Vapiano has had an “incredibly strong” 2023 and is targeting further expansion in London and beyond, global marketing director Vikki O’Neill tells MCA.
The Germany-founded Italian-inspired restaurant chain opened its fifth UK location in Paddington in December 2022, which performed “exceptionally well” despite the industrial strike action at the time, according to O’Neill.
It comes as the group launches a new loyalty scheme through the ‘Vapiano Lovers’ app, offering an array of perks to diners including special offers, treats and a points system which will reward frequent visits.
“We’re driven to open more restaurants,” O’Neill says. “Paddington was half the size of our other sites, but locations are much more available in that size rather than the 350-cover locations we were previously targeting.
“London is definitely still an opportunity because we only have five restaurants, but there are also some incredible cities outside [the capital]. There will absolutely be more Vapianos.”
Post-Covid, the business has gone through three years of ensuring the “team structure is solid, that we’re delivering on the experience, and the price point we offer is deemed good value.”
For O’Neill, the USP is fresh made-to-order pasta, with ingredients personalised according to customer tastes. Vapiano’s pizza sales are also performing strongly, and so is NPD such as new antipasti introduced last year, but it is known for its fresh pasta, she says.
“There are tens of thousands of adaptations to the menu through our customers,” she adds. “Nothing can beat having the dish you love, except having it exactly as you like it.
“The endless stream of adaptation is what keeps people coming back.”
The chain also saw strong trading on Valentine’s Day earlier this week and is rated highly for its “atmosphere and vibe”, according to O’Neill. It nevertheless is to launch ‘National Solo Dining Day’ on 16 April, offering solo diners 40% off as an initiative in response to the rise in solo dining across the country.
“We’re not your typical romantic restaurant, we’ve got massive 300-plus-cover spaces, but it’s lent itself well to a Valentine’s vibe.”
In terms of the loyalty scheme, O’Neill says it is “nothing new” in an “age of personalisation.”
“People want to feel they’re rewarded for their time and effort with any brand,” she says. “The big thing is collecting and using data through targeted, automated, personalised communications based on behaviour.”
This will not only offer more data on frequency but also allow Vapiano to do inter-country comparisons, with over 134 sites across 25 countries.
“We know over half of visitors each week are new business, through proof of presence and wifi data.
“The app is really about understanding guest behaviour and making sure we deliver the experience, reward, and incentive for people to come in.”
She describes Vapiano’s biggest competitor as Nando’s “in terms of where our crowd goes when they’re not with us”. The app is about vying for those extra visits.
In terms of the brand journey, the decision to introduce digital ordering has been well receive – with over 80% of customers choosing to order on their phones – and taken away one of the biggest pain points for customers.
“People were waiting in queues to get to the chef and order. It wasn’t ideal,” O’Neill adds. “A survey showed that 60% of guests said they loved digital ordering when we introduced it. Now it’s over 90%.”
Vapiano has been experimenting with AI for some social media content, but is treading cautiously.
“The potential is huge, but we don’t want to run before we can walk. We want to get the basics right, and the teams in restaurants also have to be able to understand it.
“The business is in a great status and the future is looking really bright.”
