Restaurants are a category of business that a fairly specific set of wanted information by potential customers that are hungry and deciding where to eat.
1) Name of Restaurant
2) Location Address and Photos
3) Hours
3) Phone Number
5) Category(ies) of Food
6) Menu
7) Happy Hour (if applicable)
8) Today’s Special
9) Promotions
Some will be obvious, but lets take a look at these.
Name of Restaurant
While this information is obvious, it is important to make sure that you list it the exact same in online directories as you do on the website and physical location. Any variation can cause for a disconnect in local search results and also brand awareness.
Location Address and Photos
The physical street address is a simple piece of information, but many locations can have difficult parking or obstructed sign visibility. That is why we recommend you help your hungry customers find you by giving any additional information to help them find or park at/near your location.
Photos of your restaurant both inside and out, will help patrons be familiar with your location prior to arrival and also help them make a decision whether to choose you or another restaurant. Many people will choose a familiar location over a new one because of the comfort factor and photos can help you encourage them to give you a try.
Hours
Your daily hours are absolutely necessary to list to prevent frustrated customers getting to your location too early or too late. You should also prevent changing your hours, but if you do change them, make sure you update your website, social media and any/all directories that your restaurant is listed in. It is also very important to let customers know ahead of and the day of any “holiday” or special closings or hour modifications. Most people will assume you are closed during major holidays, so if you are open, this is an opportunity to promote that fact.
Phone Number
This is very straight forward, but make sure to list any special “take out” or “reservation” lines you may have.
Category(ies) of Food
This is primarily for online directories, which will help customers find you when they are looking for particular types of food.
Menu
This is important to many potential customers, we know it is for us, it is always nice to see a menu and prices before going to a new restaurant. Your menu is probably more complex than nacho, turkey sandwich or clam chowder and that is why your menu should include pictures and well written descriptions of the dishes you serve.
There is a saying, “you eat with your eyes first,” and this very much applies to your website or online menu. It is also important to make sure the menu stays up-to-date, because if you lure a new customer with your amazing seafood alfredo and you took it off your menu, this will create a negative and disappointed customer.
Happy Hour
This is simple, if you have one, promote it on your website and everywhere else you are listed online. Again, keep the information current.
Today’s Special
Most restaurants have one or more specials each day and this should be highlighted to customers. If you plan your specials ahead of time, you should have them put on your website. If you make them up as you go each day, then you should post them on social media everyday. We would also recommend you post them to your Google MyBusiness listing as well.
Promotions
Unlike daily dish specials, you probably run discounts or some specials that run longer than a single meal or day. We would also assume that you plan these ahead of time, which is why we believe these should be on your website. Even if the customer can not print or take advantage of them on your website, these are still incentives for customers to go to your restaurant. Again, we recommend posting these on your Google MyBusiness listing.
We hope this information has been helpful and remember to keep the information updated wherever you are listed.
If you do not have a website or need help to maintain your website, please contact us for assistance.