If your customers seem to be ordering one or two items in mass quantities, you may have priced them too low. Get a feel for the going rate on certain standard items and charge accordingly. You'll still be closing your doors in a year if you continue to sell food at a loss, despite the number of customers who are taking advantage of your generosity. Seek out and keep quality employees. From kitchen managers to dishwashers, maintain the best staff you can afford.
Customers react much more positively if the staff is friendly and professional.
In fact, customers can often sense tension among the staff even before management does, so it pays to keep interdepartmental relations cordial and professional. Any restaurant that runs continuous classified ads for new employees becomes suspect in a potential customer's mind. Whatever the current wage for restaurant employees happens to be, be willing to pay it. If customers seem to prefer a certain cook or an especially good hostess, do everything you can to keep them happy and satisfied with their jobs. Disgruntled employees will lead the way when it comes to negative word of mouth, so make every effort to retain key employees early.