How Restaurants Can Fight Inflation and Boost Customer Loyalty

“Today, inflation is a reality that the restaurant and hospitality sector has no choice but to contend with as prices continue to surge in the UK There’s no doubt the rising cost of food is proving an additional challenge for heavily stretched restaurateurs: while they need to emphasize efficiency measures such as reducing more food waste and tighter menu management they also need to stay creative to ensure customers have the best possible experience

Consequently it can be challenging for restaurants to encourage customers to continue visiting their establishments given increasing hesitancy for additional expenditures such as dining out or ordering food online Now more than ever, building and retaining customer loyalty is critical to thrive and grow - here’s how to do so whilst keeping an eye on costs

Customer Experience Is King

A recent sur vey found that 40% people in the UK get up to three food deliveries a week today despite the recent rise in inflation While people are getting more takeaways and deliveries, they are also being more selective A whopping 68% of people said quality ingredients are more impor tant now than before the rise of inflation What’s more convenience is a major deciding factor for consumers selecting a restaurant for takeaway and deliver y 69% claim how close a restaurant is and how fast their food can get to them is now more impor tant than ever

This means a focus on offering high-quality, value-driven experiences can be a valuable way of differentiating restaurants from the competition This can include sourcing ingredients locally or from ar tisanal producers offering unique menu items that can t be found elsewhere , or providing excellent customer ser vice By offering experiences that stand out from the competition, restaurants can keep customers coming back for their own brand of special sauce , building a loyal customer base in the process

In addition to offering promotions and high-quality experiences, restaurants can also encourage customers by investing in their online presence This includes having a professional-looking website , an active social media presence , and positive online reviews With more and more people turning to the internet to find information about local businesses, a strong online presence can be a powerful tool for attracting new customers and driving repeat business

Improve Your Tech Offering

According to the same research, more than a third of customers didn’t order from a restaurant again after they