By Leo Clarke, Contributor
All restaurant owners know the hospitality industry can be volatile, with seemingly random busy periods and unexpected lulls. Though the economic climate can cause people to ebb and flow when it comes to unnecessary spending, the How They’ll Spend It Report of 2024 found that eating out remained one of the top three spending priorities for its respondents.
Alongside traditional methods of predicting customer numbers and revenue, such as using historical data and seasonal trends, there are some unconventional methods which can provide additional insight into how busy your restaurant is likely to be at any given time. With a comprehensive approach to forecasting, you can better predict how many patrons will walk through your doors – so it makes sense to utilize as many methods as possible.
Here, we explore three unusual ways to predict busy periods.
Track Social Media
Social media has become one of the most frequently used online platforms, and it's a goldmine of real-time information. From news to events, many of your customers will be scrolling through their socials regularly – so why not use this information to help both boost your visibility and anticipate sales?
By posting a promotional listing and then monitoring how frequently your customers mention your restaurant, comment or engage with it, you can better predict how many customers may attend your event or restaurant on any given day. Viral food trends can also predict a surge in patronage – especially if your restaurant is offering a trending, photo-worthy dish.
For optimal tracking and additional insights, make sure your restaurant’s social media accounts are switched to business mode. This will provide you with the metrics you need to identify your customer base, and ensure your content is reaching the right customers.
Know Local Public Transport and Hotel Stats
If your restaurant is located near a train station, bus station or hotel, it could be helpful for you to keep an eye on when most people are using their services. Understanding peak travel times and hotel occupancy levels can give you a better idea of when you’re most likely to have people wandering in, looking to enjoy a meal.
Many cities provide real-time transit data, or you could partner with local hotels to gain valuable data which you can use to your advantage. When you know why your busy periods occur, you can better prepare for them and predict them with greater accuracy for the future.
Keep Up with Local Schools, Businesses, and Events
It can pay to know when local schools or colleges are hosting events, sports days and parent-teacher conferences, as this could significantly boost your traffic on these days. If you track academic calendars and stay up to date with local, community events in your area, you can arrange coinciding promotions and rein in a few extra hands to help with an influx of families looking for somewhere to eat after the school event.
Similarly, building relationships with other local businesses can provide mutual benefits. For example, if you’re located near a theater, you may be able to predict pre and post-show rushes of diners. If customers can combine eating out with entertainment options, they typically do – so make sure you have the staff and supplies to cater.
While using traditional methods of predicting busy periods are essential for restaurant owners, these more unusual ways can also come in useful. Thinking outside of the box can help to stay ahead of the competition in this fast-paced industry.
