If we consider why people are willing to throw down hundreds of dollars for the experience of dining at a renowned restaurant, yet squirm at thirty bucks for some Chinese take-out, we ask the question, “Why?”
In addition to looking for natural, organic and freshly prepared ingredients, loyal customers and foodies lust for that je ne sais quoi in foodservice.
That elusive and subjective feeling of something real, something genuine and something that enhances life: Authenticity
Authenticity in the food industry involves creating a brand that feels genuine. It is undisputed in origin and comes from a place of realness.
When consumers believe a company shares their same values, they form a connection and naturally want to interact with the company.
Agreement with company ideals influences consumer choices. Why is authenticity important in the foodservice industry? Because customers are loyal to and gravitate toward food brands they see as authentic.
What Authenticity Means for Your Food Business
Consider your clientele and future clientele: Who are you catering to, trying to reach or expand your services to? Businesses are known by their brand, their niche and their word-of-mouth success. People are attracted to what is authentic and unique.
Restaurants like Denny’s – who advertised making the best cup of coffee with the best service over 50 years ago – have stayed true to their brand promise and stayed in business. Denny’s still offers breakfast all day long and serves good diner coffee.
What appeals and delights can be subjective and elusive, and using your specialty brings eaters knocking on your swinging kitchen doors.
Foodies and Friends
Foodies have a refined interest in food culture and eat for the interest and pleasure in food. Foodies are important for gaining popularity, gaining a following and growing your food business. But they have to be convinced.
Earning some delicious loyalty requires your trustworthiness and loyalty to your customers. Food and culture is deeply personal, so eating with friends makes everything taste better.
Tips on getting foodies to flock to your restaurant:
- Express artfulness in food and atmosphere
- Encourage interest with authentic and refined products
- Convince them with the quality and realness of the food
There’s a hot local favorite spicing it up in Maricopa County, AZ, called Backyard Taco. This taqueria earned a following by being loyal to the Northern Mexican style.
The owners of Backyard Taco come from the Mexican resort town of Mazatlán.
What started as a backyard taco shop has blossomed into three popular locations in Arizona. They attribute their success not only to amazing tacos – and a few more authentic Mexican recipes – but also the authentic taste of cooking al carbon (grilled over charcoal).
They keep their menu simple because they do what they do best – authentic Mexican food.
Restaurants like Backyard Taco serving authentic Mexican tacos have found their niche in authenticity. It’s no secret the best places are the places that serve the best.
Charm the Pants off Them
Those of us in the foodservice industry are more successful when our restaurant atmosphere matches the cuisine. The chef who artistically presents his or her dish receives more accolades and more favor with the guests.
The restaurant that completes the dining area with décor and service to match the food culture appeals to customers. There is a component of environmental and atmospheric authenticity.
Take Mike’s Pastry, for example, touting 71 years of tradition and history in Boston, MA. Mike Mercogliano crafted his one-of-a-kind cannoli that keeps locals and tourists hungry for his pastries.
He came directly from Italy and has passed on his baking traditions to his stepson, who now runs the business.
Focusing on serving the best Italian pastries in a genuine Italian confectionary is what Mike’s Pastry does best, and by keeping it real over the years, his authentic brand has endured.
Cultural Authenticity
Ethnic food cravings are on the rise. According to the latest research, consumption of cultural food will continue to grow.
The unmatched feeling of being taken to another country to experience new comfort foods and wholesome fresh goodness charms us.
The interest in ethnic restaurants feeds our dreamy ideas about the world of food. We can travel the world of cuisine in our own American homes.
However, Japanese, Sushi, Mexican and Italian is so commonplace now, these restaurants don’t seem foreign anymore. Even with cross-culture experimentation in the modern age of fresh new creations, diners still seek a real experience.
Fusion food has generated some amazing mainstay staples from Americanized pizza to the gourmet hamburger. But the biggest success or failure factor in the ethnic food business? You guessed it – authenticity.
Whether it’s dine-in, take-out or ethnic groceries prepared at home, real, quality and natural foods matter.
Tips for Incorporating Authenticity into Your Menu
What steps can your restaurant take to achieve – or maintain – a unique menu flavor?
There are two main factors in why people enjoy the taste of food; it’s a comfort food or because it’s a new delicious positive experience.
Use Technology
Thinking you can rest in past successes or avoid modern advertising is a recipe for disaster. Forging foodservice businesses are taking advantage of modernization.
Here are some tips on how to use technology in your restaurant business:
- Use social media to your advantage
- Offer drive-thru and take-out when appropriate
- Offer delivery (even if it’s third party)
- Interact with your customers – Google reviews, Facebook, Twitter and so on
- Create a powerful website
- Offer loyalty rewards
From Fugetsu-Do – a family owned Japanese confectionary in Little Tokyo – to Nestlé Toll House – classic recipes from Ruth Wakefield – genuine goodness and singularity form a lasting connection with consumers.
Capitalize on Authenticity
Revising an old dish like mac ‘n cheese could be the next best thing. Something as simple as inventing a new twist on a French bistro can draw a following. Whatever you do, do it better than anyone else and captivate by being true to your brand.
Research has proven that food service seen as authentic is more important to consumers than even things like cleanliness.
In the competitive world of food, touching the values of your customers and your future customers will set you above the rest. Food with integrity pleases the mind and body.
Beyond catchy mottos and clever marketing, success in the food industry demands earning the trust of the hungry. Human interaction, excellent service and a genuine purpose forms connection and drives business your way.
About Backyard Taco: From the magical resort town of Mazatlán, Mexico comes Backyard Taco, featuring the authentic taste of a mesquite grill. Backyard Taco is an Arizona favorite with three locations, two in Mesa and the other in the Gilbert community of Agritopia.
Owners Ruben and Maricela have been grilling delicious tacos since 2005, when neighbors frequented their backyard lusting for the couple’s creations.
A simple and reasonably priced menu of authentic Mexican food prepared with the freshest ingredients, this taqueria has grown to meet the demands of its patronage.
Backyard Taco has such loyal regulars that they now sell Backyard Taco T-shirts and merchandise. Voted best Mexican food three years in a row, fans say it’s the best food in Mesa.
Come see why going to Backyard Taco tastes and feels like eating on a beach in Mexico. Discover perfección al carbon for yourself!
