Neuromarketing, who decides what we eat?

Today we know that marketing goes a long way, takes multiple factors into account, and encompasses almost any type of business. And food is no exception. It is no longer a matter of giving an attractive message or of liking it, currently it is examined in detail to whom the message is addressed, how it is communicated, at what moment, in what way ... All this leads us to talk about a new concept, beyond the marketing, called neuromarketing. It consists of applying techniques from neuroscience to marketing research (understanding how the consumer behaves, how he processes advertising stimuli, etc.)

By now we are all clear that an advertisement, a brochure or a container are designed and produced following certain marketing strategies, but… And what about a restaurant menu? An establishment selling prepared food? Well, in all of them a careful commercial strategy can be followed, and in fact is often followed. We are talking about techniques that range from the letters to the design of the premises. The music, the smells, the role of the waiters, everything can be studied and aimed at ensuring that the customer leaves with a smile and the restaurateur achieves the maximum benefit.

• From the menu, to the design of the premises, through the waiters, the music ... everything is part of the restaurateur's commercial strategy to achieve satisfied customers.
• As active consumers and diners we must know how to identify them and act accordingly.
• Let's be smart consumers and detect the marketing strategies they deploy to use them to our advantage and enjoy a pleasant experience, without falling into traps.

Neuromarketing from the restorer's point of view

Entrepreneurs in the restaurant sector must be very clear about what type of customer they have, they must study it, know what it is looking for and how it acts, characterize it and take into account its subgroups. It is important to know all the steps that the customer follows in the purchase process, That is, from the moment you decide to go out to eat until you walk out the door of the establishment with a full stomach, going through the choice of the restaurant, the selection of dishes and drinks, etc. Everything is important and must be taken into account from how you met us, what you are looking for in our premises, even if it may be that you recommend us to other people.

To achieve a good marketing strategy, they end up applying neuromarketing techniques to the premises: it must be pleasant, it must be clean, its design, decoration, atmosphere, etc. are important. Just as important are the written information and images that we offer to the customer, the posters informing about dishes and news, the menus, the photos of the best preparations, the presence of dishes on display, etc. In addition, the staff must be well trained and take into account the strategy that we are going to follow, they must be clear about the best time to offer one thing or another and what is the best way to do it.

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Taking into account all these factors and many others that are studied in gastronomic marketing issues, we can achieve satisfied customers and thus get the most out of our business. Remember that diners take much more than the bill and a full stomach, they leave with an experience and a memory. And this will determine that they want to return and even advise the place or, otherwise, make us a cross and we will not see them again.

Neuromarketing from the diner's point of view

Eating out is an experience that can be very different for one person or another and depending on the occasion. A business lunch has nothing to do with a casual date with friends or a family dinner. Just as the place we go to during our working hours during the week has nothing to do with the chic place for a special dinner as a couple. The atmosphere, the decoration, the food, the treatment, everything goes according to the situation, and a good restaurateur knows it and will use his best strategies to ensure that we end up satisfied, we suppose him a benefit, and we return, and even better, that he we recommend.

As a consumer we must really know how to choose what interests us the most in each case. It is clear that we will look at different factors depending on what we are looking for. A clean, simple place, with a cordial treatment and quick service when we go to eat from the menu during the week. In front of an intimate place with dimmer light, more distant tables, pleasant and attentive treatment without falling into over-attention, with more sophisticated and well-presented food for that romantic dinner.

Let's be active consumers

It is one thing to choose the place and the food according to our wishes and needs, and the other is that the neuromarketing influences both our feelings and thoughts that gets to take over our decisions making us eat excessively or consume products that do not really suit us, or that we spend more than we wanted. From being conscientious and informed consumers we can become victims of marketing and that does not suit us. Let's be smart consumers and detect the marketing strategies used in many stores:

• Name and description, essential The name of a dish is its cover letter, its portrait. Therefore, if we present them with attractive names, highlighting the special ingredients that compose them, we will achieve greater acceptance of our preparations than if we give them the basic and simple name that defines them in general terms. A savvy diner can perceive if that description corresponds to the dish that really appeals to him or not, if the exotic ingredient that puts his name is really a part of the dish or just a simple complement that adds hype to the name and little else. And always, when in doubt, ask.
• A picture is worth a thousand words Although the subject of the images depends a lot on the style of the restaurant, if it fits in with its aesthetics, it will take the opportunity to take pictures of its best dishes and display them on the menu or on a panel or brochure. A good restaurateur will expose the image of the most striking dishes and that suppose a greater margin in the sale. An informed consumer will not be carried away by the image and will read the rest of the dishes on the menu to be sure which is the one that best suits their tastes.
• Hook plates There are different ways to make a plate stand out above the rest, a different letter, display it in brackets or within a box, make a more refined and attractive explanation, etc. If a restaurateur wants to increase the sale of a dish, he has multiple ways of doing it. Something that we must also take into account is that an expensive dish costs to sell, but if we place it next to an even more expensive dish that we know only comes out on special occasions, we will make the first one not seem so expensive. As consumers we must take into account these neuromarketing strategies and read the dishes carefully, whether or not they are within boxes, brackets or highlighted, and value them individually, without being influenced by the price of the rest of the preparations that surround it.
• Will it really be healthy? There are different words or phrases that are associated with and / or low calorie. It is something very studied by food companies, but not so applied to restaurants. The fact of ordering a salad or a vegetarian dish seems to be intrinsic to taking care of your health and your silhouette. In reality, it has nothing to do with it, since there are salads full of sauces, with cheese, with fried meat foods, with too many things that are far from representing a nutritionally adequate option. Let's not be fooled by the name or the attributes of the dish and let us know well what it takes to make a good choice.
• In sight is As we indicated before, images are very important, and we also want to see and learn more every time, which is why the establishments in which the kitchen is visible are more and more present and have more acceptance. It gives the client the impression of transparency, it builds trust and that is positive. The kitchen, of course, must always be in proper clean and safe conditions. As consumers let us take this opportunity to really observe the functioning and condition of the kitchen. Everything is alright? Do we really see where the food is prepared? Or is it a small part facing the gallery and most things are made elsewhere? Let's seize the opportunity and have a critical view.
• The elaboration of the letter Any good establishment will know how to present an attractive menu to its diners, starting with colorful appetizer options, which are the most difficult to reject at first. The names of the dishes, as we have already mentioned, will be your letter of introduction and therefore you must take care of what we indicate in the name. And although it will depend on the style of the establishment, it is better not to get bored with endless menus and to offer the right variety of dishes so that the customer has a feeling of freedom in choosing, but not dizzy after reading so many possibilities. A customer with clear ideas will go straight to read the types of dishes that really interest him, skipping starters and appetizers if that did not fit into his plans.