Tips for Renovating Your Restaurant While Open for Business
Spring weather has finally arrived which means it’s time to begin that restaurant renovation you fantasized about this winter. Renovating your restaurant can be extremely exciting and can result in happier customers and, consequently, a more successful business. The process of renovating your restaurant, however, can be stressful. In addition to the expense and chaos that a restaurant renovation can cause, it may irritate your customers. After all, a romantic dinner by candlelight doesn’t pair well with the banging of hammers. In order to keep your customers happy while you renovate your restaurant, follow the tips below!
- Prepare your Guests
An important step toward preventing disgruntled customers is managing their expectations. This means you should post a warning on your website and social media accounts about the renovation, post a sign on your door, and, most importantly, warn your regular customers about it before it happens. By preparing your customers, you’ll avoid the risk of losing them for good when they feel that the renovation has ruined a dinner they’d been looking forward to.
- Contain the Construction
To maintain the health and safety of your staff and guests and to preserve the ambiance of your restaurant, it is vital that you completely separate the renovation from where people are dining or working. This includes putting up partitions, monitoring your HVAC system to be sure no particles from the construction site contaminate the air and the food, and keeping all renovation materials out of the way. Taking these steps will keep your staff and guests from feeling that they are dining and working in the middle of a construction site.
- Share your Excitement
Renovations are exciting! Your restaurant will soon have a fresh new look and maybe some additional amenities, like a beautiful outdoor patio or a new bar. Just as your guests must share in the irritating aspects of a renovation, they should share in the exciting aspects of it too. Get them in on the countdown toward that new patio or bar and, when the renovation is complete, celebrate! Hold a party and give out some free food to thank your customers for their patience and to let them know that the wait has paid off.
Renovating your restaurant can be an important step toward attracting new business and maintaining a fresh appearance in your restaurant. By staying open for business during the renovation, you can prevent the hardship to your staff of days without work and the risk of losing customers who are forced to find a new restaurant while you’re out of commission. By following the steps above, you can decrease the inconvenience of your renovation to your customers and staff. If your renovation includes the installation of any new commercial kitchen equipment, be sure to give CPS a call!
