Finding a cost effective way to serve up an on-trend food offering is becoming increasingly more important as operators look to appeal to customers’ rising expectations when it comes to dining out of home.
Customers are looking for dishes that don’t break the piggy bank but still give them a sense of being part of the ‘foodie’ movement.
By offering a range of dishes that can be personalised is a way of adding ‘premium’ to a dish while expanding choice on your menu, making customers likely to return time after time, and can be achieved easily by offering a choice of sauces, toppings, salads and sides.
Fast casual and Americana themed dishes lend themselves to this style of dining. For example, hot dogs and burgers are really adaptable dishes that can be added to easily without taking away from the main event, the meat, whilst presenting a profit boosting opportunity – like adding an onion ring for £1 or flavoursome cheeses for a small extra cost.
Pulled pork is another flexible menu option. It can be eaten alone, or loaded onto a burger or nachos to give a high-end value for relatively low expenses, whilst chicken wings can be marinated in a spicy sauce and served with rice to create a main course option with a twist.
Personalisation also lends itself to social eating – as customers seek out immersive dining experiences that can be shared with friends – both in reality and online via social media. Personalisation gives customers a feeling of individuality and uniqueness which lends itself to image sharing. By serving up visually appealing, authentic food, they’ll be tempted to share their creations online – extending the reach of your food offer even further!
Make your food offer go that extra mile by offering customers the chance to personalise with premium additions and you’ll see profit skyrocket – give it a go!
Did you know?
- There are over 250, 000 different ways to order a burger at Five Guys
- 2014 saw a £10m sales growth in pulled pork products in just a year
- 58% of hot dogs are being sold for over £5
