Creative names for restaurants. Original and beautiful name for a cafe

A creative approach to choosing names for restaurants and cafes can be called one of the features of St. Petersburg. This trend does not bypass even the most inconspicuous food outlets. For example, recently a fan of Timati even decided to rename his shawarma kiosk to Black Star Shawerma. In general, choosing the names of famous personalities as the names of St. Petersburg catering establishments is already an ingrained tradition, which was even noted by Moscow advertiser Igor Saifullin last year. He then noted on Facebook that in St. Petersburg they often beat up some well-known names, combining them with the names of dishes, and as a result, Wong Kar Wine, Jack and Chan and Sandwich are obtained. The author of the post even invited his subscribers to think about other similar names, and then Vermicelli Obama, Delusional Food, Vinaigrette Garbo, Grigory SamoLeps, Friedrich Schnitzel and Warry Porter were born. Such a pool of creative ideas could be useful to restaurateurs, especially considering that such names seem to marketers to be very successful.

"The use of film images, playing on the names of actors works well for positioning. For example, the names Wong Car Wine or "Jack and Chan" correspond to the cuisine of the establishments and attract the appropriate audience. Separation of consumer interests at the naming level helps him identify the establishment as adequate to his taste and intellectual preferences. You can quickly be remembered and make guests feel that they meet their needs, "- explains the appearance of such names, the art director of the advertising group" Konstantin Ishmukhamedov.

Good luck and misses

Over the past few years, St. Petersburg has experienced a real boom in the emergence of establishments with very unusual names, including "Pedro and Gomez visiting Larisa", "", "Sandwich", "", "Larisuvannuhochu". Konstantin Ishmukhamedov considers the last institution an example of successful naming.

“Of course, it’s not the name itself that is remembered, but the impression that it creates. And the emotions that it evokes. The audience at this institution is characterized by moderate taste preferences. They remember the funny name, and everything works out well for restaurateurs,” he says.

In honor of Lenin and a backpack

Marketers are of the opinion that the name of the institution does not affect its subsequent success too much. Nevertheless, you should be more careful with creativity, refusing obviously unpleasant associations.

“The name, of course, can attract attention, but you won’t go far with one name. Although some may scare away. For example, the same “Girobas” - I think that it scares away some part of the audience, since the associative series is not very pleasant , because few people want to be fat," says Victoria Kulibanova.

She also notes that it makes sense to give preference to easy-to-pronounce names, to make sure that the name is attractive to the audience for which it is intended, and also to some extent reflect the concept of the institution.

"The right cultural associations help to successfully compete with similar establishments of the same price level and menu category. For example, BURO ("Bureau") loses BURGER LAB ("Burger Lab") in identity. BURO is too abstract for street food, and BURGER LAB includes in the name a concept that is read without effort. As a result, BURO is saved by word of mouth and the location of the institution, but if they were on the same street, then BURGER LAB would select 50% of their audience," Konstantin Ishmukhamedov also notes.

However, the restaurateurs themselves do not always follow the rules, but rely on their own preferences and sympathies.

"We've got a lot going on with 'Mishka', there's a talking husky named Mishka on the internet, but it's actually just a backpack our second co-founder called 'Mishka' and we looked at the way it was written and it seemed cool. It's emotional and a cozy word then described everything we wanted to do. As for the "Society of Clean Plates" - this is Bonch-Bruevich's story about Lenin, but we did not mean this, and few people read this Soviet association. We just liked the phrase, it it means not that the plates are washed well, but that everyone eats up,” says Alexander Berkovsky.

Creative for tax

It is interesting that St. Petersburg restaurateurs show ingenuity and do not even neglect the issue of the name of legal entities. Thus, the St. Petersburg Union bar officially bears the name Sredny Klass LLC, and the restaurants of the St. Petersburg chain are listed as Stallone LLC and Schwarzenegger LLC according to the documents. Customers of the restaurant "Society of Clean Plates" and the bar "Mishka" receive checks with the inscriptions LLC "Kotiki" and LLC "Unicorns".

"The name of a legal entity is a thing that has nothing to do with marketing, except perhaps with "marketing" aimed at tax. It just shows our attitude to life, it seems to us that we are doing something fun and enjoyable. By the way, sometimes it doesn't matter they react to this, in the same tax, in the inspection bodies. At least they notice and a little bit, maybe it affects people, like the handwriting of a student who wrote an essay, "explains the appearance in the constituent documents of" Kotikov "and "Unicorns" Alexander Berkovsky.

Cafe starts with a name. The desire to go there depends on how sonorous, original and attractive it is. Sometimes coming up with the perfect name is not a matter of one day. It is important to know how to name a cafe so that it makes a profit, what to look for in the first place and where to look for ideas.

What to look out for

Try to convey the main idea of the institution through the name. It should tell the visitor about what awaits him: for example, Russian or Italian cuisine, a fish or vegetarian menu, a large selection of coffee drinks or a variety of sandwiches.

Use simple, familiar, easy-to-pronounce words. They are remembered much better than beautiful, but obscure, complex names.

Be original. Using someone else's name will lead at best to confusion among cafe guests, at worst - to problems with competitors.

If you can't choose between several names, imagine them on a cafe sign, menu cover, waiter's clothes. Not all of them will look good.

Where to look for inspiration

There are various sites that generate names for cafes and other establishments. They help you choose names based on the specifics of the establishment, location, and other parameters. Not all the options they offer are good, but sometimes they come across really successful ones.

It is useful to study the names of existing cafes in order to understand what you don’t need to name (faceless names like “Gourmet”, “Dream”, “Culinary Paradise”, “Hope” and so on in excess), as well as to be inspired and find your own.

Examples of successful names

Consider examples of successful real names of establishments:

simple and memorable: "Caviar", "Izba", "Chekhov", "Heat", "Cheesecake", "Spoons";
unusual: cafe "Kusaki", pizzeria "22 centimeters", "Flora No Fauna", "My fish";
reflecting the specifics of the institution: the restaurant and bar "Ducks and Waffles" (the menu focuses on poultry and waffles), the cafe "Lyubov Pirogova", "Tea Fun", "Wine Bazaar", "Falafel Bro".

The success of a cafe depends not only on the name, but it is the first and very effective step towards creating a popular and memorable brand.

A well-chosen cafe name is one of the most important components of success. Not all entrepreneurs pay attention to this detail, and often such a step causes many unpleasant moments: from difficulties in forming a positive image of the institution to a decrease in attendance and the number of regular customers. To name a cafe correctly, you need to carefully prepare, read the recommendations of professionals in the field of naming (the process of creating a unique name) and take into account many practical nuances.

What is the name of the cafe?

In most cases, entrepreneurs pay very little attention to the choice of cafe name. To make a profit is the main goal, and few owners realize how important the name of the establishment plays in this process. Usually sonority and personal preferences become the main criteria. Often they use personal names, for example, relatives, as well as words in foreign transcription. But it often happens that the name is chosen incorrectly, it does not correspond to the concept of a cafe, is consonant with the name of another enterprise, it is difficult to pronounce and remember, which is why it repels more than attracts.

The main purpose of the name is not only that the institution can be identified. It should evoke positive associations, pleasant emotions, stand out among competitors, focus customers on advantages, novelty, reflect the uniqueness of the concept of the enterprise (Russian-style menu, Asian cuisine, fast food cafes). It is the name that first attracts the attention of the consumer, forms his impression of the service, creates the right atmosphere around the trading facility, provokes the emergence of the right associations and, as a result, influences the decision to purchase a product or service. It is also important to take into account the high level of competition in the hospitality industry, which includes a segment of catering enterprises, including cafes, which requires business owners to use different marketing tools. This will provide an opportunity to increase the volume of services provided, increase the number of regular customers and properly influence the target audience.

Advice: after studying the main recommendations of professionals in the field of naming regarding the choice of a name for a cafe, it is worth analyzing the names of enterprises of the same format in your region, in practice, seeing mistakes and a successful choice of competitors. The sources of information will be social networks, business portals, city forums.

Criteria for choosing an original name for a cafe. It should:

Be euphonious and unique.
Easy to speak and remember.
Harmonize with the concept of the institution, its style, menu focus, format of work.
Take into account the preferences and expectations of the consumer of the service, push him to visit this particular institution.
Give an accurate idea of the field of activity, the specifics of the establishment, clearly identify the brand and not create false expectations.

Cafe name - examples

You can choose beautiful names for the cafe yourself, using information from the Web, social networks and thematic forums. If necessary, you can always turn to professionals for help. We recommend choosing a name based on several criteria from the list:

Uniqueness. As an option, a neologism is used (this will allow the institution to stand out from the competition and achieve greater recognition at lower cost thanks to a non-standard approach). For example, "Chaykoffsky", where the name of a famous composer and words on the subject of the provision of services are played; "SeaZone" - the name was created by merging 2 words: sea - sea and zone - zone, belt (in such a cafe, the emphasis is on Mediterranean cuisine); "Pate" - the designation of food is used as a name that hints at the special position of this dish on the menu, the relaxed atmosphere in the institution;
brevity and significance. This will make it easy to remember, perceive the name, pronounce it without difficulty - “Semaphore”, “Hmeli-Suneli”, “Juice”;
Emphasis on the specifics of the services provided - Karchma, CoffeeMania, CampFood, H2O, STARBUCKS, Stroganov-Grill;
An indication of the style or standard of living, price category (if this corresponds to the concept of the institution and the needs of the target audience, otherwise such a name will only confuse the consumer). For example, El Gusto, Kyoto (Japanese cuisine), Pan Smetan (Czech cuisine), Royal Pub & Mini Restaurant, Royal Diet, Hard Rock Cafe;
The use of surnames, first names (but this approach must be used deliberately, it is undesirable to choose personal names) - “Donna Olivia”, “AnderSon”, “Jean-Jacques”.

Advice: when choosing a name for a cafe, it is important to foresee the possibility of legal conflicts. It is necessary to clarify in advance whether trademarks with the same name are registered in this class of services, such that they fall into the category not subject to registration as a verbal trademark. You can clarify this using the federal information resource of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.

20 worst cafe names

Most of the mistakes that are made in the process of choosing a name for a cafe are typical. If desired, an entrepreneur should devote not so much time to studying some aspects of naming in order to avoid the most gross errors. Most often, gastronomic business owners make the following mistakes: they choose hard-to-pronounce words that do not correspond to the sound system, the rhythm of the language, which makes them difficult to remember; names that do not correspond to the format of services, misleading the client, absolutely not related to the subject of the services provided. Often, owners opt for banal names that have already been used by several companies in almost every city (and often they have a different profile of work - jewelry sales, dentistry, cosmetic services, for example, as is the case with the name "Pearl").

Examples of unsuccessful cafe names:

The names are not related to the subject of the services provided, they are geographical names: "Dom", "Topaz", "Troika", "Neman", "Academy", "Sahara".
They mislead the consumer: "Nigora" (created from the Uzbek name, but will be incomprehensible to most customers), "Receptor", "Abazhur".
Cause unpleasant associations, emotions, can be interpreted in two ways: "Piece", "Panaehali", "Pieces", "Hachiko", "Seven cockroaches", "Paradise Hell", "Clockwork Eggs", "Buchen House", "Sektacafe".
They are banal, confused in the minds with other names, do not help identify a particular cafe, do not emphasize its uniqueness: "Youth", "Spring".

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A huge number of goods and services are presented on the modern market, and now the choice of a client depends not only on the characteristics of the product, pricing policy, but also on the image that has developed in the mind of the consumer, as well as the atmosphere in the institution. For a truly successful activity, it is necessary to form a positive image, corporate identity of the cafe, to focus on what distinguishes it from competitors. And choosing a beautiful name is one of the most important steps along the way.

In contact with

If you are faced with the task of coming up with a name for a cafe, then a little digression into the history of this institution will not hurt you.

The name comes from the French word cafe, initially only coffee, hot chocolate, tea, cakes and other confectionery were offered. They were prepared on the spot and local cheap products were used to the maximum in order to keep prices low and so that the owners of the establishment always had a profit.

The first cafe appeared at the end of the 17th century in Venice, and then in Marseille and Paris. They were also local centers of cultural life, where political news and theatrical performances were discussed, poets recited poems, and writers read their novels aloud.

These were, in fact, the same fashionable salons of aristocrats, but anyone could come here, he did not need an invitation.

The atmosphere was free, there were disputes, sometimes there were even duels, but everyone could express their opinion. Because of this very freedom of communication, their wild popularity began in Europe, especially in Paris.

There, on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain, the Café de Flore opened in 1887 and still exists today. The name for this cafe was given by the goddess Flora, the patroness of flowers, youth and the flowering of all things. Her statue was located opposite the institution. Today, the prestigious literary prize for young authors is awarded here. It is also popular with tourists and lovers of real French onion soup.

There is a wide variety of these establishments: a cafe-bar, a cafe-snack, a grill cafe, an ice cream parlor, a coffee shop, an Internet cafe.

Many entrepreneurs use a cafe franchise of a corresponding profile in their activities, which greatly reduces entrepreneurial risk. But in this case, the name of the institution is regulated by the clauses of the franchise agreement.

The contingent of visitors at cafes of various types differs in composition and age, as well as the interiors of the premises: modern and retro, made in American, Italian, Japanese, Mexican styles.

The cuisine is also different. Therefore, when deciding what to call a cafe, you can start from the category of customers, the style and location of the room, or from specialties.

In Europe, they are very fond of calling cafes by their location - “At the skyscraper”, “On the bridge”, “At the fountain”, so that it is easier to remember them.

If your signature dessert is called "Romance", "Tango" or "Bolero", then it can be made the name of the enterprise.

To When most clients are students, it would be quite appropriate to choose the following names: “Resume”, “Portfolio”, “Illusion”, “Mood”, “Rendezvous”, “Wheel of Fortune”, “Oasis”, “Amigo”, “Android”.

If an art cafe opens, then something artistic will suit him: Vernissage, Maestro, Pastoral, Caprice, Vanguard, Autograph, Modern, Beau Monde, Photographer , "Salvador", "Majestic", "Pearl", "Muse", "Elegy". The beautiful name of the cafe is always liked by people of art, aesthetes and patrons.

Regardless of the style, the name for the cafe is chosen in such a way that it is understandable and absolutely clear to everyone, without any discrepancies. This will serve his popularity, create an excellent image, reduce advertising costs and attract more customers. For example, "Aquatoria", "Crown", "Temptation", "Coffee Man".

Sometimes you can use trendy slang for the name, that is, simplified well-known words, since the jargon is very popular among young people and in a couple of decades it smoothly flows into colloquial speech. This is justified when a youth or teenager cafe opens.

Here are some examples of slang: IMHO (IMHO - my humble opinion), freebie (free), avatar (picture), user (user), disk player (disco), umatovo (excellent).

The name of the cafe should in no case cause discomfort to customers.

For example, a cafe-bar designed for working guys from a car factory who come after a shift to sit with beer and pasties cannot be called "Blue Ball", "Fashion Outfit" or "Siren" in any way. You will simply lose these clients, real men.

However, there are owners who do not think for a long time about how to name the cafe. They use, relying only on their opinion, the words they like: agate, arabesque, blanche, hammock, glaze, dominoes, continent, panorama, container-bars, ultraviolet.

This approach also has the right to exist, since entrepreneurs risk only their own money and have the right to make any decisions.

This is the development of the brand name and one of the key points of positioning.

The importance of a well-chosen name is difficult to overestimate. The consumer's perception of the product, its positioning in the market and all subsequent promotion depend on this.

Small companies often try to take over this work. At the same time, the naming process is reduced only to brainstorming and the subsequent selection of the most liked names. This is a fundamentally wrong approach, since the development of naming is a complex step-by-step process that requires the involvement of experienced specialists.

There is no simple answer to the question of what to name a restaurant. This is the painstaking work of a group of experts.

Naming development, main stages:

1. Studying competitors.

Here it is important to understand the following:

How do competitors position themselves in the market?
What are the most commonly used naming conventions?
What brand positioning strategies work best.

The main goal of the study is to stand out from competitors, and at the same time choose a name that will not scare away the consumer with its dissimilarity.

2. Studying the target audience. When researching consumers, it is important to highlight the following points:

product or service selection factors
favorite brand names
emerging associations with a product or service.

3. Choice of positioning strategy. At this stage, you need to decide how you want to present your product or service. It depends not only on the quality of the product, but also on the current state of the market. The main positioning idea should resonate with its target audience.

What is meant by main idea? For example, for one restaurant, it could be delicious homemade food and a cozy atmosphere. For another - a famous chef and a wealthy public.

4. Name generation. Only after passing the previous three stages, you can proceed to the development of the name. Here we come up with the maximum possible number of options that correspond to the main idea of positioning.

5. Choosing the most successful names. At this stage, a team of marketers and copywriters, together with customers, select several of the most suitable options.

6. Checking the title with focus groups. The last step is to check the titles together with the target audience. What needs to be checked here?

The euphony of the name
No negative associations
Brand alignment

7. Final approval of the name. Based on the results of the focus groups, the most successful name is selected.

How to name a restaurant: basic requirements

Difference from competitors. The name of the restaurant should not duplicate existing names and be noticeably different from them.
Nice association. Regardless of the chosen brand concept, the name of the restaurant should evoke pleasant associations, best of all, those associated with food.
Ease in memorization and pronunciation. These requirements are optional if the compound word has a strong association with something pleasant.
Conformity. The name of the restaurant should reflect its main qualities: type of cuisine, service, design, etc.

The main mistakes when choosing a name

How to name a restaurant: successful examples

« honey"

Honey is a cafe specializing in French desserts. The design of the institution is made in warm yellow colors and attracts with its brightness, and at the same time with a cozy homely atmosphere.

The name of the cafe has two meanings at once:

Honey in the meaning of "honey". Causes associations with sweets, which are widely presented in cafes.
Honey in the meaning of "dear, dear". Cause warm associations associated with the house, loved one.

« TheBurger"

The Burger is a restaurant specializing in classic American burgers. The restaurant's menu includes 15 different burgers, as well as potatoes, salads and drinks.

The simple name fully meets the requirements of the brand: it emphasizes the type of cuisine (American) and reflects the main specialization of the restaurant.

The design of the restaurant is made in the classic style of American eateries, which once again reminds of its specifics. The target audience of the institution is young, active people who appreciate delicious food and a warm atmosphere.

In addition to meat burgers, the restaurant also offers fish and vegetarian burgers, which allows you to further expand the circle of consumers.

"Caviar"

Restaurant "Ikra" positions itself as the best fish restaurant in Ukraine. The main "feature" of the establishment is fresh caviar, fish and seafood.

The name of the restaurant reflects its main concept - exclusivity and high quality. The target audience of the institution is wealthy clients, many of them are regular guests.

The restaurant is divided into three halls with different design and interior for every taste.

« bigoli"

Bigoli is an Italian restaurant whose main dish is pasta, as well as pizza, risotto and Italian desserts.

Bigoli is a type of Italian pasta made from buckwheat or wheat flour.

The name of the restaurant reflects the concept of Italian cuisine, as well as the atmosphere of home comfort.

The establishment has two large halls and a summer terrace. All interior items are custom-made specifically for the restaurant and create a warm homely atmosphere.

All the above examples have in common that their names reflect the main concept of the restaurant, and at the same time are easy to remember and sound good. This once again proves that the choice of name is one of the key success factors for a restaurant.

If you do not know how to name a restaurant, Koloro branding agency specialists will be happy to help you with this. Contact us and we will select a name that will bring success and recognition to your restaurant!