How Are Restaurants Attracting New Business in 2021?

The best thing you can do in 2021 is open a business that offers your guests something new, relaxing, and fun, especially if the company is a restaurant and bar.

Now is the time to make waves and try new angles and new concepts to build a relaxing, feel-good atmosphere.

After all, restaurant patrons are absolutely craving a genuine, authentic get-away from the usual. They’re practically foaming at the mouth, looking for somewhere to call their second home, sanctuary, and personal hideout.

That, sir, is what makes the Shuckin’ Shack oyster bar franchise a great place to beach yourself on a barstool and chow down on fresh, sustainable seafood in a casual, laid-back atmosphere.

(Hint: it’s a lot more down-to-earth than you think!)

Get ready to shuck things up. It’s go-time!

There’s never been a better time to open up a new restaurant and bar, but why? What makes us so sure that joining our oyster bar franchise family is a good idea right now?

Well, the restaurant business always boils down to treating people right at the end of the day – making those genuine, authentic connections with your guests to keep them coming back for more every week.

So, before you even get started, you have to appreciate how hungry people are for a place to forget about the stress of the daily grind – and truly relax!

Three easy ways to attract guests and get started fast

Having said that, what can you do on day one if you open a restaurant? Well, it’s a lot more down-to-earth than you might think.

Simply put: impress your guests with something new that they’re not expecting, like the following.

1 – Keep the menu fresh and advertise it as such

Variety is where it’s at in 2021. Doing things the old-fashioned way won’t work as well as they used to work.

Maybe you don’t want to turn your restaurants into a full bar, but will that keep your concept cool and fresh?

If so, make sure you keep a regular rotation of local microbrews and maybe small-batch liquors too.

Here, the bartenders you hire will be worth their weight in gold because they’re the ones who’ll own the point of sales and push products with a higher price point.

But you could also go old school and put daily specials on a chalkboard and put it outside to tease people walking by.

The trick is that when you see folks stop to read it, go out to say hi, and meet them!

Openly inquire about the kind of variety they like, and never, ever try to force a concept down their throats that they won’t connect with.

If they’re digging daily specials, run with it! If the microbrews aren’t selling, it’s best to move on.

Nevertheless, the idea is to stay agile and on your feet at all times to find the sweet spot in what your guests crave.

That’s where you should start with a new restaurant because all of these tips are easy wins that can build the hype your business needs to begin to out-shuck the competition in 2021.

Always think local, stay local, and promote local.

Make your guests feel appreciated by learning their names, starting up casual conversations, and nurturing the relationship at every single touchpoint – from the moment they walk into the time when they walk out the door.

2 – Tailor an entertaining atmosphere for the right customers

Our VP of Marketing hit the nail on the head in a recent interview with Franchise Times when he pointed out, “People want to people again.”

It’s true- we’re all so stoked to just BE anywhere right now, and we’re all pretty excited to just get together with people we haven’t seen in a long time and hang out like in the “Before Times.”

But the key here is to understand how the people in your market like to “people” best! The last thing you want to do is invest your time and energy in something that your guests don’t even care about.

So, know your market, and you’ll never fail!

If your clientele walks in wearing flip-flops and baseball caps, don’t cram a concept down their throats that makes them feel uncomfortable, like they don’t fit in. 

The general rule is that you need to offer something different to grow a restaurant in a new area, something divergent from everything else around you.

If your hometown has a mostly affluent, middle-aged population, you don’t open up the same old type of bar.

Go the opposite direction and offer them an escape where they leave their troubles and find a refuge to unwind.

Honestly, don’t get gun shy about showing people that your business is the new kid in town and give them a fresh entertainment experience that they never enjoyed before the Shuckin’ Shack oyster bar franchise came along.

Offering regular guests a variety of experiences is always the most challenging part about opening up a new restaurant and bar, so what’s a quick win you can earn right away?

3 – Cue the music, but keep it light and down-to-earth

You don’t have to book a Willie Nelson gig to stir the pot at a new joint in town.

It’s always the better route to keep it simple! There’s nothing more laid back than coming off the boat and having a cold one while you listen to live music and make new friends.

Besides, the music can be almost anything as long as it’s a live person performing, not a jukebox or a DJ.

The trick is to line up about three or four performers before you even promote the first booking.

Keep it fresh, but always keep them guessing! To do that, you only need one show every couple of weeks starting out.

You don’t want to detract from the restaurant’s main concept, so it’s wise to resist going overboard with the live music.

Instead, look for down-to-earth performers like small 80s rock ‘n roll cover bands, country music acts, and someone up-and-coming in the local area for maximum promo outreach.

But the best kind of music to book at an easy-going place like Shuckin’ Shack is to have an old-timer and his guitar on the patio, strumming tunes and telling stories.

Show your guests something different, and they’ll tell their friends something like, “Hey, have you been to that lil’ oyster bar franchise that opened up yet? Because I came through for happy hour, and they had a live guitarist and a great atmosphere!”

Either way, the idea is to keep refining your concept until your guests genuinely start to feel at home.

What will it cost to join the Shuckin’ Shack family?

Compared to the cost of other seafood and bar franchises, Shuckin’ Shack is a great value – and a genuine opportunity to make waves in your home by offering something new and fun.

The bottom line on the cost is this: it’ll run you $352,700 to join the Shuckin’ Shack family.

But rest easy! We have everything covered, from food sourcing to promo and branding materials too.

We’ve spent the last decade or so refining our concept to make it as easy as possible for new Franchise Owners just like you to hit the ground running on day one.

Overall, no matter how you look at it, 2021 is just the beginning of the restaurant industry’s boom.

Ready to take the plunge and become a Shuckin’ Shack Franchise Owner? Visit our website for more info!