What to Consider When Naming a Restaurant

Don't underestimate the importance of restaurant naming. A restaurant name has the power to influence how potential customers, employees, and investors view your business.

There's a lot to consider when naming a restaurant. The process involves evaluating the name from a business perspective, a legal perspective, and a branding perspective.

When you work with a restaurant naming agency you can rest assured that proper research and strategy will be involved. Without these steps, a restaurant name can cause legal issues or fail to resonate with customers.

Want to know what goes into a restaurant naming project at Nice Branding Agency? Dive into our process.

Restaurant Naming Begins with Branding

It's no secret: branding is our bread and butter. And, as branding experts, we know that Foundational Branding elements, like positioning, brand attributes, and visual direction, need to be established from the start.

Before we start spitballing restaurant names, we consider brand positioning. Positioning is how you set your restaurant apart from competitors; it’s your place in your market.

After positioning is established, we can help you craft a powerful statement that aligns with the direction of your overall restaurant brand. Brand attributes help communicate the values and personality of your business, which also impacts your name.

Visual Direction comes next. Your restaurant name and the accompanying visuals should align seamlessly. A lighthearted name would not pair well with overly corporate graphics, for instance.

When combined, your attributes, positioning statement, and visual direction will serve as a solid foundation for naming your restaurant.

Consider Restaurant Competitors

Don't make the mistake of naming your restaurant something that could be easily confused with a competitor. It's important to distinguish your brand.

Meticulous market research can help you avoid this common pitfall. It will also help you identify new and upcoming trends within your market.

Look Up Domain Names

When naming your restaurant, it's important to research available domain names. GoDaddy is a great resource for this.

Your branding will determine your domain name strategy. Consider what your target customer might type into the search bar when looking for a restaurant like yours. However, don't throw out a good business name just because your dream domain is unavailable. We can help.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) should also be considered when selecting a domain. If we've found a domain that's easy to remember, aligns with your restaurant brand, and helps your search engine ranking, we're happy.

Memorable Restaurant Naming

It may seem obvious, but your restaurant name must be memorable and easy to understand. It can't be misleading or confusing to your target audience or search engines.

If it's easy to spell, even better. Funky spelling requires your customer to not only remember your name but also how to type it correctly.

The length of your restaurant's name is also important to think about. What will it look like, for instance, on a logo or exterior sign? If the name is too long, the design may suffer.

Plan for the Future of Your Restaurant

The future of your restaurant is important to factor in when naming your business. If you started a restaurant in Nashville, for example, and you named it “Nashville Donuts,” the name wouldn't necessarily have the same impact on customers if you expanded into national markets. Try not to pigeonhole your business.

On the flip side, don’t name your restaurant based on unlikely growth. You can always create a new restaurant brand or new segment to handle a new section of the market.

Need a Restaurant Name?

Restaurant naming requires a lot of strategy. It takes a creative and meticulous restaurant branding team to thoroughly research and consider every angle. If you’re rebranding, renaming, or starting from scratch with a restaurant that needs a name, contact the pros at Nice Branding Agency today.