How to get first-time diners to come back to your restaurant
Customer retention is one of the biggest challenges for restaurants, whether it is a quick service restaurant, dine-in restaurant or takeaway businesses. Industry experts estimate that 70% of first-time diners never return. While attracting new customers is important, keeping them coming back is even more valuable. Studies have shown that a small improvement in retention rates, as little as 5%, can grow sales by up to 75% - leading to a significant increase in revenue.
Here are actionable strategies that restaurant owners can implement to turn first-time visitors into loyal customers.
Create a First-Time Diner System
Instead of leaving first impressions to chance, design a system that ensures every new guest has a great experience from start to finish. Here’s a simple but effective process:
Personalised Welcome: Train staff to ask, "Is this your first time dining with us?" If the answer is yes, they should give a warm and enthusiastic introduction to the restaurant.
Manager Interaction: The server should discreetly inform a manager, who will stop by the table for a brief, friendly chat. This could include asking how they heard about the restaurant and recommending menu favourites.
Exclusive First-Time Diner Offer: Before the customer leaves, hand them a small gift—a £10 discount for their next visit or a free dessert on their next order.
Meaningful Goodbye: Thank them for visiting and invite them back personally.
By making customers feel valued from start to finish, they are more likely to return.
Implement a Digital Loyalty Programme
Loyalty programmes encourage repeat visits by rewarding customers for coming back. Instead of outdated stamp cards, consider a digital approach:
Create a Branded Mobile App: Flipdish offers app development for restaurants, allowing customers to collect points and redeem rewards seamlessly. Points can be allocated at every order, whether it’s for dine-in or takeaway.
Offer Personalised Deals: Send push notifications with tailored discounts based on a customer’s past orders.
Easy Redemption: Make it simple for customers to check their points and redeem rewards via the app or website.
A well-structured loyalty programme incentivises repeat visits and increases customer engagement.
Introduce a VIP Membership Club
Take loyalty to the next level with a VIP membership programme that offers exclusive perks. A small monthly or annual fee can give members benefits such as:
Priority reservations
A complimentary appetiser or drink per visit
Early access to new menu items
Invitations to exclusive tasting events
This not only boosts retention but also provides a steady revenue stream.
Offer Surprise & Delight Experiences
Customers love unexpected perks. Consider these surprise elements:
A free dessert for first-time visitors
A handwritten thank-you note with the bill
A complimentary drink for regulars
Celebratory discounts for birthdays and anniversaries
Small gestures make a big impact and keep your restaurant memorable.
Capture and Use Customer Feedback
Getting direct feedback allows you to improve the dining experience and retain customers. Instead of relying solely on public reviews, use Flipdish’s customer feedback app, which enables guests to leave private feedback directly with the restaurant.
This helps restaurants resolve issues before they turn into negative online reviews and shows customers that their opinions are valued.
Follow Up With First-Time Diners
Don’t let first-time guests forget about your restaurant. Implement follow-up strategies such as:
Email or SMS: If you collect their contact details through a booking system, send a personalised thank-you message along with a return offer. Flipdish offers a coupon for inactive customers to improve customer retention.
Retargeting Ads: Use Facebook or Google Ads to re-engage first-time diners with reminders of their visit and special deals.
By staying in touch, you increase the likelihood of them returning.
Make Online Ordering and Reservations Seamless
Many customers decide where to eat based on convenience. Ensure your restaurant’s online ordering and reservations are effortless:
Offer an easy-to-use online ordering system for takeaways.
Enable table bookings directly from your website.
Provide delivery and click-and-collect options.
Flipdish’s online ordering solutions can help restaurants streamline this process, making it easier for customers to choose them again.
Retaining customers doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require a proactive approach. By implementing a structured first-time diner experience, digital loyalty programmes, VIP memberships, surprise perks, private feedback channels, and follow-up strategies, restaurant owners can significantly increase their repeat customer rate.
With the right systems in place, every first-time diner can turn into a loyal regular, helping your restaurant thrive in the long run.
