When your competition start cutting corners in slow economy you should do the complete oppesite. Spend, Spend, Spend.....let's call it invest, invest, invest...
Market the hell out of your restaurant, hire the best P/R professional money can buy and get a human interest stories about you and your restaurant. Invite your loyal patron for complimetary birthday or anniversary dinner as your guests. Buy frequent patrons a comp. bottle of wine.
Bake extra bread and give to late dinner guests to take home. If Italian, give guests a gift like a mason jar of your secret marinada sauce to take home. Bring dinner guests comp. appetizers and ask for their opinion on yout 'new' menu experientations?
Start building a database of guests won with personal data, birthday,anniversary etc.etc.
and send a handwritten 'thank you' for joining your paronal extended family of friends and patrons. Remember your family and their special days, birthdays and anneversaries, and they will remember you all your long. Be a giver and not a taker. don't cut the size on your baked potato, don't serve old bread, don't buy cheap toielet paper, don't save on the A/C.
If you are an independent upscale restaurauteur call your guests next moning and assure yourself your patrons had a never to be forgotten dining experience. If not, find out why not?
Don't send them a free dinner complimentary gift certificate. Send them all the money plus the tip back on a check along with a letter of appoligies and aske them to send you the change as you over estimated the amount spend in your restaurant...
In no time at all you action will spread by 'word of mouth' in your comunity as people like to do business with someone who is not doing it for the money
