Getting recognition through an award such as the Curry Oscars enhances your business by strengthening your reputation, drawing more customers, and differentiating your establishment from competitors. A lot of restaurant owners make unnecessary mistakes that decrease their odds of winning prestigious awards.
To get your restaurant’s name recognised, avoid these typical mistakes.
1. Entering the Wrong Awards
Different awards within the food industry serve distinct purposes and criteria. The focus of some awards centres on fine dining, while others highlight takeaways or independent restaurants. Submitting your restaurant to an award that does not match its strengths results in wasted efforts.
How to avoid it: Explore various awards, study previous winners and understand the evaluation standards. Select awards whose criteria align closely with your restaurant’s unique style and target customer demographics.
2. Neglecting Presentation
Judges evaluate restaurants on the basis of the complete dining experience rather than just the quality of the food served. Your entry will be undermined by a dull restaurant environment, improperly presented dishes and inadequate customer service.
How to avoid it: Your restaurant should attract with its visual appeal, while your dishes must show excellent presentation, and your team needs to provide outstanding service. First impressions matter.
3. Submitting a Rushed Entry
An application loaded with errors and missing essential information fails to capture interest.
How to avoid it: Approach your submission with the same care and attention as you would give to a major business presentation. Your restaurant’s unique features should shine throughout your submission, while customer testimonials should be displayed prominently, and your writing must demonstrate polish and persuasive force.
4. Ignoring Customer Reviews
Online reviews from platforms such as Google, TripAdvisor, and social media play a crucial role in award evaluation processes. Negative feedback can work against you.
How to avoid it: Offer your guests exceptional dining experiences that convince them to share positive reviews. Address negative feedback promptly and professionally.
5. Failing to Promote Your Nomination
Receiving a nomination for an award represents a significant achievement, but failing to publicise it means you are missing out on valuable marketing exposure.
How to avoid it: Share your nomination on your social platforms while updating your website and contacting local journalists and food bloggers. The more visibility you generate, the better.
6. Not Standing Out
Judges might ignore your entry if your restaurant fails to stand out from the competition.
How to avoid it: Showcase what makes you unique. Make known your restaurant’s distinctive attributes through its innovative menu options and sustainable sourcing practices alongside its community involvement.
7. Thinking Good Food Is Enough
While a superior menu matters a great deal, award evaluations also review your service quality and branding along with the guest’s complete experience.
How to avoid it: Develop your team through training programs while polishing your brand image and establishing an impactful online footprint. Your restaurant should demonstrate award-winning quality in every detail.
8. Overlooking Judging Criteria
Each award has specific judging points. You will lose points if your submission fails to address specific award judging criteria.
How to avoid it: Examine the judging criteria thoroughly to guarantee your submission meets the requirements judges are searching for.
9. Not Building Industry Connections
Restaurants that form relationships with industry professionals and critics and work with event organisers usually experience benefits.
How to avoid it: Build industry connections through participation in networking events and membership in professional groups while establishing relationships with influential people. A strong network can open doors.
10. Giving Up Too Soon
Numerous restaurants fail to win awards during their initial attempt. Success often comes to those who continue to improve and persist.
How to avoid it: Seek constructive feedback after a loss to make necessary improvements and attempt another entry. Multiple attempts were necessary for some top restaurants to earn their awards.
Final Thoughts
To win awards such as the Curry Oscars, restaurants need more than amazing food; they must use strategy, presentation skills, marketing techniques and maintain consistency. Improving your likelihood of winning the award depends on avoiding these prevalent mistakes.
FAQ
1. How can I improve my chances of winning a restaurant award?
Ensure an outstanding dining experience while enhancing your application and actively promoting your nomination to maintain favourable reviews.
2. Do online reviews really matter for restaurant awards?
Yes! The judges frequently review online customer feedback to assess overall satisfaction. Your credibility will benefit from maintaining a strong online reputation.
- How should I respond if I don’t win at first?
Use the experience as a learning opportunity. Incorporate feedback from your first entry to improve your strategy and submit again with a stronger proposal. Numerous restaurants achieved success after submitting several applications prior to winning.
