Any restaurateur will tell you this – the restaurant industry is an unpredictable, ever-evolving beast. Restaurateurs are constantly chasing trending demands of their customers; adjusting menus, ingredients, and ambiance to match. Or at least the wise ones are.
One constant factor is that food is the core of your restaurant.
It has to be.
But when there are so many restaurants with amazing food competing for guests’ attention, what makes customers walk through one door and not another?
So many factors that come play into this age-old question. But the root of any business in foodservice industries, begins with the image you portray to your customers. And your image can make or break your business.
Let’s discuss the vital importance of how the overall branding of your restaurant actually begins with how you market your dishes to consumers, and why you should always leave it to the professionals.
Before They Taste It, They’re Going to See It
Of course, your food has to taste delicious. That’s a no-brainer.
But eating starts way before the first bite. Every sense is engaged in the eating process, and good photography helps the process begins before your guests even place their order.
Well before your customer gets to smell your glorious sumac roasted chicken from their seat, or hear it sizzle from the grill, or experience the taste and crunch of your kimchi grilled cheese toastie, they see that crispy, buttery perfection in your images.
The Professional Touch
The bottom line is, that the combination of a skilled food stylist and a professional food photographer just cannot be replicated, even by enthusiastic amateurs.
Among other things, the smartphone pandemic (see what we did there) has put a decent camera into the hands of millions.
But despite the majority opinion, it has NOT instantly made them capable of shooting professional quality pictures. Trust me.
Beautiful food photography is an art form. And it really does take years of experience and skill to truly understand how to maximize a customer’s appetite through drool-inducing photographs.
A professional’s job is to get a good shot, consistently and always, no matter how hard the dish is to photograph. An amatuer gets a good shot sometimes. And it’s those occasional moments that you see on their ‘gram.
Professionals know exactly how to consider the food, lighting, colors, angles, lenses, props… you get the idea.
That’s why they’re the professionals.
The goal of any restaurant owner is to keep a steady flow of customers coming through their doors. The tricky part is making sure it keeps happening.
The long-term benefits of investing in professional photographs of your food will FAR exceed the initial cost. Even a small portfolio of photos can be the best marketing tool you ever invest in. Menus, advertisements, social media posts — it can really be the gift that keeps on giving.
And this is really what will get guests coming through your doors. That’s what will get them ordering dishes off your menu. And most importantly, that’s what will get them spending money.
Let’s face it, many people may hear of your restaurant for the first time when they come across your social media page. If the food looks glorious, it’s only natural that more people are going to want to come and find out for themselves.
And let’s be honest — that’s really what it’s all about.
Leave a reply