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Why Your Sales Are Low – Reason #2: Problem with USP / Positioning

  • By Subhash Sahni

By Subhash Sahni – Cloud Kitchen Growth Strategist & Founder of RestroMark

Introduction:

I’ve consulted hundreds of restaurant owners, and here’s what I often ask first:

“What’s your restaurant’s USP?”

And most of them?
They blink. Pause. Say something like: “Good taste… affordable… quick service…”

That’s not a USP—that’s just basic expectation.

If your brand doesn’t give people a solid reason to choose you, they won’t.
That’s why even great kitchens fail.

Let’s break this down. Welcome to Reason #2 in our “Why Your Sales Are Low” Series—where we discuss the Positioning Crisis that’s killing restaurants quietly.


Mistake #2 – No Clear USP or Positioning

“I cook everything” is not a strategy.

If your menu is doing a little of everything—pizzas, Chinese, North Indian, wraps, chaats—you’re not impressing anyone.
You’re just confusing them.

Think of it like this:
If you’re not known for something, you’ll be ignored for everything.

A Powerful USP Is Like a Magnet

Customers need to instantly remember what makes you different.

Are you the “Home-style Punjabi food” kitchen?
The “Korean BBQ rice bowl” expert?
Or the only place serving “Healthy Jain Thalis in 30 mins”?


Real-World Analogy from a Restaurant Marketing Agency

A Cloud Kitchen we worked with in Bangalore was serving EVERYTHING.
And guess what? Their orders were tanking.

We helped them narrow the focus—positioned them as “Hyderabadi Dum Biryani specialists” with a strong visual identity on Swiggy and Zomato.

Result?
📈 3x sales in 45 days.
Because customers finally understood who they were and what they were best at.

👉 (External Resource: Forbes – Why Positioning is Everything in Business)


How to Fix Your Restaurant’s Positioning

🔸 Step 1: Define Your Core Identity

Ask yourself:

  • What dish or cuisine can you dominate?
  • What emotional or functional gap do you fill?
    Are you the comfort food people turn to at midnight? The vegan lunchbox master? The spice king?

🔸 Step 2: Redesign Your Menu Around That Identity

Kill the distractions.
Focus only on dishes that reflect your brand promise.

🔸 Step 3: Nail Your Visual Positioning

From your Zomato banners to Instagram page, repeat your USP like a chant.
Example: “India’s Spiciest Andhra Biryani – Only Here.”


What RestroMark Does Differently as a Restaurant Marketing Agency

At RestroMark, we specialize in:

  • Crafting laser-sharp USPs for Cloud Kitchens and restaurants
  • Positioning brands visually, emotionally & digitally
  • Optimizing Zomato, Swiggy & GMB listings for higher recall
  • Rebranding menus for simplicity and story

👉 Internal Link: How India’s Top Restaurant Marketing Agency Builds Brands


⚠️ Signs Your Restaurant Is Lacking Positioning:

  • Your online menu has more than 50 items
  • You offer both Rajma Chawal and Chicken Shawarma
  • You use generic taglines like “Delicious Food at Great Price”
  • People can’t describe your restaurant in one sentence

If this sounds like you, it’s time to fix your brand focus before you lose more sales.

Subhash Sahni’s Final Word:

“If people can’t tell their friend what you’re known for, they’ll forget you.”

Stop blending in.
Be the first thought, not the forgotten one.

📈 Start with positioning. End with profit.
And if you’re ready to reposition and relaunch—RestroMark is just one call away.

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