I think the idea of breakfast soup is weird all around. It’s confusing the concept. Soup/Stew/Chowder at breakfast is uncommon. Porridge has a negative connotation to college age kids. Plus, a thick, potato-based soup is going to look a lot like gravy. It’s going to be unappetizing to walk in and see people eating what looks like bowls of gravy. Even if it’s fantastic, it’s going to take too much explaining to overcome the weird perception.
I think you should hold off on the soup for now. Add it once you become successful. While it sounds delicious, I don’t think soup will help you in the beginning. Rather, it could hurt your success. It may give people a negative first impression and they may not come back.
I think you will do very well to focus on biscuits and things that go with them–bacon, eggs, sausage, chicken strips, etc. Give people a strong first impression of what you are about and branch out later.
I’ve been thinking about this breakfast soup idea since this thread started.
I find it intriguing.
With that said I suspect it would be a niche product at best until one of the following occurs
You promote it (give out little Dixie cup samples when customer sit down maybe?)
A food reviewer goes ape shit for it.
Enough students like it that word of mouth kicks in (see #1)
While I despise country/sausage/white gravy (yes, yes, I realize I have just put myself beyond the pale), you’re crazy if you think people who generally like said gravy would be repulsed by people eating bowls of it.
Also, the idea that people can’t figure out that they are eating bowls of, essentially, potato soup seems a little weird. If I go into a restaurant and don’t know what something is, I look at the menu or ask somebody.
I like gravy on biscuits but I’d think it would be gross to eat a bowl of gravy. It’s like how I like syrup on pancakes but it would be gross to eat a bowl of syrup.
If I go into a random restaurant I’m not going to necessarily think someone eating a bowl of white stuff is gravy. But if I go into a biscuit restaurant, I’m going to think it’s gravy because I’m expecting to see gravy.
If I walk into a restaurant and see multiple people eating a bowl of something, I’m going to order it. I’m also going to assume it’s soup, because that’s what is usually served in bowls in restaurants. I’m not going to think people are eating bowls of gravy, especially after I see soup on the menu.
What about something that doesn’t have biscuits in it? The Nook. I’m thinking of all the college places that I used to go to - The Villa, The Tavern, Main St. Cafe, Continental Divide, Jabberwocky, Biltmore… the name really had little to do with it.
I’m already planning ahead on advertising/pr: Before the doors open, there will be some free sample blitzes (at the weekly farmers market, the monthly First Friday shindig downtown, at the big student apartment housing complexes,) probably cater a Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, drop off a Basket o’ Biscuits at the student newspaper office, the local newspaper office, etc. Invite the movers and shakers to a soft opening, do the whole CofC photo op with the mayor cutting the ribbon at the grand opening, and so forth. We have a reasonable advantage here with the locals - we know 'em all, and I’m related to half of them!
