More than ever today is about experiences, and people want to share their experiences. In order to run a successful restaurant, you must be able to create an experience for your customers. How are you making your restaurant shareable? What does the presentation of your food look like? The lighting? Does your restaurant have unique foods? What is different about your restaurant that makes your guests want to tell others about the experience? Below are some tips and examples you can use to ensure a positive, shareable experience at your restaurant.
Create a unique atmosphere: Use decorations and aesthetics to create an environment your guests will remember and that will keep them coming back. You can create many different vibes with the way you choose to decorate and design your restaurant, such as romantic, cozy, or even one that matches the type of food you are serving. Providing guests with a comfortable, unique atmosphere will help your restaurant stand out and create a memorable experience for all.
- Foreign Cinema (http://foreigncinema.com/) located at 2534 Mission Street in San Francisco has a trendy outdoor patio and projection of cinema so guests can watch old movies while enjoying a delicious meal. This type of atmosphere is perfect for large groups and those in search of a dining experience very different from the usual.
- Koutoubia located at 2116 Westwood Blvd in Los Angeles is a great example of a restaurant that takes their atmosphere to the next level. This Moroccan restaurant truly takes on the feel of a traditional Moroccan environment. Doing so creates a unique dining experience for their guests and makes the whole experience more authentic.
- Trader Vics (https://tradervics.com/), which has locations in 17 countries across the globe, offers an Island-vibe dining experience consistent across all locations. Its exotic environment attracts many different customers and truly makes you feel like you are somewhere tropical. This restaurant definitely knows how to give customers a unique, shareable experience.
Offer creative cocktails: Another great way to make your restaurant stand out and create an experience worth sharing is to offer a unique bar program. This will set you apart from other establishments and likely create a buzz on social media which will greatly benefit business. You can hire a bar consultant to help with the process of enhancing your bar and drink menu items. Having craft cocktails that look cool is a great way to get your business posted on different platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter for others to see.
- The Beehive located at 19th street Mission, San Francisco creates unique, colorful, delicious looking tropical cocktails such as the “Bikini Drifter”.
- The Oxford gastropub (http://www.theoxfordca.com/) located at 195 S Murphy Valley in Sunnyvale makes its cocktails unique by serving many of them with pretty, delicate garnishes. This is a great way for the business to set itself apart from other gastropubs and make itself memorable to customers.
- Ramen Shop located in Oakland at 5812 College Avenue has a bar program that makes it extremely unique among other ramen restaurants. Its cocktail list includes flavors from rosemary, to sage, to grapefruit oil. Ramen shop’s creative cocktails are sure to knock you off your feet.
Focus on the presentation of food: In today’s society, food presentation is all the hype. Figuring out how to creatively present your food to guests will make your restaurant different and create an experience for them that they are likely to want to share with others. Food with nice presentation attracts food bloggers and could potentially create a lot of press across many different platforms for your business.
- Lazy-Bear (https://www.lazybearsf.com/) located at 3416 19th San Francisco makes a memorable experience for guests by creating exquisite looking dishes with amazing presentation.
- Acquellero located at 1722 Sacramento St. in San Francisco prides itself on its delicate, elegant looking dishes that attract people from all over.
- Commis (http://commisrestaurant.com/), located at 3859 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland stands out among other restaurants due to its incredible food presentation. Every dish at this two-starred Michelin restaurant is crafted to perfection, and the presentation of its unique dishes is nothing less than exquisite.
How are you going to create a positive, shareable experience for your customers? Working on ways to set your restaurant apart from others and create a memorable time for guests will further boost your message and brand, which, in turn, will help your business grow exponentially.
