Re-branding or burning out your restaurant concept?
Frederik Goossens – Poule & Poulette
Is there an expiration date on the look & feel, menu, and experience of your restaurant concept after 10 years?
In an era of rapid change, pop-ups, test labs, trendy fads, and flashy start-ups, it’s fair to ask whether you should follow the trends or position yourself as a steady presence in today’s hospitality landscape, filled with fleeting ventures.
How do you successfully rebrand? Can rebranding lead to the burnout of your concept?
Revolution or evolution of your brand—that’s the question!
Frederik Goossens is founder and CEO (Chicken Experience Officer) of Poule & Poulette. He started in 2012 with a chicken shop, and by 2014, opened the first small chicken restaurant. Today, there are eight locations in major cities, with more on the horizon. Oh yes, at Poule & Poulette, Chicken & FUNdining are at the core! :)
Several well-known Belgian fast-casual concepts started around the same time, over ten years ago, independently of each other. Back then, we didn’t know that we all shared the same dream: to build our own (mini) chain/restaurant brand. We eventually crossed paths in the Leaders Club after our third or fourth location. Multisite was a rarity in the restaurant business. We all grew, some even much further. But after 10 years, does the look & feel, menu, and experience of your concept have an expiration date?
Wasn’t the fast-casual success story all about the innovation of single-product restaurants? Accessible, with a focus on quality—one product but being the best at it—and, of course, experience. In short: better quality than fast food, trendier than a brasserie. These two existing restaurant formulas: “Shaken, not stirred please!”
It’s better to have no location than a half-baked concept: Stick to the plan! Yes, we did close some locations along the way that were too small or just not ideally located (it’s all about location, remember). But if there’s one thing I learned: Never adapt your concept to the space. I once made that mistake by opening a counter-service student restaurant and shop in a tiny corner location with low ceilings on different floors. On one hand, it was an operational nightmare. On the other, people came for our iconic elevated seating booths and table service, which they didn’t find at this location... Nothing worse than disappointed customers. What a blunder.
Your guests talk about a concept when every detail is worked out. From an original menu to napkins with fun text. From the subtle branded chicken leg on your chair to the sticker on the mirror in the restroom that compliments you, saying you look "chicken-licious." Times may change, but should all of this suddenly make way for new things? Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely in favor of letting the brand evolve, but expanding our menu with ribs and other dishes will be something for after my time. :)
Will the rising Generation Z remain impatient and eager for innovation, or will they eventually crave stability? In a previous life, I was the marketing manager for the car brand Jaguar. The good old days, you know. In six years, I saw the logo change from British Racing Green to black over silver and even frog green. From a fine line to a 3D jaguar, and then back to a line. The older customers revolted and could no longer identify with the brand. Many dropped off, and only a few new ones came in. The bottom line: after spending a fortune, they eventually went back to a logo not so different from the original. But the once-loyal clientele had already irreversibly disappeared...
No two locations are the same at Poule & Poulette. We follow a mix of fixed elements but leave room for innovation in each space. We like to let "the building speak." In terms of colors and materials, we experiment with new ideas. This way, we can evolve with trends, feel less like a "chain," and give our guests a different experience each time. For example, we’ve covered certain floors with steel plates. In Leuven, we left the old terracotta-colored terrazzo floor untouched and even brought that color back onto the walls. We’ve since reused it in later locations. In Ostend, we created a wainscoting with a nod to the striped beach cabins of yesteryear. Green moss walls became blue coral walls by the sea. This technique allows your locations to age gradually, avoiding the need for a complete refit of all locations at once. Our menu also adapts to current trends (like fried chicken or poke bowls). If these trends stick, they become permanent; otherwise, it’s exit.
To conclude, I’d say that brand evolution is essential. Only institutions like Relais de l’Entrecôte in Paris (my absolute favorite example of hyper-efficient but old-fashioned hospitality) can afford to remain "static" due to their long-standing history. I’m a proponent of a slow, ongoing rebranding process. If you attempt a brand revolution, there’s a high chance you’ll burn out rather than successfully rebrand! Good luck. Who knows, maybe we’ll soon announce the rebranding of LeadersClub!?