The dishes and drinks guests order before they become regulars
What the answer looks like
Illustrative output on sample data
Illustrative example: how Lexi answers this for a Japanese izakaya group with six venues. It compares the first two visits of guests who became regulars with guests who never returned, using POS and reservation data.
- Chicken karaage: ordered by 62% of future regulars, 38% of one-time guests
- Omakase skewer set: 41% of future regulars, 14% of one-time guests
- Signature highball: 55% of future regulars, 47% of one-time guests
What the data shows
The omakase skewer set shows the biggest gap. Future regulars order it three times as often as guests who never return.
What it means
The set introduces guests to the range of the kitchen. Guests who try it find more reasons to come back.
What to do
Have servers suggest the skewer set to first-time guests, and feature it on the first page of the menu.
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Why it matters
Some items quietly turn first-time guests into regulars, and they are rarely the best-sellers. Finding what guests ordered on the visits before they became regulars shows which dishes to recommend to newcomers, feature on the menu and protect from cuts.
Frequently asked questions
Which menu items create loyal restaurant guests?
Compare what future regulars ordered on their first visits with what one-time guests ordered. Items that future regulars order far more often are the ones linked to loyalty, and they are often different from your best-sellers.
How should restaurants use items that build loyalty?
Put them in front of first-time guests. Have servers recommend them, place them prominently on the menu and include them in first-visit offers. Protect them in menu reviews, even if their sales or margin look modest.
Does ordering an item make a guest more likely to return?
Not always on its own, since adventurous guests may both try more dishes and return more often. Testing a recommendation with some first-time guests and not others shows whether the item itself makes the difference.