How can you maximize your restaurant's operational efficiency during the Summer 2024 events?

Turn your restaurant into a must-visit destination during the major events this summer 2024! With 15 million visitors expected, it's the perfect time to boost your restaurant's footfall. But many restaurants want to do the same... So how can you stand out from the crowd? How can you attract national and international visitors to your restaurant? How can you meet their needs during this period?

These sporting events are a global gathering where visitors come to make the most of their exceptional stay. With visitors coming from all over the world, your restaurant needs to adapt to different cultures and eating habits. But it also needs to stand out from the crowd with its creative menu, entertainment and set-up... And to keep up during this busy period, you need to be as well-equipped as possible in a number of areas.

Discover our 20 tips for adapting your restaurant's business and organization to make the most of the summer 2024 events.

1. Analyze location, planned activities and access in advance of events

The location of your facility plays a crucial role. Depending on the timing of the events, certain locations will attract more visitors. The presence of foreign tourists will also make tourist sites very busy areas, comparable to the high season.

💡 N.B. Consult the competition sites map to anticipate nearby activities and events: here

2. Preparing your team for an increase in visitor numbers

With the number of national and international tourists on the rise, you need to make sure your team is at the top of its game. Start training them now by assigning them to specific positions so that they fully master their responsibilities.

Train your staff to be well-informed about international events, cultures and cuisines. This enhances the overall customer experience by providing thematic and informed service.

Organize training courses on various subjects such as foreign languages, hospitality, sommellerie, etc. Plan tasting workshops for your menu and wines, with detailed explanations of each dish and their potential allergens. A well-prepared team ensures quality service.

💡 N.B. Many training courses are eligible for the CPF (and therefore free of charge for your company).

3. Recruit multilingual talent to strengthen your team

Avoid being under-staffed and recruiting extras, especially students looking for a summer job. Ideally, aim for foreign or bilingual students to facilitate exchanges with international customers.

4. Boosting team motivation

To ensure that your employees are in top form and efficient, and that they are always smiling at your customers, cultivate a positive team atmosphere. Organize team evenings before the start to mark the occasion, reinforce cohesion, offer perks, look after staff food and keep an eye on morale.

5. Review room layout for optimum capacity and flow

Sporting events offer a unique opportunity to boost your sales due to the influx of visitors and the resulting excitement. To take full advantage of this opportunity, adjust your reception capacity to accommodate more customers in an accessible and efficient way.

For example: a large screen to watch the events, extra chairs for better table rotation, easier access for disabled people.

💡 The government has set aside an envelope of up to 20,000 euros for CHR establishments carrying out accessibility work, as explained on the website handicap.gouv.fr.

6. Enhance the attractiveness of your restaurant's terrace

During the summer, visitors enjoy relaxing outdoors, and a spacious terrace can be a major asset in attracting a diverse clientele. All the more so as ephemeral terraces should receiveauthorization to remain operational until midnight instead of 22:00 under normal circumstances.

Make sure that service on the terrace is as efficient as it is indoors. Staff trained specifically to handle outdoor orders will ensure a smooth and pleasant experience for your customers.

💡Find out our 10 tips to attract customers to your terrace during the summer season!

7. Offer multilingual menus

The translation of your menus into English, Spanish and German is imperative, given the expected presence of many foreign visitors. Be sure to provide printed versions in several languages, both on paper and digital menus. Give preference to QR codes to save service time. But don't forget the paper versions, as some customers may run out of battery power after a day in the 4 corners of the capital.

8. Optimize restaurant equipment for maximum efficiency

To cope with the influx of visitors, maximize the efficiency of your service by equipping your restaurant with the right tools such as cash registers, reservation systems, employee management, hygiene monitoring, invoicing, packaging, communication with suppliers, etc.

💡 O ur recommendations: Zenchef, Lightspeed, Deliverect, Combo, Dinovia.

Anticipate technical problems by checking your payment terminal's compatibility with foreign cards and making sure your booking platform is available in English.

9. Adjust opening hours and days

To take full advantage of this busy period, extend your opening and kitchen operating hours and, if possible, stay open as long as possible. This will enable you to reach a diverse international clientele, as eating habits vary according to nationality. For example, the English generally dine around 6pm, while the Spanish prefer a later meal, around 10pm.

10. Adapt your offering to international consumer habits

Take into account the different eating habits of international visitors. Anglo-Saxon and Germanic countries prefer a hearty, savory breakfast, while Scandinavians enjoy morning coffee with a sweet touch. Spaniards, on the other hand, are accustomed to tapas as an aperitif.

The aim is not to change the identity of your offer, but rather to propose dishes that reflect your style while catering to the customs of international customers.

11. Adapt to different diets

Diverse diets such as vegetarian, flexitarian, vegan and gluten-free are becoming increasingly common. To satisfy a diverse clientele, offer at least one option adapted to each of these dietary restrictions on your menu.

12. Animate your restaurant around themes specific to the events of summer 2024

Design a menu featuring dishes inspired by different countries participating in the games. Create a special Olympic-themed cocktail menu featuring drinks named after countries, sports, athletes or iconic moments.

💡 F or example, our customer Iovine's has named one of its a la carte pizzas "PARIS 2024".

13. Decorate your restaurant to reflect current events

Create an Olympic atmosphere by cleverly decorating your space with iconic elements such as flags, posters and sports accessories. Make sure every detail reflects the spirit of the games, creating an immersive experience for your customers. On your terrace, don't hesitate to integrate plants and parasols to create a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Mood lighting can also add a warm touch in the evening.

14. Liven up your restaurant

In this euphoric vacation season, visitors are looking to make the most of their stay. To stand out from the crowd, offer creative ideas such as afterworks with DJ sets, happy hours, or even live broadcasts of the events. Consider live broadcasts of Games highlights to create a festive atmosphere. Organize culinary events or tastings featuring dishes inspired by the participating countries. You can go even further by organizing your own sporting competitions: the customer who ate the most "...", or who drank his "..." the fastest. Be original!

15. Set up a competition viewing package based on the restaurant's planned activities.

Offer special packages for customers who want to watch specific Olympic events in your restaurant. This could include reserved seating, food and beverage packages, and exclusive benefits.

16. Promote takeaway sales

With a hectic schedule between events and visits, many visitors will be looking for quick ways to eat. Maintain or set up a take-away service to meet this demand.

Take care of the aesthetics of your packaging and takeaway bags by personalizing them with your restaurant's logo, to optimize your restaurant's visibility on the street!

17. Anticipate customer needs

Offer free wifi access and charging points. After a busy day of events and tours, customers are likely to have run down their phone batteries. Provide charging points or extra chargers for their convenience.

Tourists aren't as familiar with the city as you are, especially during this special period. Make self-service documents available to guide them during their stay: maps of Olympic venues, city map with transport links, rules for entry to Games venues and safety instructions. They'll appreciate the attention!

18. Propose privatizations to companies or other groups

Offer the possibility of privatizing your space for corporate events or other groups during the games. This can be a lucrative opportunity while providing an exclusive experience for your customers.

19. Get involved in a community awareness program

This could include sponsoring local sports teams, organizing events for young athletes or supporting event-related charity initiatives.

20. Create and sell themed merchandising

Design and sell customized, limited-edition Olympic-themed items, such as t-shirts, mugs or hats featuring your restaurant's branding. This can serve as both a marketing tool and a source of revenue.