Keep existing Restaurant name or change?

Gosh those would be a nightmare to clean and not dishwasher friendly

Yes we are going to change the menu design/colours, outside signage/colours completely as well as some changes inside (Walls, flooring etc) Can't really do much to the layout without spending big bucks...

 

A new business name and frontage signage will make it very obvious a change has occurred. Be careful to name the business in a manner that describes what you are selling.

 

Why do you suggest this Jacqui?

 

Because naming your vehicle finance company "Smelly Blue Dog" just makes no sense

 

Visually a new sign screams "under new management... just maybe the changes they've made are good".

Branding wise, if you are selling burgers, your signing and name should say so. Call it a pizza restaurant and people won't know you sell burgers

 

I would ask why did you buy it in the first place?
Whatever that was attracted to you, would have attracted potential customers (I hope haha). Be that location, or a certain signature meal, anything. Just capitalise on it. Less is more I find. Work on your strongest asset at the start, and slowly build yourself up.

 

How big is the town? With very small towns the name can become engrained in the population. Changing it won't really help, if it once had a good name especially.

I originally come from a town of about 2.5k, everyone still refers to the original names of cafes, super markets etc from 50yrs ago. Different in larger areas though.

If it is in a very small town embrace the name and bring it back to former glory, or open a new one.

 

Any burger place that doesn't put the cheese on the meat automatically gets a cross on my list..
Burgers are simple but there some definite do's and dont's...

 

any burger that puts cheese on the meat automatically in this day and age of increasing lactose intolerance issues etc is taking a big risk. besides, a burger with cheese is a cheeseburger, there are plenty without it

 

Keep the menu simple. Be ruthless. Keep 3 or 4 burgers and 5 or 6 sides maximum. Experiment with a specials board to see if any of the old menu is still popular.

 

Totally disagree with you. Be as PC as you like.
A beef burger without cheese is not a burger.
A beef burger with only beef, cheese, mustard and sauce is a cheeseburger, but a burger with cheese on it is not a cheeseburger.

 

What on earth does PC have to.do with it?? I. talking from a business/profit pov and as someone who knows people who have made over $1m/yr profit from burger joints.

you might need to call Neil Perry and tell him his signature wagyu burger that people have paid $24 for for years and is extremely popular and profitable that it isn't a burger because there is no cheese

 

btw shake shack and in and out, 2 massive burger success stories over last couple of decades both have burgers without cheese on the menu. there is a reason 2 burger chains each worth over 1bn have done this...


I must commend you on the most irrelevant use of the term PC in recent memory, impressive tangent.

 

If ever in the USA - go to the "In and Out" and ask for the "animal version" of the burger you want...they don't advertise it, but they do it, and they are unreal.

 

Here's a pic of our Beast Burger..All our burgers are popular (We have 19 on the menu) So I wouldn't want to remove ANY really..Thinking of adding a few more sides and maybe some sliders - a bit like Grill'd. That place seems pretty popular..

 

I've never heard of this place and just checked it out. Too much like McDonalds for my likely - don't think my hubby would step foot in there..

 

The town is Mundaring in the Perth Hills. Population around 5000 but it's on the Great Eastern Hwy between Perth and Kalgoorlie.

 

So Lou it's a small town and the business did well up until the change 4 years ago. A lot of the locals would remember the old business fondly. How big is the town? could there be some benefit in telling the town that the burger place they loved is back? That way you leverage some residual goodwill. If it's a small market, you can do it through on the ground stuff like flyers in the letterbox of every home within, say, a 500 metre radius.

 

Catch passing traffic. Reckon you need a decent size sign around 10km out of town so travellers can be ready to look out for your shop.

Maccas do it - most country towns on the highways have signs "10 mins to ........"
Marg