While we’re riding this out together, let’s think of how we can move forward
Reservations and takeout. It sucks when you have a reservation and have to wait. For the restaurant, it also sucks when they save a table and that group doesn’t show up. Same thing for takeout. Why don’t you pay beforehand?
Context. Restaurants miscommunicate the value that they provide. Often guests don’t know why that restaurant exists, why the chefs are unique, where the food comes from, etc. This is primarily the value of the experience. Restaurants shy away from this conversation with their guest. Menus and staff should help communicate this, in the form of a story.
Digital menus. Like a page of images, then as guests scroll over the image a video of the chef making that item plays with the food heading. No pdfs. Better interaction. Visual descriptions that highlight the nuances.
Create your own holiday, then decorate your restaurant and then offer and advertise your menu. It should be an authentic holiday, something that already exists or a tradition that chefs/owners do.
Support your staff’s entrepreneurship. Chefs could offer lessons in the restaurant where the chef keeps 90% and the restaurant keeps the other 10%. Or a twitch/youtube of videos that showcase the restaurant, the effort it takes to run a restaurant, tell that story. This should have the same payment structure, the value add is the advertising.
Chef internship positions. Support the community. Offer positions that help locals gain experience. It’s an opportunity to see how you can further improve and give back while having some help.
Dinner clubs. Something informal, authentic.
