Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence
Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence
Many restaurants opened patio dining areas for their guests to enjoy during the pandemic. Now that the pandemic emergency is over, plenty of restaurants continue to offer this feature. In fact, many restaurant customers now expect outdoor seating when weather permits as part of their guest experience.
So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many guests also like to munch outdoors with their mutts at lunch, dinner or during night out for drinks. Offering dog-friendly outdoor dining makes your restaurant stand out from competitors who haven’t stayed on top of this hot restaurant trend.
Here at seven tips that will make both owners and dogs yip with delight.
Make the outdoor patio spacious enough to accommodate everyone with dogs. But you may have to make the dog-friendly patio smaller than you would like, says Your Restaurant Business:
“You’re likely constricted by sidewalks, parking lots, or adjacent buildings and thus can only size the patio so big. The patio should be easily accessible on the grounds of your restaurant and appealing. Add modern furniture and plenty of lighting for after the sun goes down.”
Many dog owners treat their four-legged friends as members of the family. Offer appetizers, entrees and desserts from a special dog menu to show that you think of guests’ dogs as family, too. Get creative with your doggie menu names but keep food items simple. For example, offer special dog treats for “pawpetizers” and “pupsicles” for dessert.
Not all dogs like every dog they meet. It may be tempting to add as many tables as possible to raise revenue. But patio dog fights will send guests running to competitors that make sure dogs and owners have enough space to feel at ease. If possible, separate dogs with a non-dog-table between when seating.
Create social media posts with lots of photos and videos of restaurant guests enjoying themselves with their dogs at your outdoor patio. Ask people to share on their own social media pages. Word of mouth will soon make your restaurant a popular pet owner choice.
When a dog has to go, they have to go. Clearly designate a grassy area a good distance away from the patio for dogs to relieve themselves. Provide dog bags at waste stations. Also, designate an employee to attend to the dog waste area at least once an hour to keep it clean.
Provide communal water bowls on the dog-friendly patio. Better yet, personalize the dining experience and show that you care about each dogs’ health by providing a fresh water bowl at each table that includes a dog guest.
News stations love to broadcast heartwarming dog stories. Ask a TV news station to send a reporter to film and interview guests dining with their dogs. That’s free advertising that reaches a wide audience of restaurant guests.
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