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Is it annoying for you to see a person at another table in a restaurant snap a picture of their meal? The trend is increasing, but it may be hampered by diners and restaurant owners who are annoyed by mobile device snapping patrons who believe the world is waiting to see their latest food find. Such is social media.
The upside for a restaurant with good food and great presentations, free marketing & great reviews. The downside for that same restaurant, inconvenienced customers who, in a competitive restaurant location, may choose another atmosphere. The recent article Restaurants Turn Camera Shy in the New York Times highlights the dilemma for restaurant owners and picture-loving patrons.
I do get captivated by the meal enough to capture a shot, but as I’ve participated in social media over the years, I kind of want to eat while it’s warm : )
The audio is an excerpt from the podcast Beyond Social Media that airs on Tuesday nights at 9:30 PM Eastern. In this audio, David Erickson of e-strategyblog.com describes the solutions one chef has for bridging the gap between the camera shy and the image crazed diners.
AJ bombers burger in Milwaukee
the Barrie burger from AJ Bombers
Catch BL Ochman, David Erickson and Albert Maruggi on Blog Talk Radio’s Beyond Social Media Tuesdays at 9:30 PM Eastern
What To Do With Positive Social Comments
In many cases hospitality businesses, (restaurants and hotels) don’t have the stomach for social engagement. They lack the commitment, the discipline on the marketing side that they may have in other parts of the operation. For example, meeting regulations and company policies for a clean kitchen, quality ingredient sourcing, or front desk customer satisfaction procedures are baked into new employee orientations, frequently discussed, and even included in performance standards.
A neat, effective social campaign like the one we reported in this blog using Facebook to solicit menu favorites should not be viewed as a single event. We showed how many, nearly 100 restaurant customers posted which of their menu items was their favorites.
Take the next step and use the customers comments to generate real-time conversation among servers and other customers. Get some of these comments printed into a menu, used as decals on a table or print on a table tent. Then instruct servers to use this visual cue as a way to discuss menu items, specials, and assist new customers navigate the menu. This tactic triggers several actions for the business:
Of course it is best to get approval from those customers whose comments you’ll use. In seeking approval you may also consider giving them some type of thank you that drives them back into the restaurant with some of there friends, selection of appetizers, round of drinks, a free portion of their favorite item, something like that.
Do you extend your social strategy into printed and visual cues?
Posted by Albert Maruggi on March 1, 2012 in Restaurants and tagged hospitality training, integrate social media, restaurant marketing, restaurant servers, social comments.
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