Market to Match: Know Who You Are Before You Shout It From the Rooftops

In hospitality, everyone wants more customers. But not everyone is honest about what kind of experience they’re actually offering. The result is overpromising, mismatched expectations, disappointed guests, and a vicious cycle of marketing that attracts the wrong crowd, people your team isn’t built to serve, and your operation isn’t ready to impress.

Here’s the hard truth
If you don’t know who you are, your marketing will lie for you.

The Illusion of Mass Appeal

It’s tempting to try and be everything to everyone. The slick campaign. The moody lighting. The “something for everyone” menu. But wide-net marketing only works when the guest experience is equally wide-net, and that’s rare.

A sports bar can’t promise white-tablecloth refinement
(See: Buffalo Wild Wings vs. Capital Grille)

A value-driven buffet can’t market luxury polish
(Think: Golden Corral doesn’t compete with Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars)

A fast-paced QSR shouldn’t tease curated wine pairings
(Taco Bell and sommeliers don’t mix)

You can’t Photoshop your service culture
You can’t trend your way into authenticity.

According to Forbes, 86% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support. Yet in hospitality, marketing often gets disconnected from day-to-day reality.

The Truth About Locals

One of the most common marketing myths is
“Let’s target locals. They’re our base.”

Sure, locals matter. But not all locals are the same, and not all are profitable. “Locals” is not a target audience. It’s a geographic label.

There are.

• Budget-driven locals

• High-end regulars

• Brunch-only locals.

• Sports-bar loyalists

• Locals who tip like royalty

• Locals who nurse one soda for four hours

Stop treating them as a monolith
Stop assuming they all want the same thing.

The question isn’t “How do we get more locals”
It’s “Which locals are the right fit for us, and do we deliver an experience worth coming back for.”

Case Study
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar has built a loyal local base not by being everything to everyone, but by clearly positioning themselves as casual, dog-friendly, rustic-modern, and comfort-focused. Their branding matches their vibe, and their repeat business reflects it.

So, Start Here

Who Are You Really

Before you build your brand story, shoot content, or spend a dime on marketing, sit with this question.

What kind of experience do we actually deliver on a regular Tuesday night with a half-staffed line and a 20-minute wait?

That’s the brand your guests will meet
Not the one in your Instagram reel
Not the one in your mission statement
The one that greets them at the host stand when their Uber drops them off.

Be honest
Be specific
Be grounded.

Are you fast casual and efficient
Own it?

Are you refined and boutique
Showcase it?

Are you chaotic but unforgettable
Lean into it?

Attract the Guests You Can Delight

Marketing isn’t just promotion
It’s a promise
And every promise sets a guest expectation.

When your marketing aligns with your reality, guests walk in and think
“This is exactly what I hoped for.”

That’s where loyalty begins
That’s where referrals are born.

But when your brand image says one thing and your operation delivers another, you don’t just lose the guest, you lose credibility
Internally and externally.

Statistic to Support
A Harvard Business Review study found that customer expectations are met or exceeded only 16% of the time. And when they aren’t, trust is eroded.

Guest Satisfaction Starts with Guest Fit

Guest satisfaction starts long before the meal
It starts with guest fit, the match between who they are and what you are.

That’s why blanket marketing is dangerous
It brings in everyone
And the wrong guests, no matter how well you treat them, will still leave feeling like it wasn’t what they signed up for

You can offer great food, polished service, and warm hospitality
But if the guest came in expecting something else entirely, it won’t matter.

Satisfaction doesn’t just come from quality
It comes from alignment.

Example
Restoration Hardware’s RH Rooftop Restaurants aren’t necessarily known for speed or flexibility. But they deliver aesthetic immersion, exclusivity, and design-driven dining, exactly what their audience expects.

Smart Marketing Filters for Fit

Smart marketing doesn’t cast a wide net
It sets a clear signal.

It brings in the kind of guest your team can consistently impress
The kind that gets it
The kind that leaves saying
“We’re coming back next week.”

Operators

Align Before You Amplify

Before you say
“We want to attract more Gen Z”
Ask
“Does our experience resonate with Gen Z values like authenticity, sustainability, and social vibe.”

Before you say
“Let’s target high-end tourists”
Ask
“Is our wine list curated, our service polished, our bathrooms spotless.”

Before you say
“Let’s run a family-friendly promotion”
Ask
“Can our floor layout, staff culture, and timing accommodate kids without chaos.”

Before you say
“Let’s market to locals”
Ask
“Which locals are we designed to serve and are we doing it well.”

Stat to Consider
According to McKinsey, 71% of consumers expect personalized marketing
76% get frustrated when it’s not delivered.

Build a Brand That’s True at 7 PM on a Friday.

The most successful brands aren’t the ones with the most buzz
They’re the ones whose promise matches their delivery.

They know who they are
They train for it
They design around it
And they market with clarity and confidence.

Final Thought

Great marketing is not about chasing attention
It’s about building trust.

If your restaurant is loud, messy, and fun
Don’t dress it up as quiet and refined.

If your strength is speed and value
Don’t promise luxury polish

Sell what you do best
Train to do it better
Build messaging that reflects it.

A mismatched guest is a liability
They consume resources, time, and energy, but rarely return.

A well-matched guest becomes an advocate, a regular, and a raving fan.

Suggested Research to Support This Strategy

Local Market Demographics
Analyze income levels, age brackets, lifestyle segmentation, and spend habits using tools like Nielsen, Claritas, or Yelp Fusion

Guest Profiling Surveys
Understand what your current guests value most, speed, quality, ambiance, price, or something else.

Digital Analytics
Track who is clicking on your campaigns, who is converting, and what content performs best using Google Analytics or Meta Ads Manager

Competitive Positioning Audits
Evaluate nearby or comparable venues. What are they promising? What’s their price point, service model, and visual brand.

Menu Engineering Reports
Study which items drive revenue and profitability and compare that to what you promote. Are you showcasing your real strengths?

Final Word
Before you shout your story from the rooftops
Make sure the story is true.

Because when your brand and your reality align
Hospitality becomes effortless
And growth starts to happen in the right direction