Posts Tagged ‘names’

I like obvious names, I do. Why should I have to figure out your name in order to understand your product/service/intentions?

Along those lines, I'd like to see more businesses understand how their customers are likely to call them, and name themselves accordingly.

Example: there are three small Chinese restaurants within a few blocks of my dayjob: Great China, China Star, and China Village Restaurant. I have no idea which is which, and frankly I don't care. I prefer the one on the corner of Mason and Nova, and I'll bet most of their customers call them just that. So why not plan for it?

I'd like to see a chain of Chinese restaurants called "The Chinese Place," with names specific to the location. "The Chinese Place on 3rd." "The Chinese Place by the Airport." "The Chinese Place Over by the Italian Place." With variations as needed: "The Thai Place Over on Beachside," "The Hungarian Place by the Police Station, Over on District." Someone could even get cute with it and call their restaurant "The Chinese Place You Like So Much."

People would love the advertising and T-shirts. It would make the restaurant more a part of the community by anchoring it solidly to its surroundings. And there'd be no more need to remember which one is the Jade Garden (that you love) and which one is the Jade Palace (that had that bad fish that one time).

Same principle as the naming conventions for episodes of "Friends," which made perfect sense to me (i.e. "The One About Ross' Colonoscopy). It just makes things easier.

And now I want Chinese food.