August 6, 2019
How Tripadvisor Reviews Helped This Restaurant Rebuild
August 6, 2019
The restaurant world is an unpredictable one — but when major weather events strike, it takes a community to rebuild. See how this barbeque restaurant in the Florida Keys used Tripadvisor to help recover after a major hurricane.
One of the oldest establishments in the Florida Keys, Porky’s Bayside Restaurant and Marina has made a permanent splash with classic barbeque flavors and an outdoor tiki vibe.
For owners Magdalena Jedrzejewska and Robert Shawn Johnson, it’s all been about rolling with the punches to keep the Porky’s brand as it has been for the past sixty-nine years. Rain, shine, or hurricane, this restaurant has seen it all and still stands strong to tell the tale.
Restaurant seasonality affects top tourist destinations around the world, and many restaurants find their own ways to cope. But in the Florida Keys, and like most other Caribbean areas, hurricane season can destroy everything in the blink of an eye.
For many restaurants, including Porky’s Restaurant, rebuilding takes many locals away from the service industry and into reconstruction. Paired with the lack of housing, according to Jedrzejewska, finding staff is becoming nearly impossible.
With the reviews from Tripadvisor, we are able to analyze what’s happening in our establishment and make improvements as [needed].
Magdalena Jedrzejewska Owner, Porky’s Bayside Restaurant and Marina
Running a great restaurant isn’t easy; you can’t be everywhere at once. For Jedrzejewska, Tripadvisor reviews have been essential in keeping track of what goes on in her restaurant when she isn’t looking.
Jedrzejewska also uses Tripadvisor reminder cards to engage with customers and encourage them to leave reviews. Says Jedrzejewska, “The cards work really well. We give them to every customer and this way they leave reviews and we [are able to] build our business here.”
And encouraging guests to leave reviews has helped Jedrzejewska tell the world about Porky’s Restaurant. Says Jedrzejewska, “I try to do lots of online advertising [and] everybody goes to Tripadvisor to preview the [restaurant] options.” Reviews have been a great way to spread the word. “The more reviews we get, the more traffic we notice in the restaurant,” she says, which has been great for helping Porky’s Restaurant bounce back.
As for advice for other restaurant owners, says Jedrzejewska, “Try to get as much exposure, especially on Tripadvisor, as possible. And connect with guests, [especially with] Tripadvisor WiFi Plus, because a customer can just give their email then connect into the WiFi and then you can send them follow-ups.
