According to recent statistics, there were 7,680 registered businesses in Singapore’s food and beverage industry in 2016. Of these, 2,712 were restaurants, 477 fast food outlets, and 450 external caterers.
If you’re planning to enter the industry, expect nothing less than fierce competition. However, it is possible to stay on top of the game. In addition to building an innovative and different business, another way is to pay close attention to what your patrons desire.
While these factors such as an extensive menu and a cosy ambience will attract customers, restaurateurs should take into account the expectations of their customers. Although the expectations may differ, listed below are the four top and most common ones customers tend to have.
Great Service Quality
Most businesses in the F&B industry are expected to have top-notch service. The service offered is also a representation of the restaurant. Customers tend to expect the service they receive to be efficient and reasonably quick. Apart from attending to them, great service also ensures that orders are sent out within a reasonable period.
To support this, ensure that you invest in quality equipment from reputable kitchen equipment suppliers in Singapore. This way, the process will operate at a faster and smoother pace.
Food Quality
With the fierce competition in the industry and the myriad of choices available for customers, you need to find ways to stay relevant. To do this, you need to ensure that your food quality meets expectations and remains consistent. The quality of the food you serve will play a key role in setting your business apart from the others.
Meeting this basic expectation is not sufficient, where the consistency of the food quality is equally important. As such, customers will always return.
Achieving and maintaining top food quality is also a manner of marketing for your restaurant. Once you’ve got your first set of customers hooked, there is a high chance that they will promote your business to others as well.
Hygiene and Ambience
Another common expectation of guests is an appealing ambience. For instance, hygiene is extremely important, in order for a restaurant to meet the expectation. Ensure that there are stringent operating procedures for hygiene for your staff to abide by.
Additionally, the interior should also be ideally dressed according to the theme. Similarly, invest in equipment that will assist to create and maintain the ambience. However, there are certain no-nos that you should steer clear from, such as the sounds produced by cooking equipment. Ensure you arrange for kitchen equipment suppliers in Singapore to conduct regular maintenance as well as a replacement in case of damage.
Knowledge of the Menu
Whether you’re running a high-end restaurant or a fast-food joint, customers will expect staff to have adequate knowledge of the menu. This way, staff members will be able to educate their customers as well as help them make a decision to best suit their dining needs. For example, the restaurant staff should have sufficient knowledge of the chef’s special or expertise on wines in order to recommend them. While staff at a fast-food joint should have the knowledge of what each meal consists of to inform the customer when required.