10 essential tips for launching a food court

Opening a food court doesn't happen overnight. It's not simply a matter of opening a restaurant, but rather of creating a space where several restaurateurs coexist with different universes and styles, while maintaining an overall coherence.

If you're thinking of starting your own food court, here's a list of 10 tips to give you every chance of success in this new adventure. 

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1. Define your concept 

A large part of the success of your food court is based on the clarity and relevance of its concept. This involves answering the following questions: 

• What will be your establishment's identity, its DNA? Will it be casual and family-friendly, or trendy and modern?

• Would you like to offer a fusion of world cuisines and attract a public looking for a variety of flavors or a specific type of cuisine? 

• What type of orientation will you give your food court? Will you focus on a healthy offering, with food options geared towards well-being, or will you take the gamble of cooking for gourmands? 

• Will you be showcasing local products or offering your customers a culinary voyage through international cuisine? 

Defining your concept is crucial both for consumers, who will find it easier to identify your offer, and for the professionals who work in it. Once you've defined your concept, you can surround yourself with partners aligned with your visionand propose a coherent gastronomic offering.

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2. Carefully determine your target and location 

Here are 2 price tips 1. It's impossible to separate them, as they are intrinsically linked. Your location needs to match the demographics and habits of your potential clientele. If your goal is to attract office workers, be sure to establish your food court in a location such as a business district. If you're targeting tourists, then a central, easily accessible location may be the key. 

In-depth analysis of your persona and in-depth market research will ensure that your food court attracts exactly the right audience. 

👉 To find out more : everything you need to know about the food court trend

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3. Analyze the competition 

A thorough analysis of the competition is essential to the success of your food court. By understanding what's already working in the market and studying your rivals' strengths and weaknesses, you can fine-tune your proposal. 

Take the time to analyze their strengths, weaknesses and what works for them. This will enable you to identify the mistakes to avoid, the best practices to adopt, the differentiating assets to highlight and the opportunities to exploit. This understanding of the sector will enable you to establish a solid differentiation strategy and anticipate market trends, so you can emerge and prosper in the competitive world of food courts.

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4. Optimize your organization 

Every successful food court project relies on good organization. Ensuring smooth customer flow, providing adequate workspaces for restaurateurs, and creating a harmonious overall experience are imperative. You'll need to ensure that every element of your food court is judiciously arranged to maximize operational efficiency. 

Well-defined service zones (zoning), well thought-out kitchen layouts, seamless coordination between the various service providers, defined routes (Delivery, Take-Away and/or Click & Collect) - no detail should be left to chance. With this meticulous approach, you can guarantee a pleasant customer experience, and make life easier for your partner restaurants. 

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5. Digitalize your food court 

In today's digital age, the fusion between your food court and technology is a must. Online ordering applications, the use of delivery platforms, the use of innovative digital tools coupled with a dynamic presence on social networks are a must for the success of your establishment. Customers, eager for practical, instant solutions, benefit from a fluid, accessible experience, whether for table service, delivery, takeaway or click and collect.

To avoid consumers queuing 3 times at different stands, introduce QR code ordering, for example, Innovorder Foodcourt and its unique "multi-basket" concept, enabling them to centralize their multi-stand orders in a single location. Technology thus becomes a natural extension of the physical location, ensuring total fluidity of the customer journey.

👉 To find out more : Digitalising your restaurant: our 6-step guide

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6. Embrace the fast good trend

Fast good goes far beyond fast service. It emphasizes quality, variety of flavors and guest satisfaction. Ingredients based on fresh, organic and locally sourced produce are given pride of place, which meets consumers' growing expectations for quick meals without sacrificing quality. You can explore healthy, ethical and gourmet options, and combine them with technologies that will make service smoother. Fast food becomes a premium dining experience. 

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7. Choose a global solution 

Good food court management also means choosing a global solution for cash-in, order-taking and order management in the kitchen, as well as for delivery and take-away sales. Still not convinced? Here are 6 advantages offered by our ecosystem of digital solutions specially designed for food courts: 

1. Operational efficiency by simplifying and unifying all processes. 

2. Time saved on the entire customer journey, allowing restaurateurs to focus on the quality of their dishes and customer service. 

3. Enhanced customer experience. Digital ordering(kiosks, QR codes) and payment options speed up service and reduce errors. 

4. Unified management. You can manage all operations from a central platform, giving you a global view of your food court and a real-time overview of performance. 

5. A better response to the expectations of connected customers and the ability to remain competitive. 

6. Reduced costs. Restaurateurs benefit from a more efficient use of their resources, contributing to the overall profitability of the food court.

What's more, our Innovorder solution integrates easily into existing systems. So the transition is seamless, with no disruption to day-to-day operations. Would you like to find out more? Our experts are at your disposal.  

👉 Going further: 6 tips to improve order-taking in a food court

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8. Propose a complete offer 

Want to maximize the appeal of your food court? Think about diversifying your catering offer while preserving a certain thematic coherence. You can do this by bringing together brands offering the same style of cuisine. Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese or Japanese dishes, for example, to highlight Asian cuisine. The important thing is that the restaurants all have something in common : revisited local specialties, international street food, cheese in all its forms, etc. This common thread will ensure a coherent experience. This common thread will ensure a coherent, consistent experience. 

To increase visitor interest and loyalty, your food court needs to transcend its simple role as a place to eat. It must also become a dynamic space for customers in search of new experiences. They'll be delighted to take part in cultural events (exhibitions, concerts, conferences), culinary workshops and even shop on site. 

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9. Coordinate your communication 

Before talking about communication, take the time to work on your brand identity and find ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors. The more easily you can identify your added value, the more consumers you'll attract. 

Then put your communication strategy at the service of your concept, and make sure you reach your target audience with the same message every time. Well-coordinated communications and clear, engaging messages have a considerable impact on the image and appeal of your food court. To be sure of reaching your core target, make sure you address your audience through innovative channels that are perfectly aligned with each other. This can involve organizing unusual events, press relations, video production and, of course, social networking. 

👉 Going further: 9 ideas for improving your restaurant's communications and marketing

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10. Measure, analyze and adapt

Our guide of 10 tips ends with a crucial step: measure your successes and analyze your failures, with a view to continuous improvement. In the dynamic, fast-growing world of food courts, resting on your laurels is out of the question! Be attentive and observant of changing consumer trends and needs, as well as those of your restaurant partners. Then, be ready to reinvent yourself over and over again. Your ability to adapt to market variations, customer preferences and industry changes will have an impact on the longevity and success of your establishment. 

Now you're well armed for a successful launch of your food court!

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You want to open a food court and are looking for a partner to help you digitalize your establishment? Innovorder is the only player in France to offer a complete ecosystem designed specifically for food courts: order taking, collection, preparation, delivery and management!

👉 Discover our solution for food courts: Innovorder Foodcourt