What if fast food workers lived the brand?
I've been buying a lot of iced tea lately—stopping by some of the numerous fast food chains to satisfy my curiosity: is it really fast-fast-fast at Jimmy John's? Do they really want me to have a refreshing experience at Burger King?
Sometimes I went to drive-thrus and sometimes walked into the stores for service at the counter. For the most part, my experience was the same.
The workers were nice enough, but I could have transplanted them to any other fast food joint anywhere and the exchange would have been nearly identical. I think that's a missed opportunity to differentiate the brand—to make it something special and buzz-worthy.
Some WHAT IFs:
What if Jimmy John's provided a really fast, fun experience to match their radio spots? Would it be great, or would it stress you out? What if they had tips on how to speed read their menu? What if they had a stop watch at the counter so you could time your wait? What if they hired aspiring actors and comics as servers and had them talk really fast...I think it would be hilarous. Entertaining. And it certainly would make their brand authentic on the inside—not just the outside.
Or what if the people at Chipotle Mexican Grill really did talk about their healthy, organic ingredients like the signage in the stores? What if they knew where those local veggies really came from and could tell you so? What if they had buttons on their uniforms with photos of the local farmers who provided the ingredients? What if they really could suggest to you a bunch of different combinations (since their cup says ther are "60-some THOUSAND"? It might be fun—and it would differentiate them from eveyone else. Once again, it would make for a brand that's embraced and enjoyed by staffers and customers. And isn't that what it's really about?
Food for thought.
