How to attract more customers: where new restaurant guests come from
What the answer looks like
Illustrative output on sample data
Illustrative example: how Lexi answers this for a Mediterranean fast casual chain with 25 locations. It tags each new guest by first channel, using POS, the ordering app, delivery partners and reservations, for the last six months.
- Walk-in: 22,000 new guests, $16 first check
- Own ordering app: 9,500 new guests, $24 first check
- Delivery apps: 14,000 new guests, $27 first order
- Reservations and catering: 1,800 new guests, $140 first order
What the data shows
Walk-ins bring the most new guests. Delivery apps bring the second most, at the highest single-order value outside catering.
What it means
Delivery app guests are only reachable if they share details, and few do. Own-app guests can be contacted and come back more often.
What to do
Put a code for the ordering app in every delivery bag, and promote the app at the counter for walk-ins.
Want me to show the return rate for each channel?
Why it matters
New guests arrive through very different doors, and each one costs and returns something different. Knowing how many come through reservations, walk-ins, online ordering and delivery apps, and how each group behaves afterward, shows where to invest to attract more of the right guests.
Frequently asked questions
How can a restaurant attract more customers?
Start with the channels that already work. Find where your best new guests came from, such as walk-ins near busy areas or your own ordering app, then invest more there. Make sure each channel captures guest details, so you can bring them back after the first visit.
Are delivery app customers worth acquiring?
They can be, but delivery apps usually keep the guest relationship and charge commission on every order. Encourage delivery guests to order direct next time, for example with a code in the bag, so later orders cost less and you can stay in touch.
How do you track where new restaurant guests come from?
Record the channel of each guest's first visit or order, whether walk-in, reservation, your own app or a delivery partner, and match later visits to the same guest. That shows both where guests arrive and which channels lead to repeat visits.