In recent months, local eateries have witnessed a significant decline in customers as Malaysians opt for home-cooked meals or packed lunches over eating out. These observations are in line with the 2023 RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey (RMFLS) – which noted that many Malaysians have opted to enhance their financial stability, including eating out less frequently.
According to an article written by RinggitPlus, restaurant owners like Alia Zaisun in Subang Jaya and Hazwandi Hassan in Shah Alam clarified that they have noticed a drop in customer numbers since mid-year. Both shared that people are now bringing packed lunches to work or dining at home in order to save money. Hazwandi added that customers are also opting to order fewer portions than before if they are eating out.
The RMFLS 2023 survey revealed that 94% of respondents are proactively taking steps to improve their financial standing, including cutting back on dining out. Respondents are also curbing leisure expenses and diligently monitoring their spending habits.
What can F&B owners do to attract more customers to their restaurants?
Running a restaurant is undeniably challenging, especially considering the slim profit margins that most establishments operate on. With the significant decline in customers, restaurant owners must do something to overcome this challenge. To survive, they must proactively adopt various strategies to attract new patrons and stay afloat in this highly competitive F&B industry. There are several proven tips they can apply to navigate these challenges successfully.
1. Promote your F&B on social media
Promoting restaurants on social media has become a popular strategy. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are widely used by people of all generations. As restaurant owners, you can start by creating advertisements or setting up a business page on these sites to reach a specific audience.
Consistently posting about your restaurant, menu additions, or behind-the-scenes videos can help attract new customers. It’s recommended to run contests from time to time, offering meal vouchers as prizes. These methods are effective in attracting more customers to restaurants.
2. Sign up with food delivery apps
Let’s embrace it, food delivery is the new trend. More and more customers prefer getting food delivered to their house due to its convenience. So, why don’t you benefit from this trend by offering online ordering?
You can sign up with food delivery apps such as GrabFood or FoodPanda. This approach creates a new line of sales and can help you maximize your ROI. Besides, this approach also makes your restaurant accessible to a much larger number of customers.
3. Run promotions
Consider running promotions to boost traffic during slower periods. For instance, you can offer a complimentary meal if customers spend a certain amount or provide free drinks every Friday night. Additionally, you can give customers a free meal if they are celebrating birthdays at your restaurant, or offer a complimentary dessert. Another option is to provide free membership to your customers.
4. Collaborate with social media influencers
Another effective way to attract new customers is by collaborating with social media influencers. These influencers have large followings on various platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and more. You can research and approach them for collaboration. Many restaurant owners use this strategy, and it helps them draw in new customers.
5. Offer free WiFi
This may sound odd, but offering free WiFi is one of the great ways to attract customers to your restaurant. Many cafes have already embraced this approach. Take a look at some famous cafe chains – they all offer free WiFi, creating a cozy space that significantly attracts people to spend hours doing their work or simply reading books. This strategy will give a return on investment, as customers are more likely to order more food or coffee as long as they are working.
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