The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has launched its first-ever national consumer advertising campaign, which encourages Americans to dine at their favorite local eateries during the pandemic. (Scroll down to watch the video below.)
The Restaurant Revival campaign focuses on the “rhythms and rituals” of the restaurant experience—from grills firing up to knives being sharpened and the familiar clink of glasses joined in a toast—and asks, “Doesn’t dining out sound good?”
“This campaign is about reigniting the memories we cherish about dining out,” said Tom Bené, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “While diners have been able to enjoy some restaurant meals through take-out and delivery, we all have missed hearing the words, ‘Your table is ready,’ and the unique experiences that dining out provides.”
“We know safety is top of mind for returning diners—it’s top of mind for us as well—so the ad pairs the familiar sights and sounds with new visual safety cues, including servers wearing masks and the ServSafe Dining Commitment door decal,” Bené added.
The National Restaurant Association and ServSafe launched the ServSafe Dining Commitment, an initiative showcasing restaurants that have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to the health and safety of their employees and guests. By participating in the program, the restaurant assures returning customers that it’s following recommended reopening guidance and is ready for business. On the ServSafeDining.org website, consumers can see what restaurants are doing to keep them safe and use a locator tool to find participating restaurants.
The NRA worked with The Richards Group to create the unique look and feel for the storytelling and partnered with Coca-Cola, DoorDash, Stella Artois, Ecolab, Beam Suntory, Cargill, Tyson, Hormel Foods, International Foodservice Distributors Association, and GP Pro to launch the campaign nationwide.
“Support for this campaign spans the entire industry,” said Tia Mattson, the NRA’s executive vice president of marketing and communications. “From well-known, trusted brands to the suppliers and distributors restaurants rely on, every part of the foodservice community is coming together to help restaurants recover. As the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer, a strong restaurant revival can help fuel our nation’s economic recovery.”
“All the things that made going to a restaurant special for diners—the service, the variety, the community—it’s all still there waiting for you,” Mattson added. “Across the industry, from the small independent restaurants to the most recognizable national brands, our tables are ready to welcome diners back.”