What makes a restaurant successful?

Walking into any given establishment, it might not be immediately clear. Every successful restaurant has different, unique reasons for doing well. At the same time, there’s plenty of shared traits.

Here’s eleven qualities that can be found in successful restaurants.

  1. Great food. (Duh)
  2. Better service. Almost as important as having good food, the quality of service can make-or-break a restaurant’s success. Unfriendly staff and slow service are common markers to avoid. Being understaffed is another.
  3. Effective management. Understanding every facet of your restaurant’s operations is key. That’s how you prevent problems before they even happen, such as running out of popular dishes or being understaffed during peak periods.
  4. Understanding the customer base. The best restaurants know their clientele in and out. They’re aware of their demographics, when they like to dine, who likes to eat what, and beyond.
  5. Experience. There’s a quality dining experience to be found in every type of restaurant, whether quick-serve, fine dining, or somewhere in between. Successful restaurants understand what their dining experience is like, and hone in on it to make it the best it can be.
  6. Well-thought-out marketing efforts. Some restaurant owners aren’t fond of marketing plans. I’m here to tell you that restaurant marketing is just as a important as any other industry.
  7. Loyal customers. Customer retention is where so many restaurants make the vast bulk of their profits. Repeat customers spend more than new customers. That’s been well-reported on (Bain & Company reports repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers). Successful restaurants foster loyalty with customer-retention strategies. Loyalty programs are a popular way to do so.
  8. Digital presence. Successful restaurants have a great website (optimized for mobile). There, visitors can make reservations, check out the menu, and even head over to a linked Facebook page.
  9. Fostering positive reviews. Another consequence of the digital age, reviews for any restaurant are easily accessible. All it takes is a quick Google search. It should be any restaurant owner’s goal to foster positive reviews.
  10. Ability to handle criticism. It could be a customer complaint or a bad review. Either way, criticism is valuable. Use it to improve your restaurant. If something negative is called out publicly in a bad review, it’s better to address the issue than to get upset about it.
  11. Adaptability. Markets and tastes are constantly changing. The modern restaurant owner absolutely must be ready for the latest trends, fads, and more, especially within the context of their given niche.

Succeed With CoGoBuzz

Want more loyal customers? Looking to expand your digital presence? Just want to be more successful?

We’ve got the solution for you.

Enter CoGoBuzz, our state-of-the-art marketing service. Designed with a diverse set of digital solutions, CoGoBuzz promotes your restaurant across WiFi, SMS, and Email, both in-store and out. Through a one-time login to your restaurant’s in-store HotSpot, customers are taken to a custom landing page, where they can check out your menu, deals, events, and more. From there, you can encourage customers to Like you on Facebook in exchange for a deal, or join your brand new text-based loyalty program!

Check out the rest of our website to learn more about CoGoBuzz!

What do you think makes a successful restaurant? Sound off in the comments!