With the arrival of fine weather, the mood of customers is improving and they are looking for restaurants offering a terrace. Following the latest health and safety measures in place to limit the spread of Covid-19, indoor and outdoor patios and terraces have never been more attractive to customers.
Indeed, TheFork conducted a survey* of its users which showed that having the possibility to reserve seats on the terrace directly on TheFork was in fact the most important feature for them (followed by the display of security measures Covid on the restaurant page and the possibility of having a digital version of the menu).
If your restaurant has a terrace, it is time to promote it and prepare it for future reservations.
Did you know that 5,000** TheFork restaurants have already added the Terrace TAG to their page? Contact your account manager to join the movement and improve the visibility of your establishment in order to attract customers!
Make the most of your outdoor tables
The spring is coming. In addition to your seasonal menus and specials, you should consider optimizing another key element: your outdoor tables, patio or terrace. We’ve compiled some tips below to help you transform your outdoor spaces into the welcoming place that TheFork users are looking for.
Bet on greenery: After long months of confinement, people are looking to escape their daily routine and enjoy the great outdoors. Vegetation and plants are one of the most popular decorations for customers. Very practical in the current context linked to Covid-19, they can serve as a separation between tables, table decoration or help create an incredible atmosphere at the entrance of your establishment in order to attract the eye of a large number of customers.
Good lighting: Do not neglect the lighting if you want to make the most of your activity according to your opening hours. Good lighting for your restaurant terrace will ensure the quality of your evening service and delight your customers until closing time. However, be careful not to use excessive lighting. The light should create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, it should not have the opposite effect.
Colors: Color is arguably one of the best ways to entice customers to eat at your restaurant. You should use warm, bright and creative colors to attract potential customers. Your deck colors are the most visible way to set yourself apart from your competition and attract customers. Also try to associate the colors of your exteriors with those of your logo to reinforce your establishment’s identity.
Waterproof and durable materials : As we have already pointed out, people today are particularly attached to the notion of sustainability in the restaurants they frequent. Therefore, the use of durable materials in decorating your terrace will increase your establishment’s popularity. If you also use waterproof materials, you will reduce your expenses and thus be able to cope with all unforeseen weather situations. Don’t let a few drops of rain stop you!
After a particularly difficult year, people want to relax and outdoor spaces play an essential role when booking a restaurant. TheFork Manager integrates certain features allowing you to offer the best possible experience to your customers:
Optimize the space within your restaurant
Having ensured that your restaurant terrace is welcoming, you now need to exploit and optimize the space, especially in these difficult times. The good news is that we provide you with the best tools to make it happen. Our restaurant management software TheFork Manager supports the following:
Space Optimization : With our digital seating plan feature , you can preview the available space within your facility, then set the boundaries to achieve a fixed space. This allows you to find the best layout without needing to physically move a single table.
Compliance with security measures: The digital room plan will help you to respect the rules of distancing since you can try to find the ideal balance between security and optimization of space in just a few clicks. You can also lock tables and set the distance between them directly from TheFork Manager.
Table preferences: The ability to reserve outdoor tables is now a top concern for customers. This is why this new feature available on TheFork Manager will allow customers to choose where they want to be seated in the restaurant. The feature will automatically assign these reservations to the right spaces (inside, on the terrace, etc.) and to the right tables (standard, high tables, low tables, etc.) on the seating plan, an essential element for managing social distancing and satisfying your customers.
Time management: You can decide the number of customers to receive per time slot and also limit them according to the origin of the reservation (offline, online). If you still have unexpected requests, don’t worry: the waitlist functionality solves the problem since you can add the unexpected reservation to the list so that you can easily notify the customer when a table becomes available.
Menu for your restaurant’s terrace: Whether your restaurant is open indoors or only outdoors, consider creating a special terrace menu to display on your restaurant’s TheFork page in order to stand out from your competitors.