Group dining planning & prep guide for restaurants
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If you’re in the restaurant business—which, if you’re reading this, you probably are—at some point you’re likely to have to prepare your restaurant for group dining. By “group” here we mean more than your typical get-together of family or friends, unless it’s a particularly large family. Group dining usually means something more along the lines of a special event, which can come in many flavors.
The type of special occasion to be observed will of course have a large impact on how you prepare for it and what you prepare. Your restaurant’s theme and physical layout will have a large impact as well. But even if you’re not an experienced event planner, you can pull off a group dining scenario with gusto and perhaps even some fun to give your guests the perfect event.
So, let’s look at different types of group dining events, ways to prepare your restaurant for those group dining events, and some specifics that may need nailing down when handling event management.
Types of group dining events
There are a wide variety of group dining events you can expect and should be prepared to handle. Each private event will have its own requirements and preparation necessities. These can include:
Birthday parties: Birthday parties are one of the most common types of group dining events, and can range in size from small groups to large gatherings. You may receive a simple booking for a group or a specific set of requests for the party. If you expect a large gathering, be sure to discuss with the planner what they want so you can provide your best.
Corporate events: Corporate events are often large gatherings that may end up booking your entire restaurant, or at least a private dining room. Corporate customers will often have decorations they want to set up as well as add-ons like projectors, microphones with speakers, and more. Corporate events often come in the form of holiday parties, like at Christmas, so be sure to speak with the organizer to determine what ambiance they’re after.
Anniversaries: Like birthdays, anniversaries can range widely in size. They may be an intimate affair with only a few attendees or a large party of family and friends, especially for landmark anniversaries. As with birthday parties, be sure to communicate with your guests to ensure their group dining experience goes well. They may want to have pictures displayed in the dining room, for example, or request a special menu.
Bridal showers: Bridal showers are often large gatherings that require a fair bit of decoration. As with anniversaries and birthday parties, you’ll want to plan long in advance for any special requests. The same can be said for baby showers.
Graduations: Graduations are often an important event in a person’s life, and so you can expect a large gathering of friends and family for the graduate.
Wedding events: Wedding events like rehearsal dinners or receptions can be a big deal for restaurants, as those hosting the wedding event often spend more than normal guests do. If you’re planning a wedding event, you’ll want to follow our advice about special requests but even more closely, since scrutiny will be high.
Tour groups: Restaurants in touristy areas may experience a fair bit of traffic from tour groups, especially if you’re in good standing with the tour manager. As a bit of a friendly aside, it’s a good idea to be friendly with your local tour companies since they can bring you a fair bit of business—as long as your pricing strategies work for both you and the company.
Ways to organize group dining menus
When you’re hosting a large group, you’ll want to focus on your menu to make sure all are satisfied with their food options and that everyone is fed enough. At the same time, these events are a wise time to introduce a set or limited menu to limit strain on both your front- and back-of-house as well as on your inventory.
A multi-course menu is usually the way to go, with appetizers, desserts, and mains that accommodate the dietary preferences of all. That means offering vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options as well as traditional dishes. Group dining options usually look like shared dishes, which means sharing-friendly foods are in order. If you’re an Italian restaurant, for example, lasagna or pizza are solid bets.
You can still offer customizable menus where guests choose their own dishes, though this stacks in complexity with the number of guests expected. If you intend to offer customizable meals, make sure to keep options limited, though be sure to consider dietary restrictions.
To boost your restaurant’s street cred, consider offering chef’s tasting packages as well. This can basically be a set multi-course menu with beverages paired with each dish. A traditional appetizer or salad/soup followed by a main and a dessert is a time-tested strategy that allows your chefs to demonstrate their flair.
Don’t forget the beverages, either. Beverage packages that match your dining options can greatly enhance the satisfaction of your guests and make the night go as well as (or better than) planned. For corporate events or weddings, an open bar is often the way to go.
Preparing your restaurant for group dining
A large part of how you prepare your restaurant for group dining depends on your restaurant layout. Let’s look at a few different ways to handle group seating for example.
Not every restaurant is designed to be an event venue, especially those with open floor plans. However, sectioning off a certain part of the restaurant for special events is a simple and flexible way to accommodate guests who wish to have an exclusive event.
Private dining rooms are perfect for group dining—as long as the group can fit. Be sure that rooms and tables provide accessibility to those with special needs like customers in wheelchairs or the elderly.
Seating is a major consideration when preparing for group dining. Generally, the better sense of community you foster, the better. That means round or square table arrangements, which better help with shared food.
If you’re handling especially large groups, they may want to book your restaurant entirely. That can be a good thing—as long as the price works for you. Prices in such a case will need to be negotiable and flexible, depending on the options you offer. Consider offering different levels of service like food, drink, and special events like live music or communal games like a raffle.
Marketing and promoting your group dining options
If you want group dining, you need to encourage group dining. Make sure customers know that it’s an option at your restaurant. That means marketing yourself as a group-friendly restaurant and getting the word out in as many ways as possible.
Group dining experiences should be promoted on social media, your newsletter, and your website. Take exquisite photos of the event to share on social media platforms to encourage other groups to book events at your restaurant.
Pairing with local event planning services can help get you more on the radar of large groups. Collaborate with other local businesses that serve gatherings like florists, cake decorators, or photographers to create a network of event-friendly businesses.
Manage service and communications perfectly
So, you’ve got a large group coming in for an event. Great! You’ll want a way to communicate with them, manage requests, and facilitate staffing requirements. You’ll also want to give your front-of-house (FOH) staff the best tools possible to help navigate a complicated event like a group dining scenario.
Enter Yelp Guest Manager. It acts as your main point of communication, streamlining operations and reducing any potential lost-in-translation scenarios. It also allows for fully customizable floor plans which can be rearranged for group dining. And it helps your FOH staff be on their A game by giving them the best tools they need to make sure service is tip top. And hey, if you’re at all concerned about no-shows, don’t be: Yelp Guest Manager customers have average no-show rates below 10%.*
Want to see what it’s like? Curious to take it for a test drive? Reach out to us for a free demo. Group dining can be an economic boon to restaurants, and tapping into that market is just another way to get ahead in today’s competitive restaurant industry.