Restaurants should optimize for the right guest, not just more guests
Voices from around the restaurant industry
Volume alone doesn't build a healthy business.
July 14, 2026
Most restaurant operators spend a lot of time thinking about how to get more people through the door. But volume alone doesn't build a healthy business.
A packed dining room can still be unprofitable if guests aren't ordering high-margin items, returning regularly, or telling others about their experience. Meanwhile, a smaller group of loyal customers who visit frequently, spend confidently, and actively recommend a restaurant can generate oversized value over time.
This is why getting a real understanding of which guests help build a stronger business can be the difference between steady growth and constantly chasing the next transaction.
The high-value guest
The answer to “which guests should I be trying to attract?” will look different for every concept. A beachfront restaurant in a tourist destination has different priorities than a neighborhood coffee shop. A fine-dining restaurant will evaluate guests differently than a fast-casual operator.
Still, the most valuable guests tend to share three common characteristics.
They spend in ways that support the business. This isn't simply about having the biggest check average. It's about guests who genuinely value what the restaurant offers and, in turn, are more profitable for the business.
They spend in ways that support the business. This isn't simply about having the biggest check average. It's about guests who genuinely value what the restaurant offers and, in turn, are more profitable for the business.
The reality is that some of the most profitable parts of a meal happen around the main course. Guests who engage with the full experience — whether that's drinks, starters, desserts, or specialty offerings and events — often create significantly more value than their check total alone would suggest. At Vintage Books in Honolulu, for example, the restaurant's cocktail program became a driver of repeat visits from neighborhood regulars, helping contribute to 39% year-over-year revenue growth.
They return. Repeat visits are often where profitability is won or lost. This is why restaurants need to think carefully about customer acquisition costs.
They return. Repeat visits are often where profitability is won or lost. This is why restaurants need to think carefully about customer acquisition costs.
If it costs $4 to acquire a customer who spends $50 on their first visit, that's a healthy return. But focusing only on the first visit misses the bigger opportunity. If that same customer returns four more times throughout the year, suddenly that $4 acquisition cost helped generate $250 in revenue. The most profitable restaurants evaluate customers based on what those customers are worth over time.
They advocate for the brand. The guests who recommend a restaurant to visiting friends, suggest it for celebrations, or consistently talk about it online become an extension of the marketing team.
They advocate for the brand. The guests who recommend a restaurant to visiting friends, suggest it for celebrations, or consistently talk about it online become an extension of the marketing team.
An owner of a coastal restaurant in Southampton, NY, shared with us that after building a loyal customer base, guests told him “We're putting you in the book! The next person that stays at that house is going to come here," referring to recommendation guides left behind for future Airbnb visitors.” That's what every restaurant owner wants.
The problem is that most restaurants aren't equipped to measure any of these elements consistently. They can see today's transaction, but they can't always see the relationship behind it. That's why visibility matters.
You need visibility to identify the high-value guest
One of the main priorities for any restaurant should be turning anonymous guests into known guests. If someone had a great experience, ordered the dishes you want to be known for, or brought in a group that spent well, the restaurant should have some way to recognize and re-engage that guest.
Operators need to give guests a real reason to identify themselves. We're seeing restaurants do this through everything from digital menus and VIP clubs to mobile-first microsites that make it easier to reserve a table or access special offers. The mechanism matters less than the principle. If the relationship ends when the meal does, the restaurant is leaving value and long-term profitability on the table.
Once you've identified them, you have to connect that information to behavior. Most restaurants already have guest data spread across their POS, reservation platform, email system, ad accounts, and loyalty tools. The problem is that it's difficult to answer basic questions: What did they order? What brought them in? What offers, menu items, or content influenced their decisions?
Visibility gave Vintage Books the confidence to market differently. The restaurant discovered that some of its highest-value guests weren't tourists, but local residents who repeatedly returned for the cocktail program. In a destination market where it's easy to focus on one-time visitors, that insight justified shifting more of the marketing budget toward locals, creating a stronger base of repeat business and long-term revenue.
Without visibility, restaurants end up optimizing for the easiest metrics to see: impressions, views, reservations, and raw traffic. Those numbers can be useful, but they do not tell the whole story. A viral post may create awareness but doesn’t guarantee meaningful revenue.
Nurture the guests worth keeping
Too often, operators default to discounts and free offers as their primary retention strategy. That can work, but the deepest guest relationships are built on recognition.
Think about the neighborhood coffee shop where the owner knows your name and asks about your family. Or the restaurant where the staff remembers your favorite table, your usual order, or the fact that you're celebrating a special occasion. Those moments may seem small, but they create a sense of connection that no discount can replicate.
Some of the most effective ways of nurturing high value guests include:
Giving regulars something to be excited about. Chef's dinners, seasonal menu launches, and special events can all create excitement while reinforcing what makes the restaurant unique. Another tactic we've seen work well is giving a regular a free appetizer or dessert, or a chef's special. These touches go a long way.
Rewarding behavior vs. just transactions. The best operators use guest data to recognize loyalty whether someone has enrolled in a program or not. A guest who has visited ten times, attended events, or consistently orders the same menu items should feel known and appreciated, even if they've never redeemed a reward.
Making them feel connected to the people behind the restaurant. Owners and chefs who share their story, appear in videos, or engage with guests online often become part of the reason customers return. Simply Fish Seafood’s Derek Taguchi shared that he became recognizable to guests before they ever walked through the door because of his Instagram stories. And it clearly became a driver of repeat visits.
Giving regulars something to be excited about. Chef's dinners, seasonal menu launches, and special events can all create excitement while reinforcing what makes the restaurant unique. Another tactic we've seen work well is giving a regular a free appetizer or dessert, or a chef's special. These touches go a long way.
Rewarding behavior vs. just transactions. The best operators use guest data to recognize loyalty whether someone has enrolled in a program or not. A guest who has visited ten times, attended events, or consistently orders the same menu items should feel known and appreciated, even if they've never redeemed a reward.
Making them feel connected to the people behind the restaurant. Owners and chefs who share their story, appear in videos, or engage with guests online often become part of the reason customers return. Simply Fish Seafood’s Derek Taguchi shared that he became recognizable to guests before they ever walked through the door because of his Instagram stories. And it clearly became a driver of repeat visits.
Most restaurant owners think their most valuable assets are their location, their food, or their brand. They also need to add an understanding of their customer base. The more clearly a restaurant knows its best guests and why they return, the easier every other growth decision becomes.
About the Author
Brett Linkletter
Brett is the CEO and co-founder of Dishio, the AI growth engine for restaurants. Under his leadership, the company recently raised a $2.5 million seed round at a $20 million valuation to help restaurants better understand, engage, and retain their guests. Dishio was built on insights gained through a decade of running Dineline, the restaurant marketing agency Brett co-founded that has helped more than 2,500 restaurants grow nationwide. With a business background and an eye for market gaps, Brett leads the development of tools that bridge marketing and hospitality. He has hosted the Restaurant Misfits podcast since 2020.
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