Regular customers are a crucial ingredient to the success of any restaurant. Repeat patrons account for 65% of a restaurant's business, and they are more likely than newbies to spread the word about your restaurant’s fantastic food and service. Not only do loyal diners take care of their servers and bartenders, but they are also less expensive than new customers.

Eight in 10 business owners agree that customer retention is way more cost-effective than finding new consumers: Cultivating previous patrons is definitely worth it.

But how can restaurants turn one-time customers into loyal patrons who place multiple orders monthly or even weekly?

Maintaining a steady flow of repeat customers doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. Our restaurant success experts shared their top tips for creating a pool of regulars who will continue to dine in or order online. 

The Recipe For Increasing Repeat Business

1. Measure the Basics

To build a loyal customer base, restaurant operators should first provide a great first experience.  A customer's dining or takeout experience should be the same—great—every time they walk in the door. And the food coming out of the kitchen should be more than delicious—it should also be consistent. 

If your staff can routinely provide excellent service and the kitchen can serve up consistent, delicious dishes, you will start to see an influx of repeat orders.

2. A Dash of Personal Touch

"Customers always remember when restaurant owners, managers, or staff are friendly and appreciative. If owners take the time to greet customers, especially when someone is running in just to grab a takeout order, this simple act will make a lasting impression." -Macario Butler, Menufy Sales Executive 

Speaking to customers during their pickup experience is also the perfect opportunity to encourage them to order directly from your restaurant's website. 

Treating patrons with gratitude goes a long way toward developing a reservoir of repeat customers. People who feel connected to a business are more likely to visit again and to order from your preferred channel.

3. Add Fresh Ingredients

Want to keep customers on the hook? Try releasing a rotating specials menu that’s updated monthly or seasonally. The anticipation of new menu items will keep customers coming back for more.

Our Menufy experts recommend creating dishes that feature trending foods or easy-to-source ingredients.

But if you do introduce rotating specials, be sure to keep regular items that people know and love on the menu!
 

4. Sift Out Customer Contacts

How can restaurants lure customers back if they have no way to contact them? This is why collecting patron email addresses and mobile numbers is imperative for customer retention.

Our experts recommend including a simple but noticeable email sign-up form on your website or during the reservation process. For those who are placing their order online, add an opt-in checkbox that promises to notify customers of future deals and promotions. 

"Consider adding an opt-in option for online orders to help grow a customer email list!" -Diego Oroza, Menufy Client Success Specialist

If used correctly, the captured contact information will be worth its weight in additional orders!

5. Spread the word TO Hungry Customers

So you've gathered hundreds of customer email addresses and mobile numbers. Now what?

Now is the time to strike while the flavorful dishes are fresh on the customer's mind! Keep the momentum going by sending a limited-time promotion, giving them a reason to visit or order again!

But how should restaurants be marketing? And where will they find the time to do so?

Restaurant managers are too busy as it is, bouncing between front- and back-of-house responsibilities. It's hard to imagine taking on another task, especially one that is as important as marketing. 

Many third parties offer email and text marketing solutions, but these tools rarely integrate into a restaurant's existing ordering platforms.

However, Menufy's built-in marketing service means restaurateurs have everything they need to start turning past customers into regulars.

HungerRush 360 Marketing

This premium restaurant marketing solution uses real-time order data to send automated email and mobile text message campaigns. 

Marketing specialists will take care of everything for you. They design unique promotions for every restaurant, which are then delivered to existing customers exactly when they are most likely to reorder. 

The best part is that restaurateurs no longer have to handle contact lists, email scheduling, and text messaging on their own.

"We're not sending texts to customers just to send them. We are encouraging previous customers to order directly from you again and again." -Nikki Finley, Menufy Digital Marketing Specialist

HungerRush 360 Marketing uses multiple waves of ongoing marketing to entice customers to click the "order now" button. And with text messages boasting a 99% open rate, restaurant operators who utilize text have a huge marking advantage. 

Wanna see HungerRush 360 Marketing in action? Watch this short demo video!

6. Stir the Social Pot

Restaurants thrive when they can continually connect with their customer audience. And where is that audience most active? On social media.

The chances are good that someone who follows you on social media also has dined at your restaurant.

Therefore, an effective social media presence is crucial for restaurants trying to connect with existing customers. Posting daily specials, new menu items, and irresistible food pics will entice patrons back to your venue or online ordering site. And before you publish a tempting dish photo or social post, be sure to include a link so they can easily order immediately!

"Consider including a 'Start Order' button on your restaurant's Facebook page." -Sarai Lowder, Menufy Sales Manager

Restaurant operators should also use "Link" stickers to share direct order hyperlinks on their Instagram Stories. These clickable links put restaurants in the driver's seat, steering customer traffic to preferred ordering channels.

Click here to learn more about creating engaging social content!

7. Layer on the Convenience

If restaurants want to increase their pool of repeat diners, they should try appealing to their customers' love of convenience. 

Businesses that provide multiple dining experiences offer customers different options to fit their vibe. Patrons may be craving your dishes, but they don't always have the time to sit in your dining room for a meal. By offering online ordering carryout, curbside, and delivery, customers will be more likely to place an order in the most convenient way for them.

Activating online features such as advance and group ordering will also give customers more reasons to place further orders.

Another thing that will bring back diners is offering a variety of secure payment options. Customers will love the convenience of mobile wallet payments, such as ApplePay or their favorite cryptocurrency, for a fast and easy way to check out online.

We offer more payment options than any other restaurant e-commerce system, and we encourage our restaurant partners to take advantage of them. 

A convenient ordering process will definitely convince customers to keep clicking that "order now" button. 

8. Add Coupons & Promotions To Taste

Our restaurant success experts have seen how much limited-time promotions and coupons can boost order volume. And from a customer perspective, don't we all love a good deal?

"As a consumer myself, I tend to order more from restaurants or businesses that are offering a discount or free item with orders.” -Nikki Finley

And with online coupon users spending 24% more than full-price buyers, offering deals can win back sleepy customers and even increase the ticket total. 

Luckily, Menufy’s restaurant partners have free access to a custom coupon builder that is integrated into our online ordering product. Managers can create and tailor deals to lure back previous customers. 

9. Bring Loyalty Programs To A Simmer

The ultimate way to influence repeat business is by implementing a loyalty program that rewards customers for visiting or ordering again and again. 

There is a strong appetite for customer rewards programs, with over 70% of US consumers belonging to at least one loyalty program. 

As an added bonus, loyalty programs often require an email to sign up, providing a direct route for you to market to your existing customers. 

Menufy restaurant partners have the option to enable a built-in loyalty program called Tasty Rewards. This punch card-type system encourages customers to order from the same restaurant and rewards them after multiple orders within a 12-month time frame. 

"By enabling Tasty Rewards in the Menufy Manager portal, restaurants can automatically motivate customers to come back more than ten times to receive an incentive!" -Sarai Lowder

The Last Bite

There are small steps that every restaurant owner can take to begin growing repeat business. We believe developing ongoing connections with your customers is the best organic method to turn a one-time customer into a loyal regular. This can be done in person, on social media, and by putting love into the dishes coming out of the kitchen.

Restaurateurs who want to turn up the heat on repeat business can also use targeted, automated marketing campaigns to entice past customers to order again. Menufy by HungerRush experts also know that loyalty programs, such as Tasty Rewards, are a great way to increase orders.

Customers have many choices when selecting which restaurant to frequent, so restaurant owners must be intentional when considering how to keep customers returning for more. 

We believe that by implementing all of our tips, repeat orders will start stacking up!

Melissa Dimmitt, Marketing Manager
Melissa is the Marketing Manager for Menufy by HungerRush. She began working with restaurant managers and executive chefs over a decade ago, coordinating seasonal menu releases, executing photoshoots, and creating fresh digital content.