I Don’t Have To Be the Best (but I better be darn good)

September 8th, 2007 · No Comments

I was watching the Food Network the other day, and they were doing another of there cooking challenge shows. People from all over the country come to compete to be named the best in their particular category. Some are sell respected chefs in popular restaurants, some are from little mom-and-pop restaurants, and some are just people who like to cook and compete.

It got me thinking; how important is it for me to be the best?

What I’m talking about here is for me or my restaurant to be awarded as the best in my area of expertise. You’ve seen the advertisements; “Best Burgers in Town”, “Winner of the State Fair Rib Cook-Off”, Voted Best BBQ Sauce”.

Yes, I want to do the best job I can. Yes, it is important to always be striving to improve. But should the award be important to me? Yes and no.

As a restaurant owner, or any small business, it is important to continually try to achieve some area of competitive advantage. By getting an award as being the best in any area allows you to market your advantage. It gives you the ability to publicly advertise that you are better than your competition. It allows you to say, “My restaurant has the best burgers in town, and I have the award that proves it.” Now, personal tastes differ, all of your customers may not agree that you are the best in town, but they can’t argue with the award.

On the other hand it shouldn’t be as important to me personally. However, I know myself. I know how competitive I can be. While I might try to justify it as being for the restaurant, I know what a boost to me pride it would be. That’s the part I need to keep in check.

Awards and trophies aside, from a market point of view, it takes years to establish yourself as being the best in any area. It comes after years of providing consistent quality, and a commitment to excellence. You will be able to tell by looking at your dining room whether people think you are the best or not. If your dining room is consistently full, and people are waiting to get into your restaurant, then the award is only a decoration.