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Helping a restaurant out

M

manlymatt83

Lifer
There's a small restaurant in my town. This food is some of the best food I've ever eaten, and it's owned by some of the nicest people I've ever met. I eat there a lot (as often as I can) to support them, and they've somewhat become really good friends to me as well.

Officially, I know nothing about their status, but like other restaurants, I'd suspect with the economy they could be doing better. Does anyone here with restaurant ownership experience know of ways to increase customers/revenue at a small, new restaurant in times like this? I know things can't be perfect, but I'm sure finding ways to maximize their potential in these hard times would really help them. Perhaps I can throw them some advice.

The restaurant is Tomiko Kitchen & Sushi in Hillsborough, NJ. I highly recommend their food for people in the area. Tell them Matt sent you.
 
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
There's a small restaurant in my town that opened right before the economy problems hit - they did everything right: they saved money, they made sure they could survive for a year with savings, etc.

This food is some of the best food I've ever eaten, and it's owned by some of the nicest people I've ever met.

I eat there a lot (as often as I can) to support them, and they've somewhat become really good friends to me as well.

I'd really like them to survive. Does anyone here with restaurant ownership experience know of ways to increase customers/revenue at a small, new restaurant in times like this? I know things can't be perfect, but I'm sure finding ways to maximize their potential in these hard times would really help them...
Click to expand...

What type of cuisine and what city manlymatt83?
 
A good friend of mine has owned/operated several restaurants over the last 35 years, and he made a good point the other day.

No matter how bad the economy gets, people need to eat.
 
Originally posted by: yh125d
A good friend of mine has owned/operated several restaurants over the last 35 years, and he made a good point the other day.

No matter how bad the economy gets, people need to eat.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but when people are looking for ways to cut back, they realize that eating out is a big expense with pretty much no benefits.
 
Originally posted by: yh125dNo matter how bad the economy gets, people need to eat.
Click to expand...

But when the economy is bad, it's cheaper to cook a $5 steak at home rather than pay $20 at a restaurant.
 
Originally posted by: yh125d
A good friend of mine has owned/operated several restaurants over the last 35 years, and he made a good point the other day.

No matter how bad the economy gets, people need to eat.
Click to expand...

Very true, but that does not mean that they will "go out" to eat yh125d! 😉
 
How's the atmosphere of the restaurant? How's the service? How's the advertising? Is the placement right for the restaurant?
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: yh125d
A good friend of mine has owned/operated several restaurants over the last 35 years, and he made a good point the other day.

No matter how bad the economy gets, people need to eat.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but when people are looking for ways to cut back, they realize that eating out is a big expense with pretty much no benefits.
Click to expand...

Budget restaurants always have a place. Its those places with the $10 burgers that are going to feel the biggest hit.
 
Originally posted by: yh125d
A good friend of mine has owned/operated several restaurants over the last 35 years, and he made a good point the other day.

No matter how bad the economy gets, people need to eat.
Click to expand...

meh... not at restaurants where you have to pay $15 for a pasta dish you can make at home for $3... not to mention tips and drinks. Just saying... I think I would eat out once a week anyway but my newborns are keeping me from having any kind of life anyway.
 
Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal
How's the atmosphere of the restaurant? How's the service? How's the advertising? Is the placement right for the restaurant?
Click to expand...

Atmosphere = good. From the outside, you think it's more of a fast food place (I keep telling them this) because its in a strip mall. But the inside is amazing. Service is great. It's a family run thing, but they always bring things for people to try. Advertising is so so -- that's something I keep thinking they should get better at (I keep suggesting a website that they can advertise and get people to go to). What do you mean by placement?
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
There's a small restaurant in my town that opened right before the economy problems hit - they did everything right: they saved money, they made sure they could survive for a year with savings, etc.

This food is some of the best food I've ever eaten, and it's owned by some of the nicest people I've ever met.

I eat there a lot (as often as I can) to support them, and they've somewhat become really good friends to me as well.

I'd really like them to survive. Does anyone here with restaurant ownership experience know of ways to increase customers/revenue at a small, new restaurant in times like this? I know things can't be perfect, but I'm sure finding ways to maximize their potential in these hard times would really help them...
Click to expand...

What type of cuisine and what city manlymatt83?
Click to expand...

YGPM
 
I think that a good online presence would do them a lot of good. Something simple but informative where people could easily get contact information, pictures, and menu samples.
 
Originally posted by: rise
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
What type of cuisine and what city manlymatt83?
Click to expand...

YGPM
Click to expand...
how are you going to drum up business like that?[/quote]

You have a good point. Why not tell us the name/location of the restaurant? I'm sure ATOTers would stop by and support the place if they could.
 
Write reviews on websites - yelp.com, Yahoo, Zagat, Google, etc. Since I got my iPhone I've been using Yelp a lot to check out restaurants.
 
Originally posted by: BarneyFife
Originally posted by: rise
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
What type of cuisine and what city manlymatt83?
Click to expand...

YGPM
Click to expand...
how are you going to drum up business like that?
Click to expand...

Yeah really. I thought he wanted to drum up business, not turn this into a secret club.[/quote]

Its not like he can not tell anyone and expect to drum up business. Drumming up business will require increasing exposure to the public.
 
Nothing beats word of mouth for advertising for a restaurant with good food. To be honest, I can't recall seeing advertising for some of the local restaurants that have awesome food. One expanded their dining area with essentially a greenhouse frame and tarps. If you drove by, you'd think "yeah, right, like they'd have good food." Looking at an ad, looking at the restaurant, and you'd most likely go to another place in the area. But, the service is outstanding, the food is outstanding, and the prices are outstanding for what you get.

Hmmmm, I'd take my wife there for Valentine's Day, but I'm taking her to the grand opening of Tractor Supply for valentine's day, and the restaurant is too far away.
 
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