It comes as no surprise that when looking for a place to dine, a lot of people will conduct a “near me” search for restaurants close to where they are. With this in mind, restaurant owners should ensure that they appear at the top of the results page and draw in more customers. The following tips will help you get your restaurant ranked among the top businesses in your area. Give the right description of your restaurant Go through every page of your website and ensure you have used keywords that are an accurate description of the services you provide.  Place yourself in your customer ..read more

Behind every web page is a wide array of coding knowledge that goes into creating it. Even if you have created a website without a drop of knowledge about coding, it’s still there. Want to see the magic behind your site that makes it what it is? Go to your website and click Ctrl+U to see it. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is all about making it easier for search engines to find out about your restaurant and classify it properly — so when somebody searches a relevant term or word, your site will show up in the search results. Research shows that 81% of consumers have searched for a restaura ..read more

As a restaurant owner, you know what it’s like to be inundated with hundreds of messages and emails every month.  You would probably archive in batches or choose to quickly delete uninteresting or unwanted emails. You know that you’ll only open emails if they catch your attention and you’ll only click on links if they’re adding value. So why not send emails to your restaurant customers with that philosophy in mind? This is not to say that email should replace all other forms of marketing. Email marketing, outbound ads, and social media can all be effective tools in your restaurant marketi ..read more

Everyday, especially since ‘Rona started, more and more people are joining the social media world which means… that you have plenty more users to attract to your business. You can (and you should) do that online with the support of: – appealing photography – conveying the right post at the right time – sending emails to your segmented database – create promotional visuals for your new menu And so on. But what social media tools are out there to help restaurants make this happen? For those of you just getting your feet wet with social media, the industry can seem overtly noisy with sites to j ..read more

With the winter holidays quickly approaching, it’s time to get your bar or restaurant into the festive spirit. Whether you’re warming up customers who visit your bar after a long day of shoveling snow or you’re preparing tasty beverages for your ugly sweater party, these 12 drinks of Christmas are sure to keep the holidays, and your guests, buzzing. Check out our recipes below as well as our favorite seasonal drink syrups and add ins. 1. Caramel Apple Cider Hot Toddy The key to this amazing hot toddy cocktail is the caramel vodka. We got this on a whim, but it really makes this drink perfec ..read more

In an effort to improve service delivery, restaurateurs are turning to chatbots to engage and connect with their clients. This is a growing trend as it is estimated that by 2020, 80% of businesses will have integrated chatbots into their digital channels. Additionally, users are also getting accustomed to interacting with chatbots with 40% of millennials using chatbots to communicate with brands on a daily basis. This calls on restaurant brands to strategise on how they could include chatbots in their communication channels. Earning more per customer Depending on the functionality you choose ..read more

As temperatures change, customers palates crave food that we have come to associate with each season. Even though you have to bear in mind the fruits and vegetables in season when planning your menu, your restaurant has to adapt to each season, in order to keep customers coming in. Review your ingredients In cooler weather most people are looking for hearty food and drinks that keep them warm. These could be in the form of roasts, soups or casseroles. At the top of most people’s list at this time of year, are pumpkin inspired dishes and beverages. In addition pumpkins can be used in desserts ..read more

“Safety” is the most important now to help assure patrons to revisit their favourite restaurants. The customers are hesitant to eat out, since they’ve heard from all over the news that the virus spreads through the air and that they could catch it from someone sitting next to them while dining. What’s imperative now, for any restaurant business, is to improve the indoor experience through air conditioners, social distancing and also with a communication that aims to mitigate the transmission of the virus. QR Codes – The New Virtual Menus At restaurants, paper menus are out and digital menus ..read more

As Covid-19 transformed our shopping and eating habits, we are expecting to see a shift within the food landscape in 2021. From supporting local businesses and new superfoods, here’s a breakdown of Napkin Food Marketing’s top five food trend predictions that will push your restaurant forward in 2021. 1. Supporting local businesses and products Buying local is something that has been gaining momentum for some time now but 2020 gave rise to a whole new level of support. It became imperative to support local businesses, especially since the pandemic hit and this gained a big following of ne ..read more

The Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic hit the restaurant industry, just like it did many other industries. While this sector was already witnessing massive changes as of 2019, the pandemic pushed restaurateurs to be more innovative. Entrepreneurs in this industry have had it rough this year, but many have remained afloat by adjusting their operations accordingly. In this piece, we talk about new trends for restaurants in 2021. 1. Messaging Will Become Vital With more people choosing to stay at their homes instead of going to a restaurant, many restaurateurs are looking to establish an online ..read more