Staying on top of the latest ingredient, food, and drink crazes can sometimes feel like a full-time job. As a restaurant owner, how can you be sure you’re jumping on trends that will be the next big thing, and not ones doomed to quickly fizzle out? Here are a few tips on how to research
The Power of Snacks: How Restaurants Can Harness the Fourth Meal
Snacks — not just for kids and Scooby Doo anymore — have become a major driver of consumer behavior and spending in the last two years, affecting restaurant industry profits and planning in their wake. It’s no surprise, given the 12 billion snack visits made to restaurants and other foodservice entities annually, according to research
That’s Amore: American Pizza Styles and Why We Love Them All
There are few foods that have been Americanized quite like pizza. While it has origins in Naples, Italy, the modern American pizza took off thanks to Italian immigrants coming to the new world and making adjustments to the old-world recipes. But now not only does America have its own take on pizza, it has lots
Fun, Funky Dessert Ideas to Add to Your Restaurant Menu
Crafting dessert ideas for restaurants can be tricky. You want to include exciting choices and stay on top of current trends, but you also need to find ones that fit your brand. One trick to add excitement to your dessert menu is to take consumer-friendly, recognizable dessert items, but give them a little twist. With
Whatchamacallit? Why Menu Descriptions Matter
It’s not enough to have delicious food — your customers need to be intrigued enough by your menu to order. Alongside server recommendations, menu descriptions are the most prominent influence in what ultimately gets ordered in your restaurant. And having compelling menu descriptions is even more important in the internet age, when potential guests might
Putting Your Best Grape Forward: Developing Your Restaurant Wine List
It’s no secret that a wine list can be both a significant revenue stream and a customer draw for a restaurant. How thoughtfully a restaurant compiles and presents their list can determine whether or not a customer orders a bottle, opts for other beverages, or even chooses another establishment. While there is no right or
Fixe-r Upper: Prix Fixe Menus in Restaurants
No matter whether you’ve been running a restaurant for years or just starting one up, the idea of a prix fixe menu will probably come up at some point. Prix fixe (literally in French: “fixed price”) is a type of menu that features a set multiple-course list at a set single price, without the option
What to Know About the LTO: Limited Time Offers in Restaurants
Whether you’re looking to shake things up at your restaurant or simply generate some extra profit for your bottom line, a smart (and often low-risk) opportunity is the classic LTO, or “limited time offer.” These are dishes that do not currently reside on your menu, that you can advertise as a special offering. Critical to
Not So Millennial: Restaurant Food Trends for Generation Z
The term “Millennials” gets thrown around a lot when discussing any food trends that fall outside of Baby Boomer interest. And it’s easy to think of Millennials as pretty much “anyone young,” but the reality is, the majority of Millennials are now in their late twenties and early thirties, with kids of their own. Now,
Veggies Front and Center: The Vegetable Entree Revolution
A certain long-running animated television show once claimed “You don’t win friends with salad,” but is that really the case? Are vegetables really that disliked? Not when you know what to do with them! More and more, vegetables are becoming the stars of entrees in restaurants across America, with animal-based proteins taking a back seat.