Bars and restaurants don’t just serve food and beverages but function as social centers for communities of people with similar interests. Ambiance in a bar or restaurant helps to attract families, college students, business executives, singles or urban professionals.
Thoughtful managers coordinate elements of design, lighting, entertainment, background music and games to attract certain types of customers. Bars and even restaurants are increasingly providing classic video and arcade games, trivia challenges, high-definition monitors and interactive games to draw customers.
Creating ambiance to attract customers depends on whether managers are targeting hipster foodies, sports-minded locals or romantic couples. Table lamps and candles set a distinct romantic tone while bright track lighting attracts hip and trendy customers. Other features to consider in setting the tone include:
Encouraging customers to act in certain ways helps to establish ambiance. Layout in a bar, whether people sit or stand, housekeeping standards, lighting and drink strength also affect the ambiance. Bar staff can control the alcohol level and environment and promote food sales to reduce altercations and set the tone.
An excellent way to use a loyalty program is to offer rewards based on games, scores and visits during special events. These kinds of contests and games can definitely affect the facility’s ambiance. The benefits of using loyalty gamification include:
Leveraging sports teams for ambiance and promotion is increasingly common among hospitality businesses. Millions of people watch sports at local restaurants or bars, which they regard as second homes. Decorate with team colors, broadcast games on big-screen TVs and offer special menu items during games to create a sporting ambiance.
Try offering meal deals for game nights that customers order for takeout. Part of the deal might include using team colors or logos on packaging, but make sure to get permission. Monday Night Football is an ideal opportunity to create a sports ambiance and attract customers on the slowest night of the week.
Other ways to leverage sports teams for ambiance and promotion include:
Using features of a bar or restaurant’s unique ambiance—especially games—returns exceptional marketing opportunities. Possibilities for marketing games at bars and restaurants include:
Ambiance can be overt or subtle, and large operations might prefer the subtle approach to avoid alienating other customers. Many hospitality venues resolve this dilemma by creating a distinct, professional ambiance during rush hours and a transformative experience after things slow down for the loyal patrons who stay longer.