From Plates to Closets: How Restaurants Are Becoming Lifestyle Brands

Restaurants are tapping into merchandising to strengthen their brand identity and engage their community beyond the dining experience. From tees to sweatshirts, culinary brands are entering the lifestyle scene.

In Brief
Over the past few years, restaurants—from fine dining spots to neighborhood bistros—have started investing in branded merchandise, primarily clothing items like t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring their logos or distinctive designs. Driven by social media, this trend allows customers to express their connection to a culinary “community” while creating new visibility for restaurants. Brands like Bao Family and Caviar Kaspia are leading the way with products made in collaboration with fashion labels, turning the dining experience into a lifestyle statement. 

Key Points
• 400 items: The Giftshop platform offers over 400 branded items from French and international restaurants. 
• 20% French customers: The majority of merchandise buyers are international customers. 
• 1% of revenue: For Bao Family, merchandise sales represent only a marginal portion of revenue, highlighting a community-focused rather than profit-driven approach. 

Insight and Analysis 
A Tool to Reinforce Brand Identity: This trend anchors a restaurant’s brand identity beyond its walls, allowing customers to “wear” the image of their favorite establishments. These branded items have become identity markers, symbolizing values, heritage, and sometimes even a nostalgic connection to dining experiences. Lipp, for instance, embodies this with its vintage sweatshirts that speak to its storied Parisian roots. 
A Growing Economic Model: Although merchandise generates minimal direct revenue (just 1% of Bao Family’s sales), it serves as a strategic tool for fostering loyalty and attracting a younger, engaged customer base, one that values community-focused and lifestyle-driven initiatives. This underscores the importance of restaurants diversifying their offerings to increase visibility and strengthen their brand. 
Social Media’s Impact: Digital platforms play a crucial role in amplifying this trend, allowing restaurants to reach a global audience. The emergence of Giftshop reflects a rising demand for “food-inspired” items rooted in a French or culinary Parisian aesthetic. 

Business Opportunity 
The rise of restaurant merchandise reflects a significant shift, as restaurants become more than just dining destinations; they’re evolving into community hubs. This expanded identity presents unique opportunities for growth, enabling restaurants to diversify their offerings and integrate more deeply into their customers' lives. Increasingly, restaurants could expand their product lines to include lifestyle items and additional services such as subscriptions, cooking workshops, or even private events for their most dedicated followers. This trend could also bridge the gap with related sectors like tourism, lifestyle, and culinary education. 

Alice P