Buffets are one of the biggest and busiest moments in the daily life of a hotel. Hundreds of guests, all appearing at the same time, all with an expectation of what the buffet experience is like.

The restaurant buffet is a real opportunity for the hotel to establish the customer’s opinion of the hotel’s brand and identity – which can determine whether they become returning guests or not.

One of the basic requirements of a restaurant is to provide food – but this is not enough to ensure customer loyalty and retention. Quality service, surroundings and cleanliness all contribute to the customer’s relationship with the hotel and its associated brand.

Research shows that 72% of customers will tell six or more people (including friends and family – people who value their opinion) if they have a satisfying experience. This is key to your marketing strategy, as word-of-mouth is five times more effective than paid advertisements.

Getting the small details right is important when achieving a strong reputation and ensuring customer satisfaction. Customers have an individual set of expectations and opinions that a quality restaurant experience provides. Whilst these are individual to the consumer, there are a few expectations that are universal when it comes to the restaurant experience.

There are some key things to remember when offering customer service within your restaurant:

• Train your staff correctly
• Use guest data to improve customer service
• Offer seasonal experiences
• Provide a range of new payment technologies
• Deal with customer complaints and criticism appropriately
• Be attentive and efficient

Hygiene and professionalism is vital when establishing a quality and loyal relationship with consumers. Just as restaurants and kitchens must maintain a food hygiene rating, customers expect a level of cleanliness and professionalism when it comes to food and their meals within a hotel environment. Failure to do so will drastically affect their experience and opinion of the brand.

Plastic display signs for buffets

Buffets are a popular option when it comes to food at hotels. It is a great way to manage guests’ individual requirements without overloading the kitchen and waiting staff. This method still requires the same cleanliness standard and maintains the expected food hygiene ratings.

PVC plastic display signs are a high-quality method for labelling the foods on the buffet. Not only can you print the name of the item and a description, but you can also include any extra relevant information, such as allergens, calorie information, when it was served, and your hotel’s logo.

Plastic vs Paper

To put it simply, plastic food display signs look professional. It is never wise to underestimate the importance of professionalism and cleanliness in business, and never more so than in the food industry. Consumers expect a high dedication to hygiene, health, and safety when it comes to food – a plastic price sign instantly shows a level of care and dedication to maintaining a high standard that your customers will notice.

Compared to paper signs, plastic display signs are clean and crisp, with smooth, uniform edges consistent across the display. The text on the sign is easy to read and neat, unlike handwritten signs – which are likely to change from user to user. Ink also carries a risk as it can smudge, stain, and contaminate your buffet food.

Paper and cardboard are unsuitable for usage in food displays as they are porous materials and will hold stains and smells.

If the inevitable spillage happens on the cards, paper will hold the stain, ruining the display and creating the impression that the kitchen is careless. It is also possible that the stains can become mouldy, again causing a hygiene issue and drastically reducing the look of quality and professionalism. Plastic is waterproof and non-porous, so if you do accidentally spill on the display card, it can be wiped clean without compromising the card.

Paper is a fragile medium and is more susceptible to damage than a plastic display card. The paper will crease, bend and tear, causing another risk to the overall impression of the buffet display.

Creating your unique plastic display sign

One of the key advantages of a plastic display sign is that it is completely customisable. You can include information that is relevant to you and your business. Including your business logo and colour scheme helps establish the brand identity within the consumer’s mind.

The main benefit of using plastic display cards is that you can print clear information, such as ‘may contain nuts’ or ‘suitable for vegans’ – or even the date they were made in the case of bakery goods and sandwiches. All of this helps with your food hygiene rating and proves to your customers that you take your trade seriously, improving loyalty and reputation.

Plastic signs can be printed on-site – giving you the freedom to create and produce the appropriate cards relevant to your business. Should you have a ‘chef’s special’, you can print your plastic signs on demand with all the information required. As perishable goods, food has strict use-by dates, and by investing in a printing system, you can create display cards quickly to get your food on display without wasting time.

Reward-it offers everything you need to set up your display stand printing, from the correct printer for you and your needs to the print ribbons and consumables.

We appreciate that running a hotel is a high-pressure job with very little spare time. If the investment in a card printing printer is unrealistic from both budget and time points of view, we offer a price sign printing service. Simply send us your specifications and designs, and our in-house experts will print your cards and send them back to you. This allows you to spend your time running your business and kitchen rather than learning to use a card printing machine.

Buffet food display stands

Buffet display stands are ideal for use alongside your plastic price cards. Freestanding stands for display cards are a great way to include your new plastic cards in your buffet display. This maintains the uniform looks as they are all the same size and height. The uniform design of the card and stand complement each other and enhance the overall look of the buffet display.

Appreciate and reward loyal customers

By improving your display signage, you can improve the customer’s perception of your brand and business. By creating this link between you and the consumer, you can convert them into regular customers and brand advocates. This relationship needs to be nurtured and to keep the brand in the mind of the customer for when they need or want to book a hotel (and ensure they also book the add-on of a buffet meal).

Implementing a reward system for your guests is a great method for maintaining loyalty and ensuring return custom. By offering a points system that can be exchanged for rewards and benefits, you can persuade the consumer to choose your hotel and can transform them into regular customers, as well as provide quality word-of-mouth advertising (either on social media or face-to-face).

A reward system is simple to implement and manage. Consumers are likely to return as they appreciate the added value of the points system, and the business benefits from the increase in trade and profit. A reward system also provides a rich stream of data that can be used to tailor the experience for the user, which in turn creates a healthy and prosperous relationship between both parties.

Buffet display ideas – and why plastic display cards offer more than just a quality-looking display

By implementing a plastic card system for your buffet displays, you instantly transform your buffet display into a professional and hygienic area that will improve your brand identity and perception with the customer.

Providing a quality experience in a key area of your hotel – where the guest’s rest, relax, converse, and eat ­– is vital to nurturing a relationship with the consumer, ensuring they have a positive experience with the brand and potentially provide positive word of mouth marketing and not the negative marketing and bad reviews.

To find out more about plastic price signs, please visit here or get in touch with a member of our expert team.