Top 7 Ways to Improve Customer Retention in Your Restaurant

Restaurant Customer Retention & Ideas

Restaurant Customer Retention is about building a strategy for retaining customers and exceeding customer expectations. It's a complex process containing multiple actions because of the high competition in the market.

In this article, you'll learn how to increase your restaurant customer retention, find interesting customer retention strategies for restaurants, and better understand the importance of developing unique customer retention restaurant ideas.

Keep reading this article to get a higher retention rate for your restaurant business.

Ignoring Customer Retention In The Restaurant Industry Won’t Benefit Your Business

It’s a fact that customer retention of existing customers is more important than attracting new customers & customer acquisition. But it’s not easy. Yet, it’s not the most challenging part of your business; you need a detailed restaurant customer retention strategy to please current customers and make them loyal customers.

Surprisingly, the chance of selling to an existing customer is above 65%, but only a few give it enough attention and increase their customer lifetime value. Yet, you are here, which means that you are closer to your business goals than most on the market.

You need to understand the basics and do at least 1 or 2 steps to increase your restaurant customer retention rate in just a few weeks.

Let’s walk through seven quick customer retention strategy ideas to increase revenue & customer loyalty faster.

1. Offer Restaurant Online Ordering

Online ordering is growing 300% faster than dine-in. This trend started back in 2014. We now see that more than half of all restaurants have begun implementing online ordering functionality.

There is no need to explain that people prefer to have a few clicks on your site rather than calling you directly. According to Hospitality Technology and customer feedback, more than 70% of customers prefer ordering from the restaurant website than from 3rd party service.

Implementing online ordering into your website is way more straightforward than you think. 

Look at this article to learn why self-hosted online ordering solutions for your restaurant are the best way to go.

2. Offer Restaurant Food Delivery

At least once a week, more than 50% of Americans place a delivery order. It makes a lot of sense to get your food delivered by customers’ doors if they directly purchase from your restaurant website.

The forecast shows that the food delivery industry will grow by 20% by 2024, to $32 billion.

Don’t let your customers struggle with delivery functionality. Once people fall in love with your food, they’ll be willing to order more. 

Learn more about restaurant food delivery solutions in this article to increase your restaurant customer retention.

3. Have A Clear Restaurant Brand Messaging

Why are brands like Starbucks are famous? People don’t go to Starbucks only for drinks. Big Brands know how to talk to their audiences. Therefore, it’s essential to have your brand messaging.

Let your business be a part of your soul, and let customers know & feel that. People are going to follow you. It’ll help your restaurant's customer retention for a very long period.

Learn more about restaurant brand messaging in this article to discover how it helps your business grow.

4. Take Advantage Of Restaurant Paid Advertising

Why does Coca-Cola spend billions of dollars on advertising? While it’s a world-known brand, they are still promoting itself because advertising is the most potent tool to surround your audience with your brand.

Thanks to Locowise, we know that 70% of Instagram users visit the restaurant website after seeing its ad. You have to be everywhere to keep people thinking about your brand. If you are not advertising, you are not retaining customers.

Learn more about restaurant paid advertising in this article to find details about how it could benefit your brand.

5. Send Restaurant Promotions

75% of consumers say they favor companies that reward them. Promotions and rewards are another excellent way to increase restaurant customer retention.

Don’t forget to make people return to your restaurant as often as possible. Our practice shows that 95% of returning customers spend 30-40% more money if they come back following promotions.

It’s another psychological trick to let people save money, which triggers them to buy more since they are saving by getting a more significant amount of food they love.

6. Engage Customers On Social Media

Social Media is a great way to engage with your customers. You can simultaneously communicate with many people interested in your products on your restaurant’s social media page. Posts, stories, and videos are beneficial for restaurant customer retention.

Keep your social media updated and let people know about your products, services, upcoming events & offers.

7. Ask For Feedback & Constantly Improve

The easiest way for restaurant customer retention is to ask people for feedback & improve your business based on comments. It does not require a lot of effort to ask questions. However, it does need lots of steps to follow their feedback. If you are improving, people see it.

Always be on top of everything. Make sure you listen to your customers since your business’s success depends on their satisfaction.

How To Increase Your Restaurant Customer Retention ASAP?