Most customers research prior to trying new places on google/google maps, yelp or others. Relying on customers for photos of your food, menu and establishment creates poor results and quality.
Some ways customer provided images can be hurting your business include:
Bad angles
Top of sandwich rolls, flat, two dimensional photos and messy plates do not provide flattering food photos. Besides these things bad angles provide the most important part is they don’t show off the hero of the dish!
Bad plating
Let’s face it, when you have staff, sometimes the dishes do not come out exactly to specifications or the best looking, especially when they are slammed with orders.
Poorly cropped
Images that leave sections of tables, dirty dishes and busy backgrounds
Not consistent
Customer provided images have one thing in common:
They have multiple people taking and publishing pictures.
While you may get a few quality images, you will have many more poor quality ones.
This is rightfully so because they are not experienced photographers, they come from all over the workforce. You wouldn’t hire a chef who only has experience as a plumber, why would you have them provide your images.
Not the full menu
Established businesses have customer favorites while other dishes are ordered only by specific people, think vegetarian. This limits customer photos, leaving various images of primarily of the few fan favorites and less of often ordered items. This is costing you food cost of the less ordered items as well as potential customers looking for those dishes that may not know they exist.
Article Summary
- Having quality images of dishes helps customers determine what they want prior to coming which leads to faster turn times, meaning more customers served and increased revenue.
- Leaving your first impression to chance and poorly executed photos leaves a lot of money on the table and will cost you customers not willing to chance a poor experience. Making sure your customers see the best of your products and location ensures that you receive educated customers that can’t wait to eat at your restaurant.
- Photos of your menus can disappoint customers if they are outdated and you no longer offer certain items.
If you have questions on how to best attract customers through your social presence and restaurant review sites it would be my pleasure to help. Please reach out by completing a small questionnaire so I can begin my journey in helping your business grow.
