We all love to try new foods and new restaurants when we go on vacation, and
some of us even have old favorites we love to go back to each time we
visit. Restaurant owners in big tourist
locations like like Orlando, Florida or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina know how
important it is to capture the attention of not only the locals, but the
millions of tourists who visit each year. So, what does it take to be a successful restaurateur in one of the top
destination cities in the US?
Good Food
This one may seem obvious, but good food can go a long way! Even if your restaurant may not be the
biggest and the fanciest, if your food is delicious, you’ve already taken the
biggest step. Some of the United States’
most raved about restaurants are nothing to look at, but they make their impact
on every customer who has the pleasure of dining there.
Advertising
Getting the word out can be hard, but in a tourist-filled town, you have a
lot more avenues of getting your name in the public eye. Offering a brochure,
menu or free tasting at the local hotels can open up a huge market to you. The
impact you make on the staff will be passed along to the visitors, so keep it
fresh, positive and inviting at all times (even when it’s not a big tourist
season). Word of mouth can make or break
any business, but it’s especially true for the dining industry. It’s important to be at the top of your game
at all times!
A good way to allow patrons to try your food would be to take it to the streets
every now and then. Give out free
samples in populated areas, hand out coupons at events, or do package deals
with whatever the main attraction in your city is (e.g. give a $10 gift card
when someone buys a pass to the local theme park).
Find Your Niche
When people are on vacation, they usually want to experience something unique
and different, that they can’t find in their own home town. This is why niche restaurants do so well in
big tourist towns. Find a niche that
works for you, and go all out! It can be
anything from a fun fiesta theme to having your customers wear funny hats and
sit in silly restaurant furniture. Anything that gets the customer talking and excited about your
restaurant is a good thing. Put on your
thinking cap and get together with your staff to figure out what a fun concept
for your business could be.
Location
Your location is important, but it’s not everything. If your fare is excellent, and you have good
advertising, the people will come! That
being said, it’s always nice to be in the vicinity of an exciting attraction,
so you can take advantage of tourists coming and going. It’s certainly
something to consider when choosing the location for your endeavor.