The search is on for the best casual restaurants across South Africa, which will be awarded at the 2019 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries on 17 and 19 September.

Every year, Eat Out readers are invited to review their favourite burger joints, steakhouses, cafés, pizzerias and any of their other regular hangout spots. The restaurants that receive a large volume of high scores from fans will be visited by Eat Out’s professional critics, who will give their own ratings, with final results comprising a 50-50 composite score from the public and the critics. This is your opportunity to win bragging rights for your establishment, while getting valuable feedback from patrons. Want our tips on how to get them reviewing?

Change your Wi-Fi password to something clever, like ‘ReviewUsOnEatOut’ or ‘helpuswin2019′.

Include this handy reminder in your bill folder (it includes competition details for your diners to win great prizes!).

Send an email to your customer database, asking them to help your restaurant by writing a review on eatout.co.za or our free app.

Add a short message to the bottom of your bill slips (this is easy to do on iKentoo).

Spread the message on your Facebook page (it’s free!).

Make sure your staff are clued up and that they remind diners to review at the end of their meals.

Add messages to your front window, chalkboards or street signs to say that you’d appreciate their reviews on eatout.co.za.

The chalkboard at The Moveable Feast Bistro. Photo supplied.

Chat to your regulars personally and on social media, explaining how reviews will help your business. When chatting with them, explain what winning an award would mean to you, whether that’s media exposure, attracting new customers to your business or allowing you to expand and hire more staff. It’s also a great way for regular customers to feel connected to your business journey.

Have more questions? Read the full competition rules here (remember that reviews may not be written by anyone employed at the restaurant), or get in touch with us on support@eatout.co.za.