Something novel about the modern food and beverage industry is its efforts to build brand loyalty. Over 63% of restaurants have dedicated loyalty programs and regularly host promotions to keep customers coming back to their storefronts. This isn’t too surprising–after all, studies have shown it’s much easier to maintain a loyal customer base than constantly finding new ones. But do you know that restaurant merchandise is one of the most popular promotional tactics for loyal customers?
Merchandise has been a proven branding tactic for some time, increasing the chances of customers remembering a brand by 80%. The combination of a fond gift and a physical reminder makes merchandise perfect for recalling a nice meal at their favorite dining establishment.
Plus, merchandise can be easily incorporated as either loyalty rewards, a limited-time commemorative gift, or even a purchaseable piece. It’s easy to add to your restaurant’s catalog and great to store for any future campaigns or promotional events.
Trendy Restaurant Merchandise
Here are some of the best restaurant merchandise ideas you can try for your food and beverage business this year:
Cups and mugs
What goes well with coffee and tea? Your own personal cup or mug. In all likelihood, people go to your restaurant to either appreciate the food or the atmosphere. Either way, a glass cup or ceramic mug is a nice gesture to bring part of that love back home and remind them that your establishment will be there waiting for their return.
Starbucks is one of the most famous coffee houses in the world, and it owes expert branding to its rise to fame. You’ll scarcely see a Starbucks storefront without a cabinet of merchandise to choose from, with cups and mugs being the most popular options among them. Stainless steel cupware is especially popular for its longevity, and you can see some more examples here.
Plates and utensils
The concept behind plates and utensils is similar to cups and mugs, though they can be more limited in their use. Cups and mugs can be brought anywhere, from the office to even events, which expands your brand’s reach and impressions.
However, plates and utensils are deeply personal items that hold a lot of sentimental value. They make constant reminders of your dining establishment in a very precise moment–right when your customers are about to eat.
Bottles
Another great coffee house staple–bottles can often be even more flexible than cups and mugs since they’ll likely be carried about in a backpack through long trips. Drinkware produces over three thousand impressions within its lifetime, making it both a pleasant memorabilia and a fantastic form of passive marketing.
Bottles also come in a variety of different forms, so they’re one of the most flexible and unique restaurant merchandise ideas on the list. Japanese-style thermos bottles with top handles have become especially popular, but mini thermoses with regular caps and regular matte bottles also work great.
T-shirts
There’s a t-shirt for every occasion–exhibitions, conventions, influencer merch and especially restaurants. Wearing a restaurant t-shirt may not be the first thing customers have in mind, but it can work well with restaurants that are heavily focused on personality, atmosphere and/or history.
UK dining establishment St. John’s has a long list of merchandise for patrons, including minimalistic t-shirts with their affable black and white pig roast logo. Magazine writer and restaurant enthusiast Jack Stanley suggests that t-shirt restaurant merchandise like St. John’s are both a nice gift from friends and a fantastic way to show patronage.
“It’s probably the restaurant I’ve been to the most, so it feels right to have something from there,” Stanley told Vogue.
If you have a strong restaurant brand with a lot of sentimental importance to your customers, consider providing them something special to treasure you by. Try not to skimp out on it, too–high-quality shirts with comforting fabric last as long as your customer’s fond recollection, and they can be worn anywhere with a strong enough design. Check out our tee collection for more ideas on what you can make for your customers.
Tote bags
We’ll take this one to go, please!
In some countries where plastic bags have been heavily regulated, cloth and tote bags present both a necessity and an interesting way to showcase a restaurant or cafe’s spirit and personality. Tote bags can be given alongside takeout for a small price and will be handy for your customers for a long time.
In fact, high-quality tote bags made from materials like canvas last three to four years before needing replacement. You’ll probably find your customers bringing your bag around shops for years to come with the right design and fabric.
Caps & hats
You’ve likely seen a few runners or outdoorsy types wearing branded caps on their long journeys. While not as popular as the other forms of restaurant merchandise, caps, and hats can be as simple and easy to carry around as bottles for frequent flyers and other active patrons.
If your restaurant patronage seems very active in sunny climates, consider showing off a little headwear for them to show off your restaurant! Snapbacks and trucker caps are especially convenient, though bucket hats may give your patrons a more comfortable, trendy look.
Hoodies & outerwear
Branded hoodies and outerwear are a little like walking billboards for your restaurant. They’re by far the merchandise that makes the most impressions in daily life, making more than 7,856 impressions in their lifetimes. They’re long-lasting, they’re flexible, and they’re incredibly stylish for younger age groups.
Like shirts, however, your patrons will likely only wear it if it’s as comfortable as your food is delicious. These are the type of merchandise you’d want to make a limited but premium selection of to give as a loyalty gift for your most dedicated patrons. With a little care and attention to the fabric and model, you’ll make a hoodie your customers will love even more than other restaurant merchandise.
Considering working on a new merchandise lineup for your next promotional event? Or perhaps you’d like to add something special to your loyalty program? Whatever is the case, restaurant merchandise should definitely be something on your checklist. Check out our lookbook for other merchandising ideas you can try out, and contact us to make your next lineup a reality.
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