Table of contents
I had never worked in the restaurant business before opening Woon Kitchen. Although my lack of restaurant experience created some challenges, it also brought unexpected advantages. The biggest plus? I don’t get stuck in traditional approaches to branding a restaurant.
I spent a decade in marketing, where I learned how to build strategies to bring a product to life. Those strategies have paid off at Woon. Starting out as a pop-up, we developed such a loyal following that a Los Angeles restaurant reviewer called Woon “the noodle pop-up that always sells out.” We opened our first brick-and-mortar location in 2019, followed by a second one at the end of 2024. This year, a popular blogger named us “the coolest Chinese restaurant in LA.”
Here are four principles we’ve used to build the Woon brand.
Tell an authentic story.
Every good brand starts with a compelling story that resonates with customers. When I worked in marketing, my job was to come up with a story to sell someone else’s product. With Woon I didn’t need to manufacture a story. The restaurant’s story is my family’s story.
My mother, “Mama Fong,” was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong as a child. When she came to the United States as a teenager, she got so sick of the frozen food her mother bought that she taught herself how to cook traditional Shanghainese and Cantonese dishes. That was my comfort food growing up. All my friends would come over to our house so Mama Fong would cook for them.
Our story runs through every aspect of Woon’s business. The dishes we serve are my mother’s recipes — good homestyle Chinese food. Family photos adorn the restaurant’s walls. On social media we tell the story of each dish. We also love to feature Mama Fong in photos, videos, and other posts.
Your restaurant has a story too. Just make sure it’s authentic to you and your establishment.
Be consistent about spreading your message.
Once you’ve defined your brand story, communicate it consistently across every platform and customer interaction. If you focus on locally sourced ingredients, for example, convey that on social media, on your menu, and even in your restaurant’s design. At Woon our brand story comes through in the dining experience. You’re not just eating my mom’s recipes. You’re also eating out of traditional dim sum bowls and plates of the kind I grew up with. Our service is casual but hospitable. We make sure everyone feels comfortable and taken care of, the way my family and friends always felt at home with Mama Fong.
Consistency in marketing helps you avoid diluting your brand by chasing trends. It also matters in execution. Don’t try a marketing strategy once and then drop it. Develop a plan for rollout, set a schedule and stick to it, and then measure the results. Good marketing doesn’t need to be flashy. I eat at one local restaurant because they were consistently in my inbox with effective emails and coupon codes.
Look outside the restaurant business for inspiration.
When I worked in marketing, I saw how many companies simply copied one another’s branding. That’s a recipe for failure. Good branding is about having a clear identity, not looking and sounding like everyone else. That’s why I don’t pay much attention to what other restaurants are doing. When you seek marketing inspiration, look outside the food and beverage world. Studying other industries to see what marketing principles and techniques grab your attention. Then apply those ideas to your restaurant’s unique identity.
Engage with the community.
People asking me for marketing advice usually want to know how to have a cool social media presence. As important as social media is, you need real connections beyond the digital world.
The local community has always been a priority for Woon. Early on we hosted pop-ups almost every other week. It was exhausting, but we forged strong ties with our neighbors. We still run a lot of pop-ups. We also host events at our location — cooking workshops, book parties, album releases, and more. These events typically aren’t profitable, but they bring people together and show them a good time. When customers feel connected to your restaurant, they’re more likely to return.
Your turn
Effective restaurant branding begins with the basics: telling an authentic brand story, executing consistently, finding inspiration outside the restaurant business, and engaging with your community. Lay that foundation, and what you create will feel relatable because it’s genuine, and you’ll be on your way to becoming an important part of your customers’ lives.
