A restaurant mission statement is a crucial component of a restaurant’s brand identity. A mission statement is a reflection of you and the values you instill in your work, which are then communicated to both customers and employees.
Whether you’re working on starting up a new restaurant or you’re looking to update your current branding and promotional materials, it helps to have inspiration for mission creation. Many restaurants have a mission statement, but not many restaurants have an excellent mission statement. We’ve compiled an extensive list of mission statements from across the country so you can get the inspiration you need to build something better. Once you have your mission, you can build it into your restaurant products with custom printed disposables from Budget Branders. Budget Branders can help you create custom plastic cups, custom paper cups, custom paper bowls, custom coffee sleeves, and more with designs that reflect your restaurant’s mission.
What is a Restaurant Mission Statement?
A restaurant mission statement conveys your raison d’être (reason for being). In other words, a mission statement identifies the purpose your restaurant will serve; the reason why your restaurant exists.
Mission statements are usually paired with company values and/or a vision. Together, these components collectively serve as a guide post for what you hope to achieve for your restaurant and how you hope to achieve it.
Why Your Restaurant Needs a Mission Statement
Unfortunately, not all restaurateurs recognize the benefits associated with a well-written mission statement. Just pull up the websites of some of your favorite local restaurants and you’ll likely be hard-pressed to find an articulated mission statement. While the development of a mission statement may seem like a trivial task, mission statements are an invaluable component of your brand and business strategy.
By taking the time to develop a mission statement, you can better guide decision making for your restaurant and save time on daily tasks to focus on what really matters for your core business. Mission statements also:
- Serve as a constant reminder for why you started your restaurant in the first place;
- Align the many moving parts of your restaurant with one overarching message;
- Communicate who you are and what differentiates you from your competitors;
- Help attract great talent to the business;
Simply having a mission statement is not enough. Many mission statements are littered with buzzwords, clichés, and business jargon. If you fail to put time and effort into developing your mission, then it will not be very effective at helping to accomplish much of anything. Your mission statement needs to mean something to you.
The Difference Between Restaurant Missions, Visions, & Values
As previously mentioned, mission statements are often paired with a vision and/or values. For this reason, the three terms often get mixed up and are sometimes used interchangeably. Mission, vision, and values are three distinct components and should be treated as such.
Restaurant Mission Statement
A mission statement describes the why of your business. For example:
“We exist to connect local Bostonians to each other through great tasting pizza while also supporting local farmers and utilizing the freshest ingredients.”
Restaurant Vision Statement
Your restaurant mission and vision can work together synergistically. Your restaurant’s mission statement explains the why while a restaurant vision is what you want the future to look like when you accomplish your mission. For example:
“We imagine a world where there are no barriers between Boston residents, sloppily produced pizza doesn’t exist, and local farmers are able to live prosperously.”
Restaurant Value Statement
Finally, a restaurant’s values outline what you believe in and what your restaurant will stand for. For example:
“We value teamwork, honesty, community involvement, dedication to the culinary arts, and transparency.”
Some restaurants will go the extra mile and develop all three message components (mission, vision, and values). While defining all of these components for your restaurant is helpful, you can get by without developing all three. Even having just one statement will provide more clarity and purpose for your work.
How to Write a Powerful Restaurant Mission Statement
Now that you understand what a mission statement is and why it matters, it’s time to start thinking about how you can develop your own mission statement that will effectively guide your restaurant to success. The creation of your mission statement will take some soul searching and reflection. Your mission should be unique to you and isn’t something we can develop for you. Nevertheless, there are some important principles and tactics you can use to help write an effective statement.
Components of a Strong Mission Statement
While there is no one correct way to write a mission statement, there are characteristics that every strong mission statement embodies. As you work to write your mission statement, you should reflect on the following six characteristics.
- Accurate: Your mission statement should be an honest reflection of what your restaurant will do. If your mission statement doesn’t accurately reflect your restaurant, it may be time to either revise your statement or revise some of your operations policies.
- Achievable: It’s good to set lofty goals, but your goals should be measurable and achievable. Many restaurants seek to provide the world’s most delicious food or the best service, but those goals aren’t easy to measure and not every restaurant can be “the best”.
- Actionable: The strongest mission statements both define goals and articulate how those goals will be achieved.
- Concise: Your mission statement shouldn’t be three pages long. You want a concise statement that is easily digestible and understood. As a general guide, you should try to keep your mission statement under five sentences.
- Transparent: The best mission statements avoid business jargon and clichés that sound impersonal. Your mission statement should be an accurate, honest reflection of what you want the restaurant to be.
- Unique: Your mission statement should help differentiate you from your competition. If your mission sounds like that of your competitors, then the statement doesn’t effectively accomplish that goal.
As you review the mission statement examples further down in this post, you’ll find that not every mission statement encompasses every one of the characteristics above. It is a testament to just how difficult it is to write a compelling mission statement.
Questions to Consider
During the brainstorming stage of mission statement development, it can help to frame your mission within the context of questions. Answering key business questions can help you extract the root reason for your restaurant’s existence. Below are some important questions you should ask yourself while developing your mission:
- Why are you in business?
- What is the image you want your restaurant to convey?
- Who is your target market?
- What are the needs of your target market and how will you fill those needs?
- What does/will your restaurant do for employees?
- How is your restaurant differentiated from your competitors?
- What underlying philosophies or values contributed to the founding of your restaurant?
Restaurant Mission Statement Examples
To get the development process kicked off for your mission statement, it can help to review what other restaurants have communicated as their mission. We’ve compiled over 50 mission statements from restaurants across the country and the world. We’ve included mission statements from large, well-known chains, as well as, smaller local restaurants to provide you with a well-balanced mix of inspiration.
It’s important to remember that your mission statement should be unique to your restaurant. It’s valuable to study how others have approached mission development, but it’s important to draw upon your own goals when developing your unique statement.
Family Style Restaurant Mission Statement Examples
Avanti’s Italian Restaurant
“We prepare and serve high quality, simple food, at a great value, in a home-like environment.”
P.F. Chang’s
“To HONOR Life. Family. Food.”
Ruby Tuesday
“Quality. Passion. Pride.”
Bamboo Sushi
“To change the way people eat, inspiring a shift within the restaurant industry and beyond.”
The Cheesecake Factory
“To create an environment where absolute guest satisfaction is our highest priority.”
Darden Restaurants
“To be financially successful through great people consistently delivering outstanding food, drinks and service in an inviting atmosphere, making every guest loyal.”
Momo Mee
“Going back to basics. Connecting flavors of Asia with the community through culinary traditions and culture.”
Pachamanka Restaurant
“To exceed each and every one of our customer’s expectations.”
Plaza Tapatia
“To serve exquisite and authentic Mexican Cuisine representing our cultures and legendary culinary gastronomy with typical dishes with a creative and talented touch, delivering a distinctly unique dining experience to fulfill our guest expectations.”
Provision Community Restaurant
“To foster creative, community-based solutions to overcome food insecurity, isolation and hardships in the lives of our neighbors.”
Smoke BBQ Restaurant & Catering
“To share our love of authentic BBQ, inspired by regional classics throughout the US, prepared and smoked daily in our smokers.”
Applebee’s
“To make sure you’re eatin’ good whenever you step into an Applebee’s.”
Studio Movie Grill
“To open hearts and minds, one story at a time.”
The Table Cafe
“To provide a restaurant that serves locally grown food with amazing taste, at an affordable price, where all can enjoy the flavor of community.”
Bar, Brewery, & Pub Mission Statement Examples
Buffalo Wild Wings
“Our mission is to WOW people every day!”
Celebrations Restaurant & Bar
“To capture the character of our community, boiling down its stocks, foraging its plants, and showcasing its produce; all in an attempt to capture a time and a space in the confines of a plate, but more often in a series of plates.”
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
“Inspire Loyalty in both our guests and in our staff.”
Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub
“A passion to serve”
Founders Brewing Company
“Make uncompromising craft beer that we love”
Fine Dining Restaurant Mission Statement Examples
McCormick & Schmicks
“Absolute guest satisfaction”
Il Fornaio
“To provide our guests with the most authentic Italian experience outside of Italy.”
Little Fish Grill
“To provide the community with fresh, locally sourced, top quality food and service in a friendly casual environment to remind you the little fish eats like a shark too!”
Cadre Restaurant
“To provide our guests with a comfortable, quality, and satisfying dining experience using local, seasonal ingredients in classic dishes paired with select wine.”
Novo Restaurant & Lounge
“To delight every guest with remarkable dining & hospitality experiences that keep them returning.”
Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group
“Do right and far exceed expectations daily.”
Gracie’s
“Enhance and educate the palate with the freshest ingredients and flavors, while surprising and exciting each guest with personal care and service.”
P.S. Kitchen
“To leverage the power of good food and an open heart to lovingly serve our clients, employees, society and the earth.”
Hearth Restaurant
“Serve REAL food that tastes, looks, and smells delicious.”
Fast Food Restaurant Mission Statement Examples
Sonic
“To become America’s most loved restaurant brand.”
Panda Restaurant Group
“To deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives.”
In-N-Out
“Serve only the highest quality product, prepare it in a clean and sparkling environment, and serve it in a warm and friendly manner.”
Domino’s
“To break down the barriers between our customers, and the food they love to share.”
Culver’s
“That every guest who chooses Culver’s leaves happy.”
McDonald’s
“To provide a fun and safe environment where our customers can enjoy good food made with quality ingredients at affordable prices.”
Krispy Kreme
“To make the most awesome doughnuts on the planet every single day.”
Frugals
“To provide the highest quality product at the lowest possible price, the best consumer experience in the industry, and respect for our employees, business partners, and community.”
Tasty Burger
“To serve a fresh, flavorful, flat patty burger made from the finest American beef, while becoming a real part of every neighborhood in which we open.”
Fast Casual Restaurant Mission Statement Examples
Which Wich
“Some want to make superior sandwiches. Some want to make the world a better place. We want to do both!”
Zaxby’s
“Consistently create encore experiences that enrich lives, one person at a time.”
Panera Bread
“Food as it should be. Food should taste good. It should feel good. It should do good things for you and the world around you.”
Firehouse Subs
“To carry on our commitment to and passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service, and public safety.”
Freshii
“To help citizens of the world live better by making healthy food convenient & affordable.”
Boloco
“To better the lives and futures of our people. We use ridiculously delicious burritos to do it.”
Wingstop
“To serve the world flavor.”
Mixt
“From sprout to plate, we obsess over the details to bring better eating to everyone.”
Flour Bakery
“Make amazing food – offer warm welcoming service – give back to the neighborhood – run an efficient, profitable business – make flour a better place for both our customers and ourselves”
Hannah’s Bretzel
“Make insanely tasty food, provide healthier nutrition on the go, and do it with the smallest environmental footprint possible.”
Sweetgreen
“We believe the choices we make about what we eat, where it comes from and how it’s prepared have a direct and powerful impact on the health of individuals, communities and the environment.”
Cafe & Coffee Shop Mission Statement Examples
Starbucks
“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”
CC’s Coffee House
“To serve everyone better than anyone else.”
Philz Coffee
“To better the days of everyone who walks in.”
Dunkin’ Donuts
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Again, there’s no right or wrong way to develop a mission statement. Take your time and piece together a message that you can stand behind and others can believe in.
Further Developing Your Restaurant Brand
Developing a restaurant mission statement is a component in further developing your restaurant’s brand. As you refine your brand you’ll also want to consider where it’s being placed. Some of the biggest brands in food service put their logo on everything and you may want to as well. You might even want to print your restaurant mission on your disposable promotional items.
Budget Branders is a market leader in affordable custom disposable restaurant products. Our branding consultants can help you design and develop custom printed cups and bags that will allow your brand to really stand out at an affordable rate. Print your restaurant logo or restaurant mission on our custom stadium cups, custom coffee cups, custom dessert bowls, custom deli bowls, custom napkins, custom sandwich bags, custom paper bags, and more. Call (888) 373-4880 or fill out a contact form to speak to a brand consultant today.
