Chopbiscuit food 101: Eating will always have the "fringe"

Editors note: This is a series of posts on food, cooking and sustainable eating habits. We will explore the culture around food in this country and the little steps we can make to secure a laudable future in the world of provisions 

Chapter 3 - Eating will always have the "fringe"

As a former restaurant owner and someone who now examines the way people use and perceive the retail food business, I've always had people come up to me and say the coveted words,

"You know what you should serve......? (insert name here)"

Whether it's some new allergen that kids have, popular food trend or regional flavor, the consumer will always offer their voice in what certain taste or trend that will suit their taste buds. The words from our guests are always important, but the way you cypher through the verbiage is equally or more important. We realize that a few of the general eating population has pulled the short string on a few dietary restrictions such as nut allergens, gluten restrictions and diabetes. It's truly a shame that some folks have to really limit or negate, in entirety, some of the foods they crave or love. I see often, many restaurants, that  focus large portions of their menu on a cyclical basis, compensating and subscribing to these diseases and dietary issues to later wonder why they've lost some competitive advantage to their core business. Let me state, I'm not calling any unfortunate child that has a nut allergy, the "fringe". I'm simply stating that recreating your menu every quarter based on solving for these inflictions will steer your business away from it's core essence.

As an owner or manager, you should know your core customer. The customer that has frequent visits and knows the names of your staff and their birthdays. The customer that brings in their friends and family and brags about what a wonderful service you provide them. I think the old adage goes something like, "you can't be everything to everyone", sums it up nicely to point out that clarifying your niche in the food service field is ultimately the most important business metric you have.

Often, small business owners are afraid to narrow down their target market for fear that this will limit them and their profits. Countless times I have heard people say “my target is anyone who likes a high quality sandwich” or “my niche is really anyone who wants the product that I offer.”

The truth is, it's actually easier to market and attract customers when you focus on a particular group of people.  It is also easier for others to refer people to you when they see you as someone who has a product that offers added value.  To further illustrate, here is a simple example: Instead of “I’m an upscale sandwich shop,” you could clarify it to say “I’m a sandwich shop who specializes in scratch baking and artisan sandwiches with high quality meats and vermont cheeses.”

Unfortunately, I don't think many restaurants and food retailers are aware of the limitations of their brands. When they're flying high, their brands are invincible and extending it to a wide array of products seems like a natural extension of their success, Yet, over time, food retailers brands get entrenched and blurred. Certain customers will continue to identify wit it, some fall off the wagon. Find your core customer and make sure the brand is ultimately is in alignment with their values and culture.


Chapter 1 - Eating Seasonally
Chapter 2 - How you should eat {Meat, no meat, both)