WHY do we keep returning to the same restaurant? Is it because the food and atmosphere are great? Or, is the real reason that we prefer familiarity to the risk of change?Take Ocean Basket, the fish restaurant franchise founded in 1995 by Peter "Fats" Lazarides, the son of Greek immigrant parents, with start-up capital of only R800. With 173 outlets in SA and another 30 across the Middle East and Europe, the brand has a reputation for no-nonsense, value-for-money seafood. Go to any outlet anywhere in SA and you know exactly what to expect.A night out at Ocean Basket is as predictable as the brand’s franchise-wide decor.Or is it? Business head Grace Harding says customers like "predictable innovation", which is why the chain is embarking on a branding upgrade that will change the look and taste of Ocean Basket.The entire corporate identity — from logo to decor and menu — will be transformed. Eventually. For while the process has already begun, Harding says it will take up to five year...
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