Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

Thank you very much for your comments. I have joined the area COC and am in contact with many executive chefs in the area that are helping with outside promotion and your suggestions help solidify my decisions in those directions. We are also working on several not-for-profit promotions as well. I will certainly continue to look for more of those avenues. Thanks again!

Randall's answer took the air out of this one, no? ;)
Given the stats on restaurant failures, you'd be wise to verify the track record in your area (wasn't shown in your profile).

But let's play along anyway. I'm curious as to why you would care what "existing" (i.e., mostly bar patrons) think. How could they be in your target customer set? Have you thought about the target? You must have, since you already have your chef, etc. lined up.

Lots of things you can try, in getting feedback from these new targets:
- BEFORE opening, run a local ad asking for focus group participants. Screen carefully so you don't have off-target participants). Have the chef present at the subsequent meeting so he/she can hear first hand reaction to what you are planning and what they suggest.
- Find patrons of whoever you think are your closest competitors menu-wise. Ask these people what the competitors AREN'T doing that they should be.
- Soft launch a website prior to opening, where people can submit feedback/suggestions.
- Soft launch the restaurant itself, before the chef sets too much into stone. Let diners know during the soft launch the meal is going to be a very "interactive" experience (i.e., you, asking lots of questions thru-out).
- Once open officially, give diners an incentive to give you more than "comment card" feedback. Rating systems like that aren't all that helpful to what you are trying to find out. Maybe x$ off the next meal if they'll fill out a lengthier form or agree to a 5-minute interview, etc.
- Again, use the website post-launch to gather feedback.

Where possible, gather customer contact data so you can make collecting feedback an ongoing effort (the contact data also lets you woo diners back with promotions, etc., in addition to getting menu feedback)

Kevin,
Thanks for your responses as well. I will definately include some of your suggestions in our pre-opening plan. We have two soft-opens scheduled and the 5-minute interview is a great tool. I have been able to book several immediate area business people as well as area executive chefs that are "mentoring" the 2 chefs we will have in house. We were thinking of a short question-answer period after each seating.