Everyone should feel welcome and appreciated when they go out to eat. Restaurants are the places where we dine away from home to relax, unwind, and try something new. But if your restaurant isn’t inclusive, you’re preventing people from enjoying this experience and potentially losing customers. Learn some tips for making your restaurant more inclusive so that everyone feels welcome in your establishment.
Offer Alternative Options
One of the best ways your restaurant can cater to people from different backgrounds is by offering alternative food and drink options. Many world religions and backgrounds involve guidelines for a person’s diet, preventing them from ordering specific dishes or drinks.
Instead of expecting them to ask for substantial changes to a dish, offer alternative menu options that take these restrictions into consideration. For example, many Muslims don’t drink alcohol. Offer fun mocktails instead so Muslims can enjoy getting drinks with friends without compromising their beliefs. Mocktails are one of the top food trends of 2022 as well, so your business will profit from this inclusion in multiple ways.
Diversify Your Staff
You can’t always control who your customers are, but you can determine the makeup of your staff. That means that even if your clientele isn’t diverse yet, you can still prioritize diversifying your staff. Having a diverse staff in your restaurant will make various clients feel welcome, especially if your staff are bilingual or more familiar with other cultures.
If you hire people who know sign language or wear a hijab, you’ll create a more inclusive environment in your restaurant. Your staff should reflect both your current clientele and who you hope to welcome. Make sure that you hire the faces you want to see in all parts of your restaurant while following federal and state hiring laws.
Create Accessible Areas
Inclusivity and diversity aren’t just about welcoming people from diverse backgrounds. It’s also about creating a comfortable space for people of various abilities. If you want your restaurant to feel inclusive for any patron, you need to take people with disabilities into account.
Is a wheelchair ramp easily accessible from the parking lot? Do your tables offer enough foot space for someone with a prosthetic? Are there any braille menus? Questions like these help us realize what our restaurants can do better to serve diverse guests.
Our three tips for making your restaurant more inclusive are to offer alternative menu options, hire a diverse staff, and create accessible areas for people with disabilities. When you make sure your restaurant is accessible and welcoming for everyone, you’ll bring in new clients who feel comfortable and excited about their dining experience.
