The coronavirus pandemic has hit just about every industry hard, and restaurants are having to adapt to stay afloat. To keep on growing as a business, it’s important to work out your post-covid strategy. To help you make a start, consider these five options.
Create A Safe Space
Adapting your business to COVID-19 is about creating a safe space. It should be evident to both your staff and customers that you are taking all the advisable precautions.
Ensure that hand sanitizers are available at various places around your restaurant, sign in your customers, and take their contact details for your ‘track and trace’ system. Consider adopting a cashless policy, and arrange for your site to be cleaned multiple times throughout the day.
Send all the customers on your email marketing list regular correspondence about Covid. Let them know about the measures that you are taking to keep them safe.
Adequate PPE
Of course, your staff will have PPE by now, yet some protective masks and gloves are better quality than others. For Affordable and Lifetime Warranty Face Masks check out Sportsmasx. If you allow customers to come into the restaurant to collect a takeaway service, you may like to advise them to wear facemasks.
Adapt Your Reservations
You might find that business is slower during these uncertain times, so it’s advisable to adapt your reservations. One thing you could do is extend your pacing, and provide more flexibility on booking times. Use third-party booking platforms, so that your customers can book slots online and cancel them easily. You should also change your floorplan to create more space between your tables.
Expand Your Delivery Services
Not already offering delivery services? Well, now is the perfect time to do so. Many people are avoiding going out to eat at the moment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t serve them up with some delicious food! It’s simple to sign up for platforms like Deliveroo and Just EAT. Using services like this, you’ll have a stress-free way to provide your customers with takeaway options.
New Promotions
Consider new promotions to encourage business; there are lots of options, for instance:
Remote working special: Create spaces in your restaurant for remote workers to co-work (safely) while providing them with lunch deals. Many are getting a little stir crazy at home, and so will love opportunities like this!
Virtual cooking classes: Got a little spare time while business is slow? Why not offer your customers a virtual cooking class led by your best chef? You can post the ingredients list on Facebook the week before and charge people a small fee to join.
Supercharge Your Marketing
When times are tough, supercharging your marketing isn’t a bad idea. Focus on creating new and innovative content and trying out platforms such as TikTok or Twitter. During these times, people are spending more time online than ever. There are plenty of opportunities to extend your reach if you make the right marketing moves. Marketing your business during COVID-19 means creating attention grabbing content to stay competitive.