Large parties can either be a boom or a burden, depending on how they descend on your restaurant. You know they can put an extra strain on the kitchen and the waitstaff, so let’s take a look at some things you can do to prepare the party and your staff in advance to make sure the experience is positive for everyone involved and you can make return customers out of all the guests
Communicate
When a large party books a reservation at your restaurant, offering them some suggestions that will help make their experience one to remember can be helpful. Confirm their booking time with them and remind them that it is advisable to encourage everyone to arrive on time so that their service can be well coordinated.
Preview the Menu
If your menu is online, let them know and be sure to tell them your website so they can share it with the group in advance to take a look and start to get an idea of what they like might like to order. Suggest they may want to pre-order some family-style appetizers which can be a nice way to start off the meal and have something available quickly for people to snack on while they are deciding what they want to order.
Children
Ask in advance if there are children in the group. Be sure to let them know what child-friendly meals and activities your restaurant offers so they can plan accordingly to bring other activities to keep the children entertained during the meal.
A large group can take longer to enjoy their meal, so having books and games to keep younger guests busy and happy is a great idea. If you don’t have these at your restaurant, be sure to let the guests know so they can bring their own. They may also want to pre-order meals for the kids so those orders can be placed right away and served more quickly while the adults enjoy drinks and appetizers.
Service with a Smile
Prep your waitstaff for the differences that they may experience with a larger party so they can be prepared, organized and and approach the table with enough energy to serve them efficiently. It’s even more important to approach a large table with a big smile and a positive attitude as it can be more challenging to get a big group’s attention.
Encourage your staff to let their personality shine and to speak loud and clear when they are sharing specials or clarifying orders. This will save time in the end as establishing a good rapport with the group can really help with suggestions for ordering, minimize special orders and any other issues that can arise from large group orders.
Getting it right with large parties can be good for your business. It is your chance to create new, loyal customers of everyone in the group, so it’s worth a little extra attention to make sure their group experience is a great one!