Leverage Guest Feedback to Elevate Your Menu

“The customer knows best” is a saying for a reason. They know what they like and what they’re willing to pay for, especially when it comes to food.

The good news is, if you’re willing to listen, they’re usually willing to tell you. You just have to set yourself up to hear and respond to their feedback.

Your menu is your money-maker, so putting a system in place to listen to their feedback is imperative. Through this, you'll uncover valuable insights that pave the way for better menu options, innovative culinary creations, and an elevated dining experience. That leads to more delighted guests and repeat visitors.

Refining and Enhancing Your Menu

Gathering data around your existing menu can help you make informed decisions around what stays around, what gets 86ed and what gets tweaked. A well-thought-out guest feedback survey can help nail insights that optimize your offerings.

 The key is to ask the right questions – probe around not only what they liked and didn’t like, but what they thought might be missing to gain deeper insight into their dining experience, especially if your guests consider themselves foodies.

 One brand that listened to their guests and responded to the data is the leading U.S.-based Korean fried chicken brand Bonchon. After doing their own research, they found out their hand-battered chicken strips were missed, so they brought back the fan-favorites as part of a special strip-and-fries meal.

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Crafting Culinary Excellence Through Innovation

Guest feedback can not only help with today’s menu, but tomorrow’s as well. Using what guests are saying to challenge your kitchen can create dynamic new menu additions or even whole menu overhauls.

If guests are responding positively to a new dish, try a few in the same cuisine or style. Or try out a chef’s one-time creation as a special and see what the response is. If anything, guests will be intrigued by seeing what’s new, and curious to see what comes next. Plus, it shows your customers that you’re listening to what they’re saying.

Cracker Barrel has been innovating their menu based on their guests’ feedback. CEO Julie Felss Masino recently said they’ve been experimenting with new menu items like green chili cornbread and banana pudding. The company is adding new dishes including premium savory chicken and rice, slow-braised pot roast and hashbrown casserole shepherd's pie to the menu...all based on guest feedback.

Focusing on Quality and Standards

Listening to guests will also help you tighten up on quality and standards. With a proper customer feedback collection process in place, you’ll be able see areas of concern and address them promptly.

A menu item that’s seen as substandard will be flagged –forcing you to find a replacement of better quality. Or if there’s a need for more menu items that address dietary preferences – like plant-based, gluten-free or allergen-friendly – you’ll know through the guest feedback, which helps you raise your standards and cater to more people.

As we explored in a previous blog, guest feedback can be used as inspiration to raise your team’s training standards. This is also true for the quality of your food and your service. 

Cook Up More Success through Guest Feedback

By actively engaging with guest feedback through customer surveys, you have the opportunity to refine menu offerings, drive culinary innovation, and curate a dining experience that exceeds customer expectations.  

Ziosk can help you collect valuable feedback while the guest experience is still fresh through our table tablet payment process. You’ll know what they liked and didn’t like before they even leave your restaurant.

Plus, our restaurant technology puts your menu on full display – showcasing mouthwatering photos of every menu item, helping servers upsell and making your menu look fantastic.

Your restaurant can thrive by being willing to adapt, innovate, and respond to the evolving expectations of guests. After all, they know best, and they’re willing to tell you with more than their wallets – you just have to listen.

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