Do you run a restaurant? If so, you have most likely had a difficult and complex year. As restaurants across the country are slowly and safely opening back up after being closed for months, here are some trends to be aware of and incorporate into your restaurant. We hope these doable trend-setting ideas will inspire and encourage you as you build your eatery business.
1. Virtual cooking classes. Does your restaurant have a few signature dishes that customers love? Are you trying to keep employees safe and at home while still making a profit for your business? If so, this 2021 trend might be just the thing for you. As Real Simple’s article explains, “virtual cooking classes that explore food origins and global cuisine” will be on the rise this year. This is a fun and inventive idea to incorporate, and allows you to highlight various popular items on your menu or dive into different local cultural dishes. Even something as simple as a FaceBook or Instagram live cooking series can get your customers involved and engaged from the safety and comfort of their homes. What exciting food items does your restaurant specialize in, or what cultural influence does your establishment have? How can you share that with your customers and community?
2. Easily accessible pick-up spaces. As an increasing number of customers are ordering their food online and picking it up at your storefront, you want to make their process as safe and seamless as possible. One simple way to accomplish this is to have “walk-up pickup windows,” according to Janine Jones’ article. Jones further explains that, “With businesses required to reduce their capacity due to COVID-19, walk-up pickup windows will allow you to serve your customers without bringing them inside.” This also provides a quick and easy way for customers to see where to pick up their orders. What space can you turn into a quick pick-up window in your restaurant? If you’re struggling with ideas, Jones suggests using an actual window in your restaurant to be a pick-up space or installing a dutch door to serve as a pick-up area. Whatever you choose, your customers (and employees) will be grateful for the easily-accessible and safe pick-up option.
3. Make your food experience so inviting that guests will want to leave their homes and come to your establishment. Regan Stephens quotes pastry chef Mariah Posadni in her article on Food and Wine in order to emphasize the trend of menus specifically catered to guests. Posadni explains that guests “want something created just for them, making it truly a reason to get out of the house and celebrate.” This makes sense; your customers are used to staying at home and eating, so why should they come into your restaurant? Give customers a reason to come in through creating specialized dining experiences. While these do not have to be as elaborate as the “individualized tasting menus” explained by Stephens, they can still be intentional and effective. For instance, perhaps you can have certain nights themed around a specific food item or culture, or even add in some special touches of decor like outdoor string lights and patio furniture. By making your dining experience inviting, you will encourage customers to come to your restaurant in a safe and positive way.
Are you feeling inspired already? As you implement these simple trends into your restaurant, remember to utilize a waitlist app. Kyobee’s top-tier functions include virtual check-in, the ability to pay from your table, and a feature showing the number of parties in front of you. These features will enable you to make a smooth transition to in-person dining, and will make your customers feel safe and welcomed. Which trend will you incorporate this week, and which feature of Kyobee are you most excited to use?
#waitlist apps #restaurant business #businesses and apps #restaurant tips and trends #waitlist trends #trend-setting eateries #eatery trends #restaurant waitlist apps, waitlist app trends #restaurant ideas #2021 restaurant tips #eatery tips 2021 #trend-setting restaurant ideas #trend-setting restaurant tips 2021 #trend-setting restaurant ideas 2021 #Trend-Setting Restaurant Ideas for 2021 #food trends, food trends for 2021 #what is the biggest food trend 2021 #restaurant design trends 2021 #restaurant layout #restaurant design ideas