In all aspects of life, first impressions are crucial in generating a positive reception.  The overall impression of a first encounter has far reaching implications, and creates a perception that is not easily overcome.  This simple and unavoidable fact is as true for your business as it is for your personal interactions.

As a restaurant owner, your first line of contact with your customers is through your employees.  It is this interaction that will formulate how the customer perceives your establishment.  A positive initial experience can mean the difference between a one-time visit to your restaurant or a life-long customer that not only provides you with their own repeat business, but campaigns for you with positive reviews to friends and family members.

First Contact

Congeniality is contagious.  Your employees’ demeanor speaks volumes about your establishment to your customers before any verbal exchange ever takes place.  A happy, cheerful employee not only sets the customer’s mind at ease about the excellence of service he or she will likely receive, but about the quality of product as well.  When your employees appear alert and confident in their work, the assumption is that they will give a superior degree of attention to detail to the product they are preparing and providing to the customer.

When a customer is greeted with a smile and a warm welcome to the establishment, they feel confident that they are about to have an enjoyable dining experience.  Conversely, when greeted with a dour expression from an employee who obviously would rather be doing anything other than his/her job, the customer is put on guard and is much more likely to translate that perception of poor service into an expectation of low quality.  Therefore, the initial contact between your employees and customer is the lynchpin in providing an excellent experience that will have your customers return to your establishment and raving about you to their peers.

Overall Atmosphere

As critical as that first interaction between employee and customer is, it will matter little if it is not part of a cohesive whole presented by your establishment.  This unity of experience is established through two aspects.  The ambient atmosphere of your restaurant and the general mood of your staff.

You should strive to create an appealing and positive environment in your restaurant through effective lighting and visual pleasing decorations.   Lighting should be subtle, not harsh.  Adequate for easy viewing, but not distracting.  Visual schemes should be muted, but not bland or sterile.
Employees should be encouraged to not only be courteous and polite, but to get enthusiastic about their job.  An air of lighthearted fun and excitement behind the scenes translates into an overall sense of wellbeing and enjoyment for the customer.  Therefore, it is important that your management staff be capable of positively motivating the staff through encouragement and positive reinforcement techniques.

One Shot

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and if you fail to make a positive one, you may not have a chance to make a second one.  It is crucial to the success of your business that you provide your customers with a comfortable and pleasant dining experience from the moment they walk in your door through to the moment they pull out of your parking lot.  A happy and satisfied customer is a repeat customer.

You rely on advertising and promotion to bring customers through your door, but quality and excellent service is what brings them back again and again.  Providing a superior dining experience can mean the difference between a one-time or occasional customer and a steady patron of your establishment.  There are simple and cost effective means of ensuring that your restaurant makes a positive impression on your customers and keeps them coming back for more.

Food Quality

As a franchise owner, you are expected by your franchisor to uphold certain levels of quality and cleanliness.  However, any restaurant frequenter can tell you that all franchises are not created equally.  It is up to you, the owner, to make sure that your staff goes above and beyond the call of duty to provide a top-rate product every time.  Challenge your staff to excel at cleanliness and following proper procedure.  Make sure that first-in, first-out rotation is followed, that all food products are properly labeled, that expired food is discarded and that all possible cross-contamination with bacteria and allergens is avoided.  Emphasize the importance of employees maintaining personal and workspace sanitation standards.

Exceptional Service

The quality of service at your establishment can mean the difference between a happy customer and a disgruntled one.  Make sure that your employees know how to great and cater to your customer’s wishes.  Encourage respectful speech and cheerfulness.  A positive employee creates a positive customer experience.  Employees should be knowledgeable about the menu and services provided by the restaurant to facilitate quick and professional service.

Speed and precision are crucial to creating a positive experience for the customer.  Challenge your employees to get orders right the first time and to meet or exceed the standards you have set for speed of service.  Above all, maintain a respectful and courteous air to all transactions.
Providing an Enjoyable Atmosphere

The setting the you provide for your customer’s dining experience can make a marked difference in how they perceive your establishment.  Your restaurant should provide and atmosphere that is specifically tailored to appeal to your target demographic.  Know your customers and  be flexible.  Attempt to provide an environment that will be pleasurable for the widest range of customers possible.

Use lighting schemes that are soothing on the eye.  Bright fluorescent lighting is great for hospitals, but doesn’t really provide a calm and soothing dinner setting.  Lighting should complement the overall theme of your establishment, as should music (should you choose to provide it).  Any music should be audible, but not distracting – adding to the ambience of the restaurant rather than being a focal point.

Make sure that your restaurant provides a comfortable and clean environment.  You wouldn’t want to eat in a loud, stuffy, ill-lit and grimy establishment and neither do your customers.  However, with a little bit of effort  you can turn a run-of-the-mill fast food franchise into a superior dining establishment that has your customers coming back time and again for the consistently good food, excellent and courteous service, and highly enjoyable atmosphere.