How to convey a sense of safety, comfort and stability while sticking to your brand
By Ellen Weaver Hartman, APR, Fellow PRSA
By now, all of us know the steps operators must take to keep restaurants as safe as possible for both guests and employees – things like washing hands, disinfecting surfaces and distancing from each other. Guests are accustomed to these protocols and now expect to see them in place.
But how you convey that message of safety is just as important as how you do it. The messaging you use, in combination with your branding and marketing, will set you apart from competitors and help drive traffic to your restaurant.
Research from the National Restaurant Association has found that diners have a pent-up demand for eating out again. But the research also says that guests will not return to in-restaurant dining until there is trust that the restaurant and staff are sanitized and safe. That’s why it’s necessary to proactively communicate your safety practices to guests.
When doing so, keep in mind that how you message your safety practices should match your brand. Are you a casual dining establishment that’s fun and lighthearted? Then that’s how you should talk about safety practices. Make it tongue in cheek. Have fun with it. If you are a more serious fine-dining restaurant, then a more serious tone will be more appropriate.
Whatever you do, make sure your messaging is authentic to who you are. Right now, people want predictability, comfort and stability. You, their longtime favorite restaurant they know and love, can provide that for them.
Your message should be communicated in the restaurant with signage and through employees, but it should also be posted on your social media channels and website. Keep in mind that while you should be communicating safety and trust, it’s also important how you make guests feel once they step in the door.
Call out new safety procedures before guests arrive. Let guests and potential guests know what to expect beforehand. Tell them what you are doing to keep them safe and make sure they understand what is expected of them. The more they know, the more confident they will be to visit.
Finally, don’t forget to show your guests how much you value them. When diners return to their favorite restaurant and experience the joy of dining out with good food, good drinks and good service, they will be reminded of how much they value going out to eat and are likely to come back again if the trust and value is there.
People come to restaurants to celebrate, and now more than ever we all need a little something to celebrate, even if it’s as simple as going out to eat at our favorite establishment.
Ellen Weaver Hartman, APR, Fellow PRSA, is the CEO of Hartman Public Relations, a full-service public relations and crisis management agency specializing in the foodservice industry. Hartman has experience working for global food and beverage companies in QSR, full service, fast casual, convenience stores and airport concessionaires. An industry leader for more than 30 years, Hartman served as vice president for communications and diversity at AFC Enterprises. She has helped restaurant clients through a variety of crisis situations including contagious diseases (COVID-19, Norovirus, Hepatitis A), violence in the workplace, sexual and racial discrimination, cybercrimes, criminal activities in the company and environmental disasters. She is active in the Women’s Foodservice Forum, Les Dames d ’Escoffier International and serves on the board of the Georgia State University School of Hospitality. She earned her APR accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America and is a member of PRSA’s Fellow program for senior accomplished professionals.
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