Image is important!
Especially when you producing food for people to eat. People judge the quality of the food
subconsciously with the look of your restaurant. Dirty restaurant=dirty chef=bad food.
Make sure your restaurant presents the right image by:
Outside
1. Make sure your signs are clear and easily read from a distance and if on a busy road easily read from passing vehicles.
2. Make sure your exterior colour scheme is complimentary to your style and interior design.
3. Make sure you have plenty of parking or clear directions from car parks even advertise in the local car park. Make sure your car park is well lit and don’t forget to include welcome signs and promotional banners.
4. Make sure all exterior areas are well kept, painted, cleaned plants and flowers well attended to, fences, gates etc are all in excellent state of repair.
5. Take a walk around the exterior of your property multiple times a day and collect rubbish, empty glasses etc and make sure any tables and chairs are dry and clean.
6. Make sure your refuse is hidden and this area is kept clean and lids are shut to prevent smells and pests.
7. Make sure your entrance is inviting and well lit, if there is an alternative entrance (EG Disabled entrance) make sure that too is well sign posted and well lit.
8. Display a large, easy to read version of your menu for potential customers to read or have pictures and special offers posters up in the windows and A-boards to entice people passing.
Inside:
1. Keep the entrance and host station clean and free from clutter. A welcome sign and menus are a must along with a “please wait to be seated” sign if this is your policy.
2. Make sure there is an easy flow to your walkways between tables and to the bar and restrooms. Make sure all chairs are easily accessible, don’t try to cram in too many tables this will hinder service and make your guests feel cramped.
3. Make sure all decorations including picture frames and lights are clean and in good repair.
4. Service areas ie waiter stations should be free from clutter and clean with all items stored neatly away but readily to hand.
5. Coffee Station – make sure it is away from diners as they don’t want to listen to the grinder and steaming whilst trying to enjoy their meal and conversation.
6. Restrooms – they MUST be spotlessly clean and all items ie loo roll, soap, hand towels etc must be available. Multiple checks daily with a log sheet is the best policy. Posters of upcoming events and special offers should be displayed both outside and inside the restrooms.
7. Music – make sure background music is in keeping with the atmosphere and theme of your restaurant it should be audible but not overwhelming, customers should be able to easily have a conversation and servers need to be able to hear the orders. Avoid TV’s these can actually detract from the ambiance and stifle the atmosphere.
8. Décor – Keep it simple the more you have the more there is to clean!
9. Tables – same goes with what you place on the table, a full layout of cutlery and glasses will attract dust and dirt and need to be replaced and cleaned daily, so less is more. Tables can have the menus on them but remember to have a separate drinks and dessert menus that you can leave when you take the main menu away this will help your sales and give customers something to look at while they are waiting and don’t forget the upcoming events and special offers flyer, but don’t over clutter.
10.If you have an open kitchen – make sure it is gleamingly clean and all equipment on show is in top condition.
11. Bar – make sure it is clean and not sticky! The back bar should be free of clutter with the highest GP items displayed in the front, drink menus on the bar as well. Fridges should be clean and make sure you are fully stocked with drinks and the relevant accompaniments ie ice, lemon, fruit, umbrellas, sparklers etc. If possible, have the glass washing area away from the bar as it can be noisy and messy.
12. If you have a waiting area, make sure it is clean and has plenty of promotional material to read and ingest this is prime time for promoting higher GP drinks such as cocktails and
specials.