Successful restaurants do more than just sell food. They sell an experience, and this is closely tied to the restaurant concept.
A restaurant concept is the overarching theme of the restaurant that covers its ambiance and decor, location, menu, service style, vibe, and culture.
It may not come to you clearly at first, as a myriad of ideas can flood your mind, but defining your restaurant concept is one of the most exciting parts of planning your restaurant business.
The Ingredients of a Restaurant Concept
Coming up with a restaurant concept is an interplay of creativity, strategy, personal experiences, the locale, and other factors that impact how you want your restaurant to be conceived.
Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough of the process of creating a restaurant concept.
Know Your Locale’s Character and Target Market’s Demographics
Your location will give you an idea of who will make up most of your diners. If you’re in a high-end, cosmopolitan district, you should be able to cater to the upscale, sophisticated crowd.
If you’re in a laid-back neighborhood, your restaurant should understand the local traditions, ingredients, and culture. You should be able to align your concept with their ways and sensitivities.
Find Inspiration For Your Restaurant Concept
What makes your heart smile as you think of having your restaurant? You can incorporate that into your theme. Draw inspiration from your childhood memories, heritage, local ingredients, traditions, family recipes, or anything that warms your heart
You may want to highlight a local iconic dish, a culinary tradition, an architectural design, or an era. Or, share a part of your experience as a chef, traveler, parent, or artist.
Define What Makes You Stand Out
There must be something that you can offer that others can’t. Whether it’s the menu, your interior design, service perks, or a unique recipe, it’s best to bri
This way, people will be curious about the new experience they will get from your restaurant. If it pleases them, they will give you a spot in their headspace as a go-to place for dining and enjoying.
Develop You Menu
Your menu should be aligned with your concept or vice versa if your concept’s starting point is the menu. The menu conceptualization may be generic at first – classic, modern, fusion, etc.
From there, you can add your own touch, like incorporating an ingredient that abounds in your hometown or a cooking method from your favorite country.
Choose a Service Style
Like the menu, this element directly impacts the dining experience, so you have to carefully choose one that will go well with your theme and serve your target customers best.
You can choose from quick service (fast food), fine dining, casual dining, buffet service, cafe, bistro, bar, gourmet, food truck, pop-up, or family style.
Design Your Restaurant to Suit Your Theme
The decor and ambiance of your restaurant will be the first thing diners will notice and experience as they walk through your door. Make a good impression by tying your decor to your theme.
Give your diners an immersive experience they can enjoy having again and again. From the signage to the washroom, floor to ceiling, and each piece of furniture and fixture, even the music and lighting should reinforce your theme.
A Winning Restaurant Concept
An excellent concept sets you off to a good start because it’s like having something tangible that people can recognize and feel an affinity to. Whether classic or edgy, your restaurant concept should work for your goals — attracting and keeping your target market.
A winning concept is one that your restaurant can have as a strategy and legacy – transcending trends and evolving while keeping its core identity intact.
Need assistance with your new restaurant concept? Let experts guide you. TRG Restaurant Consulting can give you a hand so you can ace this crucial part of your restaurant planning and execution.
Get a free quote today.
