How to Name Your Restaurant
Brainstorm alone., Try freewriting., Highlight keywords., Brainstorm in a group., Keep your options open., Be recognizable., Make it unique., Try a sensual name., Point to your food., Skip names with negative connotations., Think about location...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Brainstorm alone.
If you are opening the restaurant with other people, take a little time to come up with ideas on your own.
If you try to work in a group first, one idea may instantly seem like the solution, whereas if you take the time to come up with ideas individually, you'll have a wider variety., One method of brainstorming alone is freewriting.
Take out a sheet of paper.
Write "Restaurant Names" at the top.
Next, just start writing whatever comes to your mind.
If you need a place to start, start writing about the type of food you'll serve, the atmosphere you want to create, and the things you associate with it.Don't censor yourself while writing.
Write whatever comes to your head.
It doesn't need to be in complete sentences.For instance, you could begin with something like "We want to serve fried chicken, southern classics with a twist... calm, comforting atmosphere... not your grandma's kitchen, but maybe your crazy Aunt Betty who never had kids.
Farm lights.
Southern charm.
Sweet tea."
Go through your list and pick out words that are particularly unique or sensual.
Also, pick out words that seem to really represent what you're trying to do with your restaurant.
Highlight them in the original text, and then write them on a new sheet of paper.
Play around with them, and see if any of them fit together.For instance, maybe "farm," "Crazy Aunt Betty," "southern," "comforting," and "with a twist" stick out to you.
Write those down.
Try combining them.
For instance, you could have "Crazy Aunt Betty's Farm" or "Southern With a Twist," though "crazy" might have a negative connotation for some people. , Once you've come up with individual ideas, try coming together.
You can bounce ideas off one another to come up with a better solution as a group.Gather everyone together.
Make sure the space is comfortable and inviting.
Invite some friends and family who haven't been in on the decision-making process from the beginning; diversity will help generate creativity.Make sure someone is writing down ideas.
It's best to write the ideas on a large chalkboard or dry erase board so everyone can see, though you can also have a second person recording on paper.Talk about the type of restaurant and atmosphere you want to create.
Give some sample menu items, and discuss how you want the restaurant to look.
Give everyone a few minutes to come up with ideas on his or her own, especially if everyone didn't get a chance to brainstorm before the meeting.Go around and share ideas.
Once everyone has shared, keep asking people to generate ideas, and create an open atmosphere by throwing out some silly ideas so that everyone knows all ideas are welcome.
Try building off of each others' ideas and combining words and names to come up with several options. , If you start shutting down ideas, whether your own or someone else's, you're not keeping your mind open to more creative names.
The best idea may not sound great at first, just because it is new and unusual.
Plus, once you shut someone down, she is less likely to give more ideas because her first idea was rejected., Your name should give the customers an idea of what you serve.
It should help them understand what your restaurant is about not confuse them.
That is, though obscure names may draw in a certain type of people, it may turn off other people.For instance, you may want to name your Italian restaurant Olea europaea, the scientific name of the olive tree.However, your customers may not associate that with Italian food because they don't know what it is. , Take stock of the restaurants in your area, especially the ones that are your direct competition.
For instance, if you're opening an Italian restaurant, look at the names of other Italian restaurants.If everyone else is using a male chef's name, try doing something different, such as having two foods in your title like "Olive and Bread."Make yourself stand out among your competition., A sensual name, one that invokes the food and smells you serve within, primes your customer for eating there.
For instance, "The Smoky Chicken" may have more of an impact than "Richard's."
That is, use the type of food as a guide to your name.
Don't use a British-sounding name for a Brazilian restaurant, for instance, unless your food is a British-Brazilian fusion., For instance, you might not want to name your restaurant "Dirty Chicken," as "dirty" has a negative connotation for many people.
Other words you might want to skip are names of insects and anything associated with the trash. , Sometimes, your location provides the perfect name.
Some restaurants use the street address in the name (think "Kitchen 508" or "Bistro 189"), while others point to the history of the area.
As an example, if the area your restaurant is built in was once an amusement park, you could use that to inspire your name., Pick a name that will grow with the business.
For instance, though you only serve waffles right now, maybe in the future you'll want to expand to other breakfast items.
Consider that when picking out your name., That is, as you get going, identify who you are aiming your restaurant at.
Is it a young, hip crowd? Do you want a sophisticated, expensive restaurant? Do you prefer something very laid back where everyone is welcome?, The best way to identify who is in your target audience and what common characteristics they have is to do some market research.
You can hire a local marketing firm to survey people in the area about their restaurant likes and dislikes, with some questions geared towards your new restaurant and some demographic questions.Another option is doing the research yourself.
You can begin with information such as economic indicators, employment statistics, and income and earnings in a particular area, all compiled by the U.S.
Government.You could also try doing your own surveys by sending out self-addressed surveys in the mail.
You could offer an incentive, such as being one of the first customers to try out the restaurant for free once it opens. , Once the market research has been performed, ask for an analysis of common characteristics, such as the age group most likely to visit your restaurant, what kind of income they have, and how much they tend to use social media.
You can use this type of information to drive your name and your brand., Now that you've narrowed down your name, choose one that fits your target audience.
For instance, a young, hip crowd might like a slightly funky name or one that is a bit more obscure, while older generations will likely prefer something more straightforward that gets to the point.
Funny names may send diners away who are looking for something a little more refined, but families may love it. -
Step 2: Try freewriting.
-
Step 3: Highlight keywords.
-
Step 4: Brainstorm in a group.
-
Step 5: Keep your options open.
-
Step 6: Be recognizable.
-
Step 7: Make it unique.
-
Step 8: Try a sensual name.
-
Step 9: Point to your food.
-
Step 10: Skip names with negative connotations.
-
Step 11: Think about location.
-
Step 12: Don't limit yourself.
-
Step 13: Know who you're trying to draw in.
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Step 14: Use market research.
-
Step 15: Ask for analysis.
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Step 16: Focus your name.
Detailed Guide
If you are opening the restaurant with other people, take a little time to come up with ideas on your own.
If you try to work in a group first, one idea may instantly seem like the solution, whereas if you take the time to come up with ideas individually, you'll have a wider variety., One method of brainstorming alone is freewriting.
Take out a sheet of paper.
Write "Restaurant Names" at the top.
Next, just start writing whatever comes to your mind.
If you need a place to start, start writing about the type of food you'll serve, the atmosphere you want to create, and the things you associate with it.Don't censor yourself while writing.
Write whatever comes to your head.
It doesn't need to be in complete sentences.For instance, you could begin with something like "We want to serve fried chicken, southern classics with a twist... calm, comforting atmosphere... not your grandma's kitchen, but maybe your crazy Aunt Betty who never had kids.
Farm lights.
Southern charm.
Sweet tea."
Go through your list and pick out words that are particularly unique or sensual.
Also, pick out words that seem to really represent what you're trying to do with your restaurant.
Highlight them in the original text, and then write them on a new sheet of paper.
Play around with them, and see if any of them fit together.For instance, maybe "farm," "Crazy Aunt Betty," "southern," "comforting," and "with a twist" stick out to you.
Write those down.
Try combining them.
For instance, you could have "Crazy Aunt Betty's Farm" or "Southern With a Twist," though "crazy" might have a negative connotation for some people. , Once you've come up with individual ideas, try coming together.
You can bounce ideas off one another to come up with a better solution as a group.Gather everyone together.
Make sure the space is comfortable and inviting.
Invite some friends and family who haven't been in on the decision-making process from the beginning; diversity will help generate creativity.Make sure someone is writing down ideas.
It's best to write the ideas on a large chalkboard or dry erase board so everyone can see, though you can also have a second person recording on paper.Talk about the type of restaurant and atmosphere you want to create.
Give some sample menu items, and discuss how you want the restaurant to look.
Give everyone a few minutes to come up with ideas on his or her own, especially if everyone didn't get a chance to brainstorm before the meeting.Go around and share ideas.
Once everyone has shared, keep asking people to generate ideas, and create an open atmosphere by throwing out some silly ideas so that everyone knows all ideas are welcome.
Try building off of each others' ideas and combining words and names to come up with several options. , If you start shutting down ideas, whether your own or someone else's, you're not keeping your mind open to more creative names.
The best idea may not sound great at first, just because it is new and unusual.
Plus, once you shut someone down, she is less likely to give more ideas because her first idea was rejected., Your name should give the customers an idea of what you serve.
It should help them understand what your restaurant is about not confuse them.
That is, though obscure names may draw in a certain type of people, it may turn off other people.For instance, you may want to name your Italian restaurant Olea europaea, the scientific name of the olive tree.However, your customers may not associate that with Italian food because they don't know what it is. , Take stock of the restaurants in your area, especially the ones that are your direct competition.
For instance, if you're opening an Italian restaurant, look at the names of other Italian restaurants.If everyone else is using a male chef's name, try doing something different, such as having two foods in your title like "Olive and Bread."Make yourself stand out among your competition., A sensual name, one that invokes the food and smells you serve within, primes your customer for eating there.
For instance, "The Smoky Chicken" may have more of an impact than "Richard's."
That is, use the type of food as a guide to your name.
Don't use a British-sounding name for a Brazilian restaurant, for instance, unless your food is a British-Brazilian fusion., For instance, you might not want to name your restaurant "Dirty Chicken," as "dirty" has a negative connotation for many people.
Other words you might want to skip are names of insects and anything associated with the trash. , Sometimes, your location provides the perfect name.
Some restaurants use the street address in the name (think "Kitchen 508" or "Bistro 189"), while others point to the history of the area.
As an example, if the area your restaurant is built in was once an amusement park, you could use that to inspire your name., Pick a name that will grow with the business.
For instance, though you only serve waffles right now, maybe in the future you'll want to expand to other breakfast items.
Consider that when picking out your name., That is, as you get going, identify who you are aiming your restaurant at.
Is it a young, hip crowd? Do you want a sophisticated, expensive restaurant? Do you prefer something very laid back where everyone is welcome?, The best way to identify who is in your target audience and what common characteristics they have is to do some market research.
You can hire a local marketing firm to survey people in the area about their restaurant likes and dislikes, with some questions geared towards your new restaurant and some demographic questions.Another option is doing the research yourself.
You can begin with information such as economic indicators, employment statistics, and income and earnings in a particular area, all compiled by the U.S.
Government.You could also try doing your own surveys by sending out self-addressed surveys in the mail.
You could offer an incentive, such as being one of the first customers to try out the restaurant for free once it opens. , Once the market research has been performed, ask for an analysis of common characteristics, such as the age group most likely to visit your restaurant, what kind of income they have, and how much they tend to use social media.
You can use this type of information to drive your name and your brand., Now that you've narrowed down your name, choose one that fits your target audience.
For instance, a young, hip crowd might like a slightly funky name or one that is a bit more obscure, while older generations will likely prefer something more straightforward that gets to the point.
Funny names may send diners away who are looking for something a little more refined, but families may love it.
About the Author
Edward Parker
A seasoned expert in arts and creative design, Edward Parker combines 5 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Edward's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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