100 Touch Points To Consider Before Opening A Bar Or Restaurant

Ok, so I have to be honest, maths isn't a strong point. Once I got to above 80 points I stopped counting and simply titled the blog "100 customer touch points..........."

We've been in your shoes on many occasions and felt the pain of putting together a hospitality outlet. We've woken up with that nagging feeling at 3am thinking, what have I forgotten?

While the below list isn't a complete list of everything you need to build a new bar, restaurant or cafe, it is afairly comprehensive in terms of all the touches you need to have in hand which are going to affect a customer's experience with you and get your bar or restaurant management off to a flying start.

We don't need to tell you just how important your opening days, weeks and months are going to be to the ongoing success of your business. So feel free to use the list below as your checklist to how you want your outlet to look and feel to the lifeblood of your business - your customers.

Lets start outside

Building Exterior:

• Signage
• Colours
• Cladding
• Windows and Frames
• Doors and Frames
• External advertising
• Menus
• Lighting
• Exterior menus
• Sandwich and Street boards

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Now we'll move through the interior like a customer would

Interior Signage to consider:

• Above bar
• Open and Close signs
• Operating hours
• On tables
• In menus
• Toilets

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Followed by your interior fit out

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• Tables
• Chairs
• Bar Top
• Beer taps
• Booths
• Bar Leaners
• Bar Stools
• Couches
• Televisions
• Candles
• Blankets (outside),
• Cushions
• Floor Coverings
• Wall Cladding and coverings
• Fireplace
• Kitchen visibility
• Toilets
• Internal doors

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How about the key soft points to your environment

• Music play lists and the level music is played at in each area or zone.
• Lighting levels and the ambience this creates in each area or zone.
• Heating throughout your outlet.

Of course we have to consider your food and beverages

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• Staff Uniforms
• Menus
• Plates & Bowls
• Look & feel of your menus
• Presentation of food
• Glassware
• Presentation of drinks
• Water Bottles
• Wine
• Beer and Cocktails Lists
• Sauce Bottles
• Spirits House
• Salt & Pepper
• Spirits Backbar
• Coffee & Tea Serving
• Food Of The Day
• Cutlery

Staff

• Staff Uniforms
• Staff Standards
• Attitude you want your staff to display
• Type of language used by staff

Let's take a seat at the table

• Finishing of the tables, how they are set, tablecloths, table talkers etc etc
• Utensil boxes
• Menu displays
• Ash trays

Now we'll walk through your Outdoor Areas

• Heating
• Lighting
• External furniture
• Outdoor Plants

Marketing is going to play a key role as you get up and running

• Business Cards
• Stationary
• Email Signatures
• Website
• Attitude of your brand
• Advertising Channels you will use
• Signature occasions
• Signature events
• PR
• Take away menus
• Availability of Internet
• Support of parking
• Bike parks

Other things to think about

• Magazines and Newspapers provided
• Cleanliness standards
• Drink Displays
• Back Bar displays
• Back bar set up
• Answer phone message
• Reservation booking systems
• Coatcheck

If you would like our help in making sure you turn every $1 of revenue into a predictable bottom line profit, then schedule a demo with one of our profitability experts now and find out how you could get a free trial of the world's simplest hospitality software.

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