It’s a well-known fact that summer sales can surge for restaurants in tourist hubs like Florida. According to the National Restaurant Association, summer is the busiest season for restaurants, leading to boosting sales but also facing challenges.
As summer is coming – and we’re not just quoting a TV show here – it’s important to capitalize on the latest trends to seize the opportunities that summer brings. So, be prepared to explore the top 7 hottest trends for restaurants this 2024.
We provide insightful tips and recommended technological solutions for making this summer the most for your venture. So grab your lemonade, and let’s start!
1. Patio Restaurants: In Summer is Hot Dining Outdoors
- Create an Inviting Atmosphere with Lighting: Strategically place ambient lighting around the perimeter, highlighting focal points such as plants, water features, or artwork.
- Establish Separate Zones on Your Patio Restaurant: Designate a lounge area for casual conversations and pre-dinner cocktails, a central dining area for full meals, and, if space allows, a dedicated bar area.
- Invest in Shade and Weather Protection: Provide sun protection and consider how the patio will be used during unexpected weather events.
- Use Smart Technologies for Smoother Services: Implement handheld POS systems and kitchen solutions to enhance operations and improve the customer experience.
2. Florida Restaurants in Summer goes for Mobile Dining
Expanding your restaurant outdoors isn’t just about optimizing patio dining. Summer is the perfect season to extend your restaurant’s reach with additional locations and bring your menu to where people are gathering. Let’s check some trending ideas:
- Scale Your Restaurant with a Food Truck: Investing in a food truck allows you to serve your most popular menu items at festivals, local events, and busy pedestrian areas. Think of it as a mobile extension of your restaurant, offering both convenience and increased brand visibility.
- Take Your Brand Outdoors with Street Food Carts: Target the on-the-go crowd with a strategically placed street food cart. Offer quick, affordable, and easy-to-eat options. Consider partnering with local businesses for prime locations to maximize your exposure to tourists and hungry locals.
- Beachside Restaurant Setups: Establishing temporary dining setups on the beach, offering seafood, tropical drinks, and beach-friendly food items.
- Offer Beachside Delivery Service: If your restaurant is close to the beach, offer take-out or delivery options specifically catering to beachgoers.
Before leaping street service, however, you should consider some key factors like ensuring you have the necessary local licenses and permits and enhancing the right technology to thrive. A modern POS System can efficiently manage multilocation operations such as inventory, take-out orders, payments, mobile and online orderings, and deliveries.
3. Summer Sizzle: Grilling Takes Center Stage in Restaurants
This summer, Florida restaurants are firing up the grills and shifting their focus to outdoor dining experiences that tantalize taste buds and create a vibrant atmosphere. Restaurants are drawing inspiration from classic cookouts, bringing the excitement of live-fire cooking right to their patios. Expect to see dedicated grill stations offering:
- Large-format grilled specialties: Think succulent ribs, whole roasted chickens, and sizzling steaks – perfect for sharing or satisfying hearty appetites.
- Giant paellas: This Spanish staple is perfect for al fresco dining. Restaurants are offering family-style portions cooked in giant paella pans, bringing a communal dining experience to your table.
- Interactive grill stations: Some restaurants might even set up interactive grilling areas where guests can choose their own cuts of meat or seafood to be grilled to perfection.
- Special “Grill Night” events: These could include live music, games, and special grilling menus to create a festive atmosphere.
The buzz of the grill and the tantalizing smells create a lively ambiance, perfect for gatherings and outdoor dining. Additionally, grilled dishes pair perfectly with refreshing summer drinks and light salads, creating a well-rounded and satisfying dining experience.
4. Best Summer Menus Ideas for Restaurants in 2024
Creating a summer-season menu in Florida involves using fresh, local ingredients that reflect the vibrant, tropical climate of the region. Here are some actionable tips to embrace the summer in your menu:
- Seasonal Menus: Update menus to feature seasonal and locally sourced ingredients such as fresh seafood, tropical fruits, and refreshing salads.
- Lighter Options: Introduce lighter, healthier menu options that appeal to summer dining preferences, including more vegan and vegetarian choices.
- Fresh, Local Seafood: Feature seasonal catches like mahi-mahi, grouper, and stone crabs on your menu.
- Use Refreshing Ingredients: Citrus fruits, tropical fruits, vegetables, and herbs such as fresh basil, cilantro, mint, and parsley enhance the flavors of summer dishes.
- Popular Summer Dishes: Add typical and always effective summer dishes such as ceviche, grilled fish tacos, shrimp and mango salad, citrus grilled chicken, gazpacho, Key lime pie, and Cuban sandwiches to your menu.
To successfully thrive with summer menus and price them smartly, a modern POS system like iPos is crucial. Ensure your stock levels always have all the ingredients you need by using our inventory management system. Improve menu pricing strategies based on customer data analysis with our data dashboard.
For example, you can track selling items and combine them into meal packages, or optimize Happy Hours by offering discounts during off-peak hours to attract more customers. Lastly, promote discounts via SMS marketing and offer special prices to repeat customers with our customized Loyalty Program System.
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5. Summer Restaurants Services in Late Hours
During the summer, people tend to stay out later, enjoying the warm weather and extended daylight hours. This creates a larger customer base for late-night services. Restaurants can capitalize on this by extending their hours and offering special late-night menus. Here are some strategies:
- Diversified Menu: Offer a late-night menu that caters to a variety of tastes. This could include comfort food, light snacks, or even breakfast items. The key is to offer dishes that are quick to prepare and serve.
- Outdoor Dining: The pleasant summer weather allows restaurants to utilize outdoor spaces for dining. This creates a unique dining atmosphere. Late-night barbecues, live music, or themed summer nights are some of the strategies used to attract customers this season.
- Themed Nights: Host themed nights like trivia, karaoke, or live music to attract a crowd. These events can create a fun and lively atmosphere that appeals to late-night customers.
- Delivery and Takeout: Consider offering late-night delivery and takeout options. This can cater to customers who prefer to dine at home or are unable to visit your restaurant in person.
However, expanding into late-night services also presents some challenges. For example, restaurants need to hire additional staff, potentially including security personnel. This might lead to difficulties in managing new hires, employee schedules, training, and payroll.
Implementing a Point of Sale (POS) system with integrated payroll and team management features, like iPos, can simplify restaurant operations. The system calculates total hours worked and processes payroll accordingly, handling various pay rates and schedules. It also manages payroll taxes and ensures timely payments.
Additionally, the system maintains records of all payroll transactions for future reference and reporting. This integrated approach can help restaurants effectively manage their late-night operations and provide a seamless dining experience for their customers.
6. Restaurant with Social Experiences
This summer, dining out must be more than just enjoying a meal; it should be about living an experience. Given the competitive nature of the restaurant industry, constantly looking for ways to enrich the customer experience is becoming increasingly important. Here are some creative ideas for your restaurant to affront summer season:
- Live Music and Entertainment: Host live bands, DJs, and cultural performances to attract customers. These events create a lively atmosphere and draw in crowds looking for a fun night out.
- Themed Nights: Organize themed nights such as salsa dancing, karaoke, to offer unique experiences and keep patrons engaged.
- Chef Demonstrations: Offer live cooking demonstrations where chefs prepare special dishes in front of the guests. This not only entertains but also educates diners about the culinary process.
- Cultural Celebrations: Highlight Florida’s diverse culture with special menus, music, and decorations for occasions like Hispanic Heritage Month or Caribbean Carnivals. This can draw in customers interested in experiencing different cultures.
- Game Stations: Set up game stations with board games, card games, or even video games to create a playful environment. This encourages longer visits and enhances the social aspect of dining out.
By incorporating these elements, your restaurant can transform dining into a memorable experience, setting you apart from competitors and encouraging repeat visits.
7. Family-Friendly Restaurants in Summer Season
Summer brings school breaks and families eager for quality time together. Turn your restaurant into their go-to spot by creating a family-friendly atmosphere. Catering to both adults and children means happier families, more extensive orders, and potentially higher sales.
This approach seamlessly blends with other summer trends like patio dining and a social experience in restaurants. Think of it as an extra perk for families seeking a comfortable environment.
Wants to know simple steps to implement summer season success with family-friendly approach?
- Menus for All Ages: Craft a dedicated children’s menu alongside a regular menu that encourages shared dining. Offer a selection of appetizers, main courses, and desserts with generous portions suitable for sharing.
- Tiered Pricing: Offer different portion sizes or service levels at varying prices. This could be small, medium, and large portion sizes at different price points.
- Be Prepared: Maintain a good stock of high chairs and booster seats. Consider fun colors or designs to make them more appealing for younger diners.
- Embrace the Outdoors: Families love open spaces and outdoor dining experiences. Optimize your patio layout to accommodate their needs.
- Themed Family Events: Plan special events with themed menus, activities, and entertainment specifically catered to children.
By implementing these simple steps, you can create a summer strategy that attracts families, boosts sales, and helps your restaurant thrive.
Final Considerations: Technologies and Promotion
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As the summer season approaches, restaurants in Florida must embrace effective trends for enhancing their services and capturing attention to add value to their products. Implementing outdoor dining, adopting mobile multi-location capabilities, enhancing delivery services, and redefining dining experiences are smart strategies to achieve this.
To succeed, restaurants must prioritize customer experience, streamline processes, and ensure efficient service delivery. An all-in-one POS system like iPos can revolutionize operations by optimizing labor scheduling, managing payroll, and ensuring effective stock management.
Furthermore, a parallel focus on marketing is essential. Promoting special offers, introducing new summer season menus, and engaging in cultural activities across social networks are vital. Participation in local events and festivals can also facilitate effective networking. Leveraging loyalty programs for repeat customers and utilizing gift cards to promote return visits are additional impactful strategies.
Armed with this knowledge and equipped with the right tools, you can confidently embrace the summer season. Utilize these tips and explore iPos technologies to optimize your operations, manage the influx of customers, and ultimately, thrive during the summer season! 
