How to craft a brand promise that sets you apart from the competition

In the highly competitive world of the restaurant industry, a clear brand promise can help set you apart from the competition, by giving your guests a clear understanding of what they can expect from an experience with you and setting a standard for your team to follow.

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As restaurant owners and operators, we know the importance of setting standards for cleanliness and quality. However, it’s equally important to communicate our expectations to our guests and team members. This is where a brand promise can set us apart from our competitors.

What is a brand promise?

A brand promise is not a mission statement but, it too, serves as a North Star for our restaurants. It defines what we care most about and gives our teams a clear definition of what success looks like from the guest’s perspective. A brand promise is universal and speaks directly to how we make people feel, transcending the food and beverages we serve.

My brand promise

At my restaurants, our brand promise was simple: Everyone leaves happy. And I meant it. There was nothing I wasn’t willing to do to ensure that our guests walked out happier than they walked in. Those were our marching orders. As the owner, I couldn’t have been more clear. Everyone leaves happy was literally written on the wall for our guests to see. We discussed it in every pre-shift meeting. And the staff were empowered to do whatever was necessary to ensure that our guests, above all else, left happy. We gave them tools to make our guests happy. They were allowed, at their own discretion, to pull items off the bill, send out complimentary dishes or drinks, or offer gift cards.

Steps to creating a brand promise

Creating your own brand promise is simple. These are the guidelines I used when creating ours:

Step 1: Identify what’s important to your restaurant.

This could include anything from exceptional customer service to sustainability initiatives.

Step 2: Define what success looks like from the guest’s perspective.

What do you want your guests to feel after dining at your restaurant?

Step 3: Make it different.

Your brand promise should set you apart from your competitors and clearly define what makes your restaurant unique.

Step 4: Make it credible.

If you can’t keep your promise, don’t make it.

Step 5: Make it universal.

Your brand promise should speak to every situation your team or guests may encounter.

Step 6: Make it inspirational.

Create a promise that your team will be proud to keep.

Benefits of a brand promise

A brand promise is more than just a marketing tactic. It can have a significant impact on your restaurant’s success. Here are some of the benefits of creating a brand promise:

Provides a roadmap for success for our teams

When our ideals are paired with actionable strategies and tools, it provides a roadmap to success for our teams. A brand promise helps our team members understand what is expected of them and what success looks like from the guest’s perspective. It gives them a clear sense of direction and empowers them to make decisions that prioritize guest satisfaction.

Empowers our staff to make decisions that prioritize guest satisfaction

A brand promise empowers our staff to do whatever is necessary to ensure our guests leave happy. By giving our team members the tools to make our guests happy, they are empowered to make decisions that prioritize guest satisfaction. This not only creates a better guest experience but also fosters a sense of pride and ownership in our team members.

Answers common questions and creates consistency in guest experience

A brand promise answers common questions before they are even asked. For example, “What do we do when a guest doesn’t like a dish?” or “Should we do something nice when it’s a birthday or anniversary?” By providing clear guidelines, our team members can consistently deliver on our brand promise and create a memorable guest experience.

Sets our restaurant apart from our competitors

A brand promise should set us apart from our competitors and clearly define what makes our restaurant unique. When we create a brand promise that speaks to the values and aspirations of our guests, we differentiate ourselves from our competitors and create a compelling reason for guests to choose our restaurant over others.

Putting it all together

A brand promise is a powerful tool that can help set your restaurant apart from your competitors. Once you have a brand promise in place, it’s important to make sure everyone on your team understands it and knows how to put it into action. This means training your staff on how to deliver on the promise and empowering them to make decisions that support it.

One effective way to do this is by creating a list of brand promise actions or behaviors that your team can follow. By outlining specific actions, you give your team a clear roadmap for how to deliver on your brand promise in a tangible way.

Finally, it’s important to remember that your brand promise isn’t just something you put up on the wall and forget about. It should be an ongoing focus for your business, and something that you continuously strive to deliver on. Regularly checking in with guests to get their feedback, monitoring online reviews, and assessing your team’s performance can all help ensure that you’re living up to your promise and providing the best possible experience for your guests.

Be sure to click below to download the template that walks you step by step through creating your brand promise.

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