Want to Really Know Who Comes to Your Restaurant? Think Demographics.

If your restaurant or food truck  is in its start-up  phase , it’s going to be a while until you have an idea of who’s coming to your restaurant but it’s never too early to start thinking about demographics . And if your restaurant has a specific concept (like food from a specific country or a specific diet like vegan), then you want to see who’s coming in. This is why demographic data is crucial in getting to know your restaurant audience.

By Tomwsulcer (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Demographics is More than Just Age and Gender

According to Investopedia, demographics include race, economic level, employment status, level of education, and more. While you may not go as far as holding a full census, having an idea of who specifically are coming in (not names, but by demographics) should give you an idea of who is coming and who is not coming.

Social Media Can Be A Great Way To Track Demographics

Almost every social media platform has an analytics tool where you can take a look at who’s liking, sharing, commenting, re tweeting, favoriting  your posts. It’s a great way to engage with the community.

But keep in mind that not everybody who follows your restaurant might have come to your restaurant before. This can come in an advantage–primarily that your non-visitors-followers are potential people you can focus on when you are posting on your social media.

This might sound like much when you’re just starting out your restaurant, but knowing who your customers are can be an early advantage–especially in terms of shaping out your menu and marketing. Remember, demographics are over a certain period (maybe a year, maybe a month) and not just conducted just one time–so plan accordingly.