Business is slow - spend money?

In today's economy, the restaurant business is down. It's not surprising as many people are reducing their dining habits. They're not stopping, they're slowing down. They're being more particular as they want to enjoy their experience as they're not dining out as much. Here are how people determine where they're going:

1. They go online and look to see what grabs their fancy. "55% of people go online first".
2. They may search for specials or deals.
3. They may be looking for entertainment while dining (live band, belly dancer, etc).

What does this mean? Spend some money and get your restaurant into regional directories that locals know about. Locals are you life's blood when visitors just aren't coming. If you've upset the locals, apologize and welcome them back! Second, offer up specials. For example, Offer up a soup and sandwich lunch for $4 or $5. Make sure it's something simple and affordable but also appeals to a wide range of people. Chili and a grilled cheese sandwich or Tomato Soup and a BLT. Limit the lunch menu to just a few items where you can prepare it quickly yet make some money. Lastly, bring in some entertainment or host theme nights. Ladies nights are very popular as well. Change it up. Have a calendar of events but be sure YOU GET THE WORD OUT!

Bringing people is hard but you can really have fun with it. Have an old-fashioned "cook out" or something to really grab people's attention.
This means, you need to spend some money to grab their attention. This especially goes for restaurants that don't open for breakfast or lunch. Try opening for 1 day and offer a limited menu with a skeleton crew. BE VERY SURE YOU DO YOUR MARKETING though!