Value proposition of a restaurant

What do I need to do to grow my hospitality business? Congratulations! The first step is to be critical and ask yourself the question. Now, you need to put your efforts into a value proposition that perfectly matches the needs of your customers. Only then you will achieve the desired growth.

In this article, we will present you with a restaurant value proposition model that will help you hit the mark. The intention is to discard all ideas that could be a failure and that’s why you should read to the end.

But, before we start, you should know that if your intention is to create the value proposition of a bar, this method will also be useful. Now, let’s get started!

Restaurant value proposition: What is it?

The value proposition is the strategic elements of a product or service designed to satisfy a specific market segment. It has become a key factor because it helps you to be chosen over your direct competitors, allowing you to gain a real differential advantage.

Today, the absence of a clear value proposition is an obstacle to growth for many hospitality businesses. Particularly, because without it, communication strategies lose impact, and therefore, the target audience will not perceive what your brand is trying to offer.

How can I make my restaurant’s value proposition?

Our intention is to help you to make your restaurant’s value proposition achieve the desired success. And we want to propose a model that will prevent you from wasting time with weak ideas that will not work in the end.

We are talking specifically about the value proposition canvas model, which is made up of three parts: the customer profile, the value map and the fit. Read on to find out how to put it into practice:

1. Customer profile or buyer persona

This is about discovering those key characteristics of the customer you are targeting, such as: what do they want and how can your restaurant make them happy?

The value proposition canvas model recommends listing the three sets of characteristics of your buyer persona:

• Customer joys: This refers to the outcomes and benefits customers hope to achieve in your restaurant.
• Customer frustrations: Refers to the annoyances obstacles or risks that prevent them from getting what they want from your restaurant.
• Customer tasks: Refers to the activities that customers try to solve in their daily personal or professional lives.

Once you are clear about the profile of your ideal customer, you can continue with the next step, which consists of designing the profile of your business while maintaining the same scheme. This is known as “value mapping”.

2. Value map

This is simply listing the products and services you offer in your restaurant. Here the success lies in making this list fit the profile of your customers, because only in this way, you will be able to create true relievers of frustrations and creators of joy.

If you want to achieve this we recommend that you further specify the customer’s profile. For example:

• Value shopper: refers to customers who perform very specific tasks such as comparing offers, deciding which specific products to purchase or opting for home delivery of food.
• Value co-creator: Refers to customers who perform tasks related to the co-creation of value for your restaurant, such as when they leave their ideas or opinions on social networks or specialized pages.
• Value transferor: Refers to customers who end the life cycle of a value proposition. For example, they transfer decisions to third parties or discard a purchase.

3. Fit

It can be a difficult thing to achieve, and even to maintain, if you succeed. However, it is about striving to achieve this goal that will be the key to designing the value proposition of your business.

Keys to a winning restaurant value proposition

In the following lines we will address some key factors that cannot be missing in your value proposition.

• Novelty. The idea is to create a value proposition that has never been seen before, that is, that there is no other similar offer.
• Performance improvement. To create real value you can choose to increase the performance of your products or service. So that you can satisfy the desires of the most demanding customers.
• Personalization. It is key to adapt the products or services to the real needs of the customer. This will guarantee that their experience in your restaurant will be positive.
• Quality: Being different is not enough if what you offer in your restaurant is not of quality. Therefore, be sure to maintain a balance between both characteristics.
• Competitive price: For many customers it is important to go to a place where they can eat well, be well served and not spend a lot of money.

What are the needs of a restaurant?

First of all, your restaurant must satisfy the desires or needs of your customers. For that it is important that you take into account their profile, as we explained in previous lines.

how can I satisfy the customer’s needs in my restaurant? Take note of these 3 points!

Good customer service

Keep in mind that the customer experience starts from the first moment they enter your restaurant. Improving customer service is very important, it is recommended that you avoid any situation that can generate annoyance or discomfort. To do this, it is important:

• Greet them with empathy as soon as they enter the door.
• Do not interrupt them when they are in the middle of a conversation.
• Listen to them and pay special attention to their needs.
• Be patient with hesitant diners.
• Be willing to repeat any information back to them.
• Thank them for their suggestions and keep them in mind for the future.
• Offer different forms of payment.
• Make sure that the waiters have a wide knowledge of the dishes on the menu, so that they can answer any questions.

Restaurant ambience

In addition to customer service, there are environmental factors that can determine the customer’s experience in your restaurant. So make sure to:

• Choose a decor for your restaurant that is appropriate for the type of food you offer. Remember that a good image sells a lot.
• Select the right music and keep it at a moderate volume to create a pleasant atmosphere. There is music for all styles, whether it is upscale, themed, fast food, etc.
• Choose the right lighting to enhance the room. In this case we recommend you to bet for a dim lighting to transmit a cozy atmosphere.

Let technology be your ally

New technologies in restaurants offer us the opportunity to reach everyone. It is important that your restaurant provides solutions that meet the most important needs of customers. In this case, a good idea is to make technology your best ally. So start offering:

• Online ordering so that your customers can order without leaving the comfort of their home easily and quickly. To do this, we advise you to have a presence in the famous apps that manage the distribution of food at home.
• Free wifi service so that your customers can stay connected from their mobile devices when they are in your premises.
• Mobile charging stations so that your customers never run out of battery on their smartphones.
• Digital menu for those who prefer with just one click to see the entire menu.

So much for our post on the value proposition of a restaurant. We hope you put into practice what you have learned and your hospitality business takes off above your competitors. See you next time!