The weekday crowd is an elusive bunch. Restauranters have been attempting to entice them in for the lunch rush since the dawn of time. But more often than not, they end up avoiding the sit down restaurants in favour of quick takeaways and fast food spots.
The same tried and tested methods that work on the Friday and Saturday night crowd fail to impress workers on a Tuesday at 12:00pm. The lunch-hour crowd has different priorities. They want something quick and flavourful that can be bought and eaten either on the walk to the office or when they get back.
So, how do you entice the workday crowd, whose desire for speed and convenience seems at odds with the entire basis of sit-down restaurants? Here are some smart and practical ways you can make your place irresistible during the work week.
1. Accommodate all
As workers return to the office, they’re doing so at completely different hours to the pre-pandemic world. The lunch hour has evolved; it’s now different for every business (and sometimes every employee) and restaurants have to adapt to these changing needs.
Your menu should accommodate those who come in at odd times. That doesn’t mean having your entire evening menu on for the whole day. It means having a small bar menu of light bites, snacks, and shareable plates that can be made quickly and enjoyed by diners who only have a few moments to eat. People will remember your small plates when they’re looking to find a place to dine in the evening, converting lunch time customers into regular diners.
This also extends to your drink offering. You’ll need to stock up on non-alcoholic beers, mocktails, and sodas on tap to cater to guests who may be commuting or finishing at unconventional hours.
2. Laptop friendly
To make sure your customers stick around after eating their light bite, your restaurant needs to be laptop friendly. A comfortable space with good Wi-Fi and casual seating will attract remote workers (and anyone with a bit more flexibility) looking for a productive afternoon spot, even when the full menu isn’t running.
Part of having reliable Wi-Fi means you can provide workers with a great place to hold a lunch and learn. It also means you’ll attract more diners at most hours of the day, creating a steady trickle of desk diners during those quieter hours.
3. Position your guests for success
People go to restaurants that look busy, so you’ll want to make sure it looks busy to entice more people inside. It's a time-tested method, but it's especially important to do during the work week.
Seat the tables by the window first; even if you’re struggling that day for customers, you want to give the impression that there’s a good crowd inside. People will be more likely to go places other people obviously frequent, and if they see people in the window, they’ll assume your restaurant is the place to be.
Empty tables and ever-increasing costs?
4. Bring the restaurant to them
Samples. If you’ve spent any time at the end of an aisle in a supermarket, you’ll know that people flock to the sampler. The one thing office workers love more than coffee is free food.
Offer samples from your dinner menu to lunch-time visitors, or set up pop-up tastings at local offices or co-working spaces to build brand awareness. A small investment in free tasters can spark lots of word-of-mouth buzz. By adding a QR code that links directly to your reservations or loyalty sign-up page, you can make it even easier for them to visit your restaurant later.
5. Time is everything
It’s important to make it as easy as possible for diners to find your restaurant. Booking ahead is essential to tempt the workday crowd away from the ease of their office food hall. TheFork’s booking journey couldn't be more convenient for diners and restaurants alike.
With access to millions of diners on TheFork marketplace, comprehensive no-show prevention tools, and smart integrations with POS and social media, our booking management system ensures the easiest route for customers to your tables.
To keep the customer journey efficient as they leave the restaurant, consider pay-at-table systems. Lunch breaks are short and after work they may only have a short window before they need to commute home; make sure your service and payment process are short and simple.
Build your brand
These days, your brand is almost as important as your food. You need to make sure your restaurant is known far and wide. Social media is your new best friend; optimise your online profiles across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube shorts. This will help reel in customers at the consideration stage, so make sure you can interact with them by engaging on your socials.
Building a loyal weekday following is about connection. Use data and insights from platforms like TheFork to understand when and why your customers visit, what dishes they love, and how often they return. Then, use that knowledge to shape your brand story online: share behind-the-scenes moments, highlight customer favourites, and interact with followers.
The more authentic and consistent your restaurant’s voice feels, the more likely guests are to remember (and revisit) you.
Understand what your customers are looking for and attract more diners with TheFork.
