Dear Bakers Square - A Love Letter

Hi, you don’t know me, but I have known you almost all my life. Your pies have been a staple for many special occasions throughout my life. Holidays, dinners with family and.... well that is about it. You see, outside of those areas, there really is no reason to go. Your food is ok. Your food is reasonably priced. Your environment is...sad. With so many different restaurant choices, I don’t think I would choose to go there outside of eating with my 70 year old parents, which we do whenever we are in town to see them. I hope this does not come across as rude, but I truly do care about you (well at least about your French Silk Pie).

I read that you are going through bankruptcy, and well, that sucks. But you know what they say, when the world hands you lemons, make Lemon Meringue Pie. I know that you can be successful, but it is going to take some work and some tough decisions. Here are a couple of (unsolicited) things to things to think about:

• Ask Yourself What You Are Really Selling: People want to go out to eat. In 2019, U.S. restaurant industry sales reached a record high of $863 billion this year, up 3.6% over last year, (https://www.nrn.com/sales-trends/us-restaurant-sales-reach-record-863b-2019-nra-says. While this might not be the growth percentage that the industry is striving for, it at least showcases continued demand. The question is, why are folks not going to Bakers Square? The better question might be, why should they be going to Bakers Square? People buy products based on three things: Heart (emotional connection), Mind (statistics/facts) and Wallet (money). As I mentioned before, outside of the delicious Pie (Heart), there is truly nothing differentiating except maybe the discounts/specials (Wallet...which is not always the best way to attract customers in an already razor thin margin business). So what can you do? Ask yourself the following question: What role does Bakers Square play in my customer's life? How is the emotional connection? What could you be doing to become a Heart based offering that can demand a premium?
• Go With What You Are Great At: Pie. It's amazing. It's the one thing that everyone can agree on. I truly believe that great pie could solve a majority of the world's issues. (Just try having an argument with somebody over apple pie and ice cream... it's damned near impossible). So why do you discount it? It has become the throw away add on item to an up-charge or, even worse, a loss leader to drive people in to eat discounted food. Pie should be the star of the show. Look around, we live in a world of $5 donuts, $4 Pop Tarts and $3 cookies. The world will pay for pie.
• Recognize the Need For A Target Customer/ Customer Experience Shift: You are currently in the business of selling discount food to an aging audience. Not the best model for long term growth. Now that you have filed bankruptcy, you have the opportunity to rethink the whole thing. My two cents: Your entire business could be built around smaller locations focused on pie, coffee, simpler foods that you could charge a premium for. Call it Square. Use the Iconic Red logo (sans the Bakers part). Create an environment that feels more industrial/craftsperson. This will enable you to focus on smaller store locations (strip malls) and avoid stand alone business challenges. You could also begin to sell you pies online as part of a larger "gift" or on demand market. Think Cheryl's Cookies but with Pie. Or Edible Arrangements, but with Pie (I mean who really wants to receive a fruit basket for their birthday?? Give me a pie all day long). This is an easy revenue source that can be fulfilled at a regional level and extend your brand beyond store location.
• Recognize The Power of Social Media: Your current social media outreach consists of pictures of pie. Guess what, I know you have pie. Awareness of pie is not your issue, you need to now move everyone down the funnel to conversion and retention. Show me what I am missing out on by not coming into Square (that is what I am calling my completely fictional version of your future store). Maximize the true stories of the local hero nominations you are taking. Bring them to life... hell bring them to the store and post an interview with them eating pie. I would walk away from almost all of your national advertising spend and focus on targeted geographic engagements that integrate you into the hearts of the community vs. pushing awareness of new offerings at discounted prices. I would also pay attention to your social post comments section (which mainly consists of people saying that your locations are closing or they didn't like their experience) and managing Review site (Yelp, Google, etc) feedback.
• If You Must Do Food, Ditch Most of Your Menu: I have never once in my life heard anybody say "Oh my god, have you had the Seared Steak Tips from Bakers Square?". Or "Honey's let's take the kids to Baker's Square for some Fish and Chips!". Sure people order them, but the reality is that you could probably get away with a more streamlined menu of burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and a couple entrees. Of course that means you might need to up the quality a bit, but it is going to allow you to focus on doing less things great vs. doing more things average. This is a classic Keep It Simple Stupid.

So I know I just dropped a lot on you, but please know, it's only because I care. I want my children to grow up in a world that French Silk Pie and Coconut Cream pie are a staple of every holiday dinner and Saturday conversation with friends. I am here for you if there is ever anything you ever need... I'm willing to work for Pie.

Your's Sincerely,

Chad