A bun, a patty. Maybe a leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato, some gherkin or other greenery. Ketchup or mustard. And voilà, it’s done. Proudly presenting: the burger. Everyone knows it, everyone loves it. Variations: countless. With chicken, with beef, vegetarian, vegan… And with mealworms. Perfectly normal in Asia. But over here? Dicey. Even so, the LeBurger restaurants in Vienna are daring to go there. Their motto: taking the burger experience to a new level. And you can even see it for yourself, thanks to the open kitchen right in the middle of the restaurant! The view: definitely nothing to sniff at. And to make sure the smell isn’t either, managing director Lukas Tauber has an ace up his sleeve: scent marketing from AROMEA Airdesign. With its sustainable, hypoallergenic fragrances, it is also a perfect match for the special atmosphere at LeBurger…
Question: You advertise that you take the burger experience to a new level. What makes your restaurant so special?
Tauber: One clear difference from our competitors is quality. We make burgers. Everything else is fast food! So our burgers are more or less slow food, made with really fresh ingredients from regional suppliers. Quality truly matters to us: it’s how we define ourselves! You can get fast-food burgers anywhere. We want to give our guests a special experience! The best quality, everything handmade: a new level, just as we said!
Question: Your burger patties are enhanced with mealworms. That’s a little unusual. How should we picture it?
Tauber: At LeBurger we’re always on the lookout for new things. We want to set the pace on innovation and not shy away from taboos. Of course it takes some getting used to, but they’re rich in protein and healthy fats. A true superfood, in other words!
And it’s not as if we go stomping into the garden to fetch the worms (laughs). They’re top quality, from a certified organic farm in Austria. Sure, it takes a fair bit of nerve to eat something like that, but it goes down really well! People order these burgers on purpose to try them, and they’re thrilled across the board. Me included! But of course there are plenty of options for anyone who’s not quite ready to take the plunge yet…
Question: Searing, frying and much more. A lot of smells come together in a burger restaurant. How did you come across AROMEA scent marketing, and why did you decide to go with it?
Tauber: I wanted a good scent so that guests feel welcome straight away and everything comes together as a whole. On top of that, we have the open kitchen. It really catches the eye and guests love it, but the smells… You want to enjoy a lovely evening, not have to wash everything afterwards because you reek of a blend of onions and chips. AROMEA scent marketing had exactly the right solution for us. Subtle, natural, sustainable. Just like us.
Question: You have four “Nano Pro 5” diffusers with patented AirQ technology in use. Why is it the right one for you?
Tauber: Because the diffuser is so small, it can be built perfectly into the lighting tracks and used wherever you need it. That’s ideal for us, because it means we can use it in a targeted way by the open kitchen, at the entrance and so on. Precise touches of scent with practically zero effort! Exactly what we were looking for.
Question: What influence does the scented atmosphere have on how food tastes?
Tauber: I don’t think it affects the taste of the burger itself. But the ambience as a whole plays a big part! Only if I feel comfortable can I enjoy the taste experience in peace. And if the smell of grease greets me at the door: no, thanks. A good scent creates a completely different impression. It does a lot for the overall package, especially because the special fragrance “Orient Express” suits our concept and our interior so well. And people have often asked us what smells so good and how we do it. So I can only recommend it!
Lukas Tauber on scent marketing
