Don’t Compromise Your Brand—Wait and Open Ready to Serve & Maintain Consistency

Memorial Day weekend provided a significant milepost for Americans, a chance to put the pandemic behind them and the open road in front of them. Fully vaccinated and a Hotwire reservation in my phone, I too hit the road to join the masses. I picked up my parents in Bakersfield who are in their 80’s and have been huddled in quarantine together, and we drove down 101 to bask in the sun in Pismo Beach for a few days.

When we checked-in to the magnificent Vespera Resort, we were greeted by the valet who offered water and map of the property. At every turn, we were met by a friendly staff member. We quickly found four Adirondacks next to the open-air fire pits, sent my husband to collect cocktails at the poolside bar and started partying like it was 2019. But I soon discovered that the resort was facing a “new normal” dilemma: they were desperate for employees to staff the property. Because every single room was occupied, they had to fly in help from their sister property in San Diego and house them at the airport hotel. They did a marvelous job adapting on the fly, something all retailers must learn to do. For example, because the hotel restaurant had very few wait staff, guests ordered their meals with the hostess as they checked in, and took a numbered placard to their table for delivery. The system worked beautifully, and the swordfish was to die for.

“They did a marvelous job adapting on the fly, something all retailers must learn to do. ”

Room service was also back— and that was very exciting as it has been DoorDash only in my travels—but even then, food arrived in a paper bag with plastic plates and silverware.

We decided to go wine tasting in San Luis Obispo. We made reservations to confirm we would get in—and arrived 25 minutes later to find Tony, the kindest, funniest man as our host. Wine tasting is coming back, but with changes as well. Reservations are a must, and the tasting rooms are still closed. Sommeliers come to your table much like waiters, often with full menus. Sextant provided a wonderful experience with food, wine and amazing grounds. Once we closed out our bill and packed the car with wine, we made reservations for the next winery, Saucelito Canyon, just down the highway. The day was way better than we expected, and the wineries were very organized with few awkward protocols. The wineries went above and beyond our expectations. We did go on a Tuesday, not a Saturday—good lesson as the weekend was sold out.

But not every business is negotiating a return to business as smoothly. Many, I’m afraid, have lost their ID and their brand, both fundamental to retail success. The trick is for businesses to offer customers a new and rewarding post-pandemic experience without losing sight of what made them successful in the first place. Musicians know this. A Springsteen concert will feature songs from his new album Letter to You, but you can bet concert goers will cheer when the E Street Band plays “Made in the USA.” One restaurant that seems to have lost touch with its brand is F. McLintocks. After a fun day of wine tasting, we went to the world famous, western noir style roadhouse known for deep-fried turkey nuts, salsa, onion rings and live cowboys singing and playing in the saloon.

“Good VIBES are coming back to all of us who are ready to get out and play.”

McLintocks was always a “must visit” restaurant when visiting the Central Coast. Not much was right once we stepped inside. The brand that took 45 years to create and protect has been compromised. The prices have gone up, sides taken away and the entire menu is now ala cart. The onion rings were not the way I remembered them. Those hot salted rings and salsa are now served stale and cold. The steaks were tough and poorly prepared, the salmon overcooked and fishy. The turkey nuts were no longer offered, and though my husband felt relieved, I was disappointed I didn’t get to share the ritual with him. The silly things that make McLintocks fun and a “must see” were gone. Another missing favorite was the aperitif cart pushed around the restaurant offering delicious liqueurs, shots, and ice cream for the kiddos to complete your meal—now a thing of the past. I really missed that little cart. The sound it made rolling on the old wooden flooring and the laughter that came from the tables doing their shots. It was one of the reasons I used to love dining at McLintocks. You take friends and family to iconic locations you remember from childhood. We brag and get excited only to find out our old favorite missed the mark and lost their identity and brand. The saloon was dead, the cowboy who generally sings was silenced and the retail mercantile selling McLintocks salsa, t-shirts, cornbread mix and hat were closed with no hope of reopening. My roadside favorite lost its mark on the 101.

Another childhood memory from any trip down I-5 is Pea Soup Andersen’s. It was fun to see the billboards with the big guy hitting his hammer on the tiny guy’s pea. Those ads were run up and down the 5. Andersen’s closed for months during COVID-19 as there was no traffic in their restaurant, hotel or gift shop. It has since reopened, and we stopped by on the way home. We were horrified at the terrible condition of the place. Talk about losing your brand. They had months to replace carpeting, wallpaper and paint, and plenty of time to show their customers they are better and stronger than before the pandemic. Protecting and improving on the brand will be the difference between post-pandemic success and failure.

“Be Kind. Be Patient. Tip Well.”

Restaurants are open, bars are pulling the stools back in place, and a feeling of relief is in the air. We need to be patient with service providers and remember they are all over-worked and under-paid, so tip big and say thank you. It felt good to finally valet cars and get luggage to and from the room with a bellman. Good VIBES are coming back to all of us who are ready to get out and play. But I hope restaurants and businesses remember to continue serving their guests like they did prior to COVID. Service and style are always in vogue, and the brand that took years to create must be protected. We will get to the other side of this pandemic sooner than later--and remember—it’s not over till the Cowboy sings. Be Kind. Be Patient. Tip Well.