I’ve decided to do my “What’s in a name”
study on restaurants as I feel I can talk about them quite well. I feel that I
can talk about all of my chosen brands in some detail.
“McDonald’s”
uses an iconic brand name and image to sell their products. The brand has been
built over a very long time and is now arguably the leading fast food chain in
the world. The word “McDonald” is a surname and therefore could give a family
feel to the restaurant, making it a place you want to go and eat with your
family.
“Pizza
Hut” and “Burger King are also iconic name when it comes to restaurants. They
use the words “Pizza” and “Burger” to tell the public what their speciality is.
The word “Hut” connotes a small, quiet and tranquil building. This could
encourage people to go as it suggests a calm environment at “Pizza Hut”. The
word “King” simply suggests that they consider themselves to be the best and
are telling the public this. “Burger King” is a name that is easily remembered
and the notion of being the best encourages people to visit.
“Costa”
has used alliteration to draw attention to their brand. The name “Costa Coffee”
rolls off the tongue and is easy to remember. It is also simply the surname of
the family who founded the chain in 1971 so the alliteration may just be a
coincidence.
The
American buffet chain “Golden Corral” uses the word “Golden” to good effect as
it connotes something being the best, as in a Gold Medal. This is suggesting
that they are the best. This also links to their slogan, “The Best Buffet in
The USA”. The word “Corral” can mean people being gathered, so the name “Golden
Corral” means a gathering of people for the best of something, in this case, a
buffet.
Like
“Pizza Hut” and “Burger King”, “Dunkin’ Donuts” use the name of their
speciality in their name to draw attention and encourage customers who like
donuts to come to their restaurant. The word “Dunkin’” obviously means to dip
something. They are also known for their coffee, so it could suggest you dunk
their donuts in their coffee. In America, which is where the company was
founded and the majority of their stores are, Basketball is very popular and “Dunk”
is a basketball term.
“Coast
2 Coast” is a popular chain of restaurant in the UK. The name is a travelling
term and therefore could appeal to people who are travelling and want a bite to
eat. It also could be looked at in the context that “we’ve looked from coast to
coast and this is the best food”.
The
restaurant “Little Chef” obviously suggests a smaller meal than other restaurants.
These restaurants are often beside main roads and therefore are appealing to
travellers who want a small meal before continuing their journey. The word “Chef”
connotes something better than an average cook, it suggests that there is some
kind of qualification involved and therefore suggests the food will be nicer
than other restaurants.
“KFC”
uses both their speciality and the location they were founded in their brand
name. They use the acronym “KFC” because it’s short, snappy and memorable as well
as it rolling off the tongue more than “Kentucky Fried Chicken”. Everyone knows
what it stands for yet no one calls it “Kentucky Fried Chicken”. This shows how
memorable the acronym is and how marketable it has become as a company.
The American restaurant “IHOP” uses the same
idea as the aforementioned “KFC” by including their speciality inside an
acronym. “IHOP” stands for “International House of Pancakes” and is very
popular in the USA. In saying “International” in the title, this suggests they
are the best in the world when it comes to pancakes. The word “House” connotes the
environment of a home where it will involve a friendly, relaxing family
atmosphere. This means that the pragmatic meaning of the name “International
House of Pancakes” is a homely, family atmosphere where people can enjoy the
best pancakes in the world.
This
concludes my “What’s in a name” study on restaurants. I hope you have found it
to be an interesting and insightful read.
