You’d be hard pressed not to have noticed the explosion of groovy, gourmet burger outlets in your capital city of late. Whether you’re the healthy heart burger type or you prefer the whole greasy nine yards, there’s a burger joint vying for your love right now.

It’ll be interesting to see which ones are still thriving in 12 months time. With so many competitors entering the market at once, how does a burger bar stand out from the crowd? How do they create a long-term relationship with your culinary dollar and not just be passed off as flavour of the month?

Well, if you ask me, it all comes down to branding. Ok, it’s not all about branding – there’s flavour, service, price, location – but ultimately, they’re all elements of the brand. Everything that contributes to the customer’s experience of that burger is part of the lasting impression and therefore part of the brand.

Each new burger outlet needs to decide on its personality. It needs to make a promise to the customer and, hand on heart, say “this is what you can expect from me. I won’t let you down.”

I was prompted to ponder this the other night when I met some friends at my local new burger joint. Everything I had read about this place – its website, its menu, its Facebook page – led me to expect the all American Southern style burger experience, with a wholesome, earthy, friendly vibe.

Like going on a first date – that moment you walk in and either want to embrace the candidate out of pure relief or run for the door and pretend you got a flat tyre – first impressions are imperative. I felt like my date had fudged their profile when the first thing I saw on arrival was a flat screen TV on the wall. (It has to be said at this point that I have a pathological aversion to TVs in eating establishments. Why we can’t go out to enjoy food and company without basking in the glow of a football game or a music video is beyond me. But I digress.)

The food was quite good. Not amazing – but tasty. And the wine servings were generous (always a plus). But just when I felt like my burger and I were getting to know each other, there was another curve ball. After a bit of discussion around the table I casually asked our young, friendly, effortlessly fashionable waiter what music was playing in the room that night. (We’d built up a bit of a rapport by now so I felt ok to accompany my enquiry with a slightly up-turned lip).

“What?” “You don’t like Metallica?” was his horrified response. I’m not kidding. They were playing Metallica. I felt cheated.

I have very eclectic musical tastes and I can proudly say I am a person who enthusiastically embraces diversity – in every facet of my life. But Metallica? A flat screen TV? This burger joint had a personality crisis. Everything it had told me it would be was diluted by everything that it was not.

Compared to other burger places that I’ve tried where everything from the menu and the staff to the packaging and the décor all follow through on their promise, I felt like this one was a bit of a phoney. I won’t be rushing back.

Tell the customer what they can expect and make sure that’s what you deliver. It’s the only way to get a second date and the best chance at a long-term commitment.