ALaCarte.Direct
You've invested in a quality kitchen, trained your team, and refined your menu. But how many potential customers walk past your restaurant... and keep on walking?
The reality: 70% of dining decisions are made within the first 5 seconds of seeing a shopfront. Before they even taste your food, customers judge you on what they see — or don't see.
The good news? These mistakes are easy to fix. And you can do it this very week.
1. A neglected shopfront or façade
The problem: Dirty windows, peeling stickers, chipped paint, a sun-bleached menu. You don't notice it anymore — you walk past it every day. But your potential customers spot it immediately.
Why it drives people away: A grubby shopfront sends an unconscious but brutal message: "If it looks like this outside, imagine the kitchen." Unfair? Perhaps. But it's reality.
Take action:
- Clean your windows every morning (5 minutes, glass cleaner + microfibre cloth)
- Remove all outdated or damaged stickers (old payment logos, expired delivery service decals, health ratings...)
- Do a "fresh eyes" audit: ask a friend to photograph your shopfront and tell you what looks off
- Budget: a fresh coat of paint on the door/façade = £200–500 depending on size (immediate ROI on kerb appeal)
The data: According to a Cornell University study (2023), 42% of customers say a dirty shopfront puts them off entering, even if the restaurant has great reviews.
2. An unreadable, missing, or poorly designed outside menu
The problem: A laminated A4 printout stuck on crooked, faded ink, tiny text, or worse... no menu visible from the street at all.
Why it drives people away: Customers always hesitate before walking in somewhere new. They need reassurance on 3 things: price range, type of cuisine, and whether they'll find something they fancy. Without a clear outside menu, they won't take the risk.
Take action:
- Bare minimum: A3 or A2 menu, professionally printed, in a fixed display case (aluminium frame + glass) at eye level (1.5–1.6m)
- Better: Dedicated lighting if you're open in the evening (LED spotlight, £25–40)
- Best: Digital menu via QR code + a physical menu board for those who prefer it (both work perfectly side by side)
- Typography tip: Minimum 14pt font for dishes, 16pt for prices — readable from 1.5m away
- Highlight 3–4 signature dishes + a clear price range (e.g. "Mains £12–20")
💡 Top tip: A digital menu from ALaCarte lets you update your prices and dishes in real time, with no reprinting. Your customers scan, browse, and decide to come in. Cost: £0 to get started.
Avoid at all costs: Handwritten menus (unless it's a deliberate part of your concept, like a vintage bistrot), menus stuck on with tape, menus behind reflective glass.
3. A missing or neglected Google Business Profile
The problem: An unclaimed Google listing, incorrect opening hours, no recent photos, unanswered customer reviews, or worst of all: no listing at all.
Why it drives people away: Today, 87% of customers check Google before choosing a restaurant (BrightLocal 2024 study). If your listing says "Permanently closed" when you're very much open, or if your hours are wrong... you're losing customers without even knowing it.
Take action:
- Claim your listing: Go to Google Business Profile, search for your restaurant, and click "Claim this business"
- Fill in EVERYTHING: Exact opening hours, phone number, link to your website/menu, categories (be specific: "Italian Restaurant" rather than just "Restaurant")
- Add at least 10–15 photos: shopfront, dining room, signature dishes, your team. Quality photos = +35% more clicks to your website (Google)
- Reply to ALL reviews: Even (especially) the bad ones. A restaurant owner who responds professionally reassures future customers.
- Keep special information updated: Exceptional closures, holiday menus, outdoor seating now open...
Time required: 1 hour for the initial setup, then 10 minutes a week to keep it up to date.
ROI: A well-optimised Google Business Profile generates on average 1 to 3 clicks per day to your website or menu. Over a month, that's 30 to 90 potential customers discovering what you have to offer.
4. Opening hours not displayed or incorrect
The problem: An unreadable hours sticker, outdated opening times (still saying "Open 7 days" when you've been closed on Mondays for the past 6 months), or nothing at all.
Why it drives people away: A customer who makes a wasted trip never comes back. And they tell their friends. One wrong set of opening hours = 1 lost customer + 3–5 potential customers put off by negative word of mouth.
Take action:
- Display your hours in two places: on the door (sticker or engraving) + on the window (visible even when the door is closed)
- Use a clear format: "Mon–Fri 12pm–2pm / 7pm–10pm | Sat–Sun 12pm–3pm / 7pm–11pm"
- Synchronise everywhere: Google, Facebook, Instagram, website, digital menu. If you change your hours, update all five at the same time.
- Plan ahead for special periods: "Closed 15–31 August" clearly visible 2 weeks in advance
Cost: Professional opening hours sticker = £15–35 from Vistaprint or similar.
5. No visible social proof
The problem: Nothing to show that other customers have enjoyed your restaurant. No TripAdvisor badge, no "120 Google reviews 4.5★" mention, no customer photos, no press coverage.
Why it drives people away: The human brain works by social imitation. We want to go where others have been and enjoyed. A restaurant with no social proof = an unknown risk.
Take action:
- If you have good Google/TripAdvisor reviews: Print a small sign reading "★★★★★ 4.7/5 on Google – 210 reviews" and place it near your outside menu (free Canva template)
- If you've been featured in the local press: Frame the article and display it in your window
- If you have awards or accreditations: Display them (AA Rosette, Michelin Plate, Good Food Guide listing, sustainable dining certifications...)
- If you have great customer photos: Ask permission and display 2–3 in your window ("Our customers love...")
If you're just starting out and don't have reviews yet: Encourage happy customers to leave a Google review. Tip: Print small cards saying "Enjoyed your meal? Leave us a review here [Google QR code]" and slip them in with the bill.
Important: NEVER create fake reviews. Google and TripAdvisor detect and penalise this. Patience and authenticity always pay off.
Action checklist: What you can do this week
Tick them off as you go:
- Clean windows and shopfront (Monday morning, 15 min)
- Remove all outdated/damaged stickers
- Check outside menu readability (if unreadable → reprint at A3 minimum)
- Claim your Google Business Profile (if not done already)
- Update opening hours on Google/Facebook/Instagram/shopfront (check consistency)
- Add 5 recent photos to Google Business Profile
- Reply to your last 5 Google reviews (good AND bad)
- Display social proof (reviews, press, awards) in your window
Total time: 2–3 hours this week. ROI: immediate.
Conclusion: You never get a second chance at a first impression
Your food is excellent. Your welcome is warm. Your kitchen is spotless. But if potential customers never walk through the door, none of that matters.
The good news: All of these mistakes are easy to fix and cost next to nothing (often under £100). Invest 3 hours this week on these 5 points, and watch what happens. Count the new faces coming through the door.
You're not doing this to impress influencers or win a design award. You're doing it because every customer who walks past without coming in is revenue going straight to the competitor across the road.
So, which of these 5 mistakes did you recognise? Fix it this week. Your future customers will thank you... by finally walking through your door.
Need a hand getting your presence online? Discover ALaCarte.direct — the free solution to create your digital menu in 10 minutes. Your customers scan, browse, and decide to come in. No installation, no commitment.
