Without new business, your restaurant won't be able to grow. You need a constant stream of new customers to replace those you lose as a result of customers relocating, switching jobs, or changing dining habits. Here are six strategies for getting more customers through your doors.

1. Market Your Restaurant In Hotel Rooms

   Business travellers and people on holiday may not be familiar enough with your town to know where to find an excellent meal. You can give them a hand simply by doing some hotel room marketing. Talk to hotels within your three-mile radius area and ask if you can place menus and advertisements in their rooms and lobby area. Some hotels have a “Nearby Attractions” list which they provide for their guests. You can ask to be added to the list. When guests get hungry and start trying to figure out where to eat, you'll be one of the first restaurants to come to mind.

2. Form A Strategic Alliance With Event Venues

   After a concert or sporting event, people are hungry and want to eat. Remember that people sometimes travel a long distance to come to these events, so they don't want to travel home on an empty stomach. One venue in the United States showed a nearby restaurant's advert on all of the venue monitors between concert acts. After the concert was over, that restaurant was packed with concert goers. You can do your part by promoting upcoming events of that venue at your restaurant.

3. Enter Contests

   One of the biggest ways to get some media attention and, therefore, to attract new business is by winning a contest. For example, enter your chef in a cooking contest. Read restaurant publications and browse the Internet to find out about any contests you may be able to enter. If all else fails, create your own contest and invite local restaurants to participate. Then, even if you lose, you'll still generate great publicity and get new patrons in your door.

4. Sell Gift Certificates

   Your loyal customers may want their friends and family members to give you a try. Provide them with your gift certificates, so they can buy these as presents for loved ones. A gift certificate allows the recipient to try your restaurant completely risk-free since they usually don't have to pay anything for the experience. Plus, each gift certificate serves as a referral to your establishment. Make sure your gift certificates come in flexible amounts so that buyers have the freedom to decide how much to spend.

5. Give Samples Out At Busy Locations

   Send your food on the road if you really want to lure in new customers. Go to locations that have a lot of human traffic, such as shopping centres, supermarkets, parks, etc, and offer samples of some of your most tasty food to everyone that passes by. When they stop to take a sample, give out a menu, business card, or a coupon so that they'll know exactly where they can go in order to taste more of your scrumptious food.

6. Offer “Happy Hour” Specials

   At the end of a hard day, many workers want to relax and unwind before heading home, so invite them to your restaurant for some “happy hour” specials. Drink specials and low-price finger food buffets are both good ideas. You could also have Frequent Diner cards for happy patrons so that after so many drinks they receive a free drink or a discount on their meal if they decide to stay for dinner. Inform all local businesses about your offer.

Willie's secret recipe draws in 15,000 unique visitors a day - many of whom do the bulk of his work FOR him.