Happy Holidays in your restaurant!
You're no doubt busier than ever with the Christmas season in full swing and only days away. You've planned and decorated, marketed and trained and the New Year is upon us all. It's time to reflect on goals you've made in the last year and look forward to new goals to help you get ahead. Are you ready for what
next year has in store for you? Before the first of the year gets here, you may want to think of a few things that will help you with your finances, taxes and staff as well as customers and profit. Use these year end tips
to help you now.
Donate now - any excess goods, supplies, equipment, decorations that are no longer needed and taking up too much space. You'll help someone in need and get a tax deduction for your taxes in the upcoming year. It's always a good thing to donate to your local soup kitchen, City Mission or Salvation Army - clean out those dry storage areas, pantry and coolers. The soup kitchen can help to feed the homeless during this coldest season of the year and will help you to clean out your restaurant storage areas.
Kick up your New Year's Eve party marketing - update your own website, Facebook, twitter, Linkedin accounts. Ask your staff to post what you're doing on their own Facebook etc. pages. The more the merrier on New Year's Eve and if everyone pitches in to help you market, the better for everyone.
Plan for next year. What equipment do you need for next year to help you earn more customers, parties and income? Now is the best time to buy that commercial meat slicer, microwave, commercial mixer or other kitchen equipment that can help you to be more efficient. Plus, you'll love having those expenses that helped you on your upcoming tax returns. Buy your kitchen equipment before the end of the year to take advantage of it on your taxes! It's really a good thing to use some of your profits from the holiday season to revamp your old equipment or buy what ever is missing.
Keep booking parties - January is usually a month when some of your customers will still be celebrating the holidays with friends they couldn't get together with before the New Year. That's a great idea for them and as long as you keep your decorations up and your specials going on, your customers will love dining and drinking at your restaurant/bar. Maybe send out a post card to prior party hosts and offer them a discount if they book a party in the next month or two.
Plan for Valentine's Day in your restaurant. Read our tips for a profitable Valentine's Day and know that this can be the biggest and most profitable day in your restaurant. A little planning ahead goes a long way! Always be thinking ahead of the next holiday season and start your planning early - your competition will be.
Start or continue your guest book list - keep an ongoing list of your customers and their contact information. We love this simple functional guest book to gather information and guests get to comment on their meal so you can learn what improvements can be made or what you excel at. Encourage feedback from your customers so they know you care and that their opinion matters. They'll be happy to sign your guest book!
* Why not put out a fishbowl and ask your customers to drop a business card too. Keep a list of fax numbers or email contact lists and send out a weekly or monthly specials list. Do a monthly drawing for free appetizers/dessert/dinner or gift certificate from all the business cards you collect. Make sure your customers know you are forming a guest list and that you will add them to your monthly emails or contact list for specials/entertainment and good deals for them.
Evaluate your staff - only you know who your strong employees are. Motivate and inspire them to continue to upsell, keep current customers and bring in more customers. Those employees that aren't helping your business need a re-evaluation to decide if they're the right fit for your business. Get ready to start the new year off on the right foot and everyone will be happier.
Reflect on Goals made in the beginning of last year. What were you successful at? Keep doing it and do more of it! What needs improvement? Ask us anything in the comments below, we're here to help you in every way to build your successful restaurant.
Refresh your memory with our Staffing a Restaurant Tips here.
We hope these Year End Tips for Restaurants will help you to end your year with profit. Best Wishes to you and your family, staff, customers and your business and wishing you success always!
Cheers!
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