Overcoming Customers’ Fears at Your Restaurant

Creating Customer Confidence at Your Restaurant Overcoming Customers’ Fears at Your Restaurant

One big hurdle that many restaurants are going to have to overcome is figuring out how to regain their customers’ confidence after being told for months that it was dangerous to go out. This is a huge feat that won’t fall on one singular business type, but restaurants in particular will need to show they are taking extra precautions and following strict protocols to keep their customers safe. So how do you go about creating customer confidence at your restaurant? We surveyed our clients and other restaurant owners and here are their plans to ease customers fears as they start to dine out.

Social Distancing Protocols In The Dining Room

By now everyone is so used to hearing the terms “social distancing” and “six feet apart” that they’ve become everyday terms for us. We are naturally gauging our distance between people and expect everyone around us to do the same. So, it will be imperative that you show your customers that you are taking the proper steps to keep them safely separated from others while dining in your restaurant. Many restauranteurs responded that they will be removing tables if needed and rearranging the layout of their dining rooms to keep diners sufficiently spaced out, and others are installing plexiglass barriers between booths and tables. Whenever possible, waiting in line needs to be eliminated or properly managed. This means no buffets, public drink dispensers, or waiting at a cash register. If lines can’t be removed like in front of a restroom, they need to be properly distanced and some restaurants are purchasing floor decals to show people the proper places to wait in line.

Social Distancing Protocols While Waiting

If you start to see business pick up, you’ll need to be prepared to deal with customers waiting for a table. If this is the case, having a system in place for them to do this while maintaining proper social distancing is crucial. Some restaurants we surveyed are pivoting to reservations only to remove the need for waiting. Others are only allowing outside waiting and have installed umbrellas and floor markers to keep people apart or asking them to wait in their car until their name is called. If your restaurant is near a park or scenic sidewalks, you can also encourage them to walk around the area until their table is ready.

Proper Sanitation

Of all business types, restaurants are already required to follow strict sanitation guidelines, so much of what you are already doing still applies and isn’t new to you. Even so, it will be necessary to take it up a notch to keep patrons satisfied about your cleaning protocols. For starters, your staff will need to be equipped with appropriate PPE that is required by your state. Your customers will also want to see your staff routinely using cleaning stations, so many operators are installing hand sanitizing stations throughout the dining room area and on the tables to ensure they are keeping clean and the customers know it. Many restaurants are also installing air purifier systems to create cleaner airflow and promoting the use of them to ease fears of germs lurking in the air while customers eat. Bathrooms will need to be cleaned more routinely and go touchless for as many surfaces as possible.

 Communicating With Customers

You won’t be able to rely solely on appearances to keep your customers’ minds at ease. You will also need to make your cleaning and sanitation processes known and remind your customers daily that these procedures are ongoing and that you are not wavering from them. Many restaurants are posting signs that detail their cleaning process in convenient areas where customers can see them. They are also utilizing social media to post videos of how their employees are embracing these new cleaning measures. It’s important to show what happens behind-the-scenes which can be done with live videos of the kitchen staff at work or of the cleaning crew going through their cleaning routines each night. The more your customers can see, the more they will be reassured that you are taking the precautions needed to keep them safe and be willing to visit your restaurant again.

It’s going to take a lot of reassurance to get people back into the swing of things. They may not be comfortable eating in a dining room for a while, so you need to plan for this, but you’ll also want to be prepared for when they do decide to venture out again. If you aren’t seeing the increase that you expected, survey your customers to see what they will be most comfortable with and cater to their needs. You may be surprised to learn what they are looking for from their local restaurants in order to feel safe while dining out.