🔍 You think you’re delivering on your brand promise — but are you really?
If you asked your guests, your social followers, and even AI to describe your restaurant’s brand... would their answers match what’s written on your website or in your mission statement?
Because if they don’t, you’ve got a brand disconnect — and that means lost attention, lost loyalty, and lost revenue.
Luckily, I've got a dead-simple way to check (with some help from AI). It’s called:
🧠 AI Brand Check-Up (for Restaurants)
A 5-step process to assess whether your brand story matches what you actually do — and what your guests say.
Ask ChatGPT what it knows about your brand. Open up ChatGPT (or whatever AI you like) and simply ask: "Hey ChatGPT, what do you know about [INSERT YOUR BRAND]?" You’ll get a quick sense of how your brand shows up online.
Upload your About section or brand documents. If you have a brand book, mission statement, and/or About section on your website, upload it. I use a prompt like: "If I upload their about brief, could you read it and see if what they have in the about brief matches what is online by them and said by their guests?" It's what you say you stand for.
Ask ChatGPT to analyze alignment. Say: "Does this brand copy match what the internet and guest reviews say? If not, what are the gaps?"
Request an overview report. Get a short write-up of what’s working, what’s not, and how aligned you are.
Ask for suggestions to close the gap. This is where AI earns its keep. Ask: "What are some actions I can take to bring my brand story and guest experience into alignment?"
You’ll come away with a clear picture of where you stand, how to fix what’s off, and tactical ideas to level up your marketing.
🍔 Real example: Handcraft Burgers and Brew (NYC)
We ran the AI Brand Check-Up for my restaurant, Handcraft Burgers & Brew in Midtown Manhattan.
Our About section says:
We are burger lovers and we made this place for you. It's our mission to bring you hand crafted, fresh, never frozen Certified Angus Beef gourmet smash burgers and tater tots, hand-cut french fries and craft beers with full hospitality style service in a quick service environment.
Our Brand Value Statement says:
It's our mission to bring you hand crafted, fresh, never frozen, 100% beef, gourmet smashed burgers and tater tots, hand-cut french fries and craft beers with full hospitality style service in a quick service environment.
What we found:
🔍 Does their "About" match their online presence? Yes, mostly.
The brand messaging—smash burgers, Certified Angus Beef, fresh not frozen, tater tots, hand-cut fries, craft beer, fast-casual—shows up consistently on their website, third-party platforms, and in food blogs.
Phrases like "quick service with full hospitality" are echoed in Yelp reviews: multiple guests say the staff is helpful, orders are fast, and the vibe is easy-going but attentive.
Their burger-first identity comes through loud and clear on platforms like Instagram and review sites. The tone is casual and inclusive, just like the "welcome to our burger family" sentiment.
🧠 What guests say that matches:
Burger quality: Guests consistently praise the burgers as juicy, flavorful, and “a step up” from bigger chains. Many mention the smashburger-style crust and fresh toppings.
Sides: Tater tots and fries get solid praise, especially the hand-cut aspect.
Speed + service: Multiple Yelp and Google reviews say the ordering process is smooth and staff are friendly—backs up the “hospitality in a quick service setting” claim.
Beer: Some guests highlight the rotating craft beers, which supports the mention of "craft beers" in the About.
🧠 What guests say that differs (or isn’t mentioned):
No one online is talking about the founders’ backgrounds. The "Chris/Chad/Rev" trio and their history in NYC nightlife isn’t mentioned or leveraged much beyond the About. That’s fine, but if you're looking to build brand trust or media interest, that story has legs.
No real social storytelling around the 'burger family' or gratitude tone. The “from the bottom of our hearts” message in the About is heartfelt—but their social and digital tone is more straightforward and food-focused. They’re not doing sentiment-heavy community storytelling online (yet).
Limited guest feedback about Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails or Croton tie-ins. Their other ventures don’t really show up in the Handcraft Burgers & Brew guest conversation. If the intention is to build credibility through experience, it might need more connection.
⚡ Key Insight: Their About section is credible and mostly aligned with real guest sentiment and online representation. The tone is a little warmer and more personal than what shows up in actual guest reviews or digital assets. There’s an opportunity to amplify the founder story, highlight the hospitality angle more, and lean into loyalty/community-building if that’s a direction they want to take.
Bottom line: They’re delivering on the food and service, but there’s brand equity being left on the table. With just a few tweaks, they could build stronger loyalty, deeper connection, and more memorable guest engagement.
==> And that’s the power of the check-up. It shows you what’s missing and what you can do to fix it.
🕵️\200d♂️ Want to run the AI Brand Check-Up for your restaurant?
DM me or drop your About section in the comments. I’ll show you how to run the full process in 10 minutes or less.
You might be just a few tweaks away from stronger loyalty, better marketing, and a brand people actually talk about.
Do you need help with any of this? Send me an email: [email protected]
Rev Ciancio
WHAT DOES REV DO?
I help restaurants to build guest marketing programs.
I help hospitality tech companies with lead generation and content marketing.
PS: ChatGPT helped me format this!
