Why Soft Openings and DIY Branding Hold Restaurants Back

Dec 11

Soft openings are often seen as a low-pressure way to test your restaurant, but they can send the wrong message. Pair that with DIY branding, and you’re setting yourself up for a slow start. Here’s why both approaches fall short.

The Problem with Soft Openings

Unfinished Perception:
Guests may assume your restaurant isn’t ready and avoid coming back.
Lack of Buzz:
First impressions matter. A polished grand opening builds excitement and momentum.

DIY Branding Is the Soft Opening of Design

Just like a soft opening, DIY branding signals that you’re not ready.
A weak brand fails to inspire confidence and makes it harder to gain traction.

Go Big or Go Home

Launch your restaurant with a strong, professional brand and a grand opening that wows your audience.

Jaci Lund

Jaci Lund partner, creative director, designer Jaci’s quick wit and native intelligence comes across as soon as you meet her—and carries over to her design, where she fuses fun and sophistication in just the right doses. With a dual focus on creating original branding for new concepts and revitalizing the look and feel of even the most-established brands, Jaci approaches each project with a fresh and thoughtful perspective. While she recognizes the relevance of current trends, she’s hyper-conscious of the fine line that separates “trend” from “fad,” and tends toward more timeless and classic looks for her clients. Before founding Treebird, Jaci was instrumental in growing the design department at Atlanta’s The Reynolds Group, Inc. Through a five-year tenure that saw her quickly ascend to senior designer and then become the company’s first creative director, Jaci worked on design and branding projects with visionaries, entrepreneurs, and business leaders whom she admires greatly and whose own passion elevates her sense of what’s possible through new design, branding, and communication. Jaci has won nine ADDY Awards (and counting) for her design and branding work and has twice been featured in the national design blog “Art of the Menu.” She holds a B.A. in communications from Michigan State University and completed the graphic design program at The Creative Circus, where she also teaches a quarterly course called “Introduction to Creative Thinking.” To see Jaci's previous work please visit jacilund.com.

treebirdbranding.com