Best practice: welcoming first time visitors at Prague’s SaSaZu

Treating guests based on familiarity with your venue makes a difference.How to spot first-time and returning guests early.Indicate first-time visit or returning visit in reservations form.There is a well-known story about a restaurant that uses coloured napkins to spot first-time, returning and 3rd time visitors. The theory behind it is that when customers return for a third time within a specific timeframe, they will probably be coming back as loyal customers. Every time you visit, you get a different coloured napkin to help staff see how many times you have been and what they could potentially do to seduce you too come again.

This brings me to one of my favorite restaurants, SaSaZu in the beautiful city of Prague in the Czech Republic. An awesome Asian-style restaurant with amazing food and great service. When you’re making a reservation on their website, they will ask you whether you’re a first time visitor or have been to the restaurant before.This hyper simple option will help them see whether you’re a regular or first time visitor even before arriving and can help them prepare accordingly.

Yes, they can ask if you’ve been before, yes they could have a fancy CRM system helping them figure this out (although, it is hard to keep track, especially when different people are making a reservations from the same group), but I like the sheer simplicity of this solution.

Yet another reason to go to SaSaZu next time you’re in Prague 🙂