Your Restaurant’s Digital Reputation: A Recipe for Success. In today’s highly competitive restaurant industry, where the number of U.S. restaurants is growing by approximately 10% annually, standing out from the crowd is more important than ever. While factors like food quality and service are vital, a restaurant’s digital reputation—the cumulative effect of online reviews and social media mentions—plays a huge role in attracting or deterring potential customers.
A single bad review can turn away two out of every ten potential customers, while a one-star increase on Yelp can lead to a 9% boost in revenue. The good news is that you have a great deal of control over your digital reputation. By focusing on five key areas, you can build a strong foundation that will keep customers coming back and safeguard your brand.
1. First Impressions & Curb Appeal: The True First Impression
While you might focus on the presentation of food on a plate, a customer’s true first impression is formed the moment they see your restaurant from the parking lot. Unkempt exteriors can lead to “bombshell reviews” that complain about dirty windows, weeds, and pests. A positive first impression relies on a clean exterior, including tidy landscaping and a proactive pest management strategy that addresses the outside of your building. It’s crucial to partner with a vendor who can provide the right cleaning products for different exterior surfaces.
2. Set the Table for Success: The Canvas of the Dining Experience
One of the most common customer complaints is dirty utensils or tables. Since these are surfaces customers directly interact with, there is no room for error. The PDF highlights the importance of “smarter table turns” with effective cleaning and disinfecting products, and emphasizes that it’s better to make a customer wait a few extra minutes for a clean table than to seat them at a dirty one. Furthermore, your dishes, glasses, and utensils are the “canvas” for the dining experience and should be spotless and shining. The small details matter, so make sure menus and condiment containers are also clean and tidily arranged. And, of course, keep the flies away, as they can disgust diners and drive them away.
3. Make Your Restrooms Shine: An Indicator of Overall Cleanliness
Customers often use the cleanliness of a restroom as an indicator of the cleanliness of the entire restaurant. According to the report, a third of consumers will never return to a business with an unclean restroom. Additionally, half of consumers will proactively warn their friends and acquaintances about an unclean restroom, and 80% will immediately avoid a restaurant with dirty restrooms. To avoid a “bombshell review” about a disgusting bathroom, you need a regimented cleaning schedule, ongoing spot cleaning, and cleaning tools and chemicals that make it easier for staff to clean the right way.
4. Put Food Safety Front & Center: Building Peace of Mind
With food safety incidents making headlines, customers are increasingly concerned about food safety. Safe food should be a given, and proactively demonstrating a commitment to food safety provides customers with powerful peace of mind. Most customers would even tolerate poor service in a restaurant with a good food hygiene rating. The report recommends several actions to address food safety, including focusing on food contact surfaces with EPA-registered sanitizers, making hand hygiene easy and visible for staff and customers, and leveraging technology like digital thermometers to monitor food storage temperatures. Engaging with third-party food safety partners and building a relationship with health inspectors can also help.
5. Don’t Let Pests Pester Customers: A Visceral, Negative Reaction
Few things generate a more visceral, negative reaction from diners than a pest issue. With smartphones, a single photo of a pest can lead to a negative review that spreads two to three times faster than other negative reviews. The PDF recommends creating a barrier to keep pests out by cleaning the exterior, sealing holes, and inspecting incoming goods. It also suggests targeting “hot spots” with proper cleaning practices and educating staff to recognize and report pest activity immediately. Finally, partnering with a proactive pest management provider who makes regular visits for preventative treatments is crucial for protecting your restaurant’s reputation. By focusing on cleanliness in these five key areas, restaurants can empower themselves to control their digital reputation and build a foundation for long-term success.