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People taking photographs of their food in restaurants is now a common sight, so much so that some disgruntled chefs have banned smartphones from their dining rooms. But of course, there are those at the opposite end of the spectrum who are embracing social media at table level.

Instagram is the go-to social network for the #foodporn obsessed and recognising that many food lovers are just as likely to photograph their food as to eat it, one Tel Aviv restaurant has begun holding special ‘foodography’ evenings for snap-happy diners. During these events eye-catching meals are served up on specially-designed smartphone-friendly plates, which are made so that diners can get just the right angles. A food photographer is also on hand to take guests through the basics of food photography.

 

This is an extreme example of making a venue social media-friendly, one that goes far beyond setting up social media accounts for your café or restaurant and supremely surpasses offering free WiFi. However, it does raise some interesting questions on a topic that seems to run and run: what role, if any, should social media have on your restaurant floor? And what are the benefits of embracing social media as part of the dining out experience, or in contrast, remaining relatively social media-free?

Setting up a social media friendly venue

There are different levels of social media amiability. You might choose to stick to a basic level because you think it’s right for you and your customers, or equally you might go all-out to be as accessible on social media as possible.  

 

Here are just a few ways your venture – whether it’s a street food truck or Michelin-starred restaurant – can encourage diners to be active on social media when they’re in the vicinity of you and your food.

  • Provide a free WiFi hotspot to naturally encourage people to head online.
  • Display a sign with your Twitter or Instagram handles and any relevant hashtags you’re currently using or promoting.
  • Offer a discount to customers who ‘check in’ to your establishment on Facebook.
  • Hold food photo competitions around a theme; an increasingly popular activity in pubs and restaurants. You could try advertising these on your noticeboards alongside your specials.
  • And if you’re really dedicated: commission Instagram-friendly crockery, but choosing alternatives to plates may encourage customers to feel the need to snap, share, and sometimes shame. Take a look at our recent post to explore where you stand on the alternatives to plates debate.

We’ve talked before about the power of TripAdvisor and whether it’s a friend or foe, and there’s definitely a similar argument to be considered for encouraging social sharing in your restaurant: might it encourage negative feedback? Could all that snapping and clicking put off other diners?  And on a more basic level, will offering facilities like WiFi dramatically change how people spend their visits with you?

Is free Wi-Fi a must?

Dave Olejnik is the owner of Laynes Espresso, an independent coffee shop in Leeds. Laynes has a good presence on social media and you won’t have to search too hard on Twitter or Instagram for a very pretty picture of one of their excellent flat whites, but surprisingly to some, they actively choose not to provide WiFi in their shop.

 

When asked what fuelled this decision, Dave explained: “For the four years Laynes Espresso has been open, we have never offered WiFi to customers. This was our intention from the start, and it's founded upon several previous experiences within coffee shops where I felt the overall enjoyment of my visit was partly ruined by the atmosphere that only a room full of people staring at a computer screen could create.

“Coffee drinking and coffee shops are social experiences. At least, they are to me. Whether it's people sat down for an hour to chat over a brew or someone coming in for a quick pick-me-up on a break from work, I like my shop to have an atmosphere in which people talk. A room full of laptops is so horribly antisocial and I always wanted my shop to be a place where people could 'unplug' from the world, if only for a brief moment.”  

 

Dave said he’d found there were some significant benefits of being WiFi free that appealed to both staff and customers – namely more interaction between the groups. He explained that some staff members have become friends with regular customers and even customer-to-customer friendships, and even job offers and business ventures, have materialised through chats that have occurred over coffee, free from technology-based distractions

Benefits of providing WiFi

Providing WiFi in your restaurant, bar or café can encourage people to stay longer in your shop and if they plan to send an email or do a little work, there’s the potential they may choose your venue over another establishment. In addition, it will make it easier for customers to share their experience quickly on a social media platform – perhaps telling people where they are eating, showing them what they are eating, and maybe even giving a little feedback.

But of course, not providing a WiFi hotspot or putting up signs displaying your social media account details won’t necessarily prevent any of this from happening. Unless you put up signs expressly banning people from smartphone and laptop use (which some businesses do in order to promote a particular ambience), there’s every chance that people may reach for their phones and use their data allowance to let everyone know just how good their flat white or cheese toastie tastes.

Where do you stand on customer WiFi provision and social media use in restaurants and coffee shops? Vote in the poll below and tell us whether you’ve chosen to offer WiFi in your establishment, or you’d rather that customers come in and switch off.


Comments

Lockhart Catering on 15 May 2015 10:23 AM

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