Modern restaurants need more than an appetizing menu, enticing ambiance and welcoming staff to drive diners through their doors. While a positive write-up in the local newspaper may have been enough to fill tables in previous decades, restaurateurs in the digital age must embrace new tech trends in restaurant marketing to drive new business — and keep customers coming back.
Tech Presence Is Critical
If your potential customers are among the 77 percent of Americans who own a smartphone, chances are they've used their device to look up local restaurants, check reviews or even place an order, according to Pew Research Center.
And if you're one of the few restaurants that lacks a well-developed and active online presence or doesn't offer online ordering, you'll want to change that quickly. It won't take more than a quick Google search to discover your competitors are likely offering all the above.
Remember customers can leave their feedback on Yelp, Google, Facebook and dozens of other review sites whether you claim and maintain a profile or not — so, it's in your best interest to participate, monitor and respond.
Restaurant Marketing to Target Millennials
According to our research, 42 percent of millennials said technology is "very" or "extremely" influential in their decision to dine out — and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, this generation is the largest, with more than 75 million people. Using restaurant marketing strategies that cater to these young adults' habits can help you drive more business and prepare for an even more tech-driven future.
Want to learn more about how tech trends can impact your restaurant's success? Check out our new infographic below:
