Last week, our blog delved into some ways to turn your restaurant into a springtime hot spot. We suggested sprucing up your menus, celebrating April Fools’ Day and launching a social media contest. One thing we didn’t mention was setting up your restaurant’s patio. While our current weather situation doesn’t exactly make for ideal patio visits just yet, patio season is definitely on the way! How can you properly prepare your restaurant?
Make your patio eye-catching.
Remember that your restaurant’s guests aren’t just going to show up for delicious eats. They want to have good times. The decor of your patio should be eye-catching, vibrant and fun. It should scream “good times can be had here!” It’s important to make a good visual impression on passers-by so that even people who didn’t plan on eating at your establishment will be enticed to stop in.
“Most guests see the patio as they walk up to the restaurant, so it needs to work as an ambassador for your brand,” notes Gordon Food Service, “Also keep in mind that people will want to take photos and share them on social media, so the patio needs to be appealing. Don’t shy away from bringing a little style to it.”
Turn up the tunes.
In many cases, patio visits are the equivalent of mini-parties. Depending on your establishment, you may wish to hire a live DJ to entertain your guests. Of course, you can always pump some upbeat tunes via your favourite music streaming service. By doing so, you’ll create a party atmosphere for the fun-loving guests in your eatery’s target audience.
“Want more of a party atmosphere?” asks Morton Food Service, “Turn up the tempo and watch your customers enjoy a...good time with electronic music, hip hop or pop hits on the speaker. Even when seated at their own tables, this will get customers tapping their feet.”
Offer some shade.
Most Canadians crave warm and sunny days. That doesn’t mean we’re interested in sunburn though. It’s wise to have umbrellas and other forms of shade set up on your patio. In fact, we’d consider it mandatory. The last thing you want is for your customers to complain about the hot sun while they’re trying to enjoy a good time at your establishment.
“Sun-drenched concrete next to a brick wall creates an oven effect,” explains Gordon Food Service, “Umbrellas or awnings offer shade, but they don’t always cut the heat. Trees, plants and tall grasses absorb the heat and create a park-like feel. They do require maintenance, but the appearance and cooling effect is a plus.”
Allow customers to pay at the table.
As you’re surely aware, customers don’t have to come inside to pay for the meals they eat outside. Your wait staff can easily bring your payment terminals to them! This spring, why not freshen up your payment processing with the sleek dual-screen smart payment terminal from Unity Payments?
With our POS solution, your restaurant can optimize the checkout process, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty and drive revenue growth. To learn all about it, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
