Avoiding menu fatigue can be one of the toughest tasks that restaurant owners will face. Not only does it mean developing new dishes, it can mean finding sources for new ingredients and different distributors. It can be tough to admit that your menu has become stagnant but it’s important to keep it fresh to grow your customer base. You’ll need detailed preparation and the buy-in from your entire staff to consistently update your menu. Your most popular items should remain on the menu year round to satisfy your regulars but your restaurant and menu should be constantly evolving.
Seasonal Menus
Changing up your menu as the seasons shift is a great way to continuously update your offerings. It also allows you to use ingredients at their peak freshness which will upgrade the quality of your dishes. Certain popular dishes should remain throughout the seasons but the majority of your menu should be fluid. Create dishes that include produce that is in season as well as menu items that traditionally fit each time of year.
Test Kitchen
One of the great ways to showcase the skills of your cooking staff is to host a test kitchen night where chefs are given the opportunity to bring new tastes and techniques to the table. This will create excitement within your current customer base and help garner interest from potential patrons looking to try something new. A test kitchen promotes creativity within your staff and allows you to test new menu items. These events can breed innovation and give your restaurant a reputation of providing a cutting edge menu.
Holiday and Event Menus
Creating a separate menu for each of the major holidays can draw in droves of customers looking to enjoy a traditional holiday meal without the time or frustration it takes to create their own. These menus will be condensed but should still include items to cater to vegans, vegetarians and those with food allergies. Take your time to tailor each menu to the specific holiday and be sure your meal makes your customers feel at home. Sporting and other events can be just as big a draw as holidays. Creating a menu that fits the Super Bowl or World Series theme can be a great way to bring in new customers.
Utilize Your Full Staff
While a test kitchen will provide your cook staff with a creative outlet there may also be some creative minds throughout the rest of your organization. Holding a private taste testing after hours with your staff can be a fantastic way to breed creativity and develop new dishes. Give each of your staff that would like to participate the opportunity to present their dishes to their colleagues. Have everyone rank the dishes according to taste and presentation and vote on a winner. If you hold one of these nights each month you’ll have a new dish to provide your customers that your entire staff can take pride in.
Customer Feedback
Customers are the life blood of your restaurant and their likes and tastes will eventually determine the success or failure of your menu. Whenever you have a new dish it’s important to collect feedback from your customers to determine if it’s a winner. You may also provide the customers an opportunity to suggest new dishes for your restaurant. This type of interaction and engagement will make your customers feel like they are a part of something, which will help you gain their loyalty.
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