Noodles & Co. uses menu relaunch to change brand conversation

With more than 30 years in business, Noodles & Company has built a loyal following around its globally inspired dishes.

But with shifting consumer expectations and rising demand for bold flavors, the restaurant chain feels it may have lost some of its ground as an “authority in the noodle category,” according to Stephen Kennedy, EVP of marketing.

Kennedy noted that being lumped into the broad fast-casual category can lead to misperceptions of the restaurant as glorified fast food. In reality, the kitchen team possesses far more culinary know-how than many people might expect from other restaurants in its category.

“I wouldn’t say the brand was broken or that there’s something that we’re fixing,” said Kennedy, who joined the company in November. “(But) a lot of the data and insights we have suggest that maybe we’re not getting the credit for all the work that’s being done behind the scenes.”

To address that, Noodles & Company went through an 18-month soft relaunch as a “recommitment to our identity,” said Kennedy, who previously held marketing roles at Domino’s and Nestle.

Repositioning the brand

This isn’t a traditional rebrand. While the company refined its colors and fonts, the real focus was on the menu. In fact, Noodles & Company overhauled 70% of its offerings, using extensive customer research to guide the changes.

Partnering with SMG, a commerce marketing agency, they surveyed over 210,000 guests, tracking satisfaction, food quality and order accuracy to refine both the menu and brand messaging. Noodles & Company also used focus groups, in-home interviews and social listening to stay ahead of trends, uncovering desires for more sauce and diverse vegetables, especially mushrooms.

The menu launch gave Noodles & Company’s communications team a chance to reposition the brand with messaging that highlights what makes it stand out, Kennedy said. This includes things like the fact they make 10 different noodle types in house every day, the team’s training to cook noodles to a perfect al dente, the different preparation styles they use and sautéing certain meals fresh upon request.

“The messaging is really around reinforcing the expertise that we put into our process every day that consumers may just not be aware of,” Kennedy said.

Over the next several weeks, the brand is embarking on a sweeping campaign to ensure that every touchpoint, from earned media and digital ads to in-store interactions, tells a cohesive story.

“When we talk about noodle-centric messaging, it’s both noodles we serve and ‘Noodles’ as in the brand, reinforcing the authority of the brand and our staff to bring those dishes to consumers,” Kennedy said.

A multi-channel marketing push

Just prior to launch, the social team posted playful teaser content to build anticipation for the new menu across all social channels, with a focus on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. An example is an IG post with an on-image caption that reads “This is why you shouldn’t let the intern run the new menu photoshoot” alongside blurry photos of new offerings.

For the campaign, the content centers around the research and training that went into developing the updated menu. There’s a particular focus on individual items, especially macaroni and cheese menu.

In one YouTube video, which has both 15- and 30-second versions, the content centers around the homemade pasta Noodles & Company make it more than just a “side” option. Kennedy said many fast-casual brands have added the comfort food to their menu as a basic side dish. The caption is: “Why settle for a side when our Mac & Cheese is the main course?”

“What does a pizza place know about mac and cheese? Or a sandwich place or a chicken place. They don’t know mac and cheese,” the narrator says as images of limp-looking dishes of mac and cheese appear on screen. The piece then segues into what Noodles & Company offers, touting creamy, cheesy mac with different meat toppings. It closes with the company tagline, “We know noodles,” and a call-to-action linking to the new menu.

Beyond social, the company will also distribute paid content across Pinterest, Meta products, Google, CTV, Digital Out of Home and audio. Those YouTube videos will also appear on CTV.

The company’s media engagement includes outreach to national and regional press, with executives like Kennedy and Chief Concept Officer Scott Davis leading the conversation. But beyond corporate voices, Noodles & Company is tapping into its biggest brand ambassadors: its employees.

Kennedy noted that some of the material will feature Noodles & Company employees working and showing off their skills. He also hinted at the possibility of using employee testimonials down the line.

“You’ll see our team members showcasing what we do,” he said. “The excitement across our system has been incredible, and we want to harness that in our storytelling.”

Measuring success beyond sales

As with any company, the success of Noodles & Company’s effort will ultimately come down to sales figures, including repeat visits and satisfaction scores. The company will also track customer experience factors like service, food quality and taste.

But they’ll evaluate shifts in attitude and behavior as well.  Arguably the most important metrics they’ll watch surround brand relevancy. They’ll work with a vendor to track brand awareness, category consideration, and preference, helping them understand how perceptions of Noodles & Company have shifted.

Social listening will play a big part as well, Kennedy said, as those comments from customers will let them know if they’ve had success in reshaping how people think about the brand.

Kennedy noted that the team will use that data and adjust on the fly as needed – whether that means refining a recipe for a dish on the menu or refining how they talk about an item.

“At the end of the day, it’s about what makes us unique,” Kennedy said. “And that’s bringing a wonderful world of noodles to people.”