So you’ve decided to open a restaurant. Congratulations! Best of luck! And may the odds be forever in your favor. The restaurant and hospitality world is not for the faint of heart. The folks that work in this field are cut from a different cloth.
In the heat of the kitchen, it’s high stakes and high stress. The chef probably doesn’t want to be worrying about the brand collateral when it’s 7 p.m. on a Friday night and the front-of-house is jam-packed with customers. As experts in restaurant and hospitality branding we have the mindset of designing pieces that help alleviate stress and simplify operations so that the focus is on the food. Here are a few things to consider when developing your brand that may remove some of the burden:
Menu Blank
Blanks are useful for accommodating a restaurant’s ever-changing menu needs. One whole side can feature pre-printed artwork, or content that fills a particular need; blanks can also be pre-scored or trimmed to fit in a desktop printer. This allows the restauranteur or manager to use the template and fill in the blanks with revolving menu items, like the soup of the day, specials, or items that have been 86d.
Check Presenters
Instead of leaving the guest with a black vinyl book with the check tucked inside, consider something that can be left behind and that the guest can take away with them, like a postcard or a book of matches. Your guest will now have a keepsake of your brand to go home with and remember.
To-Go Swag Bag
Another opportunity to leave a mark with your guests are custom bags, stickers or boxes that have your brand on it. These are the forgotten, buy-it-in-bulk buys that are shoved away in a closet and that refuse to stand out in a crowd in any noticeable way. This is another opportunity for branding! Imagine a group of happy patrons leaving your restaurant and walking down the street with their leftovers in a marked bag or container—free advertising!
These are just a few ways to help create memorable branding and help to distinguish your restaurant from the joint down the street. Always take advantage of an opportunity to brand, and never let your customers forget you.