Providing entertainment at your restaurant is a great way to interest new customers and encourage returning guests to come dine with you regularly. Today’s foodies are looking for a complete dining experience, and that includes a great atmosphere as well as an impeccable menu. Hosting entertainment is a great way to encourage customers to come out and dine during the slower days of the week, and can help your restaurant build a lasting reputation in your community. If you’re thinking about adding a little extra something to your restaurant, here are some restaurant entertainment ideas to get you started.
Hire A Flair Bartender
Hiring a flair bartender for an evening will up the ante and give your guests a night to remember. Flair bartending is often only seen at promotional events and private parties, so bringing it into your restaurant will give your guests a unique opportunity. Entertain your guests easily with the juggling, flipping, flaming-tricks, and magic of flair bartending.
Showcase A Local Artist
Replace your regular decor with pieces by a local artist and offer them for sale. Promoting an independent artist will turn your venue into a vernissage for the evening. Let guests browse the paintings while sipping their cocktails and waiting for meals. They’ll feel like they’ve stepped into an art gallery as well as a restaurant, and you may even be able to arrange for commission on any art sales.
Have Craft Beer Tasting
Local craft beers haven’t seen a dip in popularity since their meteoric rise a few years ago. There are aficionados in every city who look for opportunities to sample and compare local microbrews. Offer a special price on tasting flights of craft beer on a slow night of the week and you’ll find people flocking in to sample the latest brews they can’t find anywhere else.
If you’re making your own beer you know that maintaining consistency in your beer is critical, so you may want to consider investing in brewery management software to help you streamline production and the brewing processes. These include acinventory management, raw material tracking and forecasting, and recipe tools for a wide range of beers.
Host A Specialty Cocktail Night
If craft beer doesn’t quite fit with the atmosphere of your restaurant, a specialty cocktail night is another great option. Showcase a specialty cocktail menu for one night only that includes exclusive drinks made from fresh seasonal ingredients. Guests will jump at the chance to sample a cocktail that’s only available once in a lifetime.
Offer Board Games
For a more casual restaurant, board games offer timeless entertainment value for all ages. Keep a well-stocked shelf with all the classic games for your guests to play. Board games are a great ice-breaker which will make your venue the next go-to place in the city for first dates, work events, and burgeoning friendships. Board games are also a great way to convey a family-friendly atmosphere and keep kids entertained throughout the meal.
Invest In A Photo Booth
Photo booths are always a big hit at weddings and corporate events so why not offer that same entertainment at your restaurant? Keep the booth stocked with props and costumes so your guests can have fun creating all kinds of pictures in between courses. Photo booths are a novelty that most restaurants don’t have so investing in one will make your venue stand out from the crowd. You can also include a small logo on the printed photographs so those memories act as ongoing advertising for your restaurant.
Add Vintage Arcade Games
Vintage arcade games are having a new vogue as millennials make up a major part of any business’ demographic. If you have the space, consider adding a retro Pacman machine or vintage pinball game near the bar. Not only will this provide entertainment to guests as they wait for their meal, it will also encourage them to stay and keep ordering drinks so they can play longer.
Introduce The Chef
Many restaurant goers would love the opportunity to get to know the person behind the meal. Chose a special night when business is usually slow and give guests the opportunity to meet the culinary mastermind. Offer a special tasting menu and have the chef come onto the floor to talk to the crowd about his or her culinary philosophy and the process behind creating each dish. Guests will love the opportunity to get an exclusive understanding of how the dishes make it from farm to table.
There are so many creative and unique restaurant entertainment ideas to incorporate in your restaurant. The type of entertainment you choose should fit the existing brand and atmosphere of your venue, but you should find something for everyone on this list. Upscale diners will look forward to specialty cocktails and a chance to meet the chef, while bars will find themselves overflowing with customers during a craft beer tasting. Whatever kind of restaurant entertainment ideas you choose, adding something extra to your guest experience will ensure those customers come back again and again.
