While going home (Upstate NY) over the Memorial Day weekend, I started to list all of the things I wanted to eat. What can I say, I love food - especially things I can only get at home. It’s part tradition, memories from growing up and just the experience of going back. Iconic Food.

I’m sure everyone has this nostalgic pull to food at some point. For my co-worker Susan, it’s Springer’s Homemade Ice Cream in Stone Harbor, NJ. For me it’s Doug’s Fish Fry in Skaneateles, NY and Hoffman hot dogs (made with real casings!)

For food companies the real question should be - how can I create an iconic food with a unique experience? Something special that people are willing to stand in line for because it’s “what you do.” Because once you become a tradition you have customers for life. Plus they’ll write up beautiful reviews and tell all their friends. It’s the power of iconic food.

Do you have any iconic foods that you love? Let me know!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 at 3:46 pm and is filed under Branding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.