When over-enthusiasm on social media can be detrimental

Strong digital marketing can quickly attract crowds, but may also raise expectations that are difficult for new establishments to meet, writes PR practitioner Jacqueline Arnold.

Promotional posts for a new sourdough restaurant in town appeared on my Facebook feed recently.

The videos were interesting, featuring a montage of behind-the-scenes kitchen preparation, the baking process and the final products on display. The menu was also presented, and it looked very interesting.

In short, I was sold.

I made plans with friends to dine there. We arrived at noon, and the place was packed.

The ground floor was almost entirely taken up by an open kitchen. The equipment looked state-of-the-art.

The number of pastries and loaves on display was limited, and there were six dining parties waiting to be seated.

We were told we would have to wait 45 minutes for a table, provided we registered via a QR code. Luckily, my friend had made a reservation.

We were shown to our table on the first floor for dine-ins. The dining area was full. There was only one menu on the table with a QR code for us to place our order. I thought, okay, that’s the norm these days.

We scanned the QR code and discovered that only one of the much-publicised pasta dishes was available.

Shock and disappointment!

Anyway, we placed our order; all three of us decided to have the same pasta dish.

After a reasonable wait, the first dish arrived. And it took more than 10 minutes before the other two dishes were served.

We thought this rather odd, considering we had all ordered the same dish. Go figure!

The servers didn’t offer an apology or explanation.

The pasta dish was certainly delicious, I’ll give them that, but I still felt cheated.

Why?

Because, based on what had been promoted on their social media channels, I had certain expectations that were not met. This is what happens when there’s too much of a sales focus.

Here’s my recommendation for a PR do-over:

• Include a friendly reminder on your socials about making reservations in advance to avoid disappointment.

• Manage expectations. Again, on your socials, ask for patrons’ understanding that since the establishment is new, there would be a limited menu.

• Then, for dine-ins at the restaurant, have someone come around to the tables to explain and apologise for offering only one main dish. That person could also gain valuable feedback from patrons about how to improve service.

• And most importantly, wait until your service is 100 per cent ready before a big launch.

  
  

They have now lost a potential regular customer from this unsatisfactory initial visit.