So your Restaurant has an App… Now What?

According to the Pew Research Center, more than 58% of Americans own a smartphone as of January 2014. After the release of the latest iPhone, the number is estimated to be around 67%. This means that over half of Americans have access to your restaurants app, depending on your development. This is an astounding market.

That is a lot of potential customers. You have your development team construct an app, or you have someone local build it for you. You have this awesome, streamlined app, like the ones we build here at MunchEm, and now you need to market it.

 

Here are a couple of ways to get it out there to your customers:

 

At OrderEm we deliver high-quality restaurant websites, apps, and online food ordering.

Advertise it near the entrance or on the windows.

It is easy to make a poster, or have one printed. Put the details about your app and stick it on the door so it is at eye level. You want your app to be front and center, it will allow your customers to carry around your restaurant with them.

Put something on the table!

If you put something on the table, whether it be a paper tent, or a flip stand with specials and app details on it, put something on the table to show your customers that you have an app. Make it clean, front and center.

Implement some space on your menu.

Include your app on your menu. If you decide to put it in there, put it on the first couple of pages, preferably on the front, in the lower third. Include any details you want: i.e., platform, what a person can do with it, QR code.

Distribute it nearby.

Are there any hotels near your restaurant? Go to them and ask if you can leave them some flyers on their front desk, or hand out flyers to their guests.

 

Remember that your app can be used for a variety of things, but should be used primarily for to-go ordering. You cannot supplement your app for sit-down business, but you can bolster your business in general with it.

Your restaurant website has a blog. What should be on it?

You have a website for your restaurant, either made by you or by our services, and one of the pages is a blog. Most of your competition will fail to utilize this amazing resource and you should take this opportunity to blow them away.

            So the day is over, the grill is clean, all the workers have left, and you’ve just gotten home. You pull up a word document to start writing and… nothing. What are you going to write about; what should you write about? Well, our writers at MunchEm are here to help you. If you follow this guide, you will not only provide content to increase your visibility on the Internet, but you will also provide information to new and old customers alike.

You have that one employee, why not write a post about them?

Menu Item Descriptions

            Do you have a camera phone and followed our guide on how to take awesome food photos? You can take some awesome photos of your food, and make a write up on them. Describe them: the ingredients, how you cook it, where you got the idea to make the dish. Make the customer salivate, make them want to come in to your place. For each post, I would include 2-3 items; just don’t do your entire menu in one post. Split it up and spread them out.

Answer Questions about your Restaurant

            If you write about your restaurant, where you came from, the trials you have faced: you will get a personable connection with your customers. This will make your place seem more than brick and mortar. While this is not a question, it does make you personable. Also, post a FAQ (frequently asked questions) list. Maybe you have vegan options, why would you include them? Just answer some common questions people have about your place.

Businesses you Work With

            Do you love your produce supplier? Is there a restaurant next door that has some awesome drink specials? Then give them a shout out on your blog. Write about them, your experience with them.

“Employee of the Month” Stories

            You have that stellar employee that is always going above and beyond, why not write a feature article on them? They’ve worked really hard, interview them, and show them appreciation. This will also make your business extremely personable.

Tune in to your Community

            You are a local restaurant and are probably involved with your community. Why not write about that? Theme items on your menu to correspond with things going on in the community. This immediately links you to your surroundings. Maybe there is a 5k and you are a sponsor, make a blog post about that.

The important thing to remember when writing a blog is to keep it consistent. Always write in the same voice and keep it lax, your customers are the audience reading this. If you like this blog post, make sure to keep reading our other posts.

What Makes a Better Burger?

          It is hard to say definitively what makes a better burger: could it be the taste, the smell, the amount of juices, the way the bun cradles it softly in to your mouth? All of this is subjective, but we here at MunchEm have some tips to make a better burger.

 

1. Grind your own beef, buy grass-fed, or buy as fresh as possible.
2. Weigh your patties to ensure that they are uniform, and you don’t want to end up with that one fat patty.
3. Season your meat, pepper, garlic powder, or anything you want to add. JUST MAKE SURE TO NOT SALT YOUR BURGERS UNTIL THEY ARE ABOUT TO GO ON THE GRILL.
4. Don’t season your burgers with salt until they are about to go on the grill.*
5. Get a thermometer and use it! A temperature to doneness guide can be found here.
6. Don’t squish the patties in to the grill. You are releasing all of the delicious juices, fat, and flavor.
7. Get the right bun for the job. If it is a small burger, use a sturdy bun. For juicy burgers, make sure to toast the bun so the juices won’t destroy the base.
8. Make your burgers how you like them. Don’t let anybody else tell the grill master how to do his or her job.

* Yes we posted it twice because it can really dry out your meat and lead to a weak burger.

If you follow these simple suggestions, you will be grilling up better burgers in one to two attempts. Just remember that grilling is serious business. If you are tired of grilling and need some quick, local food in the Orlando Area, reach out to us. We even have apps for all of your devices!