I’m actually surprised we don’t see this kind of thing more often. Institutions such as the National Cattlemen’s Association created an advertising campaign around beef, but I don’t recall any restaurants going this far to promote the health benefits of its own cuisine. Seafood restaurant chain McCormick & Schmick’s has developed a website to promote eating seafood including recipes, seasonal selections and seafood-related news.
With Rewards Network, diners who have visited your restaurant can submit feedback and reviews, as well as view comments on restaurants from other members.
”According to comScore, Inc., 79% of consumers who consult restaurant Web sites report that restaurant reviews significantly influence their dining choice. Noted Ron Blake, “These days, customers want to know what to expect before they dine. They want to see menus, photos and price range. But above all, they want to know what previous patrons have to say.”
“Dave Mainelli, owner of Julio’s West in Omaha, recently spoke for thousands of participating restaurateurs when he said, “Customer feedback is the most important thing any service provider can have, and it’s vital if you are going to run a successful restaurant. To me, the feedback from customers – particularly customers who are dining with me for the first time – is the most valuable aspect of the Rewards Network program.”
TableXchange, a website devoted to the buying and selling of hot restaurant reservations in New York and San Francisco, is discussed in the New York Times this week:
“Supporters of the reservation brokers say restaurants have created their own monsters. Chefs and maîtres d’hôtel reserve tables for friends and other V.I.P.’s all the time, and a skillfully introduced $50 bill has also been known to do the trick. But restaurateurs say that the fly-by-night reservations cheapen and thwart their efforts to cultivate long-term relationships with customers.”
The Ivy Awards are the gold standard for outstanding food service operations. I thought I’d take a peek at the websites of this year’s restaurant winners: Alinea (Chicago), Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare (Las Vegas), Hotel Healdsburg (California) and Per Se (New York). The two other recipients, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the Presbyterian Hospital of Plano, Texas were less suitable for the comparison. So, in alphabetical order:
A long download time (for what?) built up my expectations, but the website gave me little. The site is uncluttered and a tad sexy, but there’s no sense that actual human beings work there or that those humans prepare and serve food.
I suppose they prefer I learn more about them from online reviews. I’m a seasoned fine diner, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to get an idea of the types of dishes they serve. Nice of them to drop their address on the bottom of each page, though I nearly missed it.
As far as I can tell, Wynn Las Vegas aggregates their many fine restaurants on their hotel website, so each restaurant in the empire displays in its own section, while the chef-heads behind the other establishments scroll quietly below. While a few of Bartolotta’s details are overlooked in this somewhat cluttered presentation, the imagery – of the chef, the food, the stunning setting – gives the website visitor a nice sense of the place.
A classy presentation, again complicated by the fact that this restaurant is part of a hotel and spa. Nevertheless, both the Hotel Healdsburg site and brand have a warm elegance that helps provide a feel for the place. All of the restaurant information is there, and it’s obvious a visit to the Hotel Healdsburg is far more than just going out to eat.
There is no denying that this is a lovely entry screen, yet why does my first interaction with Per Se have to relate to the Flash player version in my web browser? (I have Flash 9, thank you).
Anyway, I expect from the caliber and reputation of this restaurant that their website would be cool and controlled. The concept of the site appears to be of a visitor peeking through a door, as if walking by the restaurant kitchen door when it was just closing. Kind of a romantic sentiment. However, I find the navigation functionally overwrought and the overall feel is dark, heavy and a bit of a turnoff. Very little of their soul is coming through.
For all my rants, I am developing a Best Restaurant Website List. Got a nomination? Feel free to share it with me at: sara@successfulrestaurantwebsites.com.
…..for doing such a bangup job in presenting needed information on your homepage. Not only does it put the location and hours front and center, but the navigation elements – “The Chef and Cuisine,” “The Menu,” – are clear. We may not need them on both the top and bottom of the page but we still like its direct approach.
Web Exclusive: Marketing On a Small Budget
“Go Online Your front door is no longer just the swinging piece of glass with your logo in the middle. Many new customers–especially those under 35–get their first look at your restaurant on the Internet. Ten years ago it would have been enough simply to have a Web site. But today concepts hoping to compete must create an Internet presence that not only represents their brand, but also considers the end user’s needs with elements such as easy, intuitive navigation, quick loading and attractive layout. The Internet provides a myriad alternative marketing options such as online commercials, e-mail marketing, social networking sites, and microsites.”
Nice insight from Hospitality Trends:
How to Handle Negative Comments and Reviews Online
“…Keep building your customer list – another great reason to gather email addresses and communicate regularly. 99% of the time it will be promotion and good news, but if you ever need to put your side of the story… “
Restaurant Patrons Embrace Electronic Ordering
“While they may not be clamoring for waiter-free dining just yet, restaurant patrons are clearly willing to give it a shot, according to a survey by the National Restaurant Association that found 44 percent would embrace do-it-yourself electronic ordering systems and 53 percent would like to be able to pay without relinquishing their credit cards. “
In a recent interview, the National Restaurant Association’s Chief Economist, Hudson Riehle was asked about the biggest trends that might shape the restaurant industry in 2008. The first trend he mentioned was technology:
“There is a technology wave that will sweep over many segments of the restaurant industry in the next year and beyond. It makes sense if you think about it because restaurants are a very, very labor intensive industry and technology allows productivity gains and associated cost savings. So you can take quick service for example where both consumer and operator research indicate that kiosk ordering in many establishments will be coming online in the next year or two. That has a whole host of associated productivity gains with it…You can go into almost every component of a restaurant income statement and figure out how technology can boost sales while managing and depressing the expense growth.”
NRA 2008 Restaurant Industry Forecast
