News & Media

Going into a restaurant and asking for the WiFi password is becoming a more common theme. Some establishments are now so used to people asking that they provided the password details to internet heaven on a plaque on the bar or on a slip of paper on each table.

It’s no surprise that the way we dine is becoming ever more digital. We’re connected with the outside world throughout every experience that we have. Therefore, giving your customers the ability to easily share pictures of the amazing food and drink you’ve provided is a must.

New research has revealed the scale of younger persons using smartphones while dining. 2,000 regular eaters out were surveyed by Eagle Eye to understand their habits when dining.

Of those aged between 16 and 24, 40 per cent make call or message, 41 per cent check their social media and 37 per cent take photographs of their friends and family with food. The amount that this age group uses their smartphones increase the more regularly they dine out.

Improving the digital experience

When asked how restaurants could improve their experience, 42 per cent of 25-34 year olds and 39 per cent of 16-24 year olds said they would like to receive personalised promotions to their mobile.

Three quarters of 25-34 year olds also said that they would find a restaurant app useful for paying or redeeming vouchers and promotions. 

If developing an app is out of your price range, make the most of visitors needs to get internet access by getting them to register for access. The majority of visitors will have no problem exchanging their email address for free internet access.

By getting their email address, your CRM can be updated and you can fine tune communication strategies to increase the likelihood of a return visit.

Instagram worthy restaurant furniture

With visitors posting pictures and videos of their experience in your restaurant, your establishment needs to look the part. What’s better than your customers spreading free word of mouth with all of their followers and friends?

For more information about the range of seating and tables available to get your restaurant Instagram-ready, contact Trent Furniture today on 0116 2983 569.

Summer has well and truly arrived! 

With more people taking staycations this year in an effort to save money, there are even more opportunities this year to impress for all operators in the UK, not just hotels. 

Of course, when the sun is out, people want to be outside and when the sunny days come thick and fast, most Brits find solitude in their nearest beer garden. Crowds of friends and families soak in the sunshine through the day and enjoy the longer nights. 

The benefits available for pubs and bars that open up a beer garden can be unmatched through summer. If you’ve got the space, it’s a huge oversight to not make full use of it through the summer months. 

Tips for the perfect summer beer garden...

Get green

People like to feel as though they’re in the great outdoors, after all it is meant to be a beer garden.

Beer gardens in the UK are often pictured as ones filled with cigarette buds and empty pint glasses but it doesn’t have to be this way! Maintain what grass you have, bed some flowers and add hanging baskets and pots if your outdoor space is slated. 

Summer drinks

We know it’s called a beer garden but to appeal to the masses you can’t be that restrictive. Whether it’s summery cocktails, fruity cider or a glass of bubbly, everybody has a different preference when it comes to warm weather drinking. Be sure to plan a summer drinks menu in advance and cover as many bases as possible.

Catering

Sunshine not only changes the drinks menu but it should also alter the food, especially for those in the beer garden. If you don’t currently offer food at your pub, nibbles and sharing plates with breads, chesses and dips can be enough to tide over an empty stomach.  
To draw a big crowd doing some outdoor catering such as a barbeque. The smell of a barbeque alone is enough to bring most Brits through the door! 

Beer garden furniture

Putting extra consideration into the furniture, fittings and décor of your outdoor space can be a surprisingly easy way of attract punters. If you can manage to make the space picturesque enough to end up on Instagram and other social networks, word will soon spread about your pub’s beer garden.  

For something a little different than the normal, generic beer garden, consider choosing something other than cut and paste four seater wooden benches.

At Trent Furniture, we have a range of outdoor furniture for a more traditional beer garden and for something more original. Take a browse today and contact us on 0116 2989 552 for advice and more information.

People in the UK seem to love American diners!  Whether it’s because they’re reminiscent of a trip to America or in place of one, an authentic taste of America is extremely popular.

The benefits of an American Diner

There’s something about a diner that is inescapably approachable – whether it’s a burger and milkshake occasion, or a celebratory birthday meal, an American diner caters for all occasions, whilst providing British people with something a little different.

Achieving the authentic American diner feel

To achieve authenticity in an American diner, it’s not just about the food.  How the diner looks, both on the outside and the inside, has a huge impact on people’s dining experience and can even be the reason for people trying out the diner in the first place.

Whether it’s diner style benches or classic diner stools, the furniture used in an American diner definitely count towards their atmosphere. For example, chrome topped tables and two-tone bar stools, benches and chairs epitomise the diner feel perfectly.

For diners that have the room, you can’t get much more American than using a diner booth and for a less traditional, yet still obviously American feel, try a black and cream two seater bench:

American diner furniture package

To achieve the American diner look in a way that saves money and is cost effective, consider an American diner furniture package like this one from Trent Furniture.  

With our diner furniture packages, you can kit out your American diner with 6 chrome tables, 12 chairs and 6 benches, to perfectly cater for 24 people, for just £1,437.90 +VAT.

Also available in our range of American diner furniture are:

• American diner benches
• Tall American diner chairs
• Regular American diner chairs
• Frame and board American diner chairs
• Tall American diner stools
• Small American diner stools
• Two seater American diner chairs

Where can I buy American diner furniture?

If you are looking to buy furniture for an American Diner, Trent Furniture have you covered with some of the best quality furniture around for highly competitive prices. View our complete range of American Diner furniture and order yours online today!
 

If you’re thinking about making some updates to your restaurant or bar, then the Restaurant Design Show is the perfect opportunity for you to get ideas and inspiration.

What is the Restaurant Design Show?

The Restaurant Design Show 2017 will be held at the ExCel London convention centre on 26th & 27th September. The exhibition focusses on helping restaurant and bar business owners to connect with professionals in the lighting, design and furniture industries, as well as with each other. There are over 100 exhibitors appearing at the furniture show who are all ready and waiting to offer advice and solutions.

Why you should go to the exhibit

The event is an excellent opportunity to network with other business owners and to meet suppliers of restaurant furniture, design experts and some of the industry’s leading names. There is even a dedicated networking area at the exhibition to help you do this.

There will be 50 expert speakers at the event, covering a wide range of topics, including creating a strong brand through storytelling, how to create the perfect lighting, how to go cashless and several design workshops.

There are several businesses available for sale, which could be your perfect opportunity to pick up a bargain or move into a new industry. Check out the list of businesses for sale.

Trent Furniture will be at stand 3170 and we can’t wait to talk to you about how we can help your business to flourish. We’ve been supplying contract furniture to bars and restaurants since 1960 so you can be sure we know what we’re talking about!

Restaurant and bar furniture

If you want to learn more about the furniture options we offer before the show, check out our bar furniture and restaurant tables and chairs through the website. We’ve got lots of different styles and colours available to suit your venue, whether it is traditional or contemporary, family focussed or more upmarket and elegant.

If you’re interested in attending the event, you can still get some free tickets. For more information about the Restaurant Design Show, please visit the event website - http://www.restaurantdesignshow.co.uk/ or contact us with your queries.

Summer is the perfect time for catch-ups and meals out, with the longer days making people more sociable and less likely to stay in and watch the television most evenings.

Many pubs take advantage of the extra sociability in their local areas and a great way to make your pub the place to be, is to welcome as many people as possible to themed events or large event screenings.

Below are some ideas to make the most of events at your pub, throughout July.

Wimbledon – 3rd to 16th July

What better excuse to tempt people to stay to watch the tennis than to align it with an offer on Pimms and strawberries?  Maybe mix it up a bit to include strawberry flavoured cider, or add strawberries to prosecco for the duration of Wimbledon.

British F1 Grand Prix – 7th to 9th July

Make the grand prix a big event in your local area, by putting on a range of different ‘fast food’ as a one-off menu over the weekend, or run a competition for a free bottle of something tasty, for the person who can down their pint in the quickest time.  Whatever best suits the tone of your pub, take advantage of an event which many people will sit and watch from start to finish.

British Open – 17th to 23rd July

What better excuse for pub golf?  Make your pub the end destination, or better still, run an offer for an entire pub golf event to be held at your pub.  Alternatively, mix up your menu to attract people in for a meal, whilst they watch the golf, with themed food such as ‘Toad- in-the-hole-in-one’ or a special offer on a ‘Night-handi-cap’.

National Daiquiri Day – 19th July

Hold a cocktail making course, or put on a ladies’ night where samples of different types of daiquiris are available to try as miniatures.  Whichever seems to be the favourite, add it as a special offer over the weekend!

Black Tot Day – 31st July 

This day celebrates when rum rations for sailors were abolished, after a 300-year-old Naval tradition came to an end.  Unlimited rum for a limited time, or a rum happy hour would work well as a fitting tribute.

Celebrating in comfort

All of these events will work even better for your pub, if when people arrive, they feel welcome and comfortable.  How often do you go into a pub or a bar, soon to leave after one drink or even before then, if there’s no-where to sit? 

Getting people to your pub to celebrate or enjoy the great array of events throughout July should be relatively easy, but especially in the case of sporting events, which last for several hours, it’s important to make sure that your pub comfortable enough for people to stay for the duration.  

For a range of indoor and outdoor pub furniture, from pub furniture specialists Trent Furniture, visit the website at www.trentfurniture.co.uk or request a furniture brochure.