The restaurant industry has grown a lot throughout the years. From its humble beginnings stemming from the food carts and catering service to being a highly complex business that caters not only to people’s palates but also to customer experience. A restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, for example, might base their theme on a specific culture. This theme would demand specific audio and visual stimuli that would make customers experience that theme of the restaurant.
Speaking of experience, let’s delve into the customers’ preference and see what they actually want these days when they enter a restaurant. It‘s not enough that a restaurant establishment would provide food and expect their customers to return. It is important to take note that the restaurant industry has changed throughout the years; so much so that it can be said that it demands more than being able to provide food. The question then is, “What exactly do people look for when they enter a restaurant?”
Atmosphere – if you have been to a well-established restaurant before, you would notice that there is a sense of ambiance that brings you to a specific place or make you act in a specific manner. Let’s take vintage restaurants for example. You wouldn’t see modern items hanging from the walls or steel tables being used by customers, no, usually you would see aged wood and vintage photos and items that contribute to the theme of that restaurant. The atmosphere being manifested by that establishment would make you think as though you were going back in time. Some restaurants are based on certain cultures. That’s why you see Asian or Italian-themed establishments operating in the United States. They don’t simply provide food; they go a step further and customize their restaurants to fit the theme of the place. These efforts contribute to the restaurant experience. Just imagine being served sushi in a restaurant that looks Italian. Even if the food is good, the confusing messages being sent by their atmosphere can be enough for you to look for other restaurants.
Music – music is vital in the restaurant industry. Music, with all its intents and purposes, is food for the soul. Studies have even shown that listening to music heightens your mood to eat and some eastern teachings say that music actually helps digestion. Whichever way you put it, there’s no denying that music helps in providing a good restaurant experience. If you were to enter a restaurant with only the clanking of plates and utensils, you would think that the place seems rather dull. That’s why music is important to liven up the restaurant. Even so, it is important to remember that not all music is applicable to restaurants. As stated before, it would be better to play music that fits with the overall theme of the place. Italian music, for example, would fit perfectly with a Mediterranean theme.
Food – no restaurant experience is complete without good food. It is so important, in fact, that most restaurants focus more on their food and less on the restaurant’s aesthetics. It’s not that the aesthetics of the restaurant isn’t important, but one should be reminded that the main purpose of restaurants is to provide food. If you have a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale and are aiming to go with a Jewish theme, it’s best to start with the main service and provide good quality food reminiscent of Jewish cuisine. Once that is established, you can go on ahead and slowly mold your restaurant’s aesthetics to fit with your theme. But what if you want to expand your horizon and provide a variety of dishes? There’s no harm in doing that as long as you maintain an established image of your restaurant. This means people are still able to identify you based on your chosen theme. So don’t go naming your restaurant a grill if you don’t even serve grilled food.
Hospitality – this, by far, is the most important aspect of the restaurant business other than food. Hospitality is not a theme to pull off; it is a concept that every establishment should have. Customers will likely come back if the food is good, the place is nice, and the people are hospitable. Even if it’s a good-looking restaurant serving good food, if the waiters treat customers like dirt, then what good is the restaurant? Remember that the restaurant business is service-oriented. If the restaurant staff cannot communicate well with customers, then the theme, the dish, and the music don’t matter anymore because people won’t even dare to return.
Though there are more factors that contribute to the restaurant experience, it is safe to say that these main factors are what people are looking for these days. With an ambiance worthy of coming back to, music that people love, food that people look for, and a sense of hospitality that customers will remember for years to come, a restaurant is already deemed successful by merely possessing these qualities.
If you are looking for an experience worth remembering the next time you come to Florida, drop by Tower Deli & Diner. We provide you with mouth-watering dishes that cater to the American palate while remaining true to our heritage. Our restaurant in Fort Lauderdale is perfect for any event, we encourage you to come and visit us at 2315 South University Dr. Davie, Florida. Can’t come? Let us come to you. We also provide catering services. You can order online or contact us by leaving a message on our contacts page.
Tower Deli & Diner, redefining the restaurant experience.
