The following are the guidelines to write catchy restaurant slogans which allow you to increase daily covers.
First let’s start by defining what a slogan or tagline is. They are short phrases that accompany the name of a product or enterprise in any context. They sum up their identity and grab the attention of consumers.
The word “slogan” comes from two Gaelic words, “sluagh” and “ghairm”. The first means “army”, and the second means “cry.”
A slogan is a war cry, a call to action. But as easy as it may seem, writing them is not straightforward – especially in the F&B field, where composing restaurant slogans is like writing a verse or synthesis of feeling.
There are different types of slogan; some describe in a few words the essence of the product (e.g. Papa John’s “Better ingredients, better pizza“), while others don’t relate to the product but instead leverage feelings (e.g. McDonald’s “I’m lovin ‘it“).
So, what is a slogan – tagline or motto – and what are its main purposes? The following are the essential functions:
- It further specifies the corporate message.
- It makes the message easy to remember.
- It arouses needs in the receiver and suggests a way of satisfying them.
- It gives continuity to corporate communication.
- It gives greater strength to the brand.
Underestimated by many restaurateurs (read how to be a good restaurant manager), the slogan is a marketing tool that if used intelligently can make your business stand out from the crowd.
Do restaurants need slogans?
A slogan can be that extra touch to attract potential customers. It conveys a brief definition of who you are and what your strengths are. In a nutshell, it communicates the “Unique Selling Proposition“, namely the reason that makes your restaurant different from and better than the competition.
To make it simpler, let’s think about all the times that we go to eat out. We enjoy dining in restaurants, especially those we are familiar with. We prefer them because we already know what we’ll find in terms of hygiene, service, products etc.
But how do we know the same things about the eateries we haven’t personally visited before? We need to trust word of mouth, advice from friends, or information that we have read on the restaurant’s website or Facebook page.
But often, we just pass by in front of restaurants that we’ve never seen and heard before and are unable to know if they cook meat, fish, pizza or local cuisine – especially those whose names give no clues, such as “St. John” or “The Square” restaurant. Worse yet is if they don’t have a logo that conveys their identity.
Why don’t you remove any doubt and tell the potential customers who you are and what they will find? The slogan is used to concisely indicate the positioning of the restaurant.
“Positioning” is a marketing strategy which aims at making the brand occupy a clear and unique position in the consumer’s mind.
Put this catchy phrase under the logo on the restaurant’s sign, and let prospects feel your essence. Try to think how glad a passing family looking for a place to eat may be after seeing a restaurant that says: “The Old House. Healthy food for all ages” or “Grandma’s restaurant. Recipes of the old days.” Meanwhile, restaurants like “St John” or “Zuma” may be passed unnoticed.
As long as you are able to find something that will suit your brand and appeal to many people, a restaurant slogan can mark a turning point.
How to write restaurant slogans
If you’re lucky to be working with an enthusiast team, the creation of a slogan will go through a brainstorming session. It’s productive and engaging as it allows us to reach unexpected collective results.
“I’ve always thought that the best approach to put out a good slogan is to write out what you want to say and, then, between these four or five paragraphs, the challenge is to spot some words that you can isolate,” says Trevor Beattie, partner of Beattie McGuinness Bungay.
However, when you are forced to work alone, my advice is to put your thoughts down in black and white. A good strategy to write a catchy slogan may be to start with a general idea and develop it, inserting as many items as possible. Usually, I love leveraging mind maps as a useful resource for the graphical representation of thoughts.
There are some proven methods used by brands to stay imprinted in people’s minds for as long as possible.
Some common techniques include:
- Alliteration (“lick the lid of life”).
- Repetition (“making the unmissable unmissable”).
- Rhyme (“for mash get Smash”).
These techniques make for a fun and at the same time easy-to-remember phrase.
Darren Bailes, the creative director at VCCP, says, “When we created an advertisement for Pimm’s, the slogan “anyone for Pimm’s?” was not easy to remember. So we replaced it with ” I make that Pimm’s o’ clock” and it worked as it was more fun. “
Figure of speech and puns aside, there are many things to keep in mind whenever you are called to write slogans for restaurants.
Let’s see the 9 steps to create a killer slogan.
Restaurant slogans: the 9 things to take into account
1 – Aim straight at the target
We repeat it very often on Forketers, but remember that the task of a good manager is to identify your target niche by building the communication according to their needs. Similarly, when you create the slogan, it must be easily understood and remembered by the restaurant’s target. Don’t write a slogan that is cool in itself, but puzzling for your prospects.
2 – Use the right tone
As in any good communication strategy, the choice of tone for a slogan is critical. You should consider two main elements: the target audience and the ultimate goal. Once you’ve collected some interesting ideas you should ask if the conceived phrases fit the target. For example, too “young” language will not be ideal for a “mature” target and vice versa.
“The best slogans take the simple truth about the brand or product and give them a tone that people can understand and make their own,” says Ben Kay, TWBA/Media Arts.
3 – Gather all necessary information
A slogan is anything but the whole business concentrated in a few words. Gathering all business information is crucial to create a tagline that delivers the right message. Put it down in writing the mission, vision, peculiarities of the restaurant and its products, what stands out from its competitors, target, and so on. Look into the information gathered, and sort out the things you want to convey.
4 – Wink at musicality
A slogan should be easily remembered by receivers. It is essential to pay the utmost attention
to the sounds of the words we choose. They must actively stimulate memory in the listener. Think at the musicality of McDonald’s slogan “I’m lovin it.” Short and simple words are more melodious.
5 – Create a desire in the recipient
We all know that one of the central elements of advertising is its ability to create a need in the target audience. For this, the slogan should perform a similar task – focusing on truthfulness and transparency, and also offering the ability to satisfy it.
6 – Shorter, thus easier
Conciseness has a great impact on consumers. A motto which uses few words (at most 5/8 words) is easier to remember and more flexible. Advertisers consider the three-word slogan ideal as it fits well on posters, banners, video screens and restaurants’ signs.
Use a few words with many syllables or many words with few syllables. It is advisable for rote purposes that a slogan contains a few words with a few syllables.
7 – Be honest
When writing a slogan, it is extremely easy to get carried away and lose sight of “reality”. Exaggerations are prohibited in advertising slogans. Using expressions such as “the number one …” or “the best in …” are not only false, but also extremely generic. Instead of betting on the hyperbole, try to sell the benefits of the brand in a realistic way.
Bear in mind that honesty is its own reward. A slogan that keeps its promise is one of the most powerful marketing tools in the Food and Beverage field.
Case study
The Olive Garden. The Olive Garden’s brand promise is “the idealized Italian family meal” 
characterized by “fresh, simple, delicious Italian food,” “complemented by a great glass of wine,” served by “people who treat you like family,” “in a comfortable homelike setting.” To live up to that brand promise, The Olive Garden trains its 1,100 restaurant managers and staff members in Italy, teaching them the authentic Italian cooking techniques. Also, they immerse themselves in wine training workshops and in-restaurant wine sampling for guests. They design restaurants to give them a Tuscan farmhouse look. The entire company’s communications reinforce the brand promise and slogan, “When You’re Here, You’re Family.” Today the company operates around 850 locations globally.
8 – Draw the brand up for the consumer
A great slogan allows you to bring your restaurant closer to the everyday life and habits of the consumer. Of course, it’s much easier when your menu fits daily lives well, such as the one thought out for the workers around. A slogan should be easily inserted into everyday conversation. It is not mandatory to do so, but it is recommended.
A good example is offered by the American restaurant chain Applebee’s, which as of 2012 is using the slogan “See you tomorrow.” Or “For great American food… Think daily” of Daily Grill.
9 – Show your commitment
Sometimes, eateries are no different from the competition and don’t offer products that are truly “unique”. However, the slogans must emphasize the difference from competitors. And a good way to do this is to explain the special dedication that you have towards your customers. Slogans that focus on customer service, especially those that guarantee quality and consumer satisfaction, work particularly well.
Restaurant slogans generator
If you are looking for a slogan generator for your business these are not the best solution. In fact, they aren’t a solution at all!
However, if you want an online tool for the generation of slogans with which to have fun, then that’s fine.
Sloganizer (there are many, but this is the only one that seems acceptable) generates random sentences using the words you enter into the form.
Just go to Sloganizer.net, enter the name of your restaurant, product or service you want to “Sloganize”, and proceed to get the result.
Where can I get inspiration?
The following are 19 examples of catchy restaurant slogans.
- ARBY’S. Slicing up freshness.
- Burger King. Have it your way.
- Carl’s Jr. Little place. BIG TASTE.
- Charleys Grilled. Hungry? You’re not Alone.
- Chilis. License to grill.
- Chuck E. Cheese’s. Where A Kid Can Be A Kid.
- Domino’s. The Pizza Delivery Experts.
- El Pollo Loco. When you’re crazy for chicken.
- Fat Burger. The last great hamburger stand.
- Fridays. In here, it’s always Friday.
- Hardees. Where the food’s the star.
- KFC. Finger Lickin’ Good.
- KFC. Nobody does chicken like KFC.
- La traviata (Italian Pizzeria). 7 days without pizza makes one weak.
- Pizza Hut. Make it great.
- Solo Carne (Steakhouse in Barcelona). “No Rules, Just Right.”
- Subway. Eat fresh.
- Taco Bell. Think outside the bun.
- Wendy’s. Where’s the beef?
Also, have a look at 130+ Catchy and Original Restaurant Slogans that are Free to Use
And you, what do you think?
Have you ever written a slogan? If so, what process did you follow? Do you want to add some advice? According to you, what should you a slogan not be missing in order to be effective?
Use the comment box below to share your opinion with us.
