A good restaurant brand doesn’t just happen. Rather, it is the result of meticulous attention to detail, expert storytelling, and a consistent effort to innovate with every decision. Best-in-class restaurant branding is smart, customer-centric, and can be easily interpreted throughout the interior environment of a restaurant.
With the right strategies, help from a professional designer, and a dedication to enhancing the customer experience, your restaurant can portray its unique brand in a bold way.
Why is Branding So Vital for Overall Success?
Branding is much more than the logo on your menus and your exterior sign. It is a careful weaving of minor details that align with your restaurants underlying mission, values, and concept. There are various factors that define a good restaurant brand, with the key concepts being:
Your restaurant’s menu: The type of cuisine that you serve may be the most obvious way of defining your brand for your customers. From the font you choose to the way that you describe your food options all tie into your larger brand. For example, if you’re a casual dining establishment, you may consider wording your menu in a “humanized” way, so that it sounds like the menu itself is having a conversation with you.
When designing your menu and the type of food that you offer, make sure that it is streamlined to your concept. Busy menus with too many options can be confusing for customers or create a perception of messiness.
Your restaurant’s name: When we think of branding, the name and logo of your restaurant is often the first thought of restaurant owners or operation managers. Your name is the gateway into your concept; without a clear name, decoding your offerings is near impossible for an outsider. A professional designer would encourage you to choose a name that is simple, easy to say, and clear to read.
Presentation: Good restaurant branding includes creating an ambiance that fits your concept and creates an atmosphere suited to your customer’s expectations. If you’re opening a fine dining establishment, it’s important that your utensils and furniture are high-quality, background sound is soft and soothing, and that your lighting is moody to create an intimate dining experience.
Service: In the same way that presentation of your built environment is vital to good branding, service that matches your concept is critical. Service differs between restaurant typologies, and once again, should match customer’s expectations upon walking in. Traditionally, fast-food restaurants only have service staff behind the counter, while high-end dining establishments are met at the door by a staff member dedicated to providing them with impeccable service.
All of the above facets of a restaurant come together to create an overarching brand that is accessible to your customers and functional for you. As a restaurant owner or manager, it’s your responsibility to create a brand that sets you apart from the competition.
If you’re interested in partnering with an experienced design studio to cultivate an engaging restaurant brand, get in touch with us today.