Burger Business: How to Outsell the Giants
Burger Business and Innovative Marketing Strategies
The burger business continues its rapid expansion, reflecting dynamic growth within the burger industry. The fierce competition in this niche compels burger restaurant owners to explore new and effective promotion methods, including innovative marketing strategies aimed at customer attraction.
Studying, adapting, and implementing international fast food trends is a promising approach to differentiate from competitors. Let’s examine the example of the Japanese burger market, where, despite intense competition, local burger joints successfully implement strategies to attract customers and boost sales.
The Japanese Burger Market: Competitiveness and Secrets to Success
According to 2020 statistics, Japan is home to 2,910 McDonald’s, 1,100 Mos Burger, and 98 Burger King outlets—figures that underline the scale of the burger business in the country. Despite the dominance of global giants, thousands of local burger joints thrive by offering products at prices two to three times higher than those of major chains, all while serving long queues of customers every day.
Japanese burger joints confidently compete even with giants like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Mos Burger.
How Japanese Burger Joints Steal Customers from Global Brands
Japanese burger establishments demonstrate that even in an intensely competitive market, it is possible to successfully attract customers from brands such as McDonald’s, Burger King, and Mos Burger. Owners of independent Tokyo burger joints share their effective marketing secrets:
- Unique Concept: Developing a proprietary concept tailored to the specific needs of the local market helps differentiate from global chains.
- Superior Taste: Burgers crafted with an emphasis on exceptional quality and flavor surpass the offerings of well-known brands.
- Striking Advertising: Captivating and enticing burger advertising grabs attention and motivates customers to make a purchase.
These marketing strategies not only boost sales but also strengthen competitive positions in the burger industry. In this article, you will discover a new advertising tool that has already proven its effectiveness in Japanese burger joints and is beginning to change the game in the global market.
Observing Tokyo Burger Joints in Action
When you observe Tokyo burger joints, you’ll inevitably notice life-size, artificial 3D replicas of burgers displayed in the storefront. At first glance, these may appear to be merely a creative demonstration menu showcasing the size, ingredients, and price of the burgers. However, beyond this visual presentation, these replicas serve crucial marketing functions:
- Attracting Attention: High-quality, realistic 3D burger replicas capture the attention of passersby, stimulate their appetite, and encourage immediate purchases.
- Speeding Up Service: Customers who decide on their burger from the display reduce waiting time at the order counter, thereby boosting daily sales.
This innovative strategy not only differentiates the establishment from its competitors but also significantly enhances sales in the burger industry.
The customer selects a burger from the display in advance, before approaching the order counter or sitting down.
How It Works
Imagine that you are a visitor at a shopping mall, and after several hours of active shopping, you feel like taking a break and grabbing a bite to eat. As you stroll past numerous restaurants and cafes in the mall courtyard, you notice an unusual display where appetizing burgers are neatly arranged. Approaching closer, you begin to examine the assortment attentively.
A tempting scene unfolds before you: between plump, golden buns generously adorned with toasted sesame seeds lie juicy patties with a crispy crust, from which warm, creamy cheese drips invitingly. The freshness of the vegetables, as if just plucked from a garden, accentuates the exceptional taste of each burger.
As you examine the display, you involuntarily start deciding which burger you would like to try, and the temptation to purchase it becomes irresistible. It is this powerful visual and emotional effect that turns a simple desire for a snack into an immediate purchasing decision, prompting you to take action and enabling the restaurant to significantly increase sales.
Increase of Key Metrics in Figures
Japanese enterprises meticulously analyze the efficiency, profitability, and other key advertising metrics. Considering that a vast number of food establishments in Japan use product replicas to attract customers, their experience can be successfully adopted and implemented in your own burger business.
Metrics achieved within the first days of displaying burger replicas in the storefront include:
- The burger joint’s foot traffic increases by up to 60%;
- The average check grows by up to 40%;
- Service speed increases by 1.5–2 times;
- Repeat visits increase by more than 30%.
The experience of Japanese restaurateurs shows that within the first month after installing replicas, sales volumes can increase by up to 300% or more – and this is achieved without the use of any additional promotional methods.
Which Replica to Choose
In recent years, numerous manufacturers of food replicas have emerged in the global market, each offering products that vary in execution quality, durability, and price.
The concept of food replicas was invented in Japan over 80 years ago. This is why Japanese manufacturers possess the most extensive experience and have developed the best materials in the world specifically designed for replica production. Japanese replicas, unlike their less expensive counterparts, last for more than 15 years. For example, plaster replicas begin to dry out and deform after just 6 months of use, wax replicas melt on the display during the summer, and plastic replicas lose color and crack within a few years. Moreover, cheap replicas fail to capture the texture of products (such as the fibrousness of meat and fish) and feature a limited color palette.
Burger replicas produced by Nippon Dom based on photographs for a café-bakery.
Japanese replicas are made from silicone. Unlike plaster or plastic replicas produced in other countries, Japanese silicone boasts excellent technical characteristics, which result in replicas that are incredibly realistic and durable. They stand out for their high level of detail, vibrant colors, strength, and longevity.
Payback Period – In Just Two Weeks!
The Japanese company “Nippon Dom” accepts orders for the production of burger replicas, as well as replicas of any dishes and beverages based on photographs. The cost of these replicas depends on the number of ingredients in the burger and the order volume, ranging from $160 to $200 per unit.
Japanese burger replicas are so realistic and appetizing that they start generating sales from day one once they are placed on display. This enables the full cost of the replicas to be recovered in just two to three weeks.
Change Your Strategy – Achieve New Results
It is well known that reaching a new level of sales requires a change in marketing strategy. It is surprising to see how restaurateurs who continue to use outdated customer attraction methods end up waiting for years to see any increase in revenue. If you, as the owner or manager of a burger joint:
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- want to boost your sales,
- are looking for new ways to advertise and promote your product,
- dream of differentiating yourself from competitors,
- plan to refresh or enhance your storefront,
pay attention to the Japanese method of burger promotion. This approach works excellently both as a complementary strategy and as a standalone tool for attracting the largest target audience—passersby.
Boost Your Sales with the “Royal Burger”!
There is another highly effective method for attracting customers and increasing sales at a burger joint – displaying a gigantic, impressive replica of a burger, produced in a 20–30 times enlarged size.
Twentyfold burger model. Diameter 24 cm, height 27 cm.
Why Use Oversized Burger Replicas?
- Visibility: Thanks to its enormous size, such a replica is visible from afar, instantly drawing the attention of passersby.
- Awe Effect: The giant burger evokes admiration from customers – it’s a spectacle that invites prolonged observation, leaving a lasting positive impression that encourages repeat visits.
- Space Efficiency: When the range of replicas is limited, a single “Royal Burger” replica occupies only 30 cm of display space, yet it effectively boosts sales.
- Attracting Groups: For the bold – adding a burger of this size to your menu can attract large groups, increase the average check, and establish your establishment as the most popular burger joint in town.
- Marketing tactic: Display a large poster featuring a child taking a bite out of a burger and encourage your customers to take photos with your “Royal Burger” . This will undoubtedly liven up your storefront and attract crowds of customers. Best of all, the photos posted on social media will provide you with consistent, free advertising.
With the “Royal Burger”, you’ll never have to worry about competition – you’ll be able to successfully grow your business and open new sales locations.
A large stand featuring a photo of a child taking a bite of a giant burger encourages customers to take a similar picture themselves.
