Growing Restaurant Chains
Whether you're the CEO of an already established restaurant chain, or the nervous first-time owner of a start-up cafe, odds are you share the same vision: you want to have as much success as possible. Stagnancy is not an option; growth is vital. In fact, the same could be said of virtually any business owner, much less a restaurateur. However, in food service, there are a few simple yet crucial steps to take to avoid having your place of business becoming a laundromat that "used to be that so-and-so" eatery.
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Get your employees and management on the same page. While it's tempting to get right to promotion and advertising, your house must be in order before you invite the guests over. Everything from the mundane food preparation procedures to the complex human resource issues must be addressed. If you have happy staff, you have happy customers.
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Promote your business. Increasing the amount of customers while getting your existing customers to spend more is your bread and butter. Sales and discounts are also good to get people in the door, but it is important to be mindful to not get carried away. You don't want to cheapen your product. Mailing lists (masquerading as VIP club sign-ups) are a great way to create a database and bolster your core customers' loyalty by offering regular, modest promotions. It is important, however, that your employees are trained in how to encourage customers to sign up for said lists.
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Explore franchising possibilities, once your business is big enough. McDonald's founder Ray Kroc introduced the concept. It's a proven method to exponentially expand your brand.
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Encourage customer feedback. It's a given that establishing great customer service is a cornerstone of the industry. However, giving them an incentive-laden chance to express their feedback encourages them to return, regardless of how well their visit went. Word of mouth is arguably your best method of advertising.
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Grow your business, but not so much that you stray from the formula that made you successful to begin with. On one hand, you don't want to become complacent and boring. On the other hand, you don't want to get too abstract with your growth by abandoning the system that got you as far as you did.
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References
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