In my years of working with restaurants, I’ve observed that effective communication with customers significantly influences their dining decisions.
Studies indicate that 88% of diners trust online reviews more than personal recommendations, highlighting the importance of engaging with customers through various communication channels. In addition to review platforms like Yelp, customers now also share their feedback directly on a restaurant’s social media pages.
In this article, I will explore the importance of a robust restaurant communication strategy and provide actionable steps to develop one that enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty in the restaurant industry.
Key Takeaways
- Best Communication Strategy for Every Restaurant: 62% of consumers find restaurants on Google, so creating and optimizing your Google Business Profile is the most important strategy for ensuring your restaurant is easily found online.
- Drive Customer Loyalty with Clear Communication: 70% of diners are more likely to return to a restaurant with great customer service and communication, even if the food is only average.
- Increase Potential for Sales: 22% of customers are motivated to return to a restaurant because of its engaging social media content, while 32% visit the restaurant’s website after seeing its social media, leading to more online orders and/or reservations.
- Use Multiple Communication Channels: Using various communication channels like social media, email, SMS, and your restaurant’s website enhances your restaurant’s communication strategy. It ensures you reach your restaurant’s target audience, provide timely updates, and engage with customers across their preferred platforms, leading to increased sales.
- Keep the Consistency: Ensure your messaging is consistent across all communication channels, both internal and external, to build trust and reinforce your brand’s identity.
- Improve Service Quality with Active Listening: Active listening by staff leads to better restaurant customer service and increased customer satisfaction, which results in higher tips and repeat business, directly benefiting your restaurant’s bottom line.
- Leverage Technology: Use restaurant technology like an online ordering system, marketing tools, feedback systems, and restaurant scheduling software to streamline communication. Online ordering, restaurant marketing tools, and feedback systems enhance customer interaction, while scheduling software improves staff and management team communication.
- Assess and Adjust Regularly: Continuously evaluate your current communication practices and identify gaps. Make improvements based on customer and employee feedback.
What is a Restaurant Communication Strategy?
A restaurant communication strategy is a well-organized plan that defines how a restaurant communicates with both its internal team and external customers.
The goal of a communication strategy is to ensure that key messages are consistently conveyed, both inside the organization and to the public, to enhance business operations and the customer experience.
There are two major types of communication strategies that restaurants need to develop:
1. Internal Communication – This refers to how information is shared among staff members within the restaurant. Effective internal communication ensures that everyone on the entire team is aligned with the restaurant’s goals and able to perform their tasks efficiently.
About 59.4% of employees feel their employer communicates effectively with them. However, when employees feel left out or misunderstood, it can lead to higher turnover rates as they seek better communication elsewhere.
Examples of internal comms include:
- Daily shift briefings to communicate key operational updates.
- Group chats for real-time coordination between front-of-house and back-of-house teams, ensuring all team members understand the day’s priorities and tasks.
- Regular restaurant team meetings are held to align goals, performance, and areas for improvement.
2. External Communication – External communication involves how the restaurant communicates with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders outside the organization. It’s vital for marketing, customer service, and maintaining a positive public image.
77% of diners visit a restaurant’s website before dining in or ordering out, making external communication channels like your website and social media essential for attracting customers.
Examples of external comms include:
- Social media posts promoting new menu items or special events.
- A restaurant newsletter that keeps customers informed about promotions or seasonal offerings.
- Updates on the restaurant website regarding hours, menu, and contact details changes, as well as special promotions or upcoming events.
Why Is Restaurant Communication Important?
Effective communication is crucial to ensure a positive customer experience, efficient restaurant operations, and business growth.
Below, I briefly describe the reasons for the great importance of successful restaurant communication.
1. Impact on customer experience and satisfaction: Communication directly influences customer satisfaction.
Responding promptly and clearly to inquiries or concerns enhances the guest experience.
- According to Electro IQ, restaurants that actively respond to customer reviews on social media experience a 15% boost in customer satisfaction.
- “Answering a social media complaint can increase customer advocacy by as much as 25%”. Source: Invesp
2. Transparent communication enhances team collaboration and efficiency: Clear communication within the restaurant team is just as crucial as communication with customers.
When staff members understand their roles and responsibilities, and when they can communicate effectively with one another, it leads to smoother operations.
72% of employees consider team communication essential to their job satisfaction.
3. Effective communication helps in crisis management and conflict resolution: Restaurants must adapt quickly during crises like natural disasters or economic downturns.
Clear communication is crucial to keep customers informed when adjustments, such as closing temporarily or changing hours, are necessary.
A major example is the pandemic, when restaurants worldwide had to close their doors. To survive, many launched online ordering and delivery services.
Customers turned to food delivery apps for ordering, while others placed orders directly on restaurant websites with integrated online ordering systems.
This ability to adapt and communicate effectively allowed many restaurants to survive.
4. Contributes to effective marketing and brand building: Consistent messaging across all platforms is key to strong restaurant branding. Whether through social media, website updates, or emails, clear communication shapes customer perceptions and reflects your restaurant’s values.
A well-defined strategy aligns marketing efforts with your brand, building loyalty and encouraging repeat visits by clearly showcasing your identity and promotions.
A survey by MGH found that 74% of consumers are more likely to visit or order from a restaurant they follow on social media, highlighting how clear and engaging communication can positively impact brand perception and customer loyalty.
Benefits of having a clear communication strategy
A clear communication strategy offers a wide range of benefits that can significantly improve your restaurant’s operations and customer relations.
Great communication ensures the whole team is aligned, streamlining processes and reducing errors. It improves coordination across different departments and helps with shift swaps.
It also boosts customer satisfaction by quickly addressing issues and turning bad restaurant reviews into growth opportunities. Also, engaging with potential customers through social media and your website drives loyalty.
Transparent communication helps employees feel valued, reducing turnover and increasing engagement.
Furthermore, consistent messaging strengthens public relations, enhancing your restaurant’s reputation.
How to Develop a Restaurant Communication Strategy (Step-by-Step)
Below, I described the process of developing a restaurant communication strategy.
1. Assess Current Communication Practices
Start by reviewing the current communication methods used within your restaurant. Identify any gaps or inefficiencies that may be affecting team coordination or customer interactions.
Understanding what’s working and what isn’t will guide improvements.
2. Set Clear Objectives
Define the goals you want to achieve with your communication strategy.
Whether it’s improving team collaboration, enhancing customer satisfaction, or increasing the effectiveness of restaurant marketing strategies, clear objectives will help ensure all efforts are focused and aligned with your restaurant’s overall vision.
For example, if your restaurant is known for a seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients, your objective might be to highlight the freshness and sustainability of your dishes to attract environmentally-conscious customers.
3. Identify Target Audience
Recognize both your internal and external audiences. Understanding who you’re communicating with is key to tailoring your messages.
For instance, if your restaurant offers a fine dining experience, your target audience may include affluent customers who appreciate luxury and exclusivity and who prefer detailed email invitations or high-quality newsletters.
On the other hand, a fast-casual restaurant catering to younger, digitally inclined diners may focus more on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok to engage and inform them about special deals or new menu items.
4. Choose Communication Channels
When selecting communication channels, it’s important to consider both internal communication with your team and external communication with customers.
For internal communication, the right tools, like restaurant scheduling software, can help ensure smooth coordination for shift planning and task management, keeping everyone on the same page. Regular staff meetings and group chats are key for keeping your team aligned and informed about operational changes.
Consider your restaurant’s target audience for external communication and how they prefer to receive messages.
For example, if your target audience consists of younger, tech-savvy diners, social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok for restaurants might be ideal for promoting special offers or new menu items.
On the other hand, email newsletters or your restaurant’s website may be more effective for reaching loyal customers with personalized updates or in-depth content about your menu.
Selecting the right channels will depend on your goals and who you’re trying to reach. It’s essential to test different options to find what works best for both your team and customers.
5. Establish Consistency
Ensure your messaging is consistent across all channels. Consistency builds trust and makes your communication more effective, whether it’s for marketing, internal updates, or customer interactions.
6. Create Employee Training and Guidelines
Provide resources and restaurant training to your staff to ensure they understand your communication standards.
Establish clear internal and external communication guidelines to maintain professionalism and clarity.
It’s also important to specify who is responsible for each task. For example, you might assign the marketing manager to handle social media interactions, ensuring timely responses, while the operations manager communicates internal schedule changes to staff.
7. Measure Progress
Regularly evaluate how well your communication strategy is working. Gather feedback from your team and customers to identify areas for improvement. Make adjustments as needed to ensure continuous growth and success in your communication efforts.
For example, if your objective is to increase online orders, you can track restaurant metrics such as the number of orders placed through your online ordering system.
By using an online ordering system that integrates directly with your restaurant’s website, you can measure how well communication about new menu items or promotions translates into actual sales.
Similarly, tracking order frequency and average order size can help you gauge the effectiveness of your communication in driving customer action.
8 Best Restaurant Communication Channels
Effective communication channels are key to building brand awareness, engaging customers, and driving repeat business.
Below, I’ve outlined how each of these channels contributes to your restaurant’s success.
- Create and Optimize Google My Business: Keeping your Google Business Profile for restaurants up to date with accurate information, photos, and customer reviews makes it easier for potential customers to find you online and boosts your local search visibility.
- Adjust Messaging on Your Restaurant Website: Ensuring that your website provides clear and consistent information, such as hours, menu, and specials, creates a seamless experience for customers and helps convert website visitors into diners.
- Engage with Customers on Social Media: Posting regular updates, food photos, and promotions on platforms like Facebook and Instagram for restaurants helps you engage with customers, build brand loyalty, and increase visibility among your target audience.
- Collect and Respond to Customer Feedback: Actively collecting and responding to restaurant feedback—whether through surveys, Google Reviews, or social media—demonstrates that you value customer opinions and fosters long-term loyalty.
- Use SMS/Email Campaigns: Sending personalized offers, updates, and event invites via SMS or email helps keep customers engaged. Incorporating restaurant discounts into these campaigns can incentivize repeat visits and promote special deals.
- Offer Personalized Customer Service: By tracking customer preferences and dining habits, you can provide tailored recommendations and memorable experiences, making your guests feel appreciated and more likely to return.
- Leverage Media Coverage through Interviews: Collaborating with restaurant influencers, food bloggers, and local journalists boosts your restaurant’s visibility and credibility, attracting new customers and enhancing your brand’s reputation.
- Distribute Press Releases: Sharing important news, such as new menu items, special events, or awards, through a restaurant press release keeps your restaurant top of mind for customers and attracts media attention, generating buzz in your local community.
Best Practices for Effective Restaurant Communication
To ensure your communication strategy is successful, following a set of best practices that promote clarity, consistency, and engagement across all channels is essential.
1. Maintain Clarity and Transparency
Clear and direct communication is vital in preventing misunderstandings.
Being transparent about expectations, changes, or issues fosters trust and reduces confusion, whether with your team or customers.
2. Practice Active Listening Within Teams and With Customers
Active listening is crucial for addressing concerns promptly.
Encourage both staff and customers to voice their feedback, and make sure their input is heard and acted upon to improve relationships and service quality.
Exceptional service, supported by effective communication, can turn potentially negative experiences into positive ones. When staff address complaints with clear and empathetic communication, 70% of customers are likely to return, highlighting the critical role of communication in successful service recovery.
3. Use Technology to Streamline Communication
Leveraging the right tools can significantly enhance communication efficiency. Some key technologies to consider include:
- Customer Feedback Systems: Automated tools allow restaurants to gather and act on customer feedback quickly, ensuring that improvements are made in real-time.
- Restaurant Marketing Tools: SMS, email campaigns, and push notifications help keep customers engaged with personalized updates, promotions, and reminders.
- Restaurant Scheduling Software: Scheduling tools streamline staff communication, reducing errors and increasing operational efficiency by providing real-time scheduling updates.
- Chatbots and AI: AI-powered chatbots provide instant responses for reservations, orders, and frequently asked questions, improving customer service and reducing wait times.
4. Personalize Communication
Use customer data to tailor messages, offers, and recommendations. Personalizing communication shows customers that you value them, leading to greater loyalty and more repeat business.
HubSpot data reveals that personalized promotional emails achieve a 29% higher open rate and a 41% higher click-through rate compared to generic emails.
How to Handle a Crisis in Restaurant Communication?
Crisis situations in a restaurant require swift, clear, and transparent communication to mitigate damage and maintain customer trust.
Below, I’ve provided a list of examples of types of crises, along with how to handle them effectively.
1. Health-related Issues: Examples could be a foodborne illness outbreak or health inspection concerns.
Act quickly to inform both staff and customers about the situation. Provide key information regarding the cause and corrective actions taken, and use your website and social media to update customers on the steps to ensure safety.
2. Negative Reviews or Complaints: An example could be food, service, or atmosphere dissatisfaction.
Respond promptly and empathetically to restaurant complaints, offering solutions. An essential step is addressing the issue transparently to show your commitment to problem-solving and improving the customer experience.
3. Accidents: Examples could be injuries or incidents involving staff or customers.
Prioritize safety and communicate clearly with both staff and customers. Provide reassurance and a plan for preventing future incidents, helping to maintain trust among customers alike.
4. Natural Disasters or Emergencies: Examples could be power outages, extreme weather, or restaurant supply chain management disruptions.
Inform customers of service changes and provide updates as needed through social media, your website, or direct messaging. Proactively address supply chain issues by communicating menu changes to manage expectations and maintain loyalty.
Challenges in Restaurant Communication
Despite its importance, effective communication in the restaurant industry comes with its own set of challenges that require careful attention and solutions.
1. Overcoming Language Barriers
Restaurants with diverse staff and customers may face language barriers that can lead to misunderstandings.
It’s essential to provide training or tools (like translation apps) to ensure clear communication across all levels.
2. Dealing with Communication Breakdowns During Busy Hours
Fast-paced environments can lead to communication breakdowns, especially during peak hours. Implementing clear systems, like pre-shift meetings or digital tools, can help ensure everyone is on the same page and reduce errors.
Communication tools for internal communication in a restaurant, such as team messaging apps, can facilitate quick, real-time updates among staff.
Additionally, using restaurant delivery software helps streamline coordination between the kitchen and delivery drivers, ensuring timely and accurate deliveries during busy times.
“Studies indicate that nearly 70% of communication failures occur during shift changes, leading to misunderstandings about reservations, special requests, and inventory needs.”
Source: Taskworld
3. Managing Multiple Communication Platforms
Restaurants often use various platforms (like social media, restaurant POS systems, and mobile apps) to interact with customers and staff.
Balancing these channels effectively without overwhelming your team or customers is a key challenge and requires streamlined processes and consistent messaging.
It’s worth considering using an all-in-one solution like restaurant management software to integrate these platforms, ensuring seamless communication across all channels and improving operational efficiency.
