Profile of a brand: Vanderlyle

What the Vanderlyle brand encompasses

• An existing good reputation from their previous success at The Hole in the Wall, Little Wilbraham.
• Quality food, drink and service.
• Transparent provenance of the food and drinks — local producers, minimal waste, home-made soft drinks.
• A streamlined set menu that changes on a regular basis, dependent on seasonality.
• Work/life balance for staff — the restaurant is only open Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat.
• Patrons pre-book and pay — this helps prevent the financial impact of no shows and keeps cashflow steady.
• The small restaurant evokes a feeling of cosy exclusivity.
• High levels of customer care — the attention received while a patron, front of house staff greet you by name, the dishes are explained in detail.

The above precedes the visual identity itself

• There is a visual identity, but it’s minimal
• A simple word marque logo, background image(s) runs through their website and social media channels.
• Stunning, clean photography on their Instagram account.
• This minimalism reflects the ethos and confidently reassures customers, conveying the quietly exclusive nature of the restaurant.
• Alex Rushmer and Lawrence Butler’s reputations (personal brand) precede Vanderlyle and undoubtedly led to its success.

The results:

• They are regularly fully booked 3 months in advance, with a waitlist.
• Mailing list subscribers eagerly receive an email notifying them when bookings open.
• Customers have become brand advocates — posting photos on social media, reviews, recommendations.

Adapting to Covid-19 restrictions

• Vanderlyle reacted fast and quickly adapted with their ‘VanderlyleToGo’ takeaway offering using the same streamlined online booking system they use for the restaurant.
• Customers hear when bookings are open via Vanderlyle’s social media channels and the mailing list.
• Impressed customers continue to be loyal advocates for Vanderlyle by posting photos and reviews of their delicious takeaways.
• If you’re local to Cambridge, I’d highly recommend giving them a try!

Find out more

• Book a takeaway: vanderlyle-restaurant.com
• instagram.com/vanderlylerestaurant/
• twitter.com/vanderlyler
• alexrushmer.com/blog/2018/10/3/new-restaurant
• alexrushmer.com/blog/2020/6/23/why-i-wont-be-re-opening-my-restaurant-on-july-4th

Improve your brand; be more Vanderlyle

1. Know who you’re selling to and what they want to buy
2. Refine your offering and clarify your service
   • Communicate this clearly to all staff to ensure consistency
3. Streamline your processes for maximum efficiency
4. Build trust with your customers by communicating the product, service and process clearly
5. Engage with your customers everywhere they meet you
   • Directly and on social media
6. Maintain consistent quality of product, service and marketing
7. Share your customers’ positive feedback and stories
8. Plan ahead and have a strategy in place for change
9. As the business owner, remember your personal brand is integral to that of the business itself