Food, ambiance, and marketing are among the first few things that restaurant owners think about when starting an eatery. Creating a restaurant vision statement doesn’t even cross most minds.
However, it’s a good idea to come up with your vision statement even before food and ambiance.
After all, if you don’t know why you’re starting a restaurant, how will you craft a suitable menu and environment? But if you’ve already started your restaurant, it’s still not too late.
No matter where you are in your restaurant journey, a vision statement is something you should put great thought into. You’ve reached the right place if you want to learn how. So, let’s begin.
A Quick Crash Course: What Is a Restaurant Vision Statement?
A restaurant’s vision statement outlines its core values, purpose, and goals. It spells out why it exists, what it aims to achieve, who it caters to, and what sets it apart. When crafted the right way, it can guide business decisions to achieve the results you’re aiming for. But the list of benefits doesn’t end there.
A vision statement also helps you tell your story to the world. That, in return, makes your customers resonate with you. There’s no better way of getting foot traffic than making people feel connected to you.
Moreover, it helps your team members find purpose in their job. Telling them what you’re working for will help them get you there faster.
For example, if your mission is to give absolute restaurant customer satisfaction, your staff will pay extra attention to this aspect. They’ll guide your customers and solve their problems with the best attitude.
Consulting your vision statement also works best if you’re ever at a loss for ideas for your next ad.
That’s because it helps you shape your marketing messages and keep your branding consistent across all channels.
Plus, you can choose the right talent for your restaurant. Ask them a question related to your mission, and if they share the same values, they’re the perfect choice. But to do that, you must know your vision statement first.
Mission vs Vision vs Values: Are They the Same Things?
There’s a lot of ambiguity when it comes to vision statements. Some people think it’s the same as a vision statement, while others simply consider it a compilation of goals.
But the truth is, both these groups are wrong. There are slight differences between a vision statement, a vision statement, and values.
While a vision statement tells the world what your restaurant is all about, a vision declares your long-term goals. In other words, a vision statement helps you decide what you want to achieve as the ultimate goal.
For example, best service, farm-to-table food, or a sparkling environment make some inspiring vision statements. Alternatively, your vision could be to become the most popular restaurant with an innovative and sustainable approach to dining.
Now, if you look at the above examples closely, fulfilling your mission would take less time. But your vision is a journey; you can’t achieve it in a month or two. So, that’s the main difference between mission and vision.
However, when writing these two statements, remember that the two must connect.
For example, if your mission is to provide organic, quality food, your vision should be achieving sustainability.
On the other hand, value statements are your core beliefs that shape your restaurant’s character and decisions. They reflect the things you won’t compromise on, such as integrity, excellence, etc.
By conveying your values, you can manage your team’s expectations and help them behave the right way. In short, values help achieve your mission and vision.
How To Write the Perfect Restaurant Vision Statement?
Now that you know the differences between mission, vision, and goals, you’re ready to start writing your restaurant vision statement.
The good news is it’s easy since you’re the one starting the business and know exactly why you’re doing it. All you have to do is sit with the stakeholders and come up with some answers.
- What are your core values? As mentioned earlier, values help you achieve your mission. They’re not just words on paper; they’re the soul of your brand. So, it makes perfect sense to start crafting your vision statement by identifying your values. Consider your brand identity and messaging when coming up with these values. Otherwise, you’ll have to face inconsistency in your branding.
- What is your restaurant’s purpose? Think about why you’re opening your restaurant. What do you want to provide to your audience? It can be creating a themed ambiance, celebrating local cuisine, giving a collaborative environment, etc.
- Who do you want to serve? If you don’t know your customer profile beforehand, what are you even doing? It will have a say in all of your decisions, from menu to layout. So, think about your audience’s demographics, age, occupation, etc.
- What sets you apart? While your purpose doesn’t have to be unique, your vision statement has to. There should be some distinction between you and your competitors. So, think about what will make your customers choose you over them.
Restaurant Vision Statement Examples That Will Motivate Your Own
Earlier, we mentioned that you must know how to set yourself apart from your competitors. But how will you do that without looking at others’ vision statements?
Besides, the best way to approach a creative process is to get some inspiration. However, there are various types of restaurants, and it might be hard to find inspiration that best fits your needs.
Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the five best restaurant vision statement examples in different categories.
Fast Food and Fast Casual Restaurants That Everyone Loves
Whenever people want to grab a quick bite, they usually turn to fast food restaurants. It’s because they are less expensive than others and have menu items that everybody loves.
Starting with McDonald’s, its vision statement is, “to make delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone.” Convenient restaurant locations and hours and affordable prices are also part of its mission.
Next, we have Panda Express, which is a fast-casual restaurant. It aims to “deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives.”
Buffalo Wild Wings, another fast-casual restaurant, says, “Our mission is to WOW people every day.” They foster a winning culture, where team members enjoy the energy of game time and gain experience for a lifetime.
Lastly, Chipotle is the perfect example of revising your vision statement to accommodate changes, according to The Business Model Analyst.
It started with “to ensure that better food, prepared from whole, unprocessed ingredients, is accessible to everyone.” But now, its shorter vision statement states, “to provide food with integrity.”
No Restaurant List Is Complete Without Pizza Houses
If there’s anything as popular as fast-casual restaurants, it’s pizza houses. When craving this dish, people turn to one of these instead of a casual restaurant with Pizza on the menu.
So, here are some strong vision statements of pizza houses that can help shape your own.
Domino’s is probably one of the first brands that comes to your mind when you hear the word “pizza.” It believes in “doing the right thing, putting people first, creating inspired solutions, championing customers, and growing and winning together.”
Secondly, there’s Pizza Hut, which says, “We create food we’re proud to serve and deliver fast, with a smile.”
And how can we not talk about Pizza Pilgrims in this section? It says, “We serve slow proved Neapolitan Pizza in our pizzerias, at events across the UK, and in Pizza in the Post.
All of our dough is made fresh daily. We source the best ingredients Italy has to offer in order to bring you the best possible pizza base going. As any Neapolitan will tell you - it’s all about the crust.”
Cafes and Coffee Shops Where People Relax
Next up, we have cafes and coffee shops where people go for relaxation and beverages more than food.
And what better way to start this example list than Starbucks, which most people start their days with?
“With every cup, with every conversation, with every community - we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection.” That’s what America’s favorite coffee shop says about its mission.
Secondly, Saxbys Coffee does a great job of putting its values into a single vision statement. It is actually an educational institution disguised as a coffee shop whose mission is to “Make life better.”
Lastly, we have Panera Bread, which is one of the most popular cafes in the US. It has also changed its vision statement, which now says, “One Panera for a healthier and happier world.”
Before this, it was “Food as it should be. Food should taste good. It should feel good. It should do good things for you and the world around you.”
If you are thinking of opening a cafe, take inspiration from these statements. Come up with a sentence that says everything about your brand in a few words, but make it memorable.
Let’s Get to the Sweet Stuff With Ice Cream Parlors and Desert Places
“To make the most awesome doughnuts on the planet every single day.” What brand did this sentence bring to your mind?
If you thought about Dunkin Donuts, you only got one thing right: we’ve reached the sweet part of this list. But if your answer was Krispy Kreme, you got everything right.
The above sentence is the vision statement of Krispy Kreme, which perfectly sums up everything that the brand strives for. If you want a simple yet unforgettable vision statement, this is the perfect inspiration for you.
And since we mentioned Dunkin Donuts, it makes sense to discuss its vision statement next.
“To be the leading provider of the wide range of delicious beverages & baked products around the world.” Again, that is quite a simple vision statement that perfectly captures the brand values.
Lastly, no list covering desert places can be complete without the mention of Baskin-Robbins, right?
Its mission is “to make the Baskin-Robbins neighborhood a tasty, fun place for our customers.”
Ending This List With Casual Dining Restaurants
To wrap this list up, we have casual dining restaurants. Unlike fine dining, people visit these restaurants quite frequently on all occasions.
They’re slightly higher in price than fast food but offer better ingredients. So, firstly, we have Red Lobster, which focuses on sustainability.
It says, “We believe it’s our responsibility to protect and preserve our oceans and marine life for generations to come.”
Secondly, Table Cafe is a great example of community. It aims “to provide a restaurant that serves locally grown food with amazing taste, at an affordable price, where all can enjoy the flavor of community.”
Thirdly, Denny does an amazing job packing its values in a single statement. ”To serve the best cup of coffee, make the best donuts, give the best service, offer the best value, and stay open 24 hours a day.”
This one’s on the longer side of the spectrum but makes the purpose clear. So, while you should aim for fewer words, they won’t always be feasible.
Here, the best strategy is to write everything down, then keep shortening it until things are clear without being long.
4 Tips for Crafting a Restaurant Vision Statement That Sticks
Now that you’ve seen the examples, you might want to jump right into the process of writing a vision statement.
But the truth is, you’re not ready yet. You’ve learned the things you need to do before writing a restaurant vision statement. But what about the tips and best practices that you must follow during the writing process? Without these tips, you won’t be able to come up with the best statement.
- Don’t overdo it: The best vision statements always cut to the chase and keep it short. After all, people can’t remember a wall of text, and you want your mission to stick with them. That’s the best way to make them resonate with you.
- Talk in everyday language: Using industry jargon and technical words is probably the worst mistake you can make here. Not everyone can talk in that language. So, remember to keep the vision statement clear and concise without using heavy words.
- Get inspiration: Looking at examples of famous brands is one way to get inspiration. But looking at the vision statements of your competitors in the area where you operate is equally important. See what they’re telling the world and set yourself apart. But remember only to take inspiration and not copy from them.
- Take a humble approach: If you praise your restaurant too much, it will feel more like a sales ad rather than a vision statement. So don’t use words like “unmatched service,” “real food,” or “perfect menu” too much.
Once you have your statement, remember to transmit it to your staff and to the public through restaurant advertisements.
Your vision statement Is More Than Just a Sentence
Taking everything into account, a vision statement tells the world about your restaurant’s purpose. On the flip side, vision statements state the future goals. Then there are the values that help you achieve everything you’ve written in these two statements.
To start coming up with options, all you need to do is know who you’re going to serve and what sets you apart. Also, think about why you’ve opened the restaurant and what your core values are.
These answers will pretty much get you ready to start crafting your restaurant’s vision statement.
If you run a restaurant and want to increase the results of your marketing effort, try out Beambox. It is a WiFi marketing platform that helps you run marketing campaigns and gather data from your customers. Moreover, with Beambox, you can effortlessly secure your guest’s WiFi. Start your free trial now!
Get Started With Free WiFi Marketing
Beambox helps businesses like yours grow with data capture, marketing automation and reputation management.
Sign up for 30 days free
