It's the Frequency, stupid

I've heard it so many times this year I almost started believing it myself. "I need more customers! How do I get more customers?!"

Sales people have jumped on that bandwagon. Many aren't telling you what you need, they're telling you what you want to hear. "We reach 50,000 people ready to buy. We'll get you more customers."

Here are the facts:

• The average American is dining out 4 fewer times per year
  
• Depending on the type of restaurant you have, you probably have around 4,000-6,000 unique customers
  
• 4 fewer visits per year x 4,000 customers = 16,000 fewer visits x $10 ticket average
  

Not all of your customers have taken all of their four visits from you, but maybe you lost 1.5 of those (times 4,000 = 6,000 x $10 ticket = $60,000). Sound familiar? Is this about how much you're down?

Now your ticket average is probably higher now than last year. Why? Because the customers who remain are your loyal ones, and loyal customers spend more and bring friends. So if you normally have a $10 ticket average, but now it's up to $11 or $12, you're missing your not-so-loyal (but very profitable) $8-$9 customers.

You need to focus on getting them back, focus on getting customer counts up.

New customers will come, but they cost more to get and take longer. Former customers, not visiting because of the market, are easier to get back more often (email, bounce-backs, promotions, LTO). Solidify your base.