TUCO – American Food and Drink
How popular is American food and drink among students and young adults?
“Students and millennials are a hugely powerful consumer group and insight shows young adults are increasingly looking to be stimulated by their food choices, and having an immersive dining experience is just as important as the food and beverage on offer itself.
One of the biggest challenges university caterers face is capturing students’ imaginations, luring them away from the high-street where they are competing with popular American-style casual dining outlets like Five Guys, TGI Friday, and expanding barbecue chains like Red’s True BBQ. With this in mind, Big Al’s Foodservice has developed a suite of concept led catering solutions to rival these chain operators.
Big Al’s branded concepts are guaranteed to increase sales, improve profits and drive footfall to operator’s establishments.
Big Al’s Diner is a food concept packed with personality. From the early days of Route 66, the American diner has been an iconic all-day dining experience. Providing a fresh take on the classic American diner, this concept is designed to transform establishments into on-trend, go-to eateries for snacks, on the go meals and all day dining.
Big Al’s Foodees is designed for food lovers, with high quality dishes at its heart. With the continuing growth of street food, consumers are increasingly seeking new and innovative ways to enjoy eating on the go. Menu choices range from gourmet chilli con carne to prime lean steak and authentic hand-twisted stone baked pizzas. The foodees concept is suitable for universities, where consumers look for great tasty, convenient food to go, snacking and lunch options.
Another quick and easy way to heighten any dining experience is to tap into the customisation trend; allowing diners to create their dish, their way – from burgers through to hot-dogs, chicken wings to chilli, American style foods can be adapted to suit a wide range of taste preferences by adding additional toppings – including cheeses, relishes, sauces and more, creating an almost unlimited menu, meaning diners are less likely to become lethargic about your food offering, causing them to seek out dining experiences elsewhere.
What sort of dishes can caterers create to tap into student’s love of Americana?
A varied range of classic American dishes should be staple items on all university menus. Burgers remain one of the most ordered dishes in the UK and are an easy and convenient hand-held option for students dining on-the-go. However, it’s also really important to consider trend-led options, like pulled-pork, and flavoursome comfort foods, like chilli bowls, offering students the comforting taste of home, out of home.
What American-style snacks can caterers offer?
Dining occasions are becoming less defined, with students increasingly eating up to five smaller meals per day – offering a significant opportunity for university caterers to tap into the snacking market, boosting food sales all day parts. Quick and easy to prepare, Big Al’s range of pre-cooked frozen products can be cooked and served in next to no time – the perfect solution for fast paced university cafeterias – with minimal wait time for students between lectures. Popular snacking products include Big Al’s all new authentic Pizza Twists. Building on the ‘freedom eating’ and hand snacking trend, these 175g on-the-go snacks are ready in 60 seconds from frozen and come with consumer ready packaging sleeves, and can be enjoyed on-the-go – just one of many quick, convenient and consistently delicious options available from the Big Al’s range.”
To discover more about Big Al’s Foodservice visit http://www.bigalsfoodservice.co.uk
