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Adding trusted brand names to menus and other marketing materials can bring positive results for restaurant operators. But operators need to be smart about it. Well-known brand names on menus can drive visits, build consumer trust and loyalty, generate perceptions of quality and, in some cases, garner higher prices.<\/p>\n
Savvy operators can make those partnerships count by following a few best practices, menu engineers say. \u201cI have found that adding the brand name into the descriptions helps a restaurant show it\u2019s buying \u2018the good stuff\u2019 instead of buying generics,\u201d says menu engineer Gregg Rapp of Palm Springs, Calif. \u201cJust by sprinkling some brand names into the menu description, it adds a quality to all the food.\u201d<\/p>\n
Menu engineer Aaron Allen of Aaron Allen & Associates Global Restaurant Consulting also offered some brand power tips for operators:<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve made the decision to pepper your menu with brand names, don\u2019t go overboard. \u201cThere\u2019s a limit to how much distraction you can put on a menu,\u201d Allen says. \u201cThe consumer is inundated with choices so much so that choice is making them unhappy.\u201d Think of each menu panel like its own billboard, helping guide diners in decision-making.<\/p>\n
Seek out trusted brands whose positive attributes will transfer to your brand, he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a very brand-specific decision,\u201d he says. \u201cBirds of a feather flock together.\u201d<\/p>\n
This point cannot be overstated. Bad press for your chosen brand partner can reflect negatively on you. If you\u2019ve got a brand logo on your menu and that brand faces food recalls or other scandals, it can project onto your chain as well.<\/p>\n
What else can your business gain from partnering with a brand? If you\u2019re a small chain entering into a relationship with a large brand, the answer is potentially quite a bit. Maybe the brand can provide you with higher-quality marketing materials and other collateral. Maybe the brand will invite your business to supplier-sponsored conferences or workshops. Maybe you can take advantage of some of the brand\u2019s marketing muscle for help on a mobile app.<\/p>\n
Menuing a limited-time offer can be a good way to introduce a brand name on your menu. \u201cThere\u2019s a shared goal of selling more of a particular product,\u201d Allen says. \u201cThey can use each other\u2019s resources. It can be a win-win. Limited time offers are an effective way of drawing attention to a new item, a nice little shot of adrenaline.\u201d<\/p>\n
Follow these 5 ways restaurants can leverage brand-name power on menus.<\/p>\n
(Source: RestaurantBusiness; sponsored by Butterball)<\/p>\n