In an increasingly competitive environment, customer loyalty is essential. But winning the loyalty of a restaurant's family clientele comes with an additional challenge: the aim is to win the loyalty not of one customer, but of several customers of different ages and tastes forming the same family unit.
That's why any concept idea for a family restaurant needs to think in terms of a global proposition, from culinary offerings to children's games, in order to offer a unique, enjoyable and convivial moment for all. Here are 10 ways to develop new ideas for building customer loyalty, which is what family restaurants are all about.
More than ever, consumers want to be surprised, without losing their bearings. The famous chef Auguste Escoffier used to write down his guests' favorite dishes in a small notebook, so that he could make them the same recipe the next time: he would then introduce a slight difference that would act as a novelty. In the age of computerized files, it's easy to note a customer's vegetarian preferences, food allergies or just the extra gourmet treat that makes them tick. This made-to-measure offer can be seen as the final touch of seasoning, transforming a more or less standardized offer into a unique experience in which the customer feels recognized.
Now that a children's menu has become a standard feature of any family catering offer, why not push the concept to the limit, with a separate, illustrated menu, accompanied by a special "children's" drinks list? The ideal is to offer a playful, photo-filled menu. To satisfy both parents and children, don't forget to include a few healthy, sugar-free drinks.
To create an optimal user experience in family catering, the professional needs to offer a functional, warm place where everyone feels at ease, all generations included. While a themed restaurant can work, it has the disadvantage of being divisive, with the risk of targeting a niche market. You need to be able to speak to all generations, with an original and unique universe. One solution is to create themed areas around the main room, in the spirit of ephemeral boutiques. Wall decorations, with photos of large natural spaces, create a cocoon of escape: limit the number of seats by making the space visible, so that your customers will want to come back to enjoy the experience.
An interactive play zone, entirely dedicated to children, is an example of how to build loyalty, satisfying both children and parents who want to enjoy a more intimate or quieter dining experience. Today, specialists in digital games offer innovative solutions that are often inaccessible at home. For the child, the user experience is exponentially enriched, combining virtual reality, augmented reality, interactive floor and wall, touch table, interactive treasure hunt... These original games not only keep the youngest ones safely occupied, but also enhance their time in the restaurant. A specialist in interactive children's games will be able to propose the best solution for your target clientele, as children remain one of the key influencers in the choice of a family restaurant.
One of the challenges of building restaurant loyalty is to offer a few unique dishes that competitors don't offer. This is the principle of the signature dish in bistronomy, or the specialty dish in traditional or fast-food chains. Any professional planning to build customer loyalty can work on the visual aspect of his or her dishes, using simple trompe-l'œil techniques, for example. They must then transform their paradigm, putting children back at the heart of the customer experience and creating their own signature dish. For the latter, there's no need to compete with culinary talent. All that's needed is to focus on gourmet delights, such as simple roasted marshmallow brochettes with chocolate sauce.
There's nothing simpler than treating a child to a... hot dog for dessert, allowing them to continue discussing the meal when they get home! All you need is a simple pink praline éclair, unglazed, with pineapple coulis to make the mustard and raspberry-cassis coulis to make the ketchup. Such a dish can also be sold as a surprise dessert, with a waiter playing along and bringing the dish, pretending to have mistaken it for a "hot dog". The effect is guaranteed!
In the restaurant business, the notion of building customer loyalty increasingly involves the introduction of special offers or discount vouchers. The strategy must always be tailored to the type of restaurant and the target clientele, with two main possibilities: to play on prices, or to play on the products offered. The loyalty card can take the form of a traditional paper card, with a playful twist if it targets children's menus in particular. Conversely, the use of IT tools (registered with the CNIL) enables finer-grained marketing exploitation, from knowledge of the average basket to preferential consumption days.
Think of your loyalty program as a game with different levels, each step unlocking the next. For example, you can introduce more festive dishes in a menu or cocktail menu: they are offered in the premium offer for customers who have unlocked their level, while they are sold at extra cost for customers who have not reached this level. Children can also be offered a free, non-alcoholic aperitif of the day, with few parents refusing to accompany them.
The strength of social networks lies in their ability to create a community of customers, extending the feeling of belonging to a "family" onto the Internet. This commitment is all the more natural in that it responds to a strong demand on the part of family catering customers for a protective cocoon of values where they can recognize themselves. Getting the community to vote when renewing a menu (either to include a new dish or, on the contrary, to keep their favorite), organizing competitions, telling the story of products, recipes or producers: these are all ways of reinforcing the feeling of family belonging.
One of the major trends in social marketing is the emphasis on customer-generated content, or UGC. To emphasize the family dimension, generate content specifically geared towards the family. For example, you could ask customers for their best tips or recipes for getting children to love vegetables, with the possibility of offering the winning recipe as a short-lived dish in your restaurant.
These days, it's impossible to manage a restaurant offering without making the most of the Internet, and in particular reviews. As much as you need to thank every good review, you also need to respond courteously to bad ones. It's sometimes unfair, especially if the criticisms are unfounded: however, it's important to show that every customer feedback is taken into consideration, with the aim of offering them the best possible experience. A good, constructive, professional and measured response can often neutralize negative points.
At the end of a meal, it's customary to ask customers for their opinion of the meal, while inviting them to leave a comment on the Internet. In the same way, collect children's opinions with a fun rating system, such as a piggy bank box where they slip in the number of stars. Not only do you immediately place this evaluation process in a positive frame of mind, but you can also collect criticisms exchanged by the parents and heard by the child. So you benefit from unfiltered feedback, which you can respond to immediately, in a constructive exchange with the parents.
While the major family catering groups are well aware of the importance of building loyalty among young customers, there are certain mistakes to be avoided when it comes to children's gifts. Any promised toy should be given at the beginning of the meal, with a certain ceremony that underlines the value placed on it. In a society in search of meaning, the perfect gift today must respect CSR standards, and combine a playful and committed aspect, free from any criticism of gadgetry or waste.
The growing development of digital games based on virtual reality, augmented reality or interactivity now makes it possible to offer any child a real experience as a gift, one that is often inaccessible with a standard console. It is then possible to adapt these games to the target clientele, or to the brand's storytelling, enabling the family catering professional to combine gifts for children / customer loyalty experience / meaningful intelligent gift. A game that is sufficiently addictive also enables the fast-food professional to increase time spent on site, and therefore potential consumption time. Don't forget to provide adults with free Wi-Fi access!
For many families, a trip to the restaurant is intended to mark a festive occasion, such as a birthday or graduation. It's a good idea to get to know your clientele, so you can identify and adapt to their special occasions. Depending on the occasion, the family restaurant can propose a specific offer, or take part in the celebration in its own way.
Always cross-reference the data in your customer file (first names, birthdays...) with the date of your visit to the restaurant, so you don't miss any predictable celebrations. And offer an unexpected surprise, turning a meal at the restaurant into a memorable moment in your life.
To create a sense of novelty or loyalty, think about offering a secret menu or a short-lived menu for certain occasions (public holidays, sporting events, Mother's Day and Father's Day...). Both respond to a well-known marketing principle: FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). This special menu can be combined with the restaurant loyalty program, or with SMO communication on social networks.
Organize an annual cooking competition via social networks, with a set theme. After a pre-selection via social networks (number of likes for example), a jury tests the best recipes to choose one. This recipe will then be put on the restaurant's menu for a limited time.
Today's restaurant IT tools make it possible to track customer habits over the course of days and weeks. This makes it possible to offer reductions at times best suited to family customers, such as weekends, Tuesday evenings or Friday evenings, or even on the eve of vacations or vacations.
One-off free offers can be aimed exclusively at children, to introduce them to a new service: a new menu, new games for children in the restaurant, new themed dishes...
Retaining family customers in family restaurants means rethinking the paradigm, so as to put children at the heart of the development of new ideas and concepts. In this approach, we must never forget the playful dimension, from the culinary offer to the game or theme environment that accompanies the customer experience. This is the best way to win the loyalty of parents and children, who know perfectly well how to play their role as prescribers in fast-food and family restaurants.