Restaurants go beyond a place where people go to get food and drinks. Restaurants these days have an identity behind them. This is why people pay significant amounts of money for franchising rights to chain restaurants and even spend months developing the image of their restaurant before opening.

Before opening a restaurant it is important to properly create a brand identity around it in order to properly showcase it to the world and guarantee success.

Below you can find 5 important ways to create brand identity:

The Image is Everything

When most people think of a brand, what first comes to mind is the brand’s logo or slogan. This is because this is the face of the brand and the way the brand announces itself to the world. This is no different from your restaurant. You need to define what type of establishment you want to be and tailor your image to suit that. If you are looking at how to open a restaurant that is a fine dining establishment, your logo, slogan, and ambiance in the physical location should be minimalistic and formal. If you intend to be a fast food establishment, bright colors and eye-catching decoration would be your best choice.

Demographic

Your target demographic will guide your brand’s image. If you are targeting children, for example, your brand has to be crafted as a family-friendly one with lots of excitement. If you are targeting an older and more sophisticated crowd, your image will, of course, have to be more mature and down to earth one. This must also be taken into consideration when decorating your restaurant, setting your prices and crafting your menu to ensure that your brand isn’t lost in translation.

Location

Where you locate your restaurant says a lot about your brand. Again, if you are trying to be an upscale fine dining establishment, you won’t likely choose your location in a shopping mall. Before you decide on a restaurant location, conduct research and determine where other establishments similar to yours are located. By virtue of being located in an area that is known for certain types of restaurants, your restaurant will automatically attain a certain reputation.

Digital Space

Branding goes beyond what you put up in your physical location and extends to your restaurant’s digital presence. Your social media handles need to reflect your brand image in the type of content they put out. Consider building a restaurant app to make the dining experience easier for your patrons and reinforce your message.

The Menu

This is perhaps the biggest statement of your brand. The type of dishes you put on your menu is the defining factor of what type of restaurant you are. If you are a sushi restaurant, a burger joint or a fine dining establishment, your menu will tell. Make sure to select the right combination of dishes to include in your menu.

Conclusion

Branding a restaurant can be a daunting task but with the right steps, it can be done. Follow some of the above to properly establish a brand identity for your restaurant.