Get Connected: 5 Benefits of Offering Free Restaurant Wifi to Your Customers
As a restaurant owner, you naturally want to provide the best possible experience for your patrons. That’s why you have put painstaking effort into your menu, trained up your staff to the highest standards, and worked hard to cultivate a vibe that customers love. One aspect you might not have considered is restaurant WiFi.
After all, some restaurant owners cringe at the thought of their patrons all hunched over their laptops in silence, when they should be enjoying their meals. However, free restaurant WiFi is something the vast majority of customers want. Here’s why you should have WiFi in your restaurant.
1. A Valuable Marketing Opportunity
Offering customers WiFi is a two-way street, in that there are also tangible benefits for you. As this expert guide to WiFi for your restaurant explains, you can use your WiFi login page to market your business to customers.
You can let them know about a promotion when they sign in, or you can solicit valuable customer data as a login requirement, such as their age or their favorite type of food. These insights are invaluable to any business.
2. Restaurant WiFi Keeps Customers Around
So, should your restaurant have WiFi if you are concerned about how it will affect the vibe of your venue? When assessing this, it is important to note that WiFi keeps customers on-site for longer.
On average, 62 percent of businesses said patrons stayed for longer and spent more money after they installed free WiFi. Meanwhile, more than half of patrons say they are more likely to visit a restaurant alone if it has free WiFi.
3. Encourage USG
These days, user-generated content (USG) is an invaluable marketing asset for small businesses, especially those with a local focus. One highly effective way to solicit user-generated content for your customers is through your WiFi policy.
For example, you could ask that every customer tweet or post an Instagram from your restaurant, as a thank-you for the free WiFi. Free WiFi in your restaurant can encourage greater interaction with your brand.
4. Keep Your Loyal Customers Happy
Arguably your most important assets are your loyal patrons, the ones that come for dinner every Friday night. In order to keep loyal customers on board, you should be offering perks that make their experience as comfortable and convenient as possible.
If they know that they can always stay connected when visiting your restaurant, they might be more likely to keep coming back.
5. Stay Competitive
Finally, don’t forget that, even if you do not offer WiFi in your restaurant, your competitors probably do. If you want to stay on top of the competition, every little thing helps.
If a customer has to choose between your Italian restaurant and another Italian restaurant down the street, the option of free WiFi might be what swings their decision. The restaurant business is more competitive than ever, and free WiFi can give you that vital edge.
Turbo-Charge Your Marketing Strategy
Restaurant WiFi is a marketing tool that can help you to forge better relationships with customers and build your brand. For more simple, low-budget tips on how to turbo-charge your marketing strategy, we have got you covered.
Make sure to consult our dedicated Marketing guides for the expert insights that will get you ahead.
