Restaurant Customer Satisfaction Survey Questions Examples

Customer satisfaction is the key to every restaurant’s success. A satisfied customer will become an ambassador of your brand and will generate a regular income, in addition to helping with the acquisition of new leads. However, customers are increasingly critical of the restaurant experience. How can you distinguish yourself from your competitors to offer your customers a personalized service accompanied by an exceptional atmosphere within your restaurant?

By asking restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions to your clientele, you make sure you put all the chances on your side to maximize the well-being of your customers. For example, restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions can help you understand your customers’ expectations, better adapt to current trends, or even improve the quality of your service!

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Would you like to know more about the importance of creating customer satisfaction surveys in restaurants and the related benefits? To help you, here are some restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions examples.

What is a restaurant customer satisfaction survey?

Definition of a restaurant customer satisfaction survey

A restaurant satisfaction survey is a tool used in the management of the customer relationship in a restaurant. This is a tactic to improve your restaurant customer experience to maximize customer satisfaction.

You can ask restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions to find out how satisfied your customers are with the experience you have had in your company. The compilation of this feedback will therefore translate into valuable tips for improving the service of your restaurant. This way, you can better satisfy your customers while adapting to their expectations. This is an asset for the quality of your services, but also to better adapt to the needs and expectations of your clientele.

Here are some examples of tools for sending customer satisfaction surveys:

• By SMS;
• By email;
• By paper;
• Online.

Although you can ask your clients face to face or through a paper survey, we recommend that you schedule the sending of satisfaction surveys electronically, either by SMS or email. This way, your customers will be able to answer your questions at the right time, without risk of being disturbed in the heart of their experience!

Why should you ask restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions?

According to Harvard Business Review, acquiring a new prospect can cost up to 25 times more than retaining an existing customer. In this sense, it is crucial to know your customers’ expectations to better adapt to their current needs.

Sending your clientele restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions can help you assess the quality of your food to better meet the demands of your consumers. This survey can also guide you to certain trends in ambiance, decor, or even menus to modernize your establishment. In addition, it also allows you to measure the quality of service of your staff. Interesting, isn’t it?

Once your answers have been collected, you will be able to compile them in order to obtain performance indicators that will reveal your customers’ overall satisfaction with your company. With this valuable information, you can optimize your customer experience to differentiate yourself from the competition. This is a great strategy to better satisfy your current clientele while attracting new prospects to your institution. This is a perfect example of how you can improve customer satisfaction by asking restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions regularly!

What are the factors that impact the customer experience in restaurants?

Thanks to restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions, you will be able to adapt to the expectations of your customers while surpassing your competitors! However, now that you know the benefits of such a survey, how can you improve your institution’s customer experience?

To shed light on the subject, here are eleven best practices to follow to optimize the customer journey within your restaurant.

1. The reception

The quality of restaurant service is felt as soon as your customer crosses the threshold of your establishment. To this end, it is important that your in-room staff take charge of welcoming your guests as soon as they arrive.

In the first few seconds after arriving, greet your guests with a warm smile and then welcome them to your establishment. Inform them of the waiting time if necessary, then make sure to provide them with an impeccable table with a menu for each member of the group who visits your restaurant. This prompt, courteous and warm welcome will let your customers know that they are at the center of your priorities!

Do you want to evaluate the quality of your welcome and the courtesy of your teams in the room? Conduct a survey to measure your customers’ satisfaction with the welcome they received upon arrival at your establishment. This is a great example of how restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions can help you evaluate your staff!

2. The decor

Your decor and furniture are an integral part of the theme of your restaurant. They have a direct impact on the atmosphere of your establishment and help make it unique. For this purpose, set up your decorations, frames, photos, table centers, paper towels, dishes and utensils so that they illustrate your brand image.

Offer your customers comfortable and up-to-date chairs to wait for their order. At the end of the service, measure your customers’ satisfaction through restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions to better tailor your establishment to your customers’ expectations.

In addition, when designing your restaurant, choose a color palette that represents the spirit of your brand. Decorate with contemporary furniture and frames that will give a personal touch to your dining room. Why not finalize your decorations with a wall or interactive screen dedicated to positive reviews within your restaurant? This is a great way to showcase your ambassadors!

3. The atmosphere

If the decor of your room has a direct impact on your customer experience, the same applies to the atmosphere of your restaurant. It must support the theme of your institution while giving your clientele a sense of conviviality.

Too bright light can be very unpleasant for your customers. Similarly, noisy music may prevent your guests from chatting around their meals, ultimately discouraging them from returning to your facility.

In this sense, it is important to measure your customers’ satisfaction. For example, after you send restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions, note the appreciation of your customers towards your choices of atmosphere. Adjust the brightness as well as the sound of your music to highlight your theme while ensuring the well-being of your customers. This will have a beneficial impact on your customer experience!

4. The menu’s variety

The reason why your customers come to your restaurant is first to eat. In this sense, it is essential to offer them an interesting and diverse menu that will make them want to come back to your establishment. A menu is a work in constant evolution. The menu offered at the opening of an establishment is often different from what we find years later.

Over the years, it is important to adapt your menu to better satisfy your customers. For example, following the sending of restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions, adjust your proposals to your customers’ expectations. Decorate your restaurant with trendy meals that match your brand image. This way, you will show your customers that their comments are listened to and considered!

For a little variety, consider introducing a daily menu, or even a cyclical menu. You could even offer your most curious customers to sample your dishes before they order. This variety will attract new epicureans to your establishment while retaining your current clientele!

5. The quality of food and cocktails

Quality dishes and cocktails are essential to the satisfaction of your guests. This is the basis for running your restaurant, but also a key factor in meeting the expectations of your clientele, both in terms of fast food and more renowned restaurants. To this end, it is important to regularly send restaurant customer survey questions to your consumers to ensure that the quality of their food and beverages meets their needs at the time.

Ask your customers about their appreciation of your current dishes. Measure its satisfaction with the temperature, texture and taste of your food and the quality of your cocktails. This feedback will then allow you to improve your proposals based on real comments. This is why restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions are a must for your establishment!

6. The speed of service

In a restaurant customer experience, no one likes to wait to get a seat or an order. In this sense, it is important to provide your customers with fast and professional service.

As soon as your guests arrive, hurry up and welcome them to your establishment. Assign them a table within minutes of their arrival, then offer them to start with a drink while they select their dish. For better use of your time, if your customer is accompanied, note their choice when the full group is ready to order.

Throughout the wait, keep a good eye on your customers to help them wait. A glass of water, information about an extra waiting time or even a few friendly words can greatly contribute to the satisfaction of your restaurant’s guests. This excellent follow-up with a fast service will avoid many customer dissatisfactions: it will contribute to the satisfaction of your customers and will make them want to recommend your establishment to their loved ones. The speed of service is definitely a criteria to be evaluated using restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions!

7. A frequent follow-up with your restaurant customers

No one likes to be left to their own devices in restaurants. A client uninformed of the progress of his order, without news of a server for several tens of minutes, is not likely to set foot in your institution again. That’s why it’s important to make your existing teams aware of the importance of a good follow-up on your customers!

According to Supli, retaining your current customer base can increase your annual revenue by 25% to 95%. Why not offer them a completely personalized follow-up? This will have a positive impact on their customer satisfaction!

In the customer experience, be sure to fill your customers’ glass when it is empty. While they are enjoying your food, ask them if everything is to their liking. Offer them to salt or pepper the food according to their preference. You could even offer free coffee to your customers regularly to show them your appreciation!

After the customer experience, investigate your customer satisfaction with your restaurant satisfaction survey questions. Ask if your staff has met their expectations to better understand their client follow-up needs. This will allow you to offer exceptional and personalized follow-up, in addition to motivating your employees by showing them the impact of their follow-up on your customers’ satisfaction!

8. The quality/price ratio

Price is a decisive factor in customer satisfaction. If you offer expensive dishes of poor quality, you will increase your customer dissatisfaction rate. On the contrary, if you prepare excellent food at low prices, you will certainly attract new prospects within your establishment.

The ideal is to find the balance to ensure the sustainability of your restaurant. For example, with restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions, measure your customers’ satisfaction with the quality and price of your services. This will allow you to better gauge whether your prices are appropriate to the quality of your dishes in order to adjust them according to your consumers’ expectations.

Don’t forget that the price of your establishment is one of the decisive criteria for your clientele. Be sure to offer quality dishes worthy of the price you have set to better satisfy your consumers and attract new prospects to the heart of your establishment!

9. A good service

As discussed above, the welcome, the speed of service and the good follow-up of your customers play a major role in the quality of your customer experience. However, these elements can only be implemented by a courteous and professional team whose customer satisfaction is the main priority.

As soon as your guests arrive in your restaurant, be sure to give them a warm welcome. With a smile, welcome them to your establishment before guiding them to the dedicated table.

Throughout the order process, keep a courteous tone and repeat the dishes requested to ensure the accuracy of your notes. Afterward, while the order is being prepared, follow up with your customers by filling their drinks and informing them regularly of the waiting time remaining before the food arrives.

Once the order is complete, be sure to ask your customers if everything is to their liking. Offer them salt, pepper, or even grate Parmesan to adjust their dish according to their preferences. At the end of their meal, treat them to a dessert à la carte to finish the experience with a sweet note.

Before they leave, wish your guests a great evening and thank them for their visit. Finally, after the customer experience, send restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions to evaluate, for example, the professionalism of your servers and the quality of your customer follow-up. This will optimize the quality of service offered in your restaurant!

10. The temperature of meals

Imagine: you order a dish and wait forty minutes to taste it, only to take a bite of warm meat or cold pasta. That’s not very satisfactory, is it?

According to the OptimoRoute survey, 36% of consumers believe that cold food is their main source of dissatisfaction during delivery or a customer experience in a restaurant. In that sense, be sure to offer your customers a warm and comforting meal that will meet their expectations.

In a restaurant, keep your dishes in a warm place so they don’t cool down, then make sure to serve your customers quickly to offer them hot and quality food. When shipping, pack your dishes separately, then store them in an airtight fabric bag. Wrap your dishes with aluminum foil if necessary to keep them at an adequate temperature. For example, during a fast-food survey, you can ask if the temperature of the dish delivered is adequate while asking whether they are satisfied with the delivery time.

Finally, are you looking for ideas for good restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions? Be sure to validate if your customers are satisfied with the temperature of their dish as a result of their experience. This will have a significant impact on your customers’ satisfaction!

11. The ability to make reservations

After several hours of driving, you finally arrive at your favorite restaurant. However, you learn that the dining room is full: there is no room available for several hours.

This unpleasant experience can be avoided with just a few clicks or a phone call. By setting up an online or telephone reservation system, you will offer your clientele the chance to come to your establishment at the time of their choice while minimizing their waiting time. This is a must-have for a restaurant customer experience!

26 restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions to ask

Now that you know the various factors that impact the customer experience, you need to set up a customer satisfaction survey to assess the quality of your services. However, asking the right questions can be complex for someone who is not familiar with managing the client relationship.

To help you write your questions, here are twenty-six restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions to ask your customers.

• Is this your first visit to our restaurant?
• Overall, how did you find your experience at our restaurant?
• Was the food up to your expectations?
• Was the quality/price ratio adequate?
• Was the welcome you received when you arrived warm and courteous?
• Was the wait time adequate?
• Were you asked if the table assigned was suitable for you?
• Was the person who served you courteous?
• Did you like the menu?
• Has there been a good follow-up with you throughout your wait?
• Did the person who served you write down and follow your dietary restrictions?
• Was the timeliness of service satisfactory?
• Was the meal served warm enough for your liking?
• Was the cleanliness of the restaurant adequate?
• Did the decor and atmosphere of our restaurant have a positive impact on your experience?
• Was the volume of the music well adjusted?
• Were the chairs and benches comfortable?
• Are our hours of operation convenient for you?

Restaurant customer survey questions to measure the Customer Effort Score (CES), the amount of effort your customers put in during the customer experience

• On a scale of 1 to 10, was it easy to make your reservation?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you assess the wait time for our services?

Restaurant customer survey questions to measure the Customer Satisfaction Score, the overall satisfaction of your customers with your services

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you measure your overall satisfaction with our services?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate us?

Restaurant customer survey questions to measure the Net Promoter Score, the likelihood of your clients becoming your ambassadors

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you recommend us to a colleague or relative?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to return to our restaurant?

Examples of restaurant customer survey open-ended questions

• Do you have any food suggestions that you would like to add to our menu?
• Do you have any other comments to help us improve our services?

How InputKit can help you improve the restaurant customer experience

Do you have any difficulty measuring customer satisfaction with your restaurant? Do you want to increase the number of positive online reviews about your restaurant? If so, the InputKit Customer Experience Assessment and Improvement Solution is for you!

InputKit allows you to save time by sending satisfaction follow-ups to the right people at the right times! No more manual follow-ups that take a lot of time. Our solution automatically sends your restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions via SMS or email, according to your preferred methods.

With our solution, you can take advantage of our customer satisfaction surveys to track your customers’ satisfaction at the right time, one to two hours after their experience at your establishment. This will allow you to create your own fully customized and automated survey to gather valuable feedback that will better meet your customers’ expectations. Interesting, isn’t it?

In addition, our online review functionality makes sure to exclusively target your satisfied customers to collect positive reviews on your platforms. As a result, following a restaurant satisfaction survey, you can invite a satisfied consumer to leave you a positive Google review online, which will improve your e-reputation and optimize your position in search engines. This is a must to improve your acquisition of new leads while increasing your online visibility!

With InputKit, you can also evaluate your staff’s service based on real facts. For example, you can use a QR code in your restaurant to evaluate your team’s service in the dining room. These warm reactions will allow you to know what is happening in your establishment, but also to better train your employees to improve the quality of your services. You can also share the positive feedback from your satisfied customers to increase their motivation to work, which will significantly impact their performance. These are the benefits of restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions!

If the customer experience in the restaurant sector can be complex to optimize, follow our restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions examples to better adapt to the expectations and needs of your guests.

Implement an online or telephone reservation system to minimize wait times. As soon as your guests arrive, greet them warmly, then invite them to sit in a space adapted to the taste of the day and with a friendly atmosphere. Provide them with a varied menu with fair prices and make sure to follow-up with customers throughout their wait. A pleasant conversation and small attention introduced by attentive staff will make a big difference in terms of customer satisfaction!

After quick service, serve your customers a hot, high-quality meal that will set you apart from your competitors. Before your customers leave, thank them for their visit and rely on our sample restaurant satisfaction survey to improve your experience based on concrete feedback. Restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions about food, or even a survey specific to fast food if this is your case, will help you to identify some shortcomings in your service. This is a must for meeting your customers’ expectations!

Now that you know everything about restaurant customer satisfaction survey questions, do you need help creating automated surveys that will be sent to the right people at the right times? Feel free to schedule a free demo of our solution with our team of subject matter experts to improve your processes and increase your customer satisfaction!