One Fat Frog is having a dress-up day today in the office. More on that later, but for now keep in mind that the Froggy staff is dressed as characters from the TV show “Big Bang Theory.” We’re not just doing that because someone needed an excuse to wear a comic book T-shirt. We’re doing it because goofy themes like these make the office more fun not only for the employees but also for customers. We have had several customers so far exclaim things like “hey, I love that show!” And then they start quoting the show and sharing their favorite jokes.
What does this have to do with a One Fat Frog restaurant startup tip? Simple. When you’re thinking about your restaurant’s experience, that’s more than just ingredients, menus, floor plans, and the like. The experience is how your customers feel when they are dining in your restaurant. The better their dining experience, the more likely they are to become repeat visitors (for example, this Frog’s experience is made better by having cheap beer). When you’re planning your restaurant’s experience, don’t forget the fun.
Okay, if you’re an upscale fine dining restaurant, “fun” may not be the experience you’re going for. Instead, you’re probably looking for an experience that is romantic or classy. Many other restaurants, however, could stand to have a little more fun. This is for more than just Hooters-type places and their football jersey and Halloween costume dress-up days. Think about how you felt when eating a burger at Johnny Rocket’s and suddenly they started singing oldies. Or how about that song and dance you get when you put money in the tip jar at Coldstone Creamery. Did that bring a smile to your face? Thank of all of the restaurants and gastropubs that benefit from things like trivia night and karaoke.
The point is this: People like to have fun (One Fat Frog folks sure do for one thing), so if you can make your restaurant experience a fun one, people are going to want to come back. So when you are planning other aspects of your restaurant experience – the menu, the theme, the layout, the music – make sure you don’t forget the fun.