Your restaurant’s brand identity isn’t just a part of your business—it is your business
In the food business, your restaurant’s brand isn’t just a side dish—it’s the main course of your business strategy. Jordan and Chris from Cholo Dogs put it perfectly: “You’re a moving billboard with, with a hot dog cart or a food truck, like you need that to represent your brand, you need people to know how to find you, what your name is and like, really what your vibe is on.”
This approach to branding goes beyond the “perfect” logo or a catchy name. It’s about creating a memorable stand-out experience that resonates with customers. Cholo Dogs, for instance, didn’t just wrap their food cart; they turned it into a full-blown branding machine. “We made this design and put this design fully 360 like even our cooking surface is wrapped like there’s a design on the cooking surface, not the silver. So we wrap this entire, thing like it’s a food truck.”
Social media is another battleground for branding. It’s where visuals meet storytelling. For Cholo Dogs, platforms like Instagram and TikTok are key tools for keeping their brand vibrant and visible – if leveraged correctly. Jordan says “But using it properly is putting money behind it for Facebook, at least for Instagram and TikTok. It’s free, you know, you build that.”
Lastly, never underestimate the power of a good story. Cholo Dogs weaves a narrative that captures imagination and appetite: “We created this character named Franco Furtero” name originating from frankfurter “He’s a world champion wrestler, and these are all his ingredients.” From their website, the lore deepens: “Franco claims to have started Cholo Dogs out of necessity to feed his family, but those closest to him will tell you it is “por mi amor a lucha libre”.”
To wrap it up, your brand is your restaurant’s heart. Keep it fun, keep it fresh, and make sure it pops just as much as your food does. That’s how you top of mind the next time a local is hungry and looking for their next meal. Discover more about the art of restaurant branding and their unique experiences in the industry on their episode of Beyond the Smoke with Thomas Ward.
Follow us on your favorite podcast platform: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and any podcast platform! This episode with Jordan and Chris from Cholo Dogs releases tomorrow, April 16th, 2024!
Baked with ❤️ by BrandCrumbs Media in Orlando, FL
