Look at the Menu
The menu is the best way to get a feel for a restaurant. It can reveal a lot about the cuisine, service style, and ambiance. A good menu should be clear and well-written. It should also be interesting. Look for references to local ingredients and seasonal dishes. Also, pay attention to the length of the menu – restaurants with 19-page menus featuring 15 variations on each continent are a red flag.
Savvy restaurateurs use a strategy known as “primacy and recency” to make sure diners notice their most important dishes. They place two of their highest-margin items at the top of each section and limit each section to seven choices. Research shows that people are more likely to remember the first and last items on any list.
If you can’t decide what to order, ask your server for recommendations. It’s common for servers to have a favorite dish that they can recommend. They may even give you a shortlist of the restaurant’s best-selling dishes and let you choose one from there. This is an excellent way to find new favorites and to avoid ordering the same dishes you’ve had before.
Check the Ratings
When choosing a restaurant, diners often check ratings and reviews to make sure they are making the best decision for their budget and taste. Ratings and reviews can also give diners insight into what other customers experience at a restaurant, such as wait times, food quality, ambiance, and allergy-friendly options.
Restaurants need to have an active presence on popular online review sites to ensure they are being discovered and rated by potential customers. This includes regularly checking these sites for new reviews and responding to both positive and negative feedback.
The most well-known restaurant review site is TripAdvisor, which is not only used by tourists but also by locals who want to try something new or are looking for a safe, reliable pick. TripAdvisor’s reviews have a significant impact on how many people visit a restaurant, so it is a must for restaurants to claim their listing and keep it updated. In addition, Yelp is another widely used review site and is a great choice for restaurants that are looking to attract more millennial diners.
Check the Reviews
If you’re a local restaurant, online reviews are critical to your success. Whether your customers are looking to try something new or a familiar favorite, a quick check of ratings and reviews can help them decide.
When it comes to online review sites, there are many options available. Some, like Yelp and TripAdvisor, provide structured reviews with detailed restaurant listings, while others, such as Facebook recommendations or Google Reviews, simply reflect customer feedback without a rating system.
It’s important to know which platforms your customers are using, and then be sure to claim your business listing and keep it updated with accurate information, high-quality photos, and regular postings. Responding to positive and negative feedback promptly and professionally is also key. Customers trust user-generated content (UGC) much more than branded or promotional content, so make sure you’re encouraging your customers to leave a review! In addition to these popular review sites, you should also consider creating a testimonial page on your website and encouraging your most loyal customers to share their experiences.
Check the Location
A good restaurant can be hard to find, especially when you’re new to an area. Thankfully, there are a number of great apps available that can help you locate the best restaurants in your area. Many of these apps also offer useful information about the restaurant, such as its rating and price range. Zagat, for example, has been collecting customer feedback since 1979 and has an app that allows you to find restaurants, bars, and other venues nearby.