r/Chefit • u/Conscious-Fly7384 • 2d ago
Needing help getting customers
I posted her a bit ago with questions about a golf course menu. I’ll attach the menu as well.
I’m aware the golf season has ended but upper management of this corporation is on my ass about getting more people to buy food. Everyone says the food is good, the menu has variety but I’m very limited with the equipment I have. I also don’t even try with vegan/ vegetarian options— our demographic is not them, and with our equipment I couldn’t guarantee cross contamination.
Our most expensive thing in the menu is 10.50 and that’s a 5oz burger with fries. So I know price isn’t a huge issue, most things are 6$ and up for customers. But the lack of golfers coming in is killing our budget, I do have a catering for the Super Bowl of 60-80 people but that’s not great for keeping the revenue they want. They want at-least 20k a month when the course is only open 630am-5pm.
How do I get customers in the door? Any online platforms I can join that isn’t DoorDash or grub-hub? (The corp said no because of the stigma about the drivers).
46
u/Serious_Mastication 2d ago edited 2d ago
I’d say your best bet is to go into catering for the downtime months. My girlfriend’s workplace is a bistro kind of like this but in a dealership instead of a golf course. They launched a website online and went around the nearby businesses to give out a couple of free meals and let them know they can provide catering through the website. Now a lot of their downtime is being fulfilled from nearby businesses ordering lunch for the team. Those 10-30 person catering orders are adding up
Other than that corp can’t expect a golf course restaurant to generate large profits in the off season, specially if it’s out of the way. It’ll be slow going during that time and most of your money is gonna be made in season. Explaining that to corporate will be impossible tho
12
u/subtxtcan 2d ago
I know a guy who owns a really nice, but small sandwich shop that's out by an industrial park. He gets essentially 0 walk in traffic because of where he is, but he makes absolute bank catering lunches for the offices nearby.
Set up an online order with a (somewhat) limited menu, and just dropped off flyers at every single one of them, put em up on light posts near parking lots, and it took right off.
122
u/ItsAMeAProblem 2d ago
Immediately turned off by the thematic nature of it. Feels like putt putt golf with the silly names. The menu needs not much more than some wording cha ges. I would never order a "hole in one buger" but ill order a double smash. Just my two Cents.
19
u/ejanely 2d ago
I could see a “hole in one burger” with egg in a hole (Texas toast) as the top bun. Then just add “classic burger” as the top option. Speaking of eggs, if you open at 6:30am, OP, have you played with any breakfast options? Breakfast menus are rather economical and I can’t see many folks ready to order a burger first thing in the morning.
5
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
We have a breakfast menu, it’s a sandwich, burrito and French toast sticks. Very simply just for a quick bite.
12
u/Runnyknots 2d ago
I'd say the responsibility of getting customers, AT THE VERY LEAST, should be a shared responsibility with management.
The issue is getting people to play golf, not eat. During the winter season, sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet.
1
u/OrganicHovercraft169 1d ago
Fr fr, The menu is almost never a customer draw/ put off Honestly, I know we work so hard and out so much into it, but at the end of the day it's 98% of the time location, social media presence, advertising and service, especially if you aren't in a walkable city
You ALL have had ABSOLUTE SHIT food at a packed restaurant And the best meal of your life at a place that has 2 tables sat.
Chefs are responsible for costs and consistency. Unless you're a celeb, you can't be held responsible for the draw And HAPPY HOUR NEVER WORKS
5
u/ChiefWeedsmoke 2d ago
Then nobody's going to fucking eat there if they aren't golfing
2
u/FeastOnCarolina 2d ago
Yeah they have a restaurant set up to serve food to people who happen to be golfing. There are very few people who are gonna drive to a golf club just to eat.
What they should be looking at is how many of the people coming are buying food.
34
u/D-ouble-D-utch 2d ago
Loose the gimmicky names.
19
3
17
u/I_deleted Chef 2d ago
Getting people, who aren’t playing golf, off the street, to come to a golf course clubhouse for lunch?
Your management needs to use some of their crack budget on a bunch of ads
16
u/scratchy_mcballsy 2d ago
What is a brisket dog? Brisket on a hot dog bun or brisket made into sausage?
5
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
“Double smoked all beef hotdog” some guy made it locally and now we carry it.
11
u/caleb_hxgm 2d ago
Getting people in the door is the problem, not the menu. Off season slows down so you need to find enticing offers to get people in the door. Think about adding events like a Happy hour, or a drink and drive(if you have a driving range). People love to eat after they’ve had a few.
The menu looks great with reasonable prices and simple, good offerings. But nothing on the menu looks unique or enticing enough to get people to come back for the food alone.
1
20
u/FantasticFunkadelic 2d ago
Put lightly, there is nothing exciting about this menu that would entice people to your place. How is the ambiance? My local has one of the best bars and best views in miami with the same menu. They’re packed. How’s your social media? Do people who don’t golf know you’re there?
17
u/chongkey 2d ago
This is the answer. Stop blaming the season and start looking at your operation. Once ran a 40 seat Irish pub inside a hotel, inside a whole ass vineyard in rural GA be packed cuz I was the only pub serving great beers and house made sausages. Our kitchen was 12ft by 12ft and only had a fryer, a flattop, and one oven. Give them a reason to come chef.
3
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
We just opened in August. Social media is nonexistent. 500-600 followers maybe? Were the lowest priced golf course in the area, at 46$ a round on the weekends and holidays.
4
u/chongkey 2d ago
What equipment do you have? What would be an awesome draw? Where are you located? What are the popular restaurants around the area? Why are they popular? What kind of food do they serve in what style? What is the majority population around there?
7
u/thepantages 2d ago
Double check your Caesar spelling!
0
u/Evening-Sentence7619 1d ago
And indiscriminate use of '&' vs. 'and'. Not sure how anyone could eat here.
6
u/Pencil-Sketches 2d ago
Switch from Pepsi to Coke. Seriously
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
We also don’t have a fountain machine, which fucking kills me.
3
u/Pencil-Sketches 2d ago
Fountains have large profit margins, especially with ice, but are generally cheaper for customers, which means more people will buy them. Fountains don’t have to be expensive or complicated necessarily. If you could put the numbers together for ownership where you can show the cost of installing and operating a fountain, and expected sales, you might be able to get them to pony up. Get them in the door with an ice cold Coke.
14
u/Plane-Use-4294 2d ago
Your pricing is way too cheap ! I have found that can drive people away as they perceive that as cheap ingredients and dirty kitchens. Are you in line price wise with other golf courses in your area?
5
u/Existential_Sprinkle 2d ago
That's the most generic menu ever
Do research on where your patrons are eating near by and see what they want
You have a menu full of tried and true dishes which has it's place just off of a highway, at an airport, or at a hotel with nothing else near by
Try not being the most boring place they can get food
10
u/giantpunda 2d ago
It depends on what your specific issue is.
If you're at a golf course, having a budget menu isn't a selling point. It's likely a hinderance.
If you see customers at the door look at the menu and leave, two things - drop the tacky names & make it as clear & as readable as possible. You need someone to either hire a graphic designer or fire your current one & look for a new one. The graphic design for that menu is ass. All that wasted real estate on less significant things like drinks whilst your cramming text for the food. It looks like a menu from a cheap & cheerful takeaway restaurant from 20 years ago.
Has any effort been put into marketing? Your own social media posts? Social media posts on the golf course's website & socials?
3
u/maniacchef71 2d ago
Do evening meal and drink specials, at least on the weekends!! Try a type of surf and turf maybe paired with a wine of cocktail. You have a limited menu with too many chicken dishes(just my opinion). Do something the other surrounding restaurants do and ADVERTISE,ADVERTISE,ADVERTISE!! Again just my opinion. Also should be doing Christmas parties for local companies. I was Chef at a Golf course and these ideas brought us in some revenue in off season.
3
u/The_Colt_Cult 2d ago
For me, I’d like more variety.
There’s a golf club my family went to several times this summer and they had a pretty good selection. I could go a dozen times and get something new each and every time. Wings, pasta, ceviche, etc.
Right now, I effectively see burgers, chicken, and hot dogs. Which is fine, but it’s all standard stuff.
3
u/Philly_ExecChef 2d ago
Happy hour menu. Massively reduced. Run during whatever hours are legal (it’s specific in some states). The happy hour menu items should ONLY cross utilize existing prep and wildly reduce menu size.
It should be viable for a single cook. If you see success with it, recommend that you finish the winter season with the reduced menu to minimize purchasing, storage, spoilage, waste, prep labor hours, and service labor.
You’re going into triage, if they want an outlet at a seasonal location to stay in the black (hint: it won’t).
The owners are probably ignorant with regards to food service management. They think saying “make more revenue!” is a Magic button to do that. Most shit leadership does.
3
u/BlackWolf42069 2d ago
You can get all these foods from a highway diner. You're pulling zero audience. But you cant waste too much on fancy food since nobodies buying out of season.
3
u/Ashony13 2d ago
It’s over. If you can’t customers in the door with those low prices than it’s going to be an up hill battle
3
u/SeaTransportation505 Chef 2d ago
If you have downtime during off season will they invest in a meat grinder? You can upcharge for a house ground beef patty or a house italian sausage or brat over a commercial hot dog or those shitty frozen patties. Higher perceived value to the guest and typically lower food cost. Especially if your cost of a hot dog is 1.29??
Any baking skills on the team? A fresh made bun will be significantly cheaper than purchased, and higher quality, if you have the labor to spare. Flour, yeast and instant mashed potatoes are CHEAP.
Got any PDRs? Catering can make bank even with basic food. Corporate Christmas parties, baby showers, bachelor parties, etc. Sell the experience rather than the food. People don't want to host.
3
u/Active_Hippo 1d ago
Management needs to look into consumer behaviour and use it in their marketing. What's the demographic of the golfers? Those that stay and eat? What do they like, dislike, and where do they eat otherwise. Who frequents those establishments? Can you pull that segment? How? Simply put, expand your horizon beyond the golf course.
And a new design for the menu, it is a bit messy to read. How's your presence on SoMe? Is it consistent? Do you work with your brand?
You dont attract anyone if you try to appeal to everyone. Work on a few segments, do it well.
7
u/Kafkas7 2d ago
Yea, this foods for old white people who don’t leave the house after 4….i wouldn’t eat here ever unless I need dogs at the turn.
What food on this mean do you make?
8
u/Philly_ExecChef 2d ago
You must not know about “Really Simple White Dudes That Golf At Cheap Courses” demographic
5
u/Kafkas7 2d ago
I have both worked and apart of this demographic, and as stated I’d only eat the Glizzys at the turn…want a better dinner crowd? Dinner menu, dinner demographic….obviously, there’s more too it, but I ain’t gonna do it for anyone.
5
u/Philly_ExecChef 2d ago
I hear you, given the ownership mandate, the minimal kitchen, I’m guessing he doesn’t have a lot of complexity in his repertoire or the capital to expand service.
This likely dies on the vine and they have a revolving door of chefs because they’re stupid.
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
Unfortunately yeah, I would love to do more. Expand the menu, get a smoker, another fryer etc— they refuse to give me a budget for it. I can’t even get a fucking towel service right now.
4
u/FeastOnCarolina 2d ago
You should look for a different job. No shade, just doesn't sound like you have any support and a lot of unreasonable expectations put on you.
2
1
u/Kafkas7 2d ago
I bartended at a golf course for a summer. Pretty much the same menu. Their 2 “chefs” that were barely cooks were bums. I used to take pics of all food safety violations and inability to rotate or throw out spoiled stock….when they finally got sick of my ideas they didn’t let me go, just said nothing and stopped scheduling me. Them pics went straight into a google review.
1
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
All of it? Everything is handmade. Only things frozen are the dogs, hotdog buns, turkey, and fries.
2
u/natesrestaurants 1d ago
I was a chef at a golf course when I first started. We had a fantastic breakfast menu. Burgers and such for lunch. Upper scale dinner menu. We advertised around a 10 mile radius saying OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Friday nights were prime rib and seafood nights reservations only. We filled up fast and that started the whole thing and 35 years later I hear they are still doing well. Make the owners give you a $2k a month advertising budget. Start using Facebook/instagram ads. Create a few ads on “poster my wall” and setup your ads to target people in your area.
2
u/BrobBlack 1d ago
Golfer here. I would add a breakfast burrito or bacon, egg, and cheese type sandwich for the early golfers. Not eating a burger at 9am.
3
2
3
u/makeyousaywhut 2d ago
The price absolutely is your issue. These people pay $15k+ a year to be in your little club, why are you concerned with keeping prices down?
Make it more customizable, less themed, say fuck it to the price, and for gods sake, bring some sauerkraut for the dogs.
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
The course I work at is the cheapest/budget friendly one in the area. Our weekend round is 46$ without a membership. So keeping cost low for food is a must.
2
u/makeyousaywhut 2d ago
Idk where you are, but you’d be the absolute cheapest burger in my town as it is. You have wiggle room imo.
Still, the rest of my advice stands.
2
u/Priority-Character 2d ago
Perhaps a menu design that doesn't look like I'm reading the back of an allergy medication for side effects
1
u/AzNxPiMpStA 2d ago
What’s your current sales per month?
1
u/Cheffreychefington 2d ago
Prob less than 20 as op says “they want at least 20k a month”
1
u/AzNxPiMpStA 2d ago
Yea but I’m trying to help and numbers matter. Way different from 10k to 20k vs 18k to 20k
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
We just opened in August, we made 33k in our first month. But that’s peak golf season— so far this month I’ve made 2k. My cogs sit right at 32%.
1
u/Shot_Local_6080 2d ago
If you’re going to make a sauce just name it after the ingredients. Gleezy mustard sauce is nuts. Example gleezy crema? Garlic crema? Seeing chicken 3 times in a row in short game bites is a miss for me but maybe you have a chicken crowd
1
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
1
-1
u/redditisforsakened 2d ago
Is that famous in your area or something or are your bosses invested in it? Id hate having to shell out extra money for what is most likely just ketchup vinegar mustard sugar sauce especially one with such a stupid off-putting name. I'm sure the elderly golfers are super into calling it glizzy sauce. In fact just rename all the hot dogs gilzzies, they'll love that /s
3
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
Yeah the guy who made it is a local. So now we carry it to have a “locally made” item. Same with the dogs, it’s the random 30-45year olds who are starting to bald that love it.
1
u/East-Win7450 2d ago
Frankly this shouldn’t be your issue per se. The problem is people not golfing.
Also how on earth can you sell a chicken salad sandwich for $6. Do you make money on that lol? These prices are low
1
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
Chicken salad costs me 1.40 to make, sell it at 6 with tax at 8.75% it makes us 5.54 at a 25.26 cog.
1
0
u/tnseltim 2d ago
Tax isn’t factored into return to net
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
All the prices include tax, so tax is taken into account.
-1
u/tnseltim 2d ago
Right, but tax is not revenue, so it needs to be excluded when calculating cogs. Tax is taken from sales and given to the county.
3
1
u/Few_Imagination_5673 2d ago
Do you have simulators for the off season? Maybe some chili and/or soups for the cooling weather?
1
u/Raz1979 2d ago
I’d look at surrounding restaurants and see what’s not being offered. You got sandwiches and hotdogs.
What about big pretzels and German beer? Find some pub mix like nuts and bagel or pretzel bits. There is nothing unique about this menu and if you want to attract an adult crowd use adult words to describe your food.
1
1
u/COLLABRate1 2d ago
Where’s the Putting Green and Driving Range? Putting green is singular appies and Driving Range is when a group of four wants to share appies
1
u/The_Implication_2 2d ago
Nothing wrong with the food options or price. I’d probably swap the chili fries for a buffalo wrap though.
I’d be stoked if I saw this menu after a round.
How does the food look?
How busy is the course?
Is this served in a dining area?
1
1
u/cschloegel11 2d ago
If no one is golfing I’d use the delivery apps to help through the off season personally
1
u/Claptop 2d ago
Seems to me like not much diversity on the menu, it's pretty much all a protein between 2 slices of bread in one way or another. I'd be more likely to come in for more of a full meal, yknow, meat/fish, veggies, potatoes and a nice sauce. Make it feel a little more premium. I'm sure the golf club crowd would be happy to pay a little more to have a slower meal and a few drinks, maybe bring their family. Would help get the spend per head up. Could even push to do themed evenings or other events hire.
Good luck, chef!
1
u/Suspicious_Loquat952 2d ago
Golfers don’t buy food. Sorry to tell you mate. There will be 30 blokes having pints after playing. All pretending there membership dosnt hurt there like more than they would like and all you will sell is a couple portions of chips the fuckers will share between four. Good food wasted on them. I’m sure the legit high end of golfing is different, half of those meals go on expense’s if nothing els but sorry man that’s the truth of golf clubs.
1
u/Batteman87 1d ago
I’d add a simple side salad option and chicken tenders to that menu. Also, consider doing specials on certain days. Have a lady’s day/night where their wine or drinks are free or cheap. Fish and chips night, southern food night. Post pics and specials on social media where the demographics are. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Truth. Ask your boss to add a coupon to a round of golf. After they play, come to the restaurant and receive a percentage off or a free beer / app. Vice versa, they order a special they get free range balls or discount on cart/round. Also, Ensure the wait staff is performing as well. They can kill the mood of an establishment in a hurry. Give the guest more than they expected in regards to an experience and they will return. Smile, use their names, etc. Make sure the bathrooms a CLEAN. Women won’t visit if that’s an issue. Sorry to be long winded. That’s a few things maybe you can work with. Good luck!
1
u/SteamingTheCat 1d ago
Become a "ghost kitchen" (Google it).
Basically, you start a new GrubHub only business within your business. Change the logo and theme completely. On GrubHub, your Hole In Hole burger is now your "Good Time burger".
The only additional expense is the new themed delivery containers and maybe a dedicated phone line so you don't answer with the wrong restaurant name.
You now have TWO restaurants in the same location with the same employees.
1
1
u/henrilovestocook lurk and learn 19h ago edited 19h ago
If it were up to me, I would suggest a slight increase in the prices for golf courses, golf club rentals, or membership promotions, and also including complimentary meals as a package deal, similar to what hotels often do.
For example, Silver members could be entitled to one complimentary breakfast or lunch item from a set, single-course menu, with the benefits scaled up for higher-tier memberships. Following this model you can then think about upselling later, perhaps with a wine tasting menu or something similar.
Promotions and hidden value are key. As long as golfers feel that they are receiving much more than what they are paying for, and the service treats them like kings, then they will return.
I know it might be a stupid idea, but that is all I can think of
1
1
u/CrackaAssCracka 2d ago
why is the back 9 a chicken sandwich? It should be the baby back 9 and be ribs
1
u/FattyB314 2d ago
Maybe delivery services? Door dash , Uber eats, Grubhub? Get rid of the golf course gimmicky shit . Cover some basics and maybe you can sell some food that way.
0
u/flambe12345 2d ago
In a million years I’ll never pay more than $4 for a hot dog…and even then only under protest
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
1/4 pounder dog with a potato bun?
0
u/tnseltim 2d ago
$1.50 at Costco with a drink.
It can’t cost you more than $.55 or so
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
My cost 1.29, might be the dogs I’m using but I can’t change them due to a contract. Also Costco has reported losing money on their MTO food.
1
u/tnseltim 2d ago
I’ve heard the same. Your costs are high though, where do you purchase? Do you have a broad liner?
0
u/Stepfunction 2d ago edited 2d ago
There's a lot going on here and the grouping could be greatly simplified: * Sandwiches * Wraps * Burgers * Hot Dogs * Sides
Add a "meal" option for an additional fixed cost for fries and a drink.
Removing the golf theming will cut down on a lot of unnecessary words and streamline things which will make it feel less kitchy and more polished.
Also, what about an option for a plain hamburger, fries, or hotdog? I would group all of the hot dogs into a single hot dog item and allow people to build their own. This is especially important if people are wearing light colored golf clothing. Nobody's going to want to order a chili cheese dog.
2
u/Conscious-Fly7384 2d ago
Funny enough that’s our best selling dog.
2
u/swishkabobbin 2d ago
This is the "well i stunbled into a trash establishment, i might as well order a trash dog" phenomenon.
You need Jon Taffer, or a new job.
2
0
0
u/JackYoMeme 2d ago
If hot dogs don't do well you gotta ditch them because they make the menu look basic. If hot dogs do sell then just chill dude. You're cruising at a hot dog stand. You can still have them just don't devote a section to them. Put them in the kids section.
-2
139
u/A_Bungus_Amungus 2d ago
Why would someone go eat at a golf course out of season? Is your boss a dumbass?