It’s no secret: the restaurant industry is booming. With new restaurants popping up on every corner, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re staying relevant, especially with a niche cuisine. In a French restaurant, guests have the opportunity to try something new, startle their senses, and sink into an ambience not readily available in an American bar-restaurant.
If you own a French restaurant, it’s important to capitalize on one thing: French food. While this may seem like an oxymoron, too often do French restaurants start serving American versions of traditional French dishes. Our advice: make sure that your entire staff is knowledgeable in French cuisine. Hire a chef who specializes in French food, and make sure that the rest of the team is on board.
Second, write down your financial plan, and allocate some of the budget to a marketing agency. With the rise of technology, the internet is more powerful than word of mouth and without good marketing, posting to the internet can actually hurt your business. You should invest in marketing because the return rate is high. About 87% of successful restaurants pay for some sort of advertising. Marketing can be even be done for free in the form of a trade, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t start investing in this crucial outlet.
Lastly, work on the aesthetics of your restaurant. Decide what kind of experience you want to provide (old world, new world) and deliver. A top French guide was recently quoted saying most French restaurants are “lamentable.” This is because French cooking is more demanding and needs better technique. When these standards are not met, the restaurant often misses the mark.
