Earlier this year, Twitter user Kim Belair posted images from the menu of her favorite Chinese restaurant in Montreal, Aunt Dai. But it wasn’t a typical menu.
That’s because at Aunt Dai, every menu item features a review from Feigang Fei, the owner. And it’s not always positive.
Some examples:
- While the Tofu Skin Salad is “widely accepted” and Fei “totally recommend[s]” it, the review of “I don’t know why, but peanut sauce chicken is liked by a lot of customers” speaks for itself.
- The Satay Sauce Beef? “This is new to our menu. I did NOT...try this one yet...Maybe I should spend more time eating at my restaurant.”
- As for the Mouth-watering Chicken? “We are not 100% satisfied with the flavor now... it will get better really soon.”
This doesn’t just make for a fun story on the internet. Fei was flooded with press requests, and locals flocked to order from the restaurant.
Yes, Fei’s unfiltered thoughts on his menu items are endearing and funny. But why do they really stick out?
You might be thinking: "duh, it's his transparency." When I first heard this story, I put on my marketing hat (yep, we have those at Clique, jealous much?) and immediately gravitated to that concept too. After all, transparency has become a marketing buzzword.
But that's not quite what Fei is doing here. He isn't showing the ins-and-outs of his cooking or “lifting the curtain.” Instead, he’s saying what works and what doesn’t, without caring about optics.
He isn’t transparent. He’s brutally honest.
As marketers, the temptation to present information through the rosiest lens is real. We should believe in our product and never waiver in our vision. But, if you can acknowledge your shortcomings too, it’s easier for people to believe that you’re not exaggerating your successes.
There’s a vulnerability in brutal honesty, and vulnerability can lead to trust.
And if you decide to be blunt front-and-center, to quote Fei’s review of his Seafood & Tofu Wok dish, ”You won’t be disappointed.”
~ From Jeff, and The Team at Clique
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