Is Business TV Service Worth It for a Small Restaurant?

When it comes to running a small restaurant, every decision must be thought out. Everything, from the food on the menu to the type of napkins on the tables, can affect how customers view your restaurant and impact whether they’ll be a one-time diner or return to try that other dish they wanted. Another decision that can impact your business? Whether you should add TV programming into the mix.

Is business TV right for your small restaurant? Read on to find out.

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TV Dinners

Sometimes, in the right restaurant, nothing goes better with a tasty meal than premium TV programming. Not only can it create a fun and relaxed atmosphere, but it can also encourage longer stays, which means more money being spent. Paired well and customers will come back again and again. Because now it’s a full experience.

And there may be no better example of the impact of TV at a restaurant than live sports.

Is the Game On?

When fans can’t go to the stadium, the next best spot to watch the game may be your restaurant. And it could be a big shot for your bottom line.

According to Joe Hand Promotions, 82% of customers are likely to spend more on food and drinks when their favorite game is on, and 87% said they’d likely stay longer.

Whether it’s a championship game, an international tournament or even a midweek matchup, live sports give people a reason to gather. Why? Because fans want to cheer with fellow fans. And with the right business TV package, your restaurant could be the go-to spot for all the action.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

As with any other investment in your business, you should weigh the costs and benefits of adding a TV package. Because it can vary by restaurant. First, it’s important to understand that the cost of business TV depends on several factors:

Satellite vs. Streaming: Choosing one over the other can simply be preference. But it can also come down to other factors such as your restaurant’s physical location and internet bandwidth. Each option has its own associated costs and needs. If you go with satellite, there may be costs associated with installation and hardware. For streaming, it’s paying for a strong internet connection. With its easy self-installation and lack of hardware, streaming could be a great option for small restaurants on a limited budget.

Content Package: No matter the TV provider, the bigger the base channel package you choose, the more it will likely cost. It’s the same as when a diner adds more appetizers to their order. And adding premium sports packages can increase that total.

Premium Sports Packages: Pricing of premium sports packages and pay-per-view events for public viewing establishments, such as a restaurant, could be based on either a business’ Estimated Viewing Occupancy (EVO) or Fire Code Occupancy (FCO). EVO is the total number of people, seated and standing estimate combined, that can view TV programming if a business establishment is at maximum capacity. The FCO is the maximum building occupancy that is allowed in a commercial business, dictated by the fire department certificate provided to each business upon opening. Generally, the larger the EVO or FCO, the more these premium add-on packages can cost.

So, do these costs outweigh the potential benefits of TV in your restaurant? Look for signs of return on your investment.

• Are you seeing larger checks?
• Are people staying longer?
• Is guest satisfaction up?
• Are customers returning for the next game or event?

All things to consider and keep an eye on when weighing the costs and benefits of adding business TV to your restaurant.

When to Add Business TV to Your Menu

So, to add business TV or not? It’s all about reading the room.

If you own a laid-back family diner, sports bar, pizzeria or other casual restaurant, adding business TV will enhance the fun atmosphere. Especially when it comes to sports programming. As established earlier, nothing brings people together (and makes them stay longer) like live sports. And airing the biggest games throughout the year can not only align well with your restaurant’s vibe, but also be a boost to your business. On the other hand, if you own a restaurant on the quieter side, perhaps a fine-dining establishment or cafe, adding the noise of a crowd on TV may take away from the room’s intimacy. It’s hard to have a conversation over dinner and drinks if there’s a crowd roaring on every TV.

Another situation when business TV can be of value to your restaurant? When there’s a wait. Having a wait list for a restaurant means business is cooking. But if it’s too long, it can be a reservation-canceler for hungry diners. Adding TV entertainment for those hungry for a table may not shorten the wait time. But it’ll make it feel shorter, hopefully keeping them around until a table is ready.

Prime TV programming could also provide a business boost during those typically slower times of the day, giving customers an extra reason to stop in, grab a bite and hang around for a while.

Get Cooking With DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS

Ready to find the right business TV recipe for your small restaurant? DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS has a menu of satellite and streaming options to choose from.

DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS brings live TV, news, entertainment and sports together in one unified system, with packages built for businesses that want a broad lineup without requiring multiple solutions. Plus, eligible small businesses can choose DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS’s streaming TV solution, providing additional flexibility to deliver premium sports and entertainment to customers. Enjoy:

• 99% signal reliability (satellite)*
• Flexible viewing options, including an easy-to-self-install streaming TV solution for eligible small businesses
• Standard professional installation included at no additional cost for satellite customers
• Dedicated customer support
• Access to DIRECTV’s curated collection of more than 140 ad-supported television (FAST) channels with business streaming packages

*based on a representative study of national cities

Call 888.303.9117 to get started. Explore our business packages and get started today!