Hey all,
My shop is manly pizza, but I’ve also got burgers/hot dogs/beef and many other types of fast food style products.
My logo is fast food oriented, but under the name I have Restaurant and Pizzeria.
So, I get a lot of people coming in thinking it’s a sit down, we’ll come to your table and serve you, style restaurant… and when they SEE that it’s fast food style, they turn around and leave.
And I also know that people just drive right by and go to the competition because they WANT fast food, and think we are sit-down.
So my question is… what kind of Banner or other Signs can I put up to help promote the Fast Food?
I was thinking of having a banner made that read:
“Fast Food, the way it should be - Chicago Tribune”
and in small print
“Disclaimer: all statements are true except for the fact we were never in the Chicago Tribune”
You don’t want them to walk out - but you don’t want to stop them from walking in!!
I understand the issue - and some of it is not preventable. It’s GOOD that people peek in to see what kind of place you are - and sometimes, it’s not what they want. I get calls for subs and pasta - but I am PIZZA ONLY (we do what we do very well, but don’t do other stuff).
Anyway - I’d suggest something other than the term “fast food”.
Quick Service is better. Or better than that - LIST some of the more popular items (“Pizza! Hamburgers! Hot Dogs! Something for everyone, and it’s QUICK”).
And that could be on all your advertising, PLUS replace the simple “Restaurant” on your sign - which may be the unclear term bringing in people who are looking for full service dining…
I would stay away from “fast food”. Too many negative connotations. Phrases like these could work:
[]“Good Food, Fast”
[]“Quick Service for the Family on the go” key is “quick service”
[]“Quality in a hurry”
[]“Not your granfather’s fast food joint”
[]“great food on the go”
[] Pizza Express
for humor:
[]“We serve our food the way you rember at your High School Cafeteria”
[]“Queue up like cattle and don’t expect a waitress”
[*]“Waitresses just slow us down”
Look at other places with your business model of service and see how they let customers know what they do. Inside, put signs that say “please place your order at the counter”. Restaurant does imply the whole full service thing.
Not one person who has ever seen a McDonald’s (restaurant or not) is confused about their store service model. They could put McDonald’s Dry Cleaners, and the golden arches would carry the message. They have iron-clad branding and market recognition.
That’s what we all aspire to here. Don’t know if removing the word would help. It is something different, that you aren’t already doing . . . . .
Have you tried asking your customers about it? they live there and may have good ideas of the “rules of the marketplace” and secret code for places there.
Hot dogs CAN be served in a restaurant, especially in Chicago.
When I worked at Hardee’s years ago, we were trained to ask if it was for the dining room or carry-out (as opposed to “for here or to go”). Even though a fast food joint, they did try to make it seem more “upscale”.
Also remember that they may walk out but now they know. They may very well return. But if it’s “date night”, your place isn’t where they want to go. For family night, it may be just right.
If you need a banner rather than changing your sign, how about “Uncle Joe’s – where quick service and quality come together”?