Seriously, how is it possible for anyone to not love the summertime? The beautiful sunny and warm weather gives us all opportunities to enjoy fun times in the great outdoors. As a restaurateur, you’re likely a big fan of summer. It allows you to open up your patio and welcome more guests than you can at any other time of the year.
It’s wise, however, to never simply assume that the summer will bring you more customers. If you’re looking to grow patronage at your restaurant, this summer, you may want to spice up your eatery’s menu. Try these three easy steps!
Step #1: Get the grill going.
The summertime and barbeque go hand in hand. By offering barbeque meal options on your restaurant’s menu, your eatery will become a go-to summer destination for many. As Rewards Network points out, summer is the prime time of year for grill and char flavours.
“Steak, kabobs, barbeque chicken, and more can be intriguing additions to a summer menu, especially if you’re in a city area where many apartment renters can’t keep an outdoor grill at home,” notes their website, “But don’t forget about the vegetarians! Grilling vegetables can be a great way to elevate the flavour of meatless dishes and help those with dietary restrictions (or who just prefer to eat vegetarian) still enjoy a great dinner out with their meat-eating friends.”
Step #2: Concoct new cocktails.
Having a cold one on the patio is a popular summer pastime. Make no mistake that your most of your customers would absolutely love to enjoy the warm weather with frosty beverages in their hands. It’s a good idea to come up with some unique drink options that other restaurants may not offer. Parts Town suggests a few different options including margaritas, daiquiris and piña coladas.
Strawberry daiquiris are popular at tropical beach resorts, says their website, “the bit of lime really brings out the strawberry flavour in this cocktail. Be sure to serve in clear glasses to show off the red colour.” Of piña coladas, Parts Town notes that “just one sip of this Caribbean cocktail of tropical fruits and rum will make your guests feel like they are on a tropical island.”
Step #3: Sweeten up your salads.
Salads have long been popular at just about every type of restaurant. They are especially desired during the summer since they provide, cool, crisp and refreshing additions to every meal. Not to mention, salads offer a nutritional balance to those often-high-in-calories summer meal menu options. We’re talking about eats of the burgers and steaks variety. Rewards Network reminds us that salads can also be sweet.
“Blackberries, peaches, elderberries, Asian pear, and cherries are all fair game among your leafy greens, but they are far from the only fruit you can incorporate into special summer salad fare,” informs their website, “And since it is a fruit, you can never go wrong with the many varieties of summer-picked tomatoes. Talk to your cooks, get creative with your salad choices, and see what happens!”
Do you allow your patrons to pay at the table?
The sleek dual-screen smart payment terminal from Unity Payments can help you to do that! Equipped 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.
