6 things you didn't know about Wagamama
They already have 11 stores.
With eleven bustling stores, Asian-inspired QSR chain—Wagamama tells QSR Media what’s unique about their products and gives a scoop on its promos and new menu.
Below is a Q&A with Simon Ravindran, Wagamama Marketing Manager.
QSR Media: Tell us about how Wagamama started, and its arrival in the country.
Ravindran: Wagamama first launched in London in 1992 with the Australian franchise first opening its doors in April 2002 (in Sydney).
QSR Media: What sets your product offering apart from the other Asian inspired QSR chains?
Ravindran: Our restaurants are different physically, in that they are modelled on the ramen bars of Japan offering bench style communal dinning in a contemporary and minimalist environment.
What really sets us apart is our emphasis on offering a full service experience from fun quirky energetic team members. Our focus is 100% on delivering great service and great food direct to you.
Constraints on labour in Australia mean that many of our competitors go light on their service by asking customers to order at a counter and/or collect their food using a buzzer system.
We don't do that, instead we believe the more engagement with the customer the better experience they will have. After all, we're in hospitality and having a smiling team member meeting your customer's needs is what it's all about at the end of the day
QSR Media: What kind of results are you getting from your ‘Noodles on the Net’ service?
Ravindran: We've had mixed results with our online take out web site across the country but on the whole the system works well delivering convenience to customers who don't wish to dine in with us.
The system works best in our corporate markets, where the average customer just wants to place an order from their office | pick up | and get back to the office
QSR Media: What inspired the brand to come up with the ‘noodles + movie’ promo? How have customers responded to this?
Ravindran: The noodles + movies deal was in response to customer research, which indicated that 80% of our potential clientele base (who don't identify as loyal Wagamama fans), dine out and then go to a show or the movies.
We saw this as an opportunity to attract repeat business from our customer base and develop our relationship with new customers.
Because we're providing movie tickets when you dine with us on certain days, we’re seeing average customer spend going up and the volume of redemptions steadily growing because the deal is compelling.
QSR Media: Tell us about the new menu that your brand has launched. What’s unique about it?
Ravindran: We are continuously innovating our local product offering and drawing on the success of certain dishes that Wagamama UK have introduced in their local markets by introducing them here in Australia.
We change our menu bi-annually in line with the summer and winter seasons. our last menu change in June saw us introduce a number of winter dishes, such a flavourful miso ramen and a delicious pipping hot teriyaki salmon ramen.
We also launched a fiery firecracker chicken rice dish, which has been by far the best selling new product on our winter menu.
As we head into summer, our upcoming menu will feature new dishes that are in in line with current trends indicating customers are looking for more than just the average south East Asian traditional stir fry.
QSR Media: What are the top 3 goals that the brand hopes to achieve before the year ends?
Ravindran:
1. introduce a new web site and group booking platform
2. introduce our summer menu
3. introduce new customer enhancements such as in store free wifi
We're currently trialling a great new social media based free wifi system at our queen street mall restaurant in brisbane
