Why integrate a subscription offer into your commercial catering chain?

Why adopt subscription in commercial foodservice today?

The subscription model, popularized in the streaming or gyms sector, is gaining ground in the restaurant business. For commercial restaurant chains, it's a strategic opportunity to fidelize customers while ensuring stable revenues:

• Recurring, predictable income: Subscription ensures a steady cash flow by offering customers a monthly payment option in exchange for exclusive benefits;
• Increased loyalty:Subscribers return more often, reinforcing their long-term commitment and increasing the recurrence of visits to your point of sale;
• Reduced economic impact:In times of economic uncertainty, subscription helps to offset periods of declining footfall, while offering attractive deals for regular customers;
• Exploitation of customer data: Each subscription collects information on customer preferences, helping to personalize offers and optimize inventory management.

How does subscription help to better manage inventory and optimize costs?

One of the major assets of the subscription model for a restaurant chain is its ability to optimize inventory management and reduce costs. Thanks to improved order predictability, restaurateurs can adjust their supply and maximize efficiency.

• Sales volume forecasting: With a subscription model, order volumes become more predictable, enabling better anticipation of raw material supply;
• Reducing food waste:By having better visibility of subscriber preferences, chains can adjust production quantities for better supply rationalization;
• Better inventory management:By using digital tools to track subscription performance, it's easier to adjust inventory in real time according to demand, reducing the risk of overstocking or stock-outs.

A model that strengthens the customer experience and builds long-term loyalty

By offering exclusive benefits such as discounts, customized menus or events reserved for subscribers, restaurateurs can create a stronger sense of belonging among their customers. This model encourages loyalty by enhancing the value of each visit and offering a unique experience at every stage of the customer journey. Thanks to subscription, the restaurateur not only ensures regular visits, but reinforces the customer's emotional commitment to the brand.

In parallel, subscription offers restaurateurs the opportunity to further personalize the offer, based on the customer data collected. This information makes it possible to adjust menus according to the preferences of subscribing customers, whether for specific dishes or particular diets (vegetarian, vegan, etc.). This enhances customer satisfaction and ensures a more refined response to their expectations. This degree of personalization is not only a competitive advantage, but also an essential lever for maximizing the perceived value of the subscription and, consequently, lasting customer loyalty.

Migrating to a subscription model: 5 key steps and necessary tools

1. 1. Analyze your customer base and define the subscription offer
      The first step is to identify which customers would be interested in a subscription offer. It's essential to segment your customer base according to their consumption habits. You can offer different subscription levels (for example, access to drinks, special menus, or all-you-can-eat meals) according to the specific needs of each segment.
      
      
   2. Choosing the right technological tools
      Once the offer has been defined, it's essential to set up the digital tools that will manage subscriptions. You'll need a connected cash register system that manages recurring payments, as well as software to centralize customer data and track their preferences and consumption habits.
      
      
   3. Integrate subscriptions into your marketing communications
      The next step is to launch a targeted marketing campaign to promote this new offer. Use social networks, e-mail campaigns and, if possible, enlist the help of influencers to reach a wide audience and generate buy-in.
      
      
   4. Train your teams
      Migration to a subscription model doesn't stop with technological tools. It's important to train your staff to be able to promote this offer to customers and manage subscriptions effectively in your system. This includes managing recurring payments, personalizing offers and resolving subscription-related issues.
      
      
   5. Monitor and optimize performance
      Use customer data to evaluate the success of your offer, and adjust it based on customer feedback and consumption data, to maximize both operational efficiency and profitability. This may include adding new benefits or modifying the subscription price to maximize efficiency.

Discover how Adoria helps you control your food cost with its management software for multi-site restaurants.