The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
Making It Personal
I was stuck by the number of businesses where the names of the owners are prominently displayed, although not necessarily as a part of the name of the business ... and it got me thinking. Independent businesses in the US seem to want to look and behave all corporate, like they are bigger than they really are. No problem there. In fact I think an independent should look like a chain (i.e. all the elements are congruent, professionally executed and well thought-out).
But what can easily get lost in all that -- and what the French reminded me of -- is the personal connection patrons have with the operation itself. I think that putting your name prominently on the building puts your feet to the fire and forces you to pay more attention to the details.
I have seen a step in this direction from some chain operations who put the names of the GM and the chef on the door. That is certainly a move that independents could emulate. But a corporate chain can't put the names of the owners on the building. The owner is an amorphous entity, not an individual who is likely to be on the floor making sure everything is going right.
Am I the only one who sees the power in this approach? When you walk into La Burgonde and see the names Jean-Noel & Claudine above the door, doesn't it suggest a more personal level of hospitality? When you know that the bakery owned by Elisabeth and Thierry or Catherine and Pierre, doesn't it automatically feel a little more inviting?
© 2011 Restaurant Doctor
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