Restaurant Spring Cleaning: Five Things You Should Change Now

Spring cleaning is invigorating and brings new life to worn-out spaces. The process is not just for homes but also restaurants, which can use a good sprucing up once the warmer weather kicks in. We’ve rounded up five cost-effective ways to transition your place from winter to spring.

Add Life to Your Tables

While flowers can be cost prohibitive in the winter — candles are a good option during the colder months — in springtime flowers are abundant and less costly. Adding a bud vase or even a mason jar with a few fresh-cut flowers on each table makes your restaurant more inviting. It’s an easy way to freshen up your decor without investing too much. You can even use fresh herbs or greenery for a more rustic touch.

Up Your Social Media Game

Whether you’re a fan of social media or still learning what Instagram does, it’s an easy way to pull in additional customers. If you’re not interested in learning the various platforms yourself, there’s no doubt someone on your staff is a social media aficionado.

All you need to do is snap photos of your cooking process, your beautiful new floral tablescapes, or a finished meal to lure in fresh customers. Add a few relevant hashtags, and you have yourself an easy marketing campaign you can launch for free. 

Get Rid of Old Equipment

Spring is an optimal time to ditch old equipment. You can use auction websites to recoup some of the money you invested in the old equipment to help you update your space.  Your cooks will feel invigorated to make new creations on newer equipment.

Update Your Menu

Keep your offerings fresh. You don’t need to completely change your menu each season like many farm-to-table restaurants, but consider adding a few choices that utilize  in-season produce. The benefit is in-season items are cheaper and bursting with the most flavor. A rotating, fresh menu will keep patrons wanting to come back to see what is new, with limitations also adhering to the paradox of choice in eliminating menu excess anxiety.

If you offer cocktails, try differing infusions. Do you only use premixed syrup? Experiment and make your own with in-season herbs. Use  juices, promoting the juice’s freshness and locality, if possible. You’ll be able to charge more per drink while standing apart from the competition.

Clean Comprehensively

There’s a reason spring cleaning became a phrase. It’s hard to clean out properly when it’s snowing outside. Once that warm air hits, it’s time to air everything out. Open your windows to cut through the stale recycled air and give a deep clean to all your equipment and furnishings. Pick a day midweek in early spring, preferably outside of business hours, and schedule staff for a spring cleaning day. 

By scheduling cleaning for a day without customers, your staff will be able to focus on cleaning and nothing else. You can make it fun by blaring music to keep everyone motivated and picking up lunch at another local restaurant. Alternatively, you can hire an outside company to give your space a professional cleaning.

Spring symbolizes rebirth. Shake off all the excess baggage your restaurant has from winter and take advantage of the air of excitement spring brings.

Restaurant Spring Cleaning: Five Things You Should Change Now posted first on happyhourspecialsyum.blogspot.com