Having many loyal customers is the end goal for most restaurants because recurring clients bring in a constant stream of money that keeps their business profitable.
But loyalty takes time to gain and can easily be lost. One of the main reasons customers choose to never visit a restaurant again is because they are experiencing menu fatigue. They get bored of eating the same few dishes again and again and will seek excitement elsewhere.
If you want to prevent this from happening at your restaurant, check out how to easily avoid menu fatigue.
What is menu fatigue?
Menu fatigue is a problem that restaurants face when clients feel bored or apathetic regarding the menu offerings. It usually happens when the menu is repetitive, too big, or has the same dishes for a long period.
Why does menu fatigue occur?
Customers can become disinterested and stop visiting and ordering from your restaurant when the menu is:
- Very long: A big menu with lots of dishes can lead to choice paralysis. Moreover, it leads clients to believe you focus more on quantity than on offering quality menu items;
- Repetitive: If you have the same menu for a long period, clients who like to experience new tastes will look elsewhere. Even if your food is delicious, a loyal customer can only enjoy it a couple of times;
- Lacking in trendy options: People are always on the lookout for new food trends. If your restaurant doesn’t offer a version of it, they will go to the competition;
- Unappealing: Without professional food photography and inviting menu descriptions, clients won’t be interested in the dishes you sell.
The negative impact of menu fatigue on your business
It can be easy to ignore menu fatigue as another trendy term for the restaurant industry. However, studies have shown that customers seek variety and novelty in their diets for physiological and psychological health.
Therefore, if you don’t put in the work to avoid menu fatigue, your restaurant will end up with:
Drop in reputation: Unhappy customers tend to leave negative reviews. If you get too many bad reviews, your score will drop, and it will deter new clients from giving your place a chance.
Decreased customer satisfaction: Some clients will complain about the lack of variety to your employees or online, and some will just stop visiting your business;
Less loyal customers: You’ve worked hard to build a loyal following of clients. If you don’t give them what they want, which is more variety, they will turn to the competition;
Fewer sales: You must monitor your sales by item to notice if you experience a significant drop in sales for a specific dish. This is a clear indicator that it is time to update your menu;