As the vibrant season of summer approaches, it’s the perfect time for restaurant owners to revitalize their establishments and attract new customers. A spring refresh can breathe new life into your restaurant, creating a welcoming atmosphere that keeps patrons coming back for more all summer. Here are some tips to help you revamp your restaurant for a successful early summer season:
- Update Your Menu: Incorporate fresh, seasonal ingredients into your menu to reflect the flavors of early summer. Consider adding lighter, more refreshing options that appeal to warmer weather cravings. Highlighting locally sourced produce can also attract eco-conscious diners. Need some help? We offer menu development and engineering services. We can come up with a spring menu for you!
- Enhance Your Outdoor Space: If you have outdoor seating, make sure it’s inviting and comfortable. Go the extra mile by putting a sound system on the patio to enhance ambiance. Consider adding umbrellas for shade, cozy seating arrangements, and greenery to create a welcoming oasis for diners looking to enjoy the fresh air.
- Spring Cleaning: A thorough spring cleaning can work wonders for your restaurant’s ambiance. Clean windows, floors, and fixtures to create a sparkling, inviting environment. Trays are an often overlooked highly visible piece of equipment that we recommend either deep cleaning or replacing to reflect high cleanliness standards. Don’t forget to declutter and organize storage areas to improve efficiency.
- Update Decor: Small changes to your decor can make a big impact. Consider adding fresh flowers, new artwork, or seasonal decorations to reflect the spirit of summer. Lighter, brighter colors can also help create a more cheerful atmosphere.
- Promote Seasonal Specials: Create buzz around your new menu by promoting seasonal specials and discounts. Use social media, email marketing, and in-store signage to attract diners eager to try your fresh offerings. Need some marketing help? We offer social media marketing and reputation management services for hospitality establishments.
- Promote Catering Services: Graduation parties, BBQs that need a few more items, Father’s Day parties, summer birthdays… So many celebrations are coming up that need catering! Make sure your catering services are top of mind to your customers by posting on social media about it, mentioning it in your newsletters and in the restaurant with some signage.
- Host Events: Early summer is a great time to host events that draw in customers. Consider hosting a wine tasting, live music night, or themed dinner to create a buzz and attract new patrons.
- Themed Happy Hours: Get creative with happy hour specials! Host a Yappy Hour (dogs and friends welcome), a Taco Tuesday special (or variation), a Wine Wednesday. These can create standing social dates with your customers that become regular traditions during the summer. It could also help to extend your happy hour hours for the summer to account for the longer days.
- Seasonal Hiring: Check with your team about their summer travel schedules and use that information to inform your seasonal hiring. Our recent blog post outlines practical strategies to help restaurant owners navigate seasonal hiring challenges and build a strong team for the summer ahead. You can read it here.
- Seek Feedback: As you implement changes, seek feedback from your customers to gauge their reactions. Use this feedback to make further adjustments and ensure you’re meeting the needs of your clientele. You can also hire our professional secret shoppers to give you their extensive detailed feedback.
