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.
