It’s that time of year again. Students of all ages are wrapping up another school year. And with another school year in the books, comes another summer break filled with family-togetherness. For restaurants, that means it’s time to start making a push to get those families out and eating.

Catering to families is a good idea, regardless of the time of year. According to research from the National Restaurant Association, when selecting where to dine, nearly six out of 10 consumers consider a restaurant’s friendliness towards children and families. Family dining is a big market, and it’s one that you should certainly keep in mind when marketing your restaurant.

Start attracting more families to your restaurant with these six quick tips!

  1. Start by nailing your kids menu. That means covering all the bases – chicken tenders, noodles, burgers, french fries, grilled cheese, etc. We’re talking traditional kid food here. There’s nothing worse than having to deal with a picky child who’s upset that the kids menu doesn’t have a hot dog on it.
  2. Host a family night. Having a designated family night with special kid-friendly entertainment, food, and deals is a great way to attract entire families. Try a “kids eat free” night to really rake families in.
  3. Try serving bread and butter. And if you already do serve it, bring it out right away when your staff spots a family. Kids love bread and butter, and it’ll keep them happy/satisfied while they wait for their food.
  4. Amenities for children (including babies). That means bibs, high-chairs, napkins, smaller silverware, etc. Parents will remember these small conveniences when considering where to eat next time.
  5. Focus on pleasing the kids and the adults. Pleasing an entire family involves catering to every member of the clan. That includes grandparents as well!
  6. Keep kids entertained with Free WiFi. Even at the dinner table, kids are often glued to their tablets and smartphones. Hooking them up with internet access will keep them nice and occupied.

Family Marketing With CoGoBuzz

When it comes to attracting families, CoGoBuzz is all you’ll need to digitally promote your restaurant. Our state-of-the-art digital marketing service promotes your restaurant’s biggest deals, specials, events, and more – straight to your customers’ mobile devices.

Powered by advanced WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions, CoGoBuzz is designed from-the-ground-up to engage and retain customers at the digital level, both in-store and out. Our service automatically produces full customer profiles for every customer that logs in to your in-store HotSpot, and then integrates them with your favorite marketing list, such as HubSpot, MailChimp, and Constant Contact. On top of that, CoGoBuzz comes loaded with a fully-digital, text-based loyalty program, allowing you to promote Family Night with a simple text message!

Check out the rest of our website to learn more about what CoGoBuzz can do for your restaurant!

Have any tips for attracting families to restaurants? Let us know in the comments!