At The Missing Ingredient, we strive to bring each of our clients Custom Restaurant Improvement Services. We understand that every restaurant is different and that goals and budget may dictate which services you choose. That’s why we offer individual services for customized packages to better suit your needs.
Food Photography
We all know that people eat with their eyes first! One of the best ways that a restaurant can attract customers is by having mouth-watering photographs on their website and social media pages so that a customer has no choice other than to come try out the food! Maria will take photographs of your signature dishes and drinks and provide you with full licenses to use the photographs on your website, social media pages and menus. For a few examples of Maria’s food photography, click here.
Secret Shopping
It can be hard for a restaurant owner to know what needs fixing because the owner is not in the shoes of a customer when the owner is in the restaurant. And of course, the minute the owner is on the floor, oftentimes everything is suddenly perfect when usually…not so much. In comes Maria’s secret shopping! Maria will come dine at your restaurant, while pretending to be a regular guest. She will tastes dishes, observe the setting and interact with the staff and afterwards, Maria will give you a detailed report on things that were outstanding and more importantly, things that need improvement.
Customer Service Feedback
Walt Disney World is known worldwide for excellent customer service. Having been a Cast Member for over 16 years, Maria knows a thing or two about customer service. Unfortunately, even if a restaurant’s food is delectable, it can be quickly overshadowed by a common customer service faux pas. Maria has a keen eye for noticing when customer service is lacking. Maria will come to your restaurant to experience your customer service first hand and then Maria will give you detailed feedback on how to improve customer service. Maria can also train or re-train your staff to ensure that they are providing the customer with an experience which will serve to highlight the dining experience, instead of taking away from it.
Website and Social Media Analysis
Oftentimes a customer will hear about a restaurant or drive by their building and want more information about the restaurant before stopping in. Unfortunately, many restaurants do not have an online presence, including having a website and social media pages. And if the restaurant does have information online, it is often outdated or incomplete. Without pivotal information such as the restaurant’s hours of operation or enticing photographs and a descriptive menu, restaurants are missing out on their chance to lure in a potential customer. Maria will evaluate your restaurant’s online presence and tell you how you can improve to make sure you are maximizing your stand in the digital age.
Ratings Review
A huge part of restaurant success is the ratings which consumers give your restaurant on apps such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google, and in other forums such as local Facebook groups. Sometimes the reviews are too many to count and a restaurant owner can easily become overwhelmed with the sheer number of reviews. Additionally, some reviews sound contradictory, so it becomes difficult for a restaurant owner to identify what actually needs improvement. Maria will review your restaurant’s reviews and give you a breakdown of what areas need improvement. With Maria’s help, your “needs improvement” reviews will be lessened and your “this was stellar” reviews will increase, driving more customers to your restaurant.
Live Tastings
Many people love to do their research and attempt to determine whether they will like your food before committing to spending money on a meal which they might not enjoy. Maria will coordinate a live tasting with you in order to demonstrate your restaurant’s unique flavors. What this means is that at a scheduled date and time, Maria will come to your restaurant and will taste your signature dishes alongside you – live on camera! This taping can be screened live on your social media or it can be recorded for you to post on any of your social media pages at your pleasure. Maria will show your dishes on camera and then will taste them, describing the unique tastes and telling your potential customers exactly what she enjoys about your food. Don’t be surprised when customers start rolling in an ordering by saying “I’ll have what Maria had.”
Wine Pairing
It is common for restaurants to have a food menu and a separate wine menu. What is less common is for restaurants to recommend certain wines with certain dishes. Maria is a sommelier with her WSET Level 1 Award in Wines. Maria will come to your restaurant, taste your dishes and your wines and suggest pairings, which your servers can in turn suggest to your customers. Maria can also help craft a fixed price wine pairing menu with you, in which your customer will pay a flat fee for a certain number of courses which are expertly paired with certain glasses of wine. Your customers will jump at the chance to go on your food and wine journey!
