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Keeping your menu fresh and current is a struggle. Your regular customers expect their tried-and-true favourites - but you want to keep your offerings fresh and current.
Watch and learn
First, learn to tell trends from fads. A fad comes and goes quickly, while a trend stays and becomes mainstream. Do a little research; watch trade publications, consumer magazines and promotions at large chains.
Adapt and prosper
You needn’t revamp your whole menu in order to profit from trends. Simply use special menu inserts, blackboard specials and weekly promotions.
Once you spot a trend you like, look around for inspiration. If for instance, you want to add a hot new ethnic flavour profile like Thai to your menu, then find a good Thai eatery in your area and sample. Remember however that you’re not a Thai restaurant - don’t try to be too authentic. It’s easier to add a Thai ‘inspired’ menu item just to give a sense of that cuisine.
Don’t reinvent the meal
There are many commercially-available products - such as dressings, marinades and prepared sauces - that can easily provide a flavour profile. If, for example, you currently offer chicken wings, it’s simple to add “Spicy Thai Wings” - marinate in the appropriate spices and then serve with a “Thai” dipping sauce.
This principle can be applied to any number of cuisines: create Moroccan grilled fish by marinating in “charmoula”, and similarly you can offer Jamaican “jerk” spiced pork tenderloin, Shanghai chicken wings, and grilled flank steak with South American “chimicurri” sauce.
Hamburgers extraordinaire
One current hot trend is hamburgers with selling prices near $50 on high-end menus. Simply take advantage of this trend by adding creative twists to your burger menu. Add an Italian flair with breads like focaccia or ciabatta, cheeses such as provolone and asiago, and mayonnaise flavoured with sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Add feta cheese and “tzatziki” sauce to a lamb burger on pita bread with a side of Greek salad for a quick signature Greek burger. Brie cheese and Dijon mustard create an instant French bistro favourite. Burgers are popular and profitable! It just takes a little imagination.
It’s all in the details
Tweaking current menu items to take advantage of trends is a quick and easy way to create interest. By offering diners an exotic salad dressing you are showing creativity and adding value. This can be as simple as adding fresh herbs to a commercial vinaigrette dressing or enhancing it by drizzling a little quality olive oil over a salad. Adding fresh seasonal fruits to a simple green salad is a simple way to give it a little flair.
Wild blueberries, local strawberries and peaches purchased at farmer’s market during the peak of season will say a great deal about your commitment to quality.
Keeping it Organic
The trend towards organic products is expected to remain very strong. Many top chefs now identify the provenance of their ingredients on their menus to show their commitment to quality and the environment. You can too. Use locally raised and organic products whenever possible. Why not visit a local market and speak with the producers directly. Many will be glad to have your business. With their permission, give them credit on the menu (e.g. Mrs. Jones’s Cranberry Chutney). This will create instant goodwill and impress diners with your community involvement
You only need to ask
To gain valuable insight into what works, ask for both customers and staff feedback. Future decisions will be much easier and your menu will remain vibrant and exciting!
Inspired? Try these delicacies:
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