11 Ways to Improve your Nigerian Restaurant Abroad

I have to commend the efforts of many Nigerian business owners in the diaspora because many of them have not had any formal training on how to run a restaurant or even how to manage a business so many people are learning as they go. Life lessons are always the best resources but they should not be at the expense of tarnishing your business name and possible future clientele. 

Services like yelp and other rating services have introduced a way for potential customers to get a feel of what they should expect when they visit the restaurant and it helps the customers make the decision of whether to go or not. Every time I visit a new city, I try to check out the Nigerian restaurant there and they all seem to have a common theme in terms of the reviews. 

The food tastes great but the customer service sucks. 

While I understand the pressure that takes place in a restaurant especially during peak periods, customer service is what people remember and it is what defines if people will provide referrals for your business or even provide repeat business. Here a few tweaks you can incorporate into your restaurant to make a difference and improve your yelp reviews.

1. Hire people that naturally have a heart of hospitality. They will incorporate their warm personality into your restaurant and improve the service.
2. A smile goes a long way.
3. Once customers walk in the door, ensure you signal to them that you are going to be with them shortly. Ensure you attend to them within the first minute even if it’s to put their names on a wait-list.
4. If you have fewer items than what is listed on the menu, mention it to the customer immediately so they know their options right away.
5. Ensure your restaurant is clean when people walk in.
6. If your opening hours are 8-5pm open at 8am not 8:30
7. Incorporate a fun unique thing to do with your customers. I went to a restaurant that the customers clapped each time a new person walked in. Or have birthday offerings to a celebrant. 
8. Let your recipe be consistent. If someone visits your restaurant today and eats jollof rice, they should not come back tomorrow and your jollof has a porridge texture.
9. Plate your food nicely. So many food bloggers have provided inspiration on how to plate your food differently.
10. Pick up your phone and be courteous when people call. Reply emails in a courteous manner as well. 
11. State your method of payment when your customers walk in and if you only take cash, direct them to the nearest ATM. (Ideally, incorporate as many payment options to avoid customers leaving the restaurant.)

While this list is in no way exhaustive, it certainly is a good place to start and these low-hanging fruits are easy to implement.These minor tweaks would make a big difference in your service to your customers and they are more likely to leave positive reviews about your restaurant on yelp. 

Have you been to a Nigerian restaurant outside of Nigeria? What did you like or dislike about your experience?