Restaurant signage is a vital part of a restaurant’s marketing strategy, serving as the first point of contact between potential customers and the establishment. A well-designed sign can capture the attention of passersby and communicate the restaurant’s brand and identity, helping to attract new customers and build loyalty among existing ones. In short, restaurant signs are an essential aspect of the restaurant’s overall branding and marketing efforts.
However, a restaurant in Ohio, the United States, is using its signage in a novel way. Santino’s Pizzeria in Columbus has hung signs outside its establishment advertising job openings. The signs, which read “Now Hiring Non-Stupid People,” have gained attention on social media, but they were initially intended as a joke due to the business’s struggles with no-shows and people not taking the job seriously.
The store’s manager, Heather Stockton, said “It was all supposed to be a joke. Nothing serious, it was just more of the fact, we kept having an applicant, we’d train them and they’d just walk out.”
She further added that she is looking for workers that are “just reliable, on time, just, don’t come to work in like sandals.” And added “Instead of judging our signs, why don’t you come to judge our pizzas? Our pizzas are really good!”
Santino’s Pizzeria’s approach to using its signage to advertise job openings is a creative and attention-grabbing way to recruit new employees. By incorporating humor into its signs, the restaurant has successfully captured the attention of potential candidates, demonstrating that it is not afraid to be unconventional in its approach to hiring. It also highlights the importance of finding the right people for the job and the value that reliable employees bring to the business.
However, the signs have also generated some controversy, with some people finding them offensive. In response, Heather Stockton, the store’s manager, expressed her hope that those who found the signs offensive would still come in to try the restaurant’s food, emphasizing that the signs were intended as a joke and that the business did not intend to cause offense.
By using humor in its signage, the restaurant has successfully captured the attention of potential candidates, demonstrating that it is not afraid to take risks in its hiring efforts. However, it also underscores the importance of being sensitive to people’s sensibilities and avoiding any offense when using unconventional approaches to recruitment.
