Nobody Remembers Normal: Why Playing It Safe Is Killing Your Brand
In hospitality, normal is invisible. You need to be different.
Take a stroll through any city — restaurant after restaurant offering “great service,” “delicious food,” “amazing ambiance.” But ask yourself this: how many do you actually remember?
“Normal” is safe. It’s predictable. But it’s also forgettable.
In a world where attention is currency and loyalty is built through boldness, hospitality brands that dare to be different are the ones that thrive. The rest? They get scrolled past, walked by, or worst of all, forgotten.
The Cost of Playing It Safe
For years, hospitality has had a formula:
Warm lighting, Trendy interiors, Polite service and perhaps an Instagrammable dish or two.
This formula might get you customers — but it won’t keep them. Because when everyone’s doing the same thing, no one stands out. The guest experience becomes homogenized. You’re not competing against just restaurants anymore — you’re competing against attention spans, TikTok trends, and travel plans.
Safe doesn’t scale. Different does.
What Makes a Brand Memorable?
Here’s the truth: Guests don’t become loyal because you “did everything right.” They become loyal because you did something they didn’t expect — and now they can’t stop thinking about it.
✅ A server who remembered their kid’s name
✅ A secret menu item for regulars
✅ A dessert that made them laugh out loud
✅ A branded sticker on their takeaway that said “See you tomorrow?”
These moments don’t just build memories — they build brand equity. And they turn first-time guests into lifelong fans.
Case in Point: The Brands You Can’t Ignore
Some brands get it. Here’s what they do differently:
• 3Fils: Pan-Asian street food fine dining? That contrast alone makes you stop and look.
• Glossier: Not a restaurant, but a masterclass in brand experience. Their retail spaces feel like curated meetups, not stores.
• Sketch London: Every room a different mood, every visit a photo-op, every plate a piece of theatre.
Each of these brands commits to a point of view. They don’t dilute themselves for mass appeal — they sharpen their edges.
How to Be Different Without Being Gimmicky
Being bold isn’t about being weird for the sake of it. It’s about intentional originality. Here’s how to start:
1. Have a point of view. What does your brand believe that others don’t? Say it. Show it.
2. Design for the senses. Music, scent, lighting — these create memory anchors more than the menu.
3. Embrace imperfection. Guests crave personality more than polish. Ditch the script.
4. Surprise often. Create moments of unexpected delight. That’s what people talk about.
5. Empower your team. A guest may forget the food, but they’ll remember how they were made to feel — and that starts with the team.
The Bottom Line
In the race to be liked by everyone, you risk being loved by no one.
It’s time to stop chasing “best practices” and start creating your own. The brands that win aren’t the ones who fit in — they’re the ones who stand out, even if it makes others uncomfortable.
So if you’re still playing it safe…
Maybe it’s time to stop being normal.
Take a stroll through any city — restaurant after restaurant offering “great service,” “delicious food,” “amazing ambiance.” But ask yourself this: how many do you ac
