How to Get a Local Feel at Your Chain Restaurant

Chain restaurants are here to stay. They provide a sense of familiarity and consistency that people find comforting.  You know what to expect when it comes to the menu choices, portion sizes, services, and other familiar features. But even with their mass appeal, there is still an argument for adding a local flare to the cookie cutter atmosphere of the chain. 

If you are part of a franchise or chain that is flexible and allows for regional or local adaptions, here are a few ways to get the local feel incorporated into your restaurant:

Tweak the Menu Of course, you won’t have much leeway to change the menu, but if you are opening a Mexican food chain in Texas vs New York, there will be a difference in the amount of heat in your salsa. If there is no leeway on the recipes, perhaps try running daily or weekly specials that reflect the local palate or offer local condiments such as barbecue sauce in Texas, and Fry Sauce in Utah. 

Offer Local Drink Favorites Offer local wines, have…