January 22, 2020
When Chili’s reported its best year of sales and traffic in early 2019, the stalwart casual dining brand cited something that has long been antithetical in the industry: a simplified menu. In a category that has historically attempted to be all things to all diners, Chili’s reduced menu items by nearly half, while also streamlining its pricing.
It also came on the heels on what we believe might be the best branding move Chili’s has made in decades: it returned to its roots, reclaiming ownership of the menu item that made the brand a household name: Baby Back Ribs. As the messaging played out in song, diners were informed that both those famous ribs and the Chili’s they once loved were both “back, baby, back.”
It’s a lesson that goes to the heart of what we believe may be the single most important thing a dining brand needs to do in order to position itself towards growth and away from the competition: own something.
When a dining brand owns something in the hearts and minds of potential customers, it instantly eliminates competition for anyone craving that thing. This truth alone helps to explain the Fried Chicken Sandwich wars of 2019, and why Chik-fil-A was so willing to jump into the battle. For years, they owned the chicken sandwich. And suddenly, that ownership was effectively being challenged.
Let’s explore a few other brands whose growth over the years was tied directly to what they owned in the minds of diners.
Chipotle
What it owns: big fat burritos
Chipotle wasn’t the first burrito chain, nor will it be the last. But just what made it hands down the most successful? A single, simple image of a burrito in a shiny silver wrapper. Throughout its greatest period of growth, this is all you needed to see to think of Chipotle. What was inside didn't matter, because it was whatever you wanted them to stuff in there. And that’s what they owned: a big, stuffed burrito made your way.
Chick-Fil-A
What it owns: The chicken sandwich, those cows, and mom’s heart
Not withstanding Popeye’s recent shot across their bow, Chick-fil-A has outright owned the concept of the chicken sandwich for generations. They also own a “service first” brand experience that puts other chains to shame. Because they know that success doesn’t simply come from mom feeding her kids, it comes from mom giving her kids an positive experience that makes them all happy. And that’s what Chick-fil-A has really come to own: an understanding of mom.
Arby’s
What it owns: The meats
Arby’s. They have the… what? The meats! Arby’s owns "meat." Sure, you can find meat on any menu. But when it comes to satisfying a craving for meat, only one brand stands at the top of the heap, unapologetically telling an increasingly vegetable-loving culture that when it’s meat you want, Arby’s is the place to go. Compare that to ten years ago, when Arby’s was in a death spiral with sales in perpetual decline. The strategy? Simplify the message, innovate the products, and have fun. Oh, and the launch of a back-to-their-roots brisket sandwich that boosted sales 12% didn’t hurt, either.
Popeye’s
What it owns: Louisiana
Before Popeye’s decided to play in Chik-fil-A’s sandbox, they had already done an admirable job establishing one of their own: Louisiana. This was a masterstroke, as inattentive consumers have long had a hard time distinguishing among fried chicken brands. By owning Louisiana–and the unique world of flavors the state conjures up–they’ve managed to carve out territory no other fried chicken brand can touch.
Raising Cane’s
What it owns: chicken fingers
Another Louisiana chicken brand, but with a twist: it’s all about chicken fingers. So simple and singular was the concept, many in the industry laughed off the upstart brand when the first store opened in 1996. As Founder and CEO Todd Graves loves to tell the story, his original business plan got a failing grade from his college business professor who said it would never work. As did every bank. To decades and 470 locations later, Raising Cane’s is proof of the power of ownership.