Expanding Holiday Hospitality

As we come to the close of 2025 and plan 2026, several clients have asked me “Why is the restaurant business becoming harder and harder each year?” The restaurant business has changed because the CUSTOMER has changed, and the WORLD has changed. You must meet the customer where they are and deliver an experience they desire. This is what the customer wants now…

1. Customers want to feel connected to you. They want to feel SEEN. People are no longer just buying a product or a meal; They are buying a cause, a purpose, and a brand.

2. They want VALUE. In this economy, people don’t have the same amount of money to throw around. They want to feel like they are getting their money’s worth or more, and they should be.

3. They no longer want to wait. They want food quickly and efficiently executed in fast casual and casual concepts.

4. People are drinking much less than prior years. We can no longer subsidize food prices by liquor sales. Ot is important to have low-alcohol content beverages and creative alcohol-free drinks on the menu. Study the success of dirty sodas!

5. They want to leave feeling GOOD about what they eat. This means that the overly decadent meals need to be met with lighter items, simple, specialized menus that feature what you do best. Don’t try to be everything for everyone.

6. They want community. They want to have a space to hang out that feels warm and welcoming, where people remember their name and they feel like they belong.

7. They want to feel comfortable. They want nostalgia, like the old days where you could go to a restaurant and order “the usual” and the staff knows what that is. Consistency makes people feel safe.

   
   

We are a safe space for people. It’s our honor and privilege to serve. Now is the time to connect and provide a genuine hospitable experience consistently to earn their trust that will keep them coming back.

HO! HO! HO!

To learn more please reach out to me at david@therestaurantclinic.com.