If you don't eat here we both starve

[omly]

I noticed today that one of my neighborhood restaurants (Vinny T's) has the above slogan on its signage. I have no idea how long it has been there, but I don't remember noticing it before.

I find myself turning this over and over again with my fledgling business skills. On the one hand I want to make faces at it; it feels desperate or maybe like a passive aggressive adult figure. Maybe that last is intentional to allude to stereotypes of Italian maternal figures? On the other hand, it has a call to think local and in neighborly solidarity.

I have continued to think about it, so at least in that respect it is successful. Maybe for a low resource, small business a nuanced layered tag-line is ideal in that respect.

What are your thoughts?

Comments

[jasra]

Well, _you_ won't starve if you don't eat there because you'll eat somewhere.

I'm finding it annoying and pokey. I think I'd avoid going there because of it.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

i find that pushy. memorable though it may be.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I find it pushy and trying to guilt me into walking in. No thanks.

[nchanter.livejournal.com]

I agree with the other comments here... Kinda pushy and while I can see how some would find it cute, I find it off putting