In order to keep your menu fresh, it should change with the times.
Successful operations have menus that continually evolve to reflect changing customer tastes. Smaller operators can learn a lot by paying attention to large chain restaurant trends. Large operators spend significantly on market research to discover the latest consumer preferences.
Open a magazine or turn on your TV and you’ll notice that many of the big chains follow the same trends. That’s free market research for you! For example, if you’re seeing that fruit and salads are the current trend, then think about adding an item to your menu.
One great way to make your menu work harder is to feature seasonal or specialty items. Throughout the year, you can take advantage of both seasonal produce and holiday taste trends to increase sales and profits. When summer berries and other fruits are at their peak flavor and at a value price, showcase them in breakfast entrees, salads and desserts. Here are some examples:
Breakfast: French Toast or Waffles with Fresh Mixed Berries, Berries and Cream Crepes, Blueberry Pancakes, Crunchy Granola topped with Fresh Peaches and Vanilla Yogurt.
Salads: Spinach and Strawberry salad with a tangy Poppyseed dressing, Fresh Fruit Salad with Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Pineapple and Strawberries served with Cream Cheese Fruit dip.
Desserts: Cinnamon Grilled Peaches with French Vanilla Ice Cream, Fresh Strawberry or Blueberry Shortcake, Mixed Berry Cobblers and Crisps served with Vanilla or Carmel Ice Cream.
As the winter holiday season approaches, it’s a great time to again focus on a different set of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here are some examples:
Breakfast: Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting, Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Cider Sauce, Gingerbread Pancakes served with Pears, Pecans and Whip Cream.
Entrées: Salmon with Satsuma Orange Butter Sauce, Butternut Ravioli and main ingredient squash soups like Curried Squash Soup.
Desserts – Cranberry Walnut Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Poached Pears, Caramelized Pear Tart.
If you are interested in building your family business, you may also consider featuring entrees that are “kid-friendly.” According to Restaurant Hospitality magazine: “When decisions are being made to determine where a family will eat, kids have a major influence on their parents.” Develop a children’s’ menu that makes it very easy for parents to either make a selection or help guide their kids’ choice. Bundling entrées with beverages and pricing those bundles in an attractive and consistent manner is key. Remember, the goal of having a great Kids’ menu shouldn’t be to maximize profit on the items featured there. The goal is to cultivate a good atmosphere where families become regulars. Happy kids mean parents that can enjoy their meal and have time to order a drink and maybe a dessert! It’s the adult meals, add-on drinks and repeat business that will drive increased gross profit.
Kid-Friendly Ideas:
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Provide crayons and coloring sheet
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Keep plates lukewarm to avoid burns
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Use fun names for your menu items
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Offer crackers or bread to ease waiting time
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Create a Kid’s Night or Birthday Club
Popular Kids’ Entrees:
Specialty menus aren’t limited to the dinner menu, either. Consider appetizers, drinks or happy hour (which could include drink and appetizer specials). Put your Chefs and Kitchen Managers to work and let their creativity flow as they develop specialty menus. Specialty menus are a wonderful way to keep your selections fresh and interesting. Have fun with them and your customers will too!
Julie Kalkowski is a Restaurant Operations Consultant.
Food For Thought Archive