One of the key elements to maintaining and maximizing your restaurant profits remains in testing and observing the restaurant experience. Since the profit margins are tiny for many restaurants, the need for making the most out of every experience is strong. Here are some tips that you might not have thought of for maximizing your restaurant’s profits by adjusting the experience of the diner.
- Sell within the diner’s budget
One of the biggest accidents that a server can make is to sell outside of the patron’s budget. This is not to assume what the person’s budget is, but it’s more about reading the faces and the needs of the customer in front of them. If the servers are able to do that, they’re going to make more than if they suggest the most expensive thing on the menu.
- Adjust your menus
There are certain items on the menu which are more profitable than others. Adjusting the menu as far as graphic design or through other means can naturally guide those eyes to where you’d like them to be: on the moneymakers in the restaurant.
- Use one item for multiple dishes
Many new restaurant owners will purchase a lot of ingredients, having many dishes which use unique items. That’s the equivalent of purchasing a commercial pasta boiler if you’ve only got one pasta dish. It just doesn’t turn out to be economical. By making more than one dish, you save on food costs.
- Buy those staples in bulk
Bulk pricing is usually more economical than purchasing your items in smaller quantities. For instance, purchasing a 50 pound bag of rice costs much less than you’d find for a pound in the stores. If you have the storage space in your commercial freezers, why not?
- Are you selling wine?
There are restaurants which have a wine list, but the servers aren’t experienced with selling wine. By teaching those servers the basics of that wine as well as upselling, you are opening up quite a profitable venture. Patrons love to learn while they’re getting something tasty.
The key to maximizing profitability in your restaurant is to take a look at all of the little pieces and see if you’re doing it to the best effect. Don’t be afraid to shake things up. There’s no shame in playing with the routine if it means that there are better profits down the road.
