The list of the World’s Best Restaurants for 2016 was recently published by one of those overly ‘foodie’ magazines that gives accolades to places that serve spectacular dishes but almost always guarantee you will leave only slightly less hungry than the moment you sat down. The latest winner was a fancy, family operation in Moderna, Italy. If you are ever in the area and feeling a little peckish, it’s called ‘Osteria Francescana’. It’s likely very good, but it would want to be, knowing you will have to part with 74 EURO for the house special pasta.
Everybody loves eating out, men and women, adults and kids, rich and poor, day and night, all over the world. Favourite cuisines though, differ depending on where you are on the planet. The most popular eateries in London serve Indian; in NYC, Italian; in Sydney, it’s Mediterranean tastes that set forks in motion. When it comes to ordering food in or having take-away, Pizza tops the list internationally, Chinese a close second.
A recent study by food.com revealed that 87% of people in developed countries can proudly name a favourite restaurant. Not just cuisine, but an actual establishment they return to time and again. Of that 87%, nearly three quarters say they order the same dish every time and 94% order one of two or three things. This is not to highlight how predictable and boring we are as a society but rather that scope can be overrated. This may also explain why vanilla is the most sold ice cream flavour on earth by over 2 to 1 and why Cheeseburgers have been McDonalds’ biggest selling burger for over 30 years.
Large menus can annoy rather than joy patrons. Too much choice is confusing, stressful perhaps, at worst, off-putting. Restaurants are made famous by one or two culinary offerings – never the number of their offerings. People return to order the food that made that eatery special to them and found a way into their hearts.
Now you know what to say when someone in your building complains about repetition. Large music libraries are like large menus – they hurt, they don’t help. Look at your radio station and ensure your ‘menu’ isn’t too big. Keep it tight and make sure it is showcasing the ‘dishes’ you are, or want to be famous for.
Find your musical ‘cuisine’ and stick to it. Deliver the right plates for the aural palate of your audience. Serve them often and serve them well.
This reliability of playing the right offering with regularly will also buy you some brand equity for that dreaded occasional bowl of soup with a fly in it.