming and/or improper rinsing.
- Repeat in sink three.
- Air dry the glass. Place it upside down on a deeply corrugated drain board, allowing air to enter the inverted glass and complete the drying operation by evaporation.