
Turning Occasional Visitors into Regulars: Harnessing the Power of a Restaurant “Recommend” Function
Why “Recommend” Is More Than a Simple Button
Every restaurant owner dreams of steady foot traffic, satisfied repeat customers, and a regular buzz of word-of-mouth. A “Recommend” feature might sound small, but when used thoughtfully, it can become a powerful engine driving customer recurrence. Far from being just a link or button on your website, a well-integrated “Recommend” function can nurture loyal guests, expand your reach, and even simplify your marketing efforts.
Restaurants worldwide are competing harder than ever to earn diners’ attention. According to UKHospitality reports, the industry has rebounded significantly in recent months, with new concepts popping up and customer expectations skyrocketing. This crowded landscape makes it crucial to stand out, not only through exceptional food but also by cultivating a sense of familiarity, trust, and personal connection. That’s where “Recommend” enters the stage—offering a gentle nudge for diners to share your restaurant with friends or to keep coming back themselves.
1. Understanding the “Recommend” Feature
In essence, a “Recommend” function invites customers to endorse or promote something they enjoyed—be it a specific dish, the entire dining experience, or even a direct link to your reservation page. While the mechanics differ from one system to another, the goal is consistent: to spread the word and inspire repeat visits.
- One-click endorsements: Guests who finish a meal can tap a single button to leave a quick thumbs-up, star rating, or short note praising your establishment.
- Social sharing: Some “Recommend” features integrate seamlessly with social media, letting diners post about their meal with minimal effort. This connects your brand to their entire network.
- Encouraging re-orders: In certain digital solutions, a “Recommend” button triggers a streamlined reorder path. Diners can quickly replicate a past meal with minimal scrolling or searching.
When integrated properly, “Recommend” is more than marketing fluff. It provides a direct channel for satisfied diners to champion your restaurant, which can significantly boost recurring business. After all, your most powerful ambassadors are happy customers with authentic stories to tell.
2. How Recommendations Turn into Recurrence
Think back to your favourite local bistro or coffee house. Chances are, you keep returning because you trust the flavours, the staff, and the vibe. When new guests see genuine recommendations—especially from people they trust—they’re more likely to give your place a try. Over time, both new and returning customers build a stronger relationship with your brand, increasing their frequency of visits.
- Social proof at its finest: Humans are wired to trust peer opinions. A recommendation from a friend or family member has persuasive power that adverts rarely achieve.
- Reduced decision fatigue: Diners appreciate shortcuts. If they already know a dish is highly recommended, they’re less hesitant to reorder it or return for something new next time.
- Effortless sharing: If it takes mere seconds for diners to recommend a meal, they’ll happily do it more often—transforming a single experience into a recurring habit.
The sum total? More consistent visits and a restaurant that feels like a community hub, not just a place to grab food. In a world saturated with choices, forging that sense of personal attachment keeps your tables full day after day.
3. Integrating “Recommend” Into Your Workflow
So, you’re sold on the idea of letting diners share the love. But how exactly do you implement a “Recommend” feature? It’s important to consider both the digital tools and the in-person approach that fosters consistent usage.
3.1 Picking the Right Tech Stack
A stand-alone “Recommend” function might be coded into your website or integrated into your ordering platform. Alternatively, you might rely on a third-party solution that merges payment, tip collection, and recommendations into one sleek package. For instance, sunday offers a quick, QR-based system for paying. You can easily imagine a post-payment prompt: “Enjoyed your meal? Recommend us!” This synergy drastically improves adoption—diners see the button right when they’re feeling most enthusiastic.
- Mobile optimisation: Many diners discover and share experiences on their phones. Ensuring your “Recommend” feature works flawlessly on mobile is non-negotiable.
- Clear calls to action: Label the button or link with phrasing like “Recommend Your Favourite Dish” or “Share This Experience,” so guests know exactly what it does.
- Integration with reviews: If they can quickly pivot from “Recommend” to posting on Google, you gather both direct endorsements and broader digital presence, fueling even more visibility.
3.2 Training Your Team
Fancy software alone won’t cut it. Encourage your staff to mention the “Recommend” option at pivotal moments—maybe after dropping off dessert or handing the final check. If a table is clearly over the moon about your daily special, that’s the perfect time to say, “Feel free to recommend it if you loved it—our system makes it super easy.”
- Provide scripts: A short, friendly line—“We’d love your recommendation!”—goes far in normalising the request without sounding pushy.
- Offer incentives wisely: Some restaurants experiment with small perks (like a free coffee or sweet treat) to diners who share a certain number of recommendations. This can give an extra nudge.
Combining staff enthusiasm with a frictionless digital flow is the sweet spot that turns a once-off diner into a brand loyalist.
4. Nudging Guests Toward the Next Visit
A “Recommend” feature benefits more than just your brand image. It can also be used to directly prompt returning visits. For instance, upon tapping “Recommend,” diners might see a short pop-up: “Thanks for sharing! Enjoy 10% off your next visit.” That simple reward now ties their endorsement to tangible value for them—and secures a repeat booking for you.
- Data-driven follow-ups: If the system logs who recommended a dish or the restaurant as a whole, you can later send a tailored email or text inviting them back with a new seasonal menu highlight.
- Automated reminders: Even a quick “We miss you! Remember that lovely meal you recommended?” after a month can prompt dormant customers to return, especially if the message references the dish they raved about.
This approach flips a single recommendation into a cyclical loop—diners share their excitement, you reward them, and they come back (often bringing friends). Over time, your customer base stabilises, giving you room to experiment with new dishes or expansions while still trusting in a core group of repeat patrons.
5. Measuring the Impact on Customer Recurrence
Once you implement “Recommend,” track its performance. Numbers don’t lie, and you’ll want to see how effectively it’s spurring repeat visits and driving new footfall. Key metrics to watch include:
- Recommendation click rate: Among diners who pay or view your digital menu, how many actually hit “Recommend”?
- Uplift in Google or social media reviews: If your function ties into public review platforms, measure the uptick in ratings or posted photos. Notice if new guests mention those reviews influenced their choice.
- Return rate among recommenders: Are the folks who use “Recommend” more likely to come back within a set timeframe? Keep an eye on how soon they revisit, and how their average spend compares to other diners.
Beyond the raw data, ask your frontline team for feedback. Are guests spontaneously mentioning the “Recommend” feature, or do servers need to consistently remind them? That anecdotal evidence can guide you in refining the messaging or user interface.
6. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
No system is foolproof. If you rush to add “Recommend” without strategy, you might see minimal engagement—or worse, confusion among diners. Watch out for these traps:
- Overcomplicated steps: If the “Recommend” flow demands multiple screens or forms, diners will bail. Aim for a one- or two-tap process, especially on mobile.
- Ignoring feedback: If guests suggest improvements—like bigger text on the “Recommend” button—listen. Small tweaks can drastically enhance participation.
- Incentives that feel pushy: It’s fine to reward recommendations, but avoid appearing desperate. A subtle “Thank You” or discount on a future meal feels like gratitude, not bribery.
By anticipating these issues, you keep the entire recommendation loop genuinely beneficial for both your diners and your business. It should feel fun and spontaneous, never forced or burdensome.
7. Examples of “Recommend” in Action
You may be wondering how exactly a “Recommend” function might look in real-world scenarios. Here are two quick examples:
- Neighbourhood Bistro: After paying via sunday, the guest sees a small pop-up: “Enjoyed your meal? Tap to recommend your favourite dish and share it with friends on social media.” By tapping, they automatically generate a short post or link. Their followers see a mouth-watering photo of your signature risotto, and they too consider booking.
- Takeaway-Heavy Café: The café’s online ordering page has a “Recommend” button next to each completed order. If the customer taps it, they can easily reorder the same items next time—speeding up the process and fuelling habit-forming behaviour (“I’ll have the usual, please!”). The system might also display how many times the dish was recommended that day, adding social proof to top items.
Both scenarios highlight how small digital gestures can amplify your marketing. They reward diner enthusiasm and channel it into valuable, shareable endorsements that cultivate new or repeat business.
A Future of Loyalty Fueled by “Recommend”
Restaurant loyalty once relied on intangible vibes and personal connection. Today, technology is bridging that gap, letting your best customers do the talking—at scale. A frictionless “Recommend” function blends convenience with authenticity, demonstrating that great meals are worth sharing. Over time, these micro-endorsements grow into a powerful network of brand advocates, each one encouraging a new or returning patron to give your menu a try.
With a well-executed plan—integrating “Recommend” into your order and payment systems, training staff to encourage it at the right moments, and measuring the results—you’ll see more than a bump in social media mentions. You’ll notice a steady rise in returning faces, a surge in advanced reservations, and an organic ripple of excitement about your dishes. That’s the real beauty of modern recommendation features: they build community and loyalty, one click at a time.
By embracing a tool like sunday that ties in quick, contactless payments with subtle but effective prompts to recommend, you can keep your brand relevant, fresh, and always top-of-mind. No more relying solely on expensive ads or guessing who might come back. Instead, your fans do the talking—and keep doing it. In a fast-paced industry, that’s the difference between a restaurant that merely survives and one that thrives on recurring custom year-round.