One area from a restaurant operations expert perspective that is increasingly getting more scrutiny is the use of Wi-Fi by customers in a food and beverage establishment, especially in coffee shops. At issue is how long customers can tie up seats and tables without paying for anything more than a cup of coffee for an entire day. More and more coffee shop chains are placing some kind of restriction on time that a patron takes up occupying a table as well as their use of the electrical outlets. Wi-Fi is an amenity that helps to attract more business to your restaurant and bar during slow periods. It can also act as a deterrent to maximizing sales during peak times when other customers leave because you cannot accommodate them. As restaurants consultants we recommend generating high average revenues per seat across all peak time periods in order to meet your annual sales goals. In this recent story published in the Chicago Tribune, there are some worthwhile excerpts from a restaurant operations expert viewpoint that you might look into for your operation to limit the use of Wi-Fi while not alienating your existing clientele: “Some coffee shop owners try to strike a balance by providing free Wi-Fi connections in two-hour windows, requiring patrons to make a purchase to get the Wi-Fi password.” “Sony is even developing an electrical outlet that can read a user’s identity and set limits on electricity use, essentially allowing businesses to charge people for charging their devices.” Have other restaurant management tips about free Wi-Fi or a dining limit for customers who stay too long? We also encourage other restaurant operations expert firms to share their experiences for our readers as well. Feel free to post your commentary below or send it to me directly.
Perry Group
Hotel & Restaurant Experts For The Hospitality Industry
